Organic Hair Care
Written for Walgreens.com
There are many reasons that people choose to go organic when it comes to their hair care products. Some want to avoid putting potentially dangerous synthetic chemicals on their hair and skin; others are concerned about the environment. Whatever the reason, the demand for organic personal care products is reaching new heights. It’s expected to soon outperform conventional products, and top $11 billion by 2016.
If you’re one of those consumers hoping to go all-natural or organic, you’ve probably already discovered that choosing the safest products for yourself and your family isn’t as simple as it seems. In part, this is due to packaging claims that leave many people more confused than educated. Let us help you take the guess-work out of choosing the right products for your needs.
To do that, we first need to get some terms straight. That’s because many of the words that may pop out at you from a label have very different meanings. These include “herbal,” “natural,” and “organic.” It might surprise you to learn that traditionally, none of those terms were regulated. That meant anyone could put them on a package. In the case of “herbal” and “organic,” a legal definition still doesn’t exist. But in the past several years, regulations have been established for “natural” and “certified organic.”
Natural:
Thanks to the Natural Products Association, in coordination with several cosmetics makers, there is now a standard for products that are labeled as “natural.” These products can be identified by their green seal depicting a leaf, surrounded by the words “Natural Products Association Certified.” All of the products with this seal must be made with at least 95% all-natural ingredients and contain only those synthetic ingredients that are specifically allowed under the standard and do not have any suspected human health risks.
Certified Organic:
“Natural” products are very different from products labeled as “certified organic.” Remember, without the word “certified,” “organic” doesn’t mean much of anything. But together, the two words form the gold standard of the United States Department of Agriculture. This governing body gives consumers valuable information about how much of a product’s ingredients were sourced from agricultural products grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, genetically modified organisms, or ionizing radiation.
A product that has been certified by the USDA will fall under one of 3 categories: (1) 100% Certified Organic, (2) Certified Organic, and (3) Made with Organic Ingredients. Let’s look at each of these in turn.
- 100% Certified Organic – The product must contain (excluding water and salt) all organically produced ingredients. The USDA seal is allowed on the package.
- Example: 100% Certified Organic Shampoo
- Certified Organic – The product must contain at least 95% organically produced ingredients (excluding water and salt). The remaining 5% of product ingredients must conform to strict regulations regarding the substances that can be used. The USDA seal is allowed on the package.
- Example: Certified Organic Hair Gel
- Made with Organic Ingredients – The product must contain at least 70% organically produced ingredients (excluding water and salt). The remaining 30% of product ingredients must conform to strict regulations regarding the substances that can be used. The USDA seal is not allowed on the package.
- Example: Conditioner Made with Organic Herbs
When searching for truly organic products, look for the USDA Certified Organic seal. It is white and green like the “natural” seal, with text that simply states “USDA Organic.” Shopping for products with this seal is one way to avoid the misleading information and false claims that some manufacturers include on their packaging. For more information on the USDA National Organic Program and for a listing of certified products, please see their web site.
Whether you’d like to enjoy hair care products that are all-natural, certified organic, or both, selecting the right products doesn’t have to be anywhere near as difficult as getting around to styling your hair every day. In fact, it can be as easy as shopping for a green and white seal.