What do the terms “natural” and “organic” really mean?

You can be drawn to organic or natural products for different reasons from the person next to you in that fresh produce aisle at the supermarket. One thing for certain is the need to understand them instead of simply following trends.

Natural ingredients are preferred by most simply because we perceive them to be better for our bodies than synthetics and harmful chemicals. I personally think those who lead a largely 100% organic lifestyle are saints. In the foods they eat, eco-friendly things they do and buy...etc. When I analyse my lifestyle choices, I would say I am only 50% organic despite my best efforts. Anymore and there is that tendency to reconsider the point of living (in jest).

Are “chemicals” bad?

In mainstream media (that tends to over sensationalize), the word “chemical” seem to be more commonly associated with the words “toxic” or “harmful”. It has put forward the notion that all chemicals are as such. You would hear people say things like “don’t use that, it has a lot of chemicals in it.”. Well, of course it has a lot of chemicals in it, the whole product make up right down to its packaging is chemical in nature. Water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, milk, honey…(you get my point), these are all chemicals. We should not be afraid of the word chemical used in isolation because technically everything is made up of chemicals.

So what is “Natural”?

Anything that exists or is caused by Nature; not made or caused by man. That is the general definition the dictionary has for us but upon closer inspection, it actually gets tricky to classify things based on that definition alone. 

In skincare products, even natural ones, we see ingredients like mica (the glittery substance common in lip or eye products) which is actually naturally occurring and is mined but some people feel that they would want to avoid them in their products but at the same time, embrace clay which is also mined.

If you look at the ingredients list for beauty products that are supposedly natural or organic, you would find names that you can’t quite pronounce and googling them fetches results that seem to suggest that the chemicals are actually not natural after all. One example would be the use of preservatives. Most often than not, if a product has to sit on a shelf before use and is exposed to pathogens because of how you access the product (containers like jars would encourage double dipping), you will be hard pressed to not find a preservative unless the product is totally dehydrated. While there are natural preservatives, not all organic or natural beauty brands use natural preservatives because of formulation issues.

We also see synthetic compounds (like dimethylsulfoxide) that are added to a product to enhance absorption/ penetration. These compounds do not harm our body at the amount that they are incorporated and they do their job well. Would you, as a natural/ organic advocate give a nod to such compounds then?

What is organic and what isn’t?

In our secondary school science, we learnt that there is organic vs inorganic chemistry then we grew up and start making lifestyle choices at the food markets where we learnt that there is organic vs inorganic food.

“organic” is how the organism was raised and produced. So for our produce, a chye sim for example would have to be raised without pesticides, herbicides or man-made fertilizers and it cannot be GMO.

So for our skincare, when we use the word organic, it does not necessarily mean the entire product is made of only organic ingredients (even though that could be the case for some, especially small batch diy projects). The product could be made of ingredients that are grown organically and are free from pesticides. And even if there are synthetic chemicals, they should be relatively harmless and present in very small amounts (such as in the form of preservatives).

The final takeaway

Legally speaking, the term “natural” is not regulated because there are no regulations and standards set by the FDA, USDA or EU. And the term “organic” is regulated by USDA and EU and not FDA. The standards for certification differs depending on the country you are in. So ultimately, it is up to you to do your due research and understand the effects of what you choose to use on your body. Our bodies are different and using/consuming organic products might not be the ticket to a life free from cancer or that clear rosy complexion you might dream of. But we should always strive to be more well informed so we can make better choices no?