Is Natural Always Good for you?
By
I recently became involved in a fascinating discussion on a beauty forum site. This particular part of the discussion was on the term “natural.” I stated that talc was not natural and was a dangerous toxin and carcinogen. In fact, talc is closely related to asbestos and has even been found in ovarian tumors. Someone replied that talc was in fact, natural, e.g., found in nature. Well I stand corrected. I never claimed I knew it all! This person made an excellent point. Talc is found in nature yet is highly toxic to individuals. This leads one to believe that natural isn’t always good for you. When you say natural you tend to believe it is safe and pure. Yet a substance like talc is found in nature and causes cancer! So everything found in nature is not necessarily safe or good for you nor is artificial ingredients, synthetics, or petrochemicals.
So what’s the difference between natural and organic? This is a question many people have. I read about a poll where people trusted products labeled “natural” more than they trusted products labeled “organic!” Products labeled as “natural” are not regulated. Your best bet to determine if this product is safe is to read the ingredients. Know your ingredients! The lesser, the better. Be sure you’re able to identify all the contents.
The term “organic” is even more iffy. The term is definitely more regulated for food products than personal care products. The USDA issues their “organic” seal if the product is made with 100% organic ingredients. It can be labeled “organic” (but no seal) if it is made with 95-99% organic ingredients. Finally, “made with organic ingredients” refers to if the product is made with 70-94% organic ingredients. Even still, be wary of petrochemicals in such products as well as synthetic preservatives. Go to the Organic Consumers Association site for more on this topic:
I hope I have cleared up the difference between natural and organic for you so that the next time you go to the store to purchase your shampoo or lotion, you are not standing there shaking your head in confusion. Any questions or comments, feel free to use the contact form or post a comment. And please remember to subscribe as there are some exciting things coming up on the blog, such as giveaways and video! Until next time, stay natural, stay beautiful…Robin.
Great article. Both terms are somewhat undefined so when looking for a really natural product, look at the company’s definition first. Unfortunately, natural is used to greenwash products these days. If I want natural, I want products made with ingredients that go into making that product that have not have their molecular bonds altered in any way. Nature identical doesn’t do it for me. GMO’s don’t do it for me. “Derived from coconut oil” doesn’t do it for me. And while we are on it, ingredients should be sustainably produced and/or extracted. Too many companies that claim to be natural – aren’t.
And good points on natural not necessarily being good. Oil is natural. Poison ivy is natural. Some people are allergic to lavender – wouldn’t want to use it just because it might be natural in that case. Many essential oils are estrogen-mimics – natural as they may be, if you are avoiding extra estrogen, you wouldn’t want to use them. Natural is not a get out of jail free card – use natural products wisely, like you would anything else.