Organic Facial Treatments

As more and more information begins to become known about the toxicity and health problems that can arise from many chemicals, many women are wondering what their facial treatments might contain. Those with doubts, often turn to natural or organic facial cleansing products.

What does organic really mean, though? Is it just another marketing buzz word that companies use to sell their products, or is there more to it than that?

In order to label any product in the U.S. as “organic,” the product must meet specific guidelines set forth by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).  The ingredients of the product cannot have been exposed to toxic and persistent chemical pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or fertilizers.  In other words, the ingredients must have been grown and harvested using organic farming methods.

This, of course, assumes the product is made up of natural ingredients, since the organic certification can technically be applied to anything synthetic, the rest falls to you to ensure that the ingredients are, really natural. This is fairly easy, since the ingredients should all be pronounceable names without long, Latinate chemical compounds.

The greatest advantage to organic facial treatment options are their naturally-innate benefits. These include the anti-oxidants, vitamins, phytonutrients, and powerfully beneficial hydroxy acids. All of these are products of the fruits and vegetables most commonly found in most organic skin care products.

Another thing to avoid when you're considering an organic facial cleansing product is the ingredient with a name including “paraben” These preservatives are synthetic female hormones and have been found to cause problems for many, including research that shows higher levels of parabens in breast tumors.

Although they are still legal, these preservatives are being questioned and renewed studies by science are underway. Until we know for sure, it is better to avoid them and focus on products that use natural preservatives such as benzyl alcohol (from benzoin gum), phenoxyethanol (from sage), and potassium sorbate (berry extract).

While most organic facial treatment and skin care products are definitely safe, those who ad a little more caution will want to consider the above information in their purchase decisions.

Avoiding cleansing and treatment altogether is just not realistic and organic facial cleansing offers a lot of benefits without the chemical downsides. Your skin needs to be treated well and treated right. Proper skin care goes a long way towards a younger, healthier, more vital appearance.