To kick-start our Earth Month special with a bang, we thought we should clear up a few things first. As we all become more aware of the environment, climate change and all that jazz, there's been a huge surge in green cosmetics. Now, just about anyone has a natural, organic or certified organic collection or product that they want you to know about. But before you buy, it's important to know the rules and regulations around claiming to be natural, organic and certified organic.
Natural: This is the tricky one because, as we stand currently, there are no regulations around the use of the word natural in the Australian beauty market. Saying that, truly natural beauty products should feature at least 90 percent of naturally-derived ingredients and be free from all synthetics, but as there is nobody policing it in Australia, you need to be careful. The Natural Products Association was founded in the US in 1936 and they represent over 10,000 retailers, manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors of natural products, including those in the cosmetics industry. In order to gain their seal of approval, a personal care product must: "be made up of only, or at least almost only, natural ingredients manufactured with appropriate processes to maintain ingredient purity," should not be tested on animals and furthermore, should use "biodegradable ingredients and the most environmentally sensitive packaging." If it does all that, it gets the seal so keep your eyes peeled for the logo. And always check the ingredients list.