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Natural vs. Organic vs. Certified Organic
By Greg Milham
There is currently a lot of confusion in the cosmetic and natural skin care market with many companies riding on the back of the growing swell of consumer support for organic products. A few years ago we had every manufacturer and marketer screaming “natural”’ in fact so much so it was hard to find a brand that did NOT have the word natural on the label. More recently the word “organic” has become the new buzz word and superseded “natural” so the new definition of “natural” became organic for a lot of marketers and again many companies followed suit and began yelling it from the roof tops. But what does it all mean? Well nothing; anyone in Australia can call themselves natural and organic as there is no body, either government or private that polices these label claims. You can buy a product that has over 95% synthetic material and a very small amount of an organic herb and they could still have organic and natural noted all over the label.
With claims that organic personal care products are having a record growth of over 30% (in the US) it is no wonder so many companies are keen to jump in. The real issue however remains how does the consumer differentiate between the hype and the facts. When you stand in front of a shelf of skincare products all screaming natural and/or organic, how do you make a decision and still be confident that what you have chosen is in fact what it claims to be and is not just a label claim by a clever marketer.
There is only ONE way to ensure you are buying a totally natural and organic product which is to look for the logo from an AQIS (Australian Quarantine Inspection Service) approved organic certification body. This Australian Government department sets guide lines and rules for skincare companies to abide by if they wish to export. The reason for this is that the government realizes the need to protect Australia’s good name when we export to other countries and if we state it is natural and organic then it must be so. It is a real pity that the same rule does NOT apply here at home and it would be great if the government would adopt these same rules globally to ensure ALL consumers would get what they pay for.
To be certified organic a manufacturer must have his formulations and factory approved by an accredited certifying body. This means that all your products must be of natural origin and the organic ingredients MUST be certified and have the appropriate certificates to back this up. The manufacturer is regularly audited with factory inspections and the formulas checked to ensure that every ingredient complies to the legislation which is certainly not the case with many of the products sold in Australia today. The legislations for organics changed in July last year and the National Standard for Organic and Bio Dynamic Produce now includes a section titled “Cosmetics and Skincare” which can be found on the AQIS website. Basically this sets out the rules and guidelines about what you can and cannot have in your products and what you can and cannot claim on the label. It also stipulates that preservatives can only be from natural sources and no fragrance or parfum may be used.
This is your only guarantee that you are purchasing truly natural and organic products which have been independently Government approved. Be suspicious when you see ingredients you are unsure of, like Suttocide A (Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate) a non natural preservative and terms like PEG (poly ethylene glycol), parfum, or generalized terms like emulsifying wax. The organic certification system is all about traceability and is set up so that organic products are carefully monitored from the farm gate right through to the final product.
Did you know there are in fact 3 classes of organic products recognised around the world? These are as follows, for products that are
- Under 70% organic content are to be described as non organics
- Over 70% is described as containing certified organic ingredients
- Over 95% organic content can be termed certified organic
The balance of the formulae, not including water and minerals, MUST be of natural origin and therefore can not include things such as normal preservatives eg. Parabens, Potassium sorbate, Sodium benzoate, etc. nor should the preservatives be hidden in terms like Parfum.
In the method of calculation water and minerals are not included (this is why you can get certified lip stick and mascara). All Organic Spa products are now over 70% with many over the 95% threshold, and have not been sacrificed on quality in achieving this, just time and careful formulation work. Organic raw materials have carefully been chosen and medicinal levels of actives selected for functionality in their products.
As the labelling standards in Australia are open to all sorts of interpretation some of the label claims on products on the shelf here reflect anything but what is in them. You can just about call everything “organic” and get away with it except if you wish to export. This is where there are rules and laws which are policed by AQIS (Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service) to help protect Australia’s good name in overseas markets. To export any products and claim it to be organic you must be a certified organic processor/grower and have your manufacturing facility and your formulations approved by an AQIS approved certifying body. There are numerous certifying bodies in Australia which can audit manufacturing facilities and approve products. All these organisations come under the control of AQIS a Federal Government Department which sets the Government legislation that everyone must abide by. There is no national standard for skin care or cosmetics so classification must be under the “National Food Standard for Organic and Bio-dynamic Produce”. Organic Spa has certification through the Organic Food Chain Pty Ltd and proudly bears their logo on all their products which gives you the confidence that you are buying a product that is truly organic by nature.
The following is an extract from the Code of Practice by the certifying body O.F.C. which all Organic Spa products must abide by.
Prohibited
1. Petrochemicals and other synthetic substances as ingredients in their own right.
2. Non organic products of animal origins.
3. Talc.
4. Fragrances and other colour components of non-organic or synthetic origin.
5. Anti-microbial agents not produced from organic sources.
6. Chelating agents based on EDTA and its salts.
7. Fatty Chain source material of petrochemical origin.
8. Sulphonation, ethoxylation and propoxylation.
9. Alkyl Sulphates (eg Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, Sodium Coco Sulphate, Ammonium Lauryl Sulphate)
10. Alkyl Ether Sulphates (eg Sodium Laureth Sulphate, Ammonium Laureth Sulphate)
11. Polysorbates (eg Polysorbate 20)
12. Ethanolamides (eg Cocamide DEA, Cocamide MEA)
13. Chemically synthesised sunscreens.
Ask yourself, does your current product deliver what it claims to be or is it an organic ‘wannabe’? Are there things in there that perhaps should not be there? Are all the ingredients disclosed under INCI (International Nomenclature for Cosmetic Ingredients) or could there be things hidden under terms like ‘Parfum’?
It’s what’s inside that counts!
Greg Milham has a degree in Chemistry and Biology and has owned and operated a cosmetic manufacturing business for over 25 years. His company specialises in the formulation, manufacture and filling of natural and organic skin, body and haircare products and manufactures both Sanctum and Organic Spa products.
Scentual NRG Wellness Centre is now a proud exclusive stockist of both Organic Spa Professional Range and Sanctum Organic Baby Range in Robina. Products can be purchased in store and the Sanctum Organic Baby Range is now available online. | 
