Natural Cosmetics 101

With cosmetics, it's not just "natural" or "conventional." There are lots of different labels, such as:

Now, these labels are really only loosely defined. There's no single standard for "natural" or for "organic" cosmetics. So in some cases, such labels mean very little. But we'll get to that in the next section.

In theory at least, a natural or organic cosmetic contains nothing synthetic. For example, Earths Beauty's concealer contains zinc oxide, organic jojoba, beeswax, mica and iron oxides; Loreal's Air Wear Long Wearing Concealer contains water, cyclomethicone, trimethylsiloxysilicate, butylene glycol, boron nitride, retinyl palmitate, allantoin, cetyl dimethicone copolyol, bisabolol, sorbitan sesquioleate, methicone, tetrasodium EDTA, methylparaben, propylparaben, mica and iron oxides -- plus a whole host of other such ingredients [sources: ANC, ePinions].

The biggest difference between, say, a natural deodorant and a regular deodorant is the preservatives. Regular deodorants use chemical preservatives, some of which are possibly dangerous. Triclosan and parabens, for instance, are both loosely associated with cancer and endocrine-system disruptions. Other products, like nail polish and hairspray, contain phthalates, which can interfere with endocrine processes and potentially affect reproductive systems. Truly natural or organic cosmetics shouldn't contain any of these ingredients.

This usually means they have a shorter shelf life than conventional products, since they don't contain preservatives. And it may mean that natural cosmetics are healthier than their conventional counterparts, since they don't contain synthetic ingredients that may (or may not) interrupt our natural body processes. There's no definitive evidence either way on whether potentially harmful ingredients can do harm when they're "consumed" in cosmetic form.

There's also little real evidence showing that natural cosmetics are any better for your skin or hair than conventional ones. For people with sensitive skin, synthetic preservatives can be irritating, so that's one reason to go natural. But it's mostly a matter of preference: Some people believe that "synthetic" means "unhealthy." Others believe that "natural" doesn't necessarily mean "safe," and they trust the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (which reviews and assesses the safety of cosmetics) to keep unsafe products off the shelves.

One area in which natural cosmetics most likely excel is in eco-friendliness -- but only if they carry a reliable organic label. An USDA-labeled organic cosmetic is probably made in a more eco-friendly manner than a conventional cosmetic.

This brings us to a major sticking point with natural cosmetics: the labeling. In cosmetics, not all labels are created equal.

Cosmetics labeling isn't as tightly regulated as food labeling. It's perfectly legal for a company to label its shampoo "botanical" if it has synthetic aloe fragrance added. The smell of aloe, after all, is "botanical." Other labels like "nature-inspired" and "natural" don't actually mean anything concrete, either. Some "natural" products do contain natural ingredients; others don't. "Natural" isn't a legally binding designation.

The more reliable designation is "organic," and particularly "USDA Organic." There are several different organic certification organizations in the United States, but they apply different standards, and it's often unclear how reliable some of them are. For instance, the organization behind the Ecocert label will grant certification to some products containing petrochemicals; and several so-called "organic" products have been found to contain 1,4-dioxane, the controversial chemical discovered in those baby products [source: OCA].

But the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a strict organic standard, and the "USDA Organic" label is well-enforced. If a cosmetic says "USDA Organic," you can be reasonably sure its ingredients were not grown with chemical pesticides, that it was made sustainably, and that it contains no chemical preservatives. The word "organic," however -- minus the "USDA" -- is not enforced as stringently in cosmetics as it is in food. A synthetically preserved deodorant can call itself "organic" and get nothing more than a slap on the wrist by the USDA. So be sure to look for the organic seal, not just the word.

There are plenty of cosmetics brands that are truly natural. You just have to do some research to find out who is reliable and who isn't. For instance, if you go to the LUSH Web site (a popular "natural cosmetics" brand) and look at the ingredients for Banana Moon Soap, you'll notice that more than half the ingredients are "Safe Synthetic." At Best Bath Store, on the other hand, the ingredients for the Cocoa Butter Body Bar are only natural oils and cocoa butter.

If you want all-natural and you don't want to do your research, though, there is another way: You could always make your own cosmetics at home. Here are a few simple recipes to get you started:

For more information on natural cosmetics and related topics, look over the links on the next page.