Modern Organic Blog

Organic Products - The Present Scenario

"Going Organic" seems to be the new buzzword. Whether its Hollywood celebrities or The National Geographic, everyone is talking about how to go green and switch to organic products. So, while you are browsing the endless brands of lotions and creams on the supermarket shelf, you choose only the ones that say 'organic' or 'natural.' You go home in peace thinking you did your job, you choose right and you have nothing to worry about. Right? Well, we suggest, think again. Hundreds of organic skin care products are flooding the global skin care market every day. The credibility definitely becomes questionable.

The Organic Catch

Many of us become the target to the shrewd marketing gimmicks of skincare products manufacturing companies that mislead consumers by claiming to be organic, while the truth is harshly far from it. Most skin care products that declare themselves as being Organic, in reality may merely have a few organic ingredients blended with preservatives and chemical agents. Unfortunately, the loophole is in the system, since there is no rule what so ever, restricting companies from labeling their products as 'Natural' or 'Organic.'

Organic Skin Care Products - The Concept

The basic difference between an ordinary skincare product and an organic skincare product is that the organic products are made with organically grown ingredients. Therefore, unlike conventionally cultivated materials, which are exposed to harmful chemical fertilizers and pesticides, organically grown materials are toxin free.

Organic Skin Care Products - Some Facts

When a skin care product is certified as 'Organic,' it generally contains 95% organic ingredients and 5% of inorganic materials, which belong to an approved National List.

When a product is certified as 'Made from Organic Ingredients,' it means it contains only 70% of organic ingredients and the other 30% contains inorganic materials from the approved National List.

Organic Purchase - The Pre-requisites

Taking into consideration all the facts it can be said that 100% pure organic products may not really exist. Still, we can definitely find the next best things for us. A few things to keep in mind before buying any organic products:

Read the Ingredients Carefully - If you cannot even pronounce a chemical's name, it maybe that it should not be there. If you are unsure about the ingredients, browse through the internet to find more information on them. Fact sheets on most chemicals can be found easily, online.

No Additives - True organic products should not contain any artificial colors, synthetic dyes, artificial fragrances, or preservatives.

Check Certification - Check for USDA (United States Departments of Agriculture) seal or ACO (Australian Certified Organic) logo on the products.

Ultra Violet (UV) Rays are reportedly the leading cause of skin cancer and the biggest source of annoyance for the tan lovers. For people who want that glamorous tan through cosmetic or medical purposes involving prolonged exposure to the UV rays, indoor tanning solutions are the best options. The good news is that these indoor UV free tanning agents, available as creams, sprays, or lotions, produce very similar results as sun tanning, without subjecting your skin to the harmful UV rays of the sun. In addition, these agents achieve the results in much lesser time than the traditional means. Following are the main types of UV free tanning products:

Products with DHA

Dihydroxyacetone or DHA is an active tanning agent, which is used in a broad range of products these days. It is considered a safe ingredient, as it functions by chemically reacting with the amino acids of the 'dead' cells in the epidermal layer of the skin. This also explains why such kind of tanning diminishes with time. The 'tanned' dead cells of the Epidermis are shed off and are replaced by new cells over a period.

Canthaxanthin products

Canthaxanthin finds key use as a synthetic food color, although, now a days it is being used as an oral tanning agent as well. FDA has not approved its latter use, since for tanning purposes, much larger quantity of Canthaxanthin is required than that in its use as a coloring additive in edibles. Moreover, this substance deposits itself below the epidermal layer and is linked to serious medical conditions, such as hepatitis, adverse effect on digestive system, and skin damage.

Melanotan products

A synthetic form of Melanotan hormone has also been found effective in creating a tanned look without exposure to UV rays. The hormone is taken as an injection. The use of Melanotan hormone is still in the stage of clinical trials and is not available commercially.

Bronzers

These are considered the safest tanning option, as they produce an effect, which is totally superficial and washable. However, they suffer from similar disadvantages as cosmetic makeup. Bronzers should be applied very carefully and in an optimum quality, as they carry a risk of being smudged onto the clothing. It is always advisable to test for possible staining before putting on your clothes.

UV free tanning can be done in a spa, tanning booth, or at home. If you are trying the products at home, you need to follow these steps for effective tanning:

Take a bath.

Exfoliate your skin.

Shave for a smoother tan.

Dry your skin completely.

Choose a place, which is cool so that you do not sweat during your tanning session.

Use a convenient form like lotion or spray.

Take someone else help if needed, especially for the hard to reach areas.

Do not take a bath or shower immediately after tanning. Depending upon the type of product, you may have to wait anywhere between 2 hours and 8 hours.

If you want to help the environment and go green, here are some tips to get you started. Why go green at all? What exactly is green? How do you know which items to purchase? There are many people out there looking to cash in on the green fad. How to shop safely.

So, do you really want to do your part? Do you want to help the environment, the economy and future generations? Everyone is going green these days and it's a good thing. It shows that people are becoming more conscious of their impact on the world around them. There are so many things that our society wastes. We waste food, water, building materials such as wood from trees and many many more. It's disgusting when you think about all of that money wasted. Think of the time that's wasted too. If you don't change the way you live and shop - you will be leaving the world in a terrible state for future generations.

Do you want to go green? What exactly is going green? What exactly makes a product a green product? If you check the label or item description from the manufacturer - you should see no harmful chemical. All of the ingredients and materials should be easily found in the earth. They should be made using natural processes. Don't buy products that were made in a lab using all kinds of nasty substances. Going green means saying no to harmful toxins and unsafe chemicals in your home or workplace.

Green products must be made using methods that are environmentally friendly. There's more to going green than just leaving out toxic chemicals. We must use methods to produce our goods and services that are sustainable. Think about some of the factories you have seen. They produce a lot of items. They also produce a lot of waste material. It seems like madness when you really think about it. There is absolutely no reason to be spending more just to produce less. Don't let the big guys at the top play with your future, just so they can make a few quick dollars. Green products are products that are good for the earth, the economy and everyone on it. If this isn't true about a product that a manufacturer is offering - it's not green. Don't buy it!

Go green and do your part for our environment.