What's not in a certified organic beauty product?
There are many additives used in non-organic health and beauty products that serve a variety of functions such as emulsifiers, solvents, preservatives, detergents and thickeners. Very few additives are permitted in certified organic products and only if they are non-GM, have minimal environmental impact and satisfy criteria to demonstrate they have no detrimental impact on human health.
Are synthetic ingredients allowed in Soil Association-certified organic products?
Organic beauty products that contain oils and oil-based ingredients such as balms and body butters can be made using 100% organic ingredients and do not require the addition of preservatives. Sometimes they may use a mild antioxidant such as tocopherol or ascorbic acid which are permitted under organic food standards.
However, products that contain water, and water- and oil- based ingredients such as creams, lotions and shampoos need to have some kind of preservative system so that they are safe to use over time. In addition they may need an emulsifier which mixes together the oil and water ingredients and stops them separating.
Sometimes ingredients which have a natural preserving effect can be used in the formulation. Examples may be alcohol, some essential oils, or naturally derived anti-oxidants as above. But if these are not effective, then a preservative that meets strict toxicological and biodegradibility requirements can be used. The toxicity and biodegradibility criteria in our standards ensure that the ingredient is not harmful to health and has minimum environmental impact. In addition emulsifiers and detergents must meet the same requirements, and are often naturally derived - for example decyl glucoside, made from corn starch (though it is not yet available from organic corn starch).