Organic Skincare: Is it Worth the Investment?

As a Naturopath, my goal in creating a skincare range was simple, to support my customers’ health from the outside in. That meant using clean, pesticide and chemical-free ingredients, with absolutely no added nasties. To me, there’s no better standard of healthy skincare than organic. But what does organic really mean, and how does it differ from natural or clean skincare?

Let’s start with the facts. The word ‘organic’ means to be produced without the use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides, or other artificial chemicals. In Australia there is currently no regulation around the use of this word and so any business can apply this word to their products if it contains any amount of organic ingredients. This can be misleading at times, given that a product may contain 1% organic ingredients and the remainder be mostly chemical based. This is what is commonly known as greenwashing. The words ‘natural’ and ‘clean’ are also interchangeably used and covers a very wide definition of products that pertain to contain mostly natural and less harmful ingredients.

To cut through the confusion, several organisations can certify products that truly meet organic standards. These include Australian Certified Organic (ACO) and the National Association for Sustainable Agriculture, Australia (NASAA). Their certification logos are your best guarantee that a product meets specific standards for ingredient sourcing, processing, and packaging.

So let’s focus on ingredients. The great thing about certified organic ingredients is that they are incredibly potent. Studies show that plants that have been grown under certified organic conditions contain a higher percentage of antioxidants, essential to fight free radical damage which can cause fine lines, wrinkles, and pigmentation. A higher percentage of vitamins and minerals have also been found in organic botanicals, the most relevant to skincare being vitamins A, C and E.

When you decide to go certified organic, you are severely restricted as to the other ingredients you can use in your products, including preservatives, emulsifiers, and fragrances. This is a good thing because preservatives and other ingredients used in commercial skincare products can undermine a product’s key benefits. For example, it’s all very well when a face cream contains great anti-ageing ingredients, but its effectiveness can be reduced when other ingredients in the same product are counter-productive. Take parabens for example. Parabens are a commonplace skincare preservative which act as broad-spectrum antimicrobials. But they have been shown to interact with UV rays and potentially increase DNA damage and signs of ageing.

Beyond skincare benefits, organic formulations can be safer for long-term health. Many commercial products contain synthetic chemicals with uncertain safety profiles, some even linked to serious health concerns. For instance, formaldehyde, still used in some shampoos and nail hardeners, is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the World Health Organisation. Organic production also benefits the planet, reducing chemical runoff and supporting cleaner soil and waterways.

So, organic skincare worth the investment? Absolutely. It means skincare that is gentle on the environment, beneficial to health and great for overall beauty.