Guest Post: MAMA ORGANICA

Why choose organic and natural skincare?

I first became interested in using more natural products on my skin when I got pregnant with my first child. I was suddenly more conscious about what I was putting on my skin that might impact my baby. As I started doing more research I was shocked to learn that the average woman uses 12 personal care products a day containing a staggering 168 different chemicals. Sadly, conventional skincare products are full of artificial and chemical ingredients whose long term effects on our bodies are mostly unknown.

What should I avoid?

It is important to read labels and become educated about what ingredients to avoid when selecting skincare products. A good motto to go by is if you can’t pronounce it don’t use it! I was looking at the ingredients in Pantene shampoo the other day and I couldn’t pronounce any of them! A few examples of common ingredients to steer clear of are Cocoamidopropyl Betaine, Olefin Sulfonate, Sodium Luaroyl Sarcosinate, Potassium Cocoyl Glutamate, Fragrance, Sulfates, Parabens, Phthalates, Phenoxyethanol, Petroleum and Mineral Oils.

What is the difference between natural and organic?

A product can be natural and organic, but not all natural products are organic, or even 100 percent natural. It’s important for all of your skincare to be natural for your overall health but the benefit of using natural and organic skincare provides your skin with the purest form of the ingredient on the market.

More research is emerging about the richer nutritional benefits of organically farmed products. Organic farming does not deplete the soil’s natural minerals, unlike modern farming methods, so your skin benefits from more potent and effective ingredients. Organic farming methods also avoids the use of unnecessary chemicals and pesticides; chemicals that pollute the environment, our water system and our bodies.

Benefits of organic and natural skincare

• Your skin is a highly effective delivery system, so it would seem to be a better choice to use organic beauty products to ensure the highest level of nourishment to the skin.

• Certified organic skin care products are also full of beneficial antioxidants and moisturizers, all from natural sources.

• Switching to an organic beauty regime can sometimes end up saving you money. Not only are they often cheaper than well known designer brands, you'll also find many products that can double up for more than one purpose.

• Organic ingredients will change your skin from the inside out, rather just on the outside to benefit your overall health

• Using organic and natural products means we are contributing to a better planet. It means higher levels of animal welfare, lower levels of pesticides, no manufactured herbicides or artificial fertilisers and more environmentally sustainable management of the land and natural environment

How are organic and natural products certified?

Where ingredient listings for products show a particular ingredient to be organic, the ingredient has been grown under approved conditions and given a stamp of approval by an organic standards body. Certification bodies like the Soil Association, USDA, COSMOS-Standard and Eco Cert are four of the most popular within the cosmetics industry.

The Soil Association

A charity founded in 1946, the Soil Association is the UK's main organic certification body with over 80% of organic products in the UK being certified by them. The certification process is strict, in many cases stricter than EU law. The general criteria to meet their organic certified criteria as far as health and beauty products go are:

• The product should be fit for purpose and have as high as possible proportion of organic ingredients

• Be clearly identified, traceable and separate from non-organic products at all stages of manufacturing

• Not be tested on animals

• Not harmful to human health and the environment in manufacture and use

• Be produced in line with the Soil Associations ethical trading standards

• Be labelled to give clear and accurate information to the consumer

ECOCERT

Founded in France in 1991 ECOCERT is one of the largest organic certification organisations in the world, carrying out inspections in over 80 countries. In relation to natural and organic cosmetics ECOCERT defines criteria for a natural and/or organic standard that guarantees respect for the environment throughout the production line, through respect for the consumer and the promotion of natural substances. ECOCERT is one of the most recognised organic certification bodies in the world and one of the most respected.

COSMOS-Standard

The COSMOS-standard is owned and managed by a not-for-profit, international association

registered in Belgium. We are proud of our independence, and our standards! Their ultimate objective is to safeguard, in the area of cosmetics, the welfare of the environment and of people. For this we want to stimulate the development of cosmetics that are ever more natural and organic and to ensure consumers have clear and transparent information so that they can themselves be an actor for sustainable development.

USDA Organic

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Organic Program (NOP) regulates the standards for any farm, wild crop harvesting, or handling operation that wants to sell an agricultural product as organically produced. The National Organic Program (NOP) develops, implements, and administers national production, handling, and labelling standards for organic agricultural products. The NOP also accredits the certifying agents (foreign and US) who inspect organic production and handling operations to certify that they meet USDA standards.

At Mama Organica, we have selected a wide range of organic, natural and vegan skincare and wellbeing products to make life a little easier for mums to be and mums so you can rest assured that all the products are good for you and your little ones.

Receive a 15% discount using discount code: MAMACAN15

http://www.mama-organica.co.uk/