Cracking the
Ingredient Code

How to shop for truly natural, organic skincare products BY kIRSTIN BINdER

WHEN YOU GRAB A “NATURAL” SkINCARE PROdUCT off the shelf, it may often feel like you need a decoder ring to decipher the jargon-heavy list of ingredients. Something labeled “organic” may actually contain only one organic ingredient. And a natural-sounding product may in fact be anything but. Here’s what you should look for so you really know what you’re putting on your skin.

which natural ingredients are proven to be effective. Some good sources of information are Aromatherapy: Essential Oils for Vibrant Health and Beauty by Roberta Wilson, Awakening Beauty, the Dr. Hauschka Way by Susan West Kurz, and the FAQ section on the Saffron Rouge web site. Make sure the key ingredients you’re after appear toward the top of the list. That means there’s more of them in the product.

your body, look for the best and purest ingredients possible. 0

Kirstin Binder is founder of Saffron Rouge, the leading online organic skincare, cosmetic, and aromatherapy company.

What to Look for

The easiest thing to spot is a certification label from one of the few organic body care certification organizations, such as BDIH (Germany), Cosmébio by Ecocert (France), the Soil Association (UK), AIAB (Italy), Eco-Garantie (Belgium), or NASAA (Australia). If any of these groups have given their seal of approval, you can be assured that you’re truly getting organic ingredients.

If there’s no organic certification label, look for high-quality, certified organic or biodynamic ingredients such as plants and essential oils, floral waters, and herbal extracts. If you’re targeting a specific issue, whether it’s hydrating dry skin, promoting a youthful complexion, or balancing oil production, learn

10 Ingredients to Avoid

And What to Avoid If it’s really hard to pronounce, chances are it’s not natural. Some ingredients to steer clear of are petroleum derivatives or synthetic chemicals (such as propylene glycol and butylene glycols), synthetic colors or fragrances, synthetic preservatives, and anything genetically modified. These ingredients absorb into your skin. So unless you want petroleum or synthetic chemicals hanging around inside

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INFO

Chlorophensin Diazolidinyl urea Parabens (Ethyl, Methyl, Butyl, Propyl) Carbomer Propylene glycol Petrolatum / mineral oil triethanolamine (tEA) D&C colors (synthetic) Synthetic fragrance 2-bromo-2-nitropropane- 1,3-diol (bronopol)

As Pure as Possible

Kirstin’s recommendations: four super-clean, 99–100 percent organic products.