Savvy consumers know that cosmetics do not have to be tested and proved safe before making it onto store shelves. Consumer protections for personal care products are outdated and broken, so shoppers must do their own legwork to ensure that the products they buy are safe – by reading labels and using resources such as EWG’s Skin Deep database.

But making sense of the labels on cosmetic products isn’t easy.

Manufacturers use the term “organic” in their product names to mislead consumers about the sources of the ingredients. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the federal agency that regulates cosmetics, acknowledges that it does not “define or regulate the term ‘organic’ as it applies to cosmetics, body care or personal care products.”

In fact, it’s the U.S. Department of Agriculture that regulates the term “organic,” whether in food or cosmetics. But there’s a Catch-22. Although cosmetic products containing agricultural ingredients are eligible for USDA’s organic certification, that agency says it’s not authorized to regulate the “production and labeling of cosmetics… that are not made up of agricultural ingredients, or do not make any claims to meeting USDA organic standards.”

This means that cosmetics that don’t contain agricultural ingredients can deceptively use the word “organic” in the product name without penalty from either USDA or FDA.

It’s important to understand the components of product labels. The “principal display panel” – the front label – is the portion with the product name, logo and, when applicable, the USDA Organic Seal. The ingredient information panel is on the back and lists ingredients. Though manufacturers do not always provide a full list of ingredients.

When it comes to “organic” claims, here are the facts:

If a company is selling a product that does contain agricultural ingredients and wants to label it organic, it must abide by these rules under USDA’s National Organic Program:

• Products labeled “100% organic” can contain only organically produced ingredients. They can display the USDA Organic Seal.
• Products labeled simply “organic” must contain a minimum of 95 percent organically produced ingredients. They are also permitted to display the USDA Organic Seal. Non-organic ingredients must be USDA-approved and appear on the National List of allowed and prohibited substances.
• Products labeled “made with organic xxxxx” (for example, “Made with organic rosemary”) must contain a minimum of 70 percent organically produced ingredients. They may not display the USDA Organic Seal but can list up to three of the certified organic ingredients on the front label.
• Products containing less than 70 percent organic ingredients cannot display the USDA Organic Seal or use the term “organic” on the front label. These products are permitted to list certified organic ingredients on theback panel only.
• The listed percentages of organic material cannot include water and salt.
• All products must provide the name and address of a USDA-accredited certifier, a private company hired to document that the product complies with the agency’s rules.

Continue reading →