Why "organic" or "natural" labels on health and beauty products may not mean what you think

Soil Association's Organic Beauty Weekend celebrates genuine organic health and beauty products while highlighting the industry's "misleading" labelling

The Soil Association’s Organic Beauty Weekend launches on 6 -8 September 2013 to highlight and celebrate genuine organic health and beauty products as part of Organic September.

The Soil Association argues that despite its calls for action, the UK’s health and beauty industry continues to mislead consumers by making false claims for products labelled “organic” and “natural”.

Soil Association research has revealed many products labelled “organic” and “natural” available on the UK high street contain harmful ingredients found in antifreeze, floor cleaner, oven cleaner, car oil and ingredients banned in children’s food and toys. It claims these products include Organix Brazilian keratine therapy shampoo, handwash from Faith in Nature and Creations Garden shampoo and conditioner (a full list of these products can be found below). The Soil Association believes consumers are being misled and is calling on the health and beauty industry to use terms like ‘organic and ‘natural’ accurately or not at all.

In the US, a court injunction has prevented Organix hair products being sold in the state of California from 1 September 2013 because they were found to be misleading consumers. Organix hair products do not contain any organic ingredients. Under Soil Association organic standards, any cosmetic or beauty product sold as ‘organic’ must contain at least 70% organically produced ingredients. Organix hair care products remain on sale in the UK and worldwide and the Soil Association is calling for UK retailers to take action and stop this greenwash.

Georgina McLeod, Soil Association campaigns director said; “We found over ten misleading products in popular high street retailers - and this was just on a quick lunchtime trip to the shops.

"The problem is down to a lack of industry regulation, yet unfairly, consumers are paying the price. People expect more from these manufacturers and retailers. If you buy a beauty product labelled organic, you expect it to be just that. That’s why we’ve launched Organic Beauty Weekend, to showcase genuine organic products, made with the environment, health and fairness in mind.

“Organix products are misleading in every respect and the US court has seen through this. Misleadingly, they are called ‘Organix’, yet contain no organic ingredients. Furthermore, they are produced by a company called Vogue International that has nothing to do with Vogue magazine! Despite being banned in California, they continue to mislead consumers in the UK and other countries.”

Strict EU laws ensure any food product labelled organic meets legal standards and is independently certified by a recognised body. Currently, there is no EU regulation concerning the labelling of organic or natural beauty products. The only way consumers can be sure they are buying a genuine organic beauty product is to look for an official certification label, such as the Soil Association. Under Soil Association standards, to use the word organic in the product name, a product must contain over 95% organic ingredients, excluding water.

Organic Beauty Weekend (6 -8 September) will see nationwide events celebrating organic and natural health and beauty brands. Events include product giveaways, makeovers, facials and spa days.

Further details can be found at www.soilassociation.org/organicbeautyweekend. As part of the wider Small Changes, Big Difference campaign Organic Beauty Weekend will be promoted via social media, with its own hashtag - #OrganicBeauty.

Full list of products highlighted by the Soil Association:

• Organix Brazilian keratine therapy shampoo, Moroccan argan oil conditioner and penetrating hair oil don’t contain any organic ingredients (contain parabens, dimethicone, hydrolysed keratin, polyquaterium, PEGs, DMDM Hydantoin).
• Faith in Nature handwash and others including the ‘organic chocolate shampoo’ claim to be organic but have no certification label.
• Creations Garden shampoo and conditioner claim to be organic but have no certification label (contains Contains DMDM Hydantoin, Ethylhexylglycerine, cetra, trimethyl, Polyquaterium).
• Pure Replenish shampoo is misleadingly labelled as organic (contains parabens).
• Borealis Natural face scrub is misleadingly labelled as organic (contains only one organic ingredient).
• Bellapierre lipsticks are misleadingly labelled as organic.
• Tru Organics entire range is misleadingly labelled as organic.
• Greenscape entire range is misleadingly labelled as organic (contains polysorbate 20).
• Australian Organics entire range is misleadingly labelled as certified organic.
• Vita Liberata tinted self tan gel doesn’t contain the organic ingredients it claims and the tinted self tan lotion is misleadingly labelled as certified organic (contain Dimethicone).