The Shocking Truth About Organic Skincare

The overwhelming amount of fake news, disinformation, and pseudo-science around us makes it increasingly difficult to know what to believe and what is a hoax.

As you are about to see, the concept of "organic" is one of the most misunderstood topics out there and one that you should know about since it involves potential health risks associated with daily activities like eating and using personal care products. 

This article shares a factual explanation of what "organic" really means and how it applies to skincare and personal care products. Being informed is your best shield against what the media wants you to believe; therefore, reading along will help you decide your position concerning the use of organic ingredients and food.

What Does "Organic" Mean?

A plant is defined as "organic" when it hasn't been artificially manipulated in a laboratory to withstand the direct application of chemical herbicides and pesticides. Some of these chemicals are so toxic that the World Health Organization – WHO - says they "may induce adverse health effects including cancer, effects on reproduction, immune or nervous systems" [1]. Since organic plants would die from these herbicides and pesticides, farmers are forced to plant genetically modified seeds that can survive what would normally kill plants, animals, and humans. 

That's how a Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) ends up on your plate: a big, shiny, perfectly shaped fruit or veggie that remains fresh for several weeks because its seeds and flesh were soaked in deadly chemicals.

Is Organic Really Better?

Well… How lovely does it sound to eat those chemicals or to layer them on your skin every day?

"The average woman exposes herself to 12 products containing 168 unique ingredients every day. On the other hand, men use six products daily with 85 unique ingredients, on average" [2]. This means that we lather, rub, spray and apply ten different personal care and beauty products daily, exposing ourselves to a wide range of unnecessary chemicals, which eventually make their way into the bloodstream.

The beauty industry defends their products explaining that they use low concentrations of each chemical. However, they fail to make you aware that, as you layer up, these concentrations add up. The more products you use, the higher toxic concentrations can enter and accumulate in your body, causing problems down the line.

You have to be your guardian when it comes to what you put on your skin for cosmetic purposes (unless you purchase your products in the European Union, where more than 1,400 ingredients are banned or controlled because of potential toxicity).

Regulatory entities like the FDA or Health Canada don't regulate cosmetics as rigorously as pharmaceuticals or food, allowing companies to get away with using potentially harmful ingredients that are banned or controlled in other countries. The best way to protect yourself from these ingredients is to use non-toxic products and certified organic.

Organic ingredients are grown without pesticides, herbicides, synthetic fertilizers, and GMOs.  They are not more effective for your skin, but you are avoiding the risks associated with putting particles of such pesticides on your body by using them.

The truth is that no one is dying from applying a face cream just because it's not organic, but it's also true that the long-term effects of daily exposure to the toxic chemicals we apply on our skin haven't been fully investigated by independent parties. Isn't it better to be on the safe side and avoid using products that contain ingredients that were cultivated using harmful chemicals? 

Countries like France, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Netherlands, Peru, and Russia prohibit the cultivation of GMOs to protect their population from the environmental and health damage associated with pesticides and herbicides. This should be enough reason to be skeptical about their safety when consumed or applied to your skin, but if you are still on the fence, read on!

In 2018, the Supreme Court of California accepted evidence that proves the link between cancer and certain herbicides/pesticides in the historical case of Dewayne Johnson vs. Monsanto[3].

Monsanto is the main manufacturer of glyphosate herbicides, and the owner of most GMO seed patents (yes… unless you are eating organic, your food comes from patented seeds that are mainly owned by Monsanto and DuPont). This case exposed Monsanto's manipulation of documentation to cover the scientific evidence of health risks associated with the use of certain herbicides[4], which explains why there is so much contradictory information about the topic.

Furthermore, the World Health Organization has openly declared that pesticides and herbicides are potentially toxic for humans[5], yet, non-organic produce and ingredients are still widely used because of their lower cost and the general confusion created around what "organic" really means.

Every plant, fruit, flower and vegetable was "organic" before the appearance of genetically manipulated organisms in the 1990s, when deadly chemicals started to be used to achieve mass production.

The issue is not that the seeds are genetically engineered, the real problem is that they are engineered to withstand the absorption of deadly pesticides. The point is that what used to be "normal" is now called "organic" and has become expensive thanks to the multinationals' preference for GMOs to achieve economies of scale.

We wonder why so many people are getting sick but fail to examine the single most significant change in the way we eat and the products we use for the last 30 years. 

Is "Organic" the same as "Natural"?

The word "natural" means that something comes from nature (of course!), is minimally processed and contains no artificial components. However, it can still contain growth hormones, GMOs, and dangerous pesticides and herbicides.

Organic ingredients also come from nature; however, they ensure that no toxins are used in any stage of their processing, from farming to extraction, including preservation.

Does Buying Organic Make A Difference?

Organic skincare, makeup, personal care and food is not just a buzzword; it's a self-care statement, a decision to treat your body with the respect and consciousness it deserves, and your right to opt-out from hidden toxins in pesticides and herbicides.

Make a statement of health and safety for your skin and choose Lulo Skin. We leave all toxic ingredients out of our formulations as a declaration of respect for our bodies and environment. We choose each ingredient based on efficiency, safety and biocompatibility, not on buzzwords or trends.

At Lulo Skin, we use certified organic ingredients from the biodiversity of South America and add safe clinical ingredients that help delay the signs of aging. You don't have to sacrifice your anti-aging goals to opt for a healthy skincare regime; in other words, with Lulo Skin you can have it all: beauty and health!

[1] World Health Organization. Extracted from: https://www.who.int/features/qa/87/en/
[2] Environmental Working Group (EWG). Extracted from: https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/2004/06/15/exposures-add-up-survey-results/
[3] Johnson v. Monsanto Co., CGC-16-550128, California Superior Court, County of San Francisco (San Francisco)
[4] Internal Monsanto documents used as evidence were made public and can be reviewed at  https://usrtk.org/monsanto-papers/
[5] World Health Organization. Extracted from: https://www.who.int/topics/pesticides/en/

The Shocking Truth About Organic Skincare