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How Do I Choose the Best Organic Face Creams?

Amanda R. Bell
Amanda R. Bell

When choosing the best organic face creams, it is important to understand exactly what organic means. The standards for labeling a product as organic varies by country, and many of the ingredients or manufacturing practices that you may be looking to avoid may still be included in the product even if the packaging states that it is organic. Once you have decided on products that meet your requirements, it is important to choose one that will fit your skin type as well.

The term organic, in general, means that a product contains all-natural ingredients that were not grown or processed with the use of unnatural chemicals. Despite this general definition, many countries have different standards for what types of organic face creams can be labeled and sold as such. In the United States, products can be labeled “USDA organic” if they contain 95% natural ingredients, although a product can still be labeled “organic” if it contains less than this in some situations. The United States, Europe, Japan, and Canada all require that any product labeled with the country’s version of organic is produced with ingredients by certified organic growers, who are regularly inspected for their growing and handling practices. In other countries, such as Australia, there is little to no regulation of a product being labeled as organic as of 2011.

Even with organic face creams, it is important to choose a product that works well for your skin type.
Even with organic face creams, it is important to choose a product that works well for your skin type.

As a label stating that a product is organic can be misleading no matter where you live, choosing the best organic face creams requires that you look over the ingredient list on the package thoroughly. In general, it is best to avoid products that contain parabens such as butyl, methyl, ethyl, or propyl; diazolidinyl urea, which is a chemical preservative; or petrolatum, also known as petroleum jelly. When these ingredients are included in organic face creams, the product is typically no different from those that are not labeled as organic, even if it does contain mostly natural ingredients.

In the U.S., "certified organic" products cannot include genetically modified ingredients.
In the U.S., "certified organic" products cannot include genetically modified ingredients.

Once you have a good understanding of what to look for when choosing an organic product, it is important to make sure that you choose a product that will work well for your skin type. Even if you are using a 100% organic, all-natural face cream, if it is too heavy for oily skin or not moisturizing enough for dry skin, it will not work well for you. If you are looking to balance the amount of oil that your skin produces, organic face creams that include chamomile, tea tree oil, and juniper are typically best. If you have dry skin, look for a product that contains heavy moisturizers such as macadamia oil, avocado, and gingko biloba.

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    • Even with organic face creams, it is important to choose a product that works well for your skin type.
      By: CandyBox Images
      Even with organic face creams, it is important to choose a product that works well for your skin type.
    • In the U.S., "certified organic" products cannot include genetically modified ingredients.
      By: Dzianis Rakhuba
      In the U.S., "certified organic" products cannot include genetically modified ingredients.