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to consumer trends, reducing their products’ concentrations of artificial chemicals and substances and incorporating more extracts from natural sources.1 ‘Greenwashing’ claims from several cosmetics products whose brand name or packaging contains messages such as ‘organic’ or made with ‘certified organic ingredients’ have added to the challenges faced by industry operators distributing certified organic products. Despite this, industry revenue is expected to have grown at an annualised 16 per cent over the five years through 2018-19.1 This includes expected growth of 8.5 per cent in the current year.1 Natural: the elusive definition Establishing a definition for the term ‘natural’ when used in the context of beauty products has proven to be quite difficult. Professional beauty therapist Belinda Hughes (aka the Natural Beauty Expert) says ‘natural’ is such a broad term. “Natural products could mean anything from a completely non-natural traditional product with some botanical ingredients, to something that’s 100 per cent plant derived,” she said. Skin Health Institute dermatologist Associate Professor Rosemary Nixon said: “I think this is a pretty confused area because there’s no readily accepted definition. The marketing folks can have a field day.” “I usually use the example of arsenic: it’s poisonous, but natural!” She adds that just because a product is ‘natural’ is no guarantee of its effect when it comes to irritation, redness or sensitivity. Ms Teixeria also used the arsenic example, emphasising how aware today’s consumer is. “Some point out that arsenic is natural, and shoppers are starting to catch onto that,” she said. “Better terms for skin care products are ‘safe’ and ‘effective’. Ms Hughes said: “The only way to know if something is 100 per cent natural to a high standard is looking for certifications like Australian Certified Organic.” Companies such as The Good Face Project can provide a good way to examine whether a product is safe and free from harsh chemicals. “At The Good Face Project, where we use AI to match you to clean cosmetics that work for you, we use powerful algorithms to create the largest cosmetic ingredient ontology in the world, with over 80,000 ingredients graded across 15 dimensions of safety and cosmetic benefits, geared toward answering three basic questions: is this product safe, is it effective, and is it for me?” Ms Teixeira said. Harsh chemicals to avoid According to Ms Teixeira, three broad categories of toxins are found in cosmetics: “allergen/irritants, hormonal disruptors (think phthalates and others), and carcinogens (such as parabens)”. Some ingredients, however, can come under several of the categories mentioned. “I avoid petrochemical derived ingredients and preservatives, because in my experience, they’re also skin irritants,” Ms Hughes said. “Ingredients like sodium lauryl sulphates are very stripping and barrier compromising.” Petrochemicals are a large group of chemicals derived from petroleum and natural gas. Chemicals included among petrochemicals are commonly obtained from other sources, such as coal, coke or vegetable products.2 An allergen can trigger the immune system to release chemical substances such as antibodies that result in allergy symptoms.5 Allergic reactions to cosmetics most often appear as itchy red rashes on the skin – or contact dermatitis.5 The US Food and Drug Administration has a list of the most common allergens found in cosmetic products: • Natural rubber. Also listed as latex.5 • Fragrances. Also listed as amyl cinnamal, amylcinnamyl alcohol, anisyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, benzyl benzoate, benzyl cinnamate, with many other names.5 • Preservatives. May be listed as methylisothiazolinone (MIT), along with other names.5 • Dyes or chemicals and colour additives. May be listed as p-phenylenediamine (PPD) and coal-tar.5 • Metals. May be listed as nickel or gold.5 “Then there’s a million filler ingredients to achieve textures in skin care,” Ms Hughes said. “If they’re not natural butters and oils, they often sit on top of the skin, creating a barrier giving us an oily/ dehydrated mess, suffocating the skin.” HEALTH NATURALLY RETAIL 75 Mr Bosevski and his G&M Cosmetics team say they have created a new range of products “free from harsh chemicals such as parabens, petrochemicals, formaldehydes, sulphates, phthalates and artificial colours”. Hormone disruptors, also known as endocrine disruptors, are linked with developmental, reproductive, brain, immune, and other problems.4 Common endocrine disruptors are: • Bisphenol A (BPA).4 • Dioxins.4 • Perchlorate.4 • Phthalates.4 • Triclosan.4 According to Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, an umbrella coalition of groups with a focus on perceived risks of chemicals used in cosmetics, “laws governing cosmetics and personal care products are so limited that known cancer-causing chemicals, or carcinogens, are legally allowed” in them. Carcinogens found in personal care products include: • Formaldehyde.6 • Phenacetin.6 • Coal tar.6 • Benzene.6 • Mineral oils (treated and mildly treated).6 • Ethylene oxide.6 • Heavy metals.6 • Cadmium and its compounds.6 • Arsenic.6 • Chromium.6 • Silica.6 The more you know, the better As mentioned previously, for a product to be considered natural, it’s not as simple as a couple of ‘natural’ ingredients being listed on a label. Preferred factors to consider include: Is it Australian Certified Organic? As Ms Hughes mentioned, the only way to determine if something is 100 per cent natural to a high standard is with certification such as Australian Certified Organic (ACO). “Organics is not just ‘chemical free’,” ACO says on its website. “It’s a whole system or holistic means of growing and handling food. The whole system is linked – soil, plants, animals, food, people, environment. “In order to guarantee that products are organic, they need to be certified. Organic certification involves auditing an TO PAGE 76 RETAIL PHARMACY • JUL 2020