There is generally a preference on USDA certified organic products. However does USDA really certify personal care products?
I have been thinking about getting my products organically certified as I don’t use chemicals beside sodium Hydroxide in soap and the majority of my ingredients are certified organic from the supplier’s side.
I first called my oil supplier who is certified organic. He recommended that I talk to USDA. An USDA agent told me, USDA doesn’t regulate personal care products but some agencies approved by USDA do. I could either contact them to find out more or I could name my products without the term organic, and in the ingredients statement, list the items that they are made of as organic if they are certified organic.
After contacting one of the agencies that USDA agent recommended, QAI (Quality Assurance International), they sent me some information about the agency NSF/ANSI 305 which is the only American National Standard that defined labeling, and marketing of organic cosmetic products. QAI.”Personal Care Products Containing Organic Ingredients”. Quality Assurance Internaltional. NSF International, 2009. Web. 22 Feb 2015. <http://www.qaiinc.com/media/docs/personal_care_contains_organic_ingredients.pdf>
In the document, it was stated that NSF/ ANSI 305 requires the use of NOP certified ingredients but also allows these ingredients being chemically processed(although regulated) in a way that USDA National Organic Program(NOP) prohibits. NSF judges this process important for manufacturers to better preserve their products or broaden their green cosmetic products. QAI.”Personal Care Products Containing Organic Ingredients” pg2-3.
As consumers, when we read certified organic on a product, it gives us a peace of mind that the products is chemical free. To my understanding, it may not necessarily be the case. They could be safe from awful chemicals but not necessary chemical free.
Therefore, I would urge you as you make your buying decision over a certified organic product, to read the ingredients to see if any chemical is used that you may not like in your product. For, these accredited agencies regulate organic cosmetic products to meet organic standard however, certified organic doesn’t necessary mean chemical free.
As a reminder, I am not saying that carriers of organic products should not seek certification or that customers should ignore certification logo on products. I made a lot of my buying decisions on these organic certified products. These accredited agencies are doing great jobs at reducing harmful chemicals in natural cosmetic products. However, as consumers, we should read the ingredients statement to see if the products meet our own standard as well.
Happy Shopping!
There is generally a preference on USDA certified organic products.However does USDA really certify personal care products?<!–more–>
I have been thinking about getting my products organically certified as I don’t use chemicals beside sodium Hydroxide in soap and the majority of my ingredients are certified organic from the supplier’s side.
I first called my oil supplier who is certified organic. He recommended that I talk to USDA. An USDA agent told me, USDA doesn’t regulate personal care products but some agencies approved by USDA do. I could either contact them to find out more or I could name my products without the term organic, and in the ingredients statement, list the items that they are made of as organic if they are certified organic.
After contacting one of the agencies that USDA agent recommended, QAI (Quality Assurance International), they sent me some information about the agency NSF/ANSI 305 which is the only American National Standard that defined labeling, and marketing of organic cosmetic products. QAI.”Personal Care Products Containing Organic Ingredients”. Quality Assurance Internaltional. NSF International, 2009. Web. 22 Feb 2015. &lt;<a href=”http://www.qaiinc.com/media/docs/personal_care_contains_organic_ingredients.pdf” target=”_blank”>http://www.qaiinc.com/media/docs/personal_care_contains_organic_ingredients.pdf</a>&gt;
In the document, it was stated that NSF/ ANSI 305 requires the use of NOP certified ingredients but also allows these ingredients being chemically processed(although regulated) in a way that USDA National Organic Program(NOP) prohibits. NSF judges this process important for manufacturers to better preserve their products or broaden their green cosmetic products. QAI.”<a href=”http://www.qaiinc.com/media/docs/personal_care_contains_organic_ingredients.pdf” target=”_blank”>Personal Care Products Containing Organic Ingredients</a>” pg2-3.
As consumers, when we read certified organic on a product, it gives us a peace of mind that the products is chemical free. To my understanding, it may not necessarily be the case. They could be safe from awful chemicals but not necessary chemical free.

Therefore, I would urge you as you make your buying decision over a certified organic product, to read the ingredients to see if any chemical is used that you may not like in your product. For, these accredited agencies regulate organic cosmetic products to meet organic standard however, certified organic doesn’t necessary mean chemical free.
As a reminder, I am not saying that carriers of organic products should not seek certification or that customers should ignore certification logo on products. I made a lot of my buying decisions on these organic certified products. These accredited agencies are doing great jobs at reducing harmful chemicals in natural cosmetic products. However, as consumers, we should read the ingredients statement to see if the products meet our own standard as well.
Happy Shopping!