Organic vs. Natural: What Is The Difference
As you walk down the aisle of your local grocery store or search online for new skin care, you’ll be sure to see two words: “natural” and “organic.” They both sound pretty good, but is one better than the other? What does natural really mean and are the two words truly interchangeable? The truth is there is a significant difference between products that are organic versus products that are natural. This is how they are different.
Natural Skin Care Products
When a product says “natural” on the label, it means it was produced by nature but doesn’t necessarily mean it is organic. Packaged goods that say they are natural can contain ingredients that are not 100 percent organic. Unlike the use of the word “organic,” there aren’t any regulations regarding the use of the word “natural” which means natural products can contain chemicals; organic products cannot contain chemicals. Additionally, due to it not being regulated, brands can use the word “natural” on their packaging as a way of marketing, claiming their product is natural despite any synthetic ingredients they may have added to it.
ORGANIC SKIN CARE PRODUCTS
Organic products are more strict when it comes to what can be considered “organic.” Organic refers to products with ingredients grown without pesticides, artificial fertilizers, and chemicals. Organic products must have 95 to 100 percent chemical-free ingredients. On the other hand, natural products must have 50 to 70 percent chemical-free ingredients. When a label says “made with organic ingredients” that doesn’t mean the product is labeled “organic.” It means that the product has at least 70 percent organic ingredients. However, if the product has a label that says “certified organic” you can be assured that 95 percent of the ingredients are organic.
Choosing The Right Skin Care Products
While you may be hesitant to buy products that say “natural” on their label, it’s important to understand that natural products are not all trying to fool you with a marketing strategy. The foolproof way of checking whether a product has a lot of synthetic ingredients in it is to look at the ingredient list. Ingredients are listed in order of percentage from highest to lowest, so if you’re looking at the ingredients for blush, for example, and there are three synthetic ingredients near or at the bottom of the list, you would know that the brand didn’t use a lot of it. Also, be sure to not mistake ingredients such as benzyl alcohol for a synthetic ingredient. Benzyl alcohol is a natural preservative produced naturally by some plants.
In your search for greener skin care, make sure that the brand you are looking at, whether they claim to be natural or organic, limit or leave out chemicals and synthetic ingredients in their products. While organic seems like the better choice, it is not always an option. This is why it’s important to look at the ingredient lists for each skin care product to ensure what you’re putting onto your skin isn’t full of chemicals or synthetic ingredients.
The Wild Naturals Difference
We’re not your typical skin care company. At Wild Naturals, we do everything we can to create products that include natural, healthy ingredients while making sure the product really works. All of our products are pH balanced at 5.5 to help quickly restore your body’s natural defense. We go even further by using aloe vera instead of water or mineral oils as a base for our products, which helps keep your skin and hair moisturized. If you’re interested in natural or organic skin care products that truly work, check out our products and find out for yourself what sets us apart.
