DEMYSTIFYING SKIN CARE BUZZWORDS

Beauty companies are labeling products in new creative ways that's leading consumers to believe that products are magic bullets, skin loving, health giving and filled with fantastic ingredients. But often it can mean the complete opposite - more preservatives, more artificial fragrance, more skin sensitivities.
 
Here I have compiled a short list of kin care buzzwords that are out there in the marketplace today. I hope this will help demystify the narrative around natural and organic skin care packaging.

1. NON-GMO

​GMO IS NOT A FAD. Consumers are demanding greater transparency. They want to know what is in what they eat and use - how it is grown and processed. There is a growing awareness and concern about genetically modified organisms and this remains an important issue to consider for anyone who is paying attention to what they buy. Genetic is not a term consumers want to see connected to what they eat, apply and use. There is an rising trend of products being labeled GMO-free or non-GMO, assuming manufacturers and merchants have full knowledge of origins. While genetically modified fresh products are not allowed for sale in Singapore, GM modified plants are still being used in processed food, skin care and scented candles.

2. "FREE FROM"

"Free from" is a term used to represent products that have been formulated to exclude one or more ingredients beyond carcinogens. These skin care products typically exclude sodium lauryl sulfate and parabens, but are not really chemical or allergens free. "Free from" is a new way of life for many people with severe skin allergies and fragrance sensitivities, and should not be seen as a whim. The growing popularity of plant based skin and hair care has increased consumer awareness, market demand and ironically produced more irresponsible labeling and claims. There remains questions about quality, purity and the botanical profiles of products claiming to be natural one way or another.

3. SUSTAINABLE

​One of the most overly abused words by big brands and local crafters. In the production of food, plants and even skin care products, sustainability means using techniques that protect the environment, public health, human communities and animal welfare. It's a method of production that generates abundance while ensuring the same process can be repeated efficiently and the same products can be enjoyed continuously and affordably! 

4. ANTIOXIDANTS

These are chemicals which occur naturally in plants that may prevent or slow down cell damage and oxidative stress. Besides the highly famed rosehip oil, beauty companies often harness antioxidants from green tea, red wine, pomegranates, olives and mushroom. Theoretically, antioxidants are wonderful and there is no harm using them. But after application, a very different biological process occurs when skin is exposed to the sun. So unless the product is stored in an aluminium canister or a tinted glass container, there is also no guarantee the antioxidants you've paid big bucks for are not breaking down rapidly upon exposure to light. 

5. NATURAL

There is no regulation on the use of this term worldwide. A product marketed as natural can contain palm oil, colourants, by-products of petroleum, synthetic fragrance, preservatives and other chemicals used largely for texture enhancement. Stroll down the beauty aisles and you will find rows and rows of natural products with an ingredient list longer than a complicated rice dumpling recipe, and I bet your grandmother can't recognise most of them either.

6. ORGANIC

There is a big difference between "made with organic" and "certified organic". To be certified organic means to grow or manufacture a product free from synthetic pesticides, herbicides, hormones and antibiotics. Plants and seeds must be non-GM and the process must be water efficient and biodiversity friendly. So consider this - organic certification (much like ISO standard) is an expensive, structured and time consuming exercise, so unless the manufacturer is of a reasonable scale, a small business typically cannot afford to be certified organic. It is totally legit to make products with organic ingredients from suppliers who are certified organic. Even though there is no formal rule stopping 3rd parties from using a supplier or distributor's certification (I've seen it on tea bags and rosehip oil), it is still in your best interest to confirm that products are truly certified organic by look out for the certification symbol and institute.