Organic products are the latest beauty trend, but are they really better for you? ELLE tackles the top questions about going green.
4. Can I trust products that say they are "certified organic"?
Yes. Even if the exact criteria for calling something "organic" varies between certifying organizations, "all certification programs respect the broad principles of the term 'organic,'" says Roy. "They are the chief guarantee for consumers that a product is truly organic."
5. Are non-organic beauty products hazardous to my health?
Not according to Health Canada. "All cosmetics sold in Canada have to conform to the Food and Drug Law, as well as other laws that specifically govern cosmetics," says communications officer Carole Saindon. "These laws have very high standards for non-harmful substances and require the manufacturer to divulge the components in cosmetics formulas." But other experts disagree, citing unclear regulating standards as a concern.
"The industry is more or less self-regulating," says Madeleine Bird, an environmental-health consultant based in Montreal. "Health Canada doesn't require any demonstration of the short- or long-term safety of cosmetics products before they're put on the market." The same is true for organic cosmetics. As well, certain ingredients have been under scrutiny because studies reveal a potential link to cancer. "Small doses add up over a lifetime," explains Lisa Archer, national coordinator for the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a San Francisco-based lobby group whose goal is to get the health and beauty industries to phase out the use of chemicals linked to cancer, birth defects and other health problems and replace them with safer alternatives. "What we're worried about are the effects of unknown, long-term, cumulative exposure."
6. What are parabens, and should I avoid them?
Parabens are chemical preservatives used in the majority of cosmetics products to prevent the spread of fungus and bacteria. In 2004, a British study revealed that parabens were present in cancerous breast tissue, suggesting that they may be absorbed from personal-care products through the skin.
Image courtesy of ImaxTree.com</i>
Click here for more on organic beauty products.
