In any case, since I wrote this post a few years ago, quite a few more USDA organic certified personal care products have come on the market — and are no longer so impossible to find. Finding one that works, however, is still hit or miss — just as with most conventional products.

It does seem to make sense that skin care products labeled as “organic” should be required to meet the same standards as food — the skin is not exactly an impermeable membrane. However, as you pointed out, just because a product’s not organic doesn’t mean it’s bad for you! It just means that it’s not organic! Consumers can make their own choices as long as labeling is accurate.

I recently discovered there are other issues to consider when using products off the shelf that are labeled organic or natural: the use of preservatives. As you mention, things like parabens can be dangerous, but so can the effects of letting natural products go too long when not preserved correctly — wacky things like gangreen and blindness!

To help get down to the nitty gritty and keep my family safe, both from synthetic preservatives and with natural ones, as it were, I’m writing and researching A Guide to Natural Skin Care Preservatives. Part I on my blog includes an overview of “what you need to
know” about preservatives in personal care products, as well as methods for “do-it-yourselves”.

Thanks for your post, and I’ll be curious what you discover about the hair care products. ‘Been looking for something better myself!