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76 HEALTH NATURALLY RETAIL FROM PAGE 75 operation’s methods to ensure that they comply with the guidelines of organic production. Over 70 per cent of organic certified operators in Australia are granted permission to use the ACO logo \\\[the ‘bud’\\\].” Is it safe? “Safe means that the product is free from allergens, irritants, endocrine disruptors and carcinogens,” Ms Teixeira said. “Using safe products benefits the whole body by diminishing the probability of contact dermatitis, skin sensitisation, hormonal disruption, and cancer. It’s also, more often than not, better for the environment.” Is it effective? “Effectiveness is another dimension of skin care products,” Ms Teixeira said. “... And that’s a very personal metric. For example, individuals with early onset of collagen loss may benefit from the use of a retinol products as night treatment, but that’s not the case for eczema sufferers, who will likely experience extreme irritation from the same product. That’s why designing skin care products that are ‘one size fits all’ is ineffective at best, and misleading at worst.” The ones you want! Companies such as G&M Cosmetics say they have made purposeful changes to ensure that only products considered safe and effective are used. “One of our favourite and most potent actives is found in the phenomenal iconic Australian ingredient Kakadu plum,” Mr Bosevski said. “This Aboriginal native berry is also called ‘gurumal’ or ‘billygoat plum’ by Indigenous Australians, who’ve been using it for thousands of years as a traditional antiseptic and healing remedy, as well as a gourmet bush food. “It’s scientifically proven that Kakadu plum is the world’s richest source of the most stable natural vitamin C, and has antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal activates with amazing anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties, which makes it an excellent ingredient in skin care products.” Ms Hughes lists a range of plant ingredients that are multiuse and utilised across all cleansers, serums, masks and moisturisers: “shea butter, aloe vera, plant enzymes, green tea, charcoal and coconut oils and milks”. Know your labels If consumers are rapidly becoming label readers, then it’s beneficial for pharmacists, and anyone working in a retail pharmacy, to be a label reader as well. Pharmacy staff should expose themselves to knowledge that will help them to help the patient make safe and effective skin care choices. Associate Professor Nixon’s final tip is to keep it simple, with the least amount of ingredients the better (for fewer allergies), and to steer clear of smelly, perfumed products. “Price is not usually a relevant factor,” she said. “The most important ways to help your skin are to wear a moisturiser with an SPF50 sunscreen daily and to eat healthily. Don’t use too many products ... we often see people who get acne from using so much stuff on their skin.” If the label’s ingredients are unclear, rather than assuming the world ‘natural’ means the product is completely natural, taking steps including identifying the ACO bud logo and visiting helpful resources such as The Good Face Index from The Good Face Project can help steer these decisions. References 1. Richardson A. ‘Organic Cosmetics and Toiletries Distributors in Australia’. IBISWorld, 2019. Accessed 3/6/20. 2. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2008. ‘Petrochemical’. Accessed 5/6/20. britannica.com/ science/petrochemical 3. ACO Certification Ltd, NA. Australian Certified Organic. Accessed 8/6/20. aco.net.au/Pages/ Operators/ACOStandards.aspx 4. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, 2020. ‘Endocrine disruptors’. Accessed 8/6/20. niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/ endocrine/index.cfm 5. US Food and Drug Administration, 2019. ‘Allergens in Cosmetics’. Accessed 8/6/20. fda. gov/cosmetics/cosmetic-ingredients/allergens- cosmetics#common 6. Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, 2020. ‘Carcinogens in cosmetics’. Accessed 8/6/20. safecosmetics.org/get-the-facts/chemicals-of- concern/known-carcinogens/ “Skin is our largest organ, and inquiring what’s in the skin care products we buy for ourselves and our loved ones is only natural, no pun intended.” RETAIL PHARMACY • JUL 2020