It takes only a quick look at the ingredients list on a cosmetic to notice that there are a lot of words that are completely unrelated to anything resembling a plant, much less a plant that can be labeled “organic.” Plenty of synthetic ingredients are found in products from cosmetics lines that boast about their all “natural” and now “organic” content, even those that have followed the proper channels to be certified organic. Despite this discrepancy, the hope and desire for “healthier-sounding” products will be an emotional pull for lots of consumers, particularly women shopping for themselves and their families. Add to that the perception of organic products as more environmentally friendly and they become even more difficult to resist.
Things become even more confusing when you consider that most “natural” cosmetics lines are sold at supermarkets that showcase organic produce and food products. When specialty grocery stores sell products that have strictly regulated organic labeling, many customers will never notice that the products in the other half of the store, where the cosmetics are sold, are backed by no such regulation, despite the similar labeling.