What are 'natural' personal care products?

By Mayo Clinic Health System staff

What you put on your body is just as important as what goes into your body.

With so many different claims on personal care product packages, such as "natural," "organic" and "free of synthetics," you may be left confused or misled about what's really in the products.

Here is what you should know about the most common claims:

Natural

The term "natural" represents ingredients that are directly derived from nature and not created in a lab. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has never legally defined the term and has no regulations on its use.

Sometimes natural ingredients are safer and better than synthetic alternatives. But many naturally occurring substances are not safe, and some are used as ingredients in personal care products. For example, clays may be contaminated with toxic heavy metals and certain additives can cause an allergic reaction.

Organic

The FDA regulates personal care products, but not the term "organic" for these products. Organic claims on cosmetics are regulated by the Department of Agriculture (USDA), but these regulations only apply to the agricultural ingredients used in personal care products.

The USDA allows two categories of certification to display its organic seal:

• 100% organic
  This certification indicates that a product contains only organically produced ingredients.
• Organic
  This certification signifies that at least 95% of a product's ingredients are organically produced and the remaining percentage of ingredients are on an approved list of substances.

If a manufacturer claims a product to be organic, but that product does not carry an official seal, the product may not meet USDA organic standards.

Free of synthetics

A synthetic ingredient is anything synthetically derived, and neither found nor harvested directly from nature. A number of synthetic chemicals have been linked to cancer, hormone disruption, developmental disorders and other harmful health effects.

Companies turn to synthetic versions of certain ingredients as a method of maintaining the safety and purity of their products. Synthetics ensure a product is always effective and identical each time it is made.

Hypoallergenic

Hypoallergenic cosmetics are products that manufacturers claim produce fewer allergic reactions than other cosmetic products. Consumers with hypersensitive skin, and even those with normal skin, may be led to believe that these products will be gentler to their skin than nonhypoallergenic cosmetics.

However, no federal standards or definitions govern the use of the term "hypoallergenic."

How to choose healthier options

The best way to know what's in your products is by reading the list of ingredients.

Ingredients to avoid include:

• Butylated hydroxyanisole or butylated hydroxytoluene, or BHA or BHT, respectively
  These preservatives are found in lipsticks, moisturizes and some food items.
• Coal tar dyes
  They are used as a colorant in hair dye and often labeled as "p-Phenylenediamine" or "CI" followed by a five-digit number.
• Diethanolamine, or DEA
  This is used to make products sudsy. It can be found in cleansers, soaps and shampoos.
• Dibutyl phthalate, or DBP
  This is a plasticizer found in nail polish.
• Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives
  These preservatives are known carcinogens. They also may be labeled as "DMDM hydantoin," "diazolidinyl urea," "imidazolidinyl urea," "methenamine," "quaternium-15" and "sodium hydroxymethylglycinate."
• Parabens
  These are found in many personal care products as a preservative. These are easily absorbed through the skin and are linked to a multitude of health risks, including cancer, endocrine disruption, reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity and skin irritation.
• Parfum or fragrance
  According to the FDA, fragrance and flavors can be classified as a trade secret. Therefore, specific ingredients do not need to be disclosed on packaging.
• Polyethlene glycols, or PEG compounds
  These are used as thickeners in cream-based cosmetics. These compounds are synthetic chemicals that may be contaminated with a chemical identified as a probable carcinogen.
• Petrolatum
  This is also called mineral oil jelly, and it is used to lock in moisture on the skin. It often is contaminated by cancer-causing impurities.
• Siloxanes
  These silicone-based compounds can be found in cosmetics, deodorants, moisturizers, and facial treatments to soften, smooth and moisten. Some compounds associated with siloxanes are toxic, persistent and bioaccumulative, and they interfere with hormone function.
• Sodium laureth sulfate, or SLS
  SLS makes products sudsy and foamy. It can be found in cleansers, shampoos and shower gels. SLS can cause skin and eye irritation, and it is frequently contaminated with a known carcinogen.
• Triclosan
  Triclosan is an antibacterial agent. In 2016, the FDA banned triclosan from use in antibacterial soaps and hand washes, but it may still be found in other cosmetics including toothpaste, shave gel, deodorant, lotions and shampoo. Triclosan has been linked to hormone disruption and the emergence of bacteria-resistant superbugs.

To help consumers buy products that are safe, Mayo Clinic experts have developed the SkinSafe app. The experts have done all the label reading for you, so when you buy and apply your lotions and creams, you can be more certain that the ingredients are safe.

Watch this video to learn more about the app: