Organic | Beauty and Fashion Tech

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The trend toward embracing things that are "green"; eco-friendly, and organic is extremely popular and growing every day. This is wonderful news as the more people who jump on board the effort to respect and care for our planet, the better we'll all be in the long run. What was once viewed as a sort of a "fringe" or neo-hippy movement has become ever more mainstream, which is especially evident when we consider all of the beauty salons that are proclaiming their green, earth conscious status. But, what does that really mean? Let's take a deeper look at the why's and what-for's of environmentally-conscious beauty.

A good place to start is with a few definitions. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) describes "natural ingredients" this way - "... extracted directly from plants or animal products as opposed to being produced synthetically." Therefore, natural ingredients are:

Not produced synthetically
Grown, harvested, and processed in an ecological manner.
Free from petrochemicals
Extracted or processed using only natural ingredients as solvents
Not exposed to irradiation
Not genetically engineered and contain no GMOs.

Eco-Friendly is a term that means "not harmful to the environment."

There are many excellent reasons to seek out all-natural products. For example, the chemicals found in most standard hair care products can be harmful to your health and also to the health of the planet. Their ingredients have been found to cause mild to severe skin irritations, allergies, autoimmune disorders and cancer. They also contribute to the toxification of our planet when they find their way into landfills, and from there go on to pollute the air and water.

These reasons are why environmentally friendly spas and salons are becoming so popular all over the world. New salons are being constructed using recycled materials such as reclaimed wood, and making use of solar/wind powered energy sources

Consumers are becoming more educated and aware of the dangers related to synthetic chemicals, and the beauty industry has responded in kind. Popular brands such as Opi nail polish are offering formulas which are free from DBP, toluene, and formaldehyde. Salons are replacing traditional treatments for coloring, straightening and perming with natural and eco-friendly processes, and all-natural shampoos and conditioners as well as all manner of styling products line the shelves for retail sale.

Exclusive salon brands can be expensive, but there are more mainstream companies who have also begun to embrace the eco-friendly movement. The popular brand, Garnier has a line of hair care products which are offered for purchase in places like Target and Walmart, and Sephora, a popular cosmetics retailer, currently offers around 1,400 different products that feature natural, organic ingredients. Keeping in mind that packaging is a large piece of the puzzle, more and more companies are providing products in containers that are made from post consumer materials.

It is inspiring to see all of the ways people are becoming more aware, and taking positive action to bring about changes that will improve humanity for now, and for future generations.

This is a guest post from April Richards, who contributes for Weddingcakes.org.uk

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Soothe and Balance With Organic Skin Care

You have undoubtedly heard about the effects of eating organic. And just as you now probably study food labels more closely, you should learn to study beauty product labels more closely. Upon examination of your beauty products at home, are there words that have about 17 syllables that you can’t pronounce? Things like “hydroxyethylaminoranisole”? (Yeah, that’s a real thing.) Well, it’s time to get back to basics with your beauty products.

Organic skin care is actually easy to detect because most organic brands are very good about labeling their things accordingly. Things you should see on their labels: rose oil extract, shea butter, aloe vera, chamomile, lemongrass and vitamin C. All of these things sound familiar and that’s because they’re natural and have really powerful effects in the right amounts for your skin. The trouble with chemical skin care is that it tries to change your skin using harsh man-made components. This gets absorbed into your skin and therefore, exists in your body. Sounds gross, right? But what you put on your body is just as important as what you put in it, so why not put on natural products that will help balance, soothe and illuminate your skin?

Some people say that organic skin care products just aren’t as strong, and therefore less effective, but it’s not true. Just because they’re gentle doesn’t mean they don’t pack a punch. And there is just as much selection in organics than in chemicals. There are lines specially designed for oily, combination, dry, matured or sensitive skin types. And with the organic label, you can also be sure that you are endorsing a company that is eco-conscious and tries to minimize or eliminate their impact on the earth. They are invested in natural resources, as that is all that is in their products, so it is in their best interest to preserve all they can.

So what are you waiting for? Go to your bathroom, read the labels and start changing your life with organic skin care.

About the Author: Charleston Naturally is based in Charleston, SC and is committed to providing consumers with beauty products that are both eco-friendly and natural.