By Melissa B. Scott

Have you ever read the back of a bottle of body wash and wondered what the heck cocamide mea was? Or wondered what effects moisturizing your face with titanium dioxide may have? Learning the lingo of the personal care industry is a nearly impossible task since new inventions, additions, and “recipes,” hit the shelves on a daily basis. Even though the task is huge and truly endless there are some “hot” ingredients that you should keep out of your house and away from your skin; as well as some great ingredients that you can welcome into your home with open arms.

The skincare industry is partly confusing because of the lack of regulation by the FDA. Dr. Stephen Antczak, in the book he co-authored with Gina Antczak, Cosmetics Unmasked (Thorsons, 2001) states: “There are over 7,000 ingredients available to manufacturers for use in cosmetics and toiletries, of which more than a thousand are known to have harmful effects, and many of these are subject to some level of legal restriction. Another 900 ingredients may have been manufactured in such a way as to be potentially contaminated with cancer-causing chemicals. Recent tests carried out by the FDA have found that a large number of these contaminants have indeed found their way into finished products in substantial quantities. This means that more than one out of every four of the ingredients listed on the label of a bottle of shampoo, for instance, or a jar of face cream, is either on the restricted list, or may be harmful in some way.”

To make the confusion worse, one product that says, “natural,” may contain a natural fragrance whereas another may be completely organic. Trying to decipher between the two is confusing, difficult, and sometimes almost impossible.

However, learning to read the label is critically important when it comes to several key factors: watching out for Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (read the chart below for explanations); choosing only cruelty-free, no-animal-testing, animal-free lines; and watching out for possible irritants and carcinogens.

Here is a handy guide to the skincare industry. The first chart explains several of the ingredients you should keep an eye out for, the second a list of products that are worthy of your shopping dollars. Unless noted all products are labeled, “natural” and are not necessarily organic.

A healthier choice

Here are a few skin and hair care lines with safer, more-natural ingredients:

Burt’s Bees is one of the more well-known natural skincare companies that has created a line that not only can be applied to your skin, but is so natural, it could be eaten (it may not taste that great though.) Our pick: The Shea Butter Decollete Cream is made with rich macadamia nut oil, cocoa butter and rose and neroli oil. Yumm! (800) 849-7112 or visit www.burtsbees.com

Devita Natural Skin Care is an all-natural skin care line of aloe-vera based products combined with essential oils. Our pick: The Moroccan Rose Facial toner is infused with rosemary and sage and is designed to normalize hydration in the skin. (877) 2-DEVITA or visit www.devita.com

Evolu Botanical Skincare from New Zealand was created to fill the market need for natural products that help frequent travelers. Founder, Kati Kasza, a former flight attendant found that many commercial products were leaving her skin chapped and prone to problems. The New Zealand line is not only unique but it’s also enviromentally friendly and excellent for travelers skin. Our pick: The Night Recovery Cream with fruit extracts rehydrates the skin with marine extracts. www.evolu.co.nz

Farmaesthetics skincare is created by Brenda Brock, who bases her recipes on herbalism, folk lore, botanical research, and holistic beauty. Her products are carried at several spas in the U.S. and come beautifully packaged in glass bottles and containers. Our pick: The Nourishing Herbal cream is perfect for all of those “areas that need work” like the eyes, neck, and throat. Rich and soothing with almond oil and calendula it can also be used on your baby. (800) 711-9194 or visit www.farmaesthetics.com

John Master’s Organics – known for its high-quality, organic haircare products – also produces one of the top organic skincare lines in the U.S. Our pick: The Rose Foaming Face Wash is a perfect wake-up in the morning and is formulated for dry, mature skin. (800) 599-2450 or visit www.johnmasters.com

Juice Beauty is a relatively new line to hit the organic market having launced just last January. Their products contain active ingredients like sea algae, apriot kernel oil, green tea, and aloe vera, as well as organic botanical concentrates. Our pick: The Wellspring restoring serum is soothing, anti-aging, and smells great! (888) 90-JUICE or www.juicebeauty.com

Jurlique’s organic skincare line is paving the way for organic skincare. All of the products are harvested from herbs and plants grown at the Jurlique farm in Australia and use only the purest essential oils and water. Also, Jurlique uses roses in 80% of their products not only for their scent but for their beauty benefits. Our pick: Although expensive, Jurlique’s lip balm is worth every penny, made with shea butter and vegetable oil to keep your pucker smooth! www.jurlique.com

MOP (Modern Organic Products) uses mostly organic products in their hair and skincare lines. Our pick: The new C-system hair line is infused with vitamin-C, citrus, and the conditioner even contains organic alfalfa! (866) 699-4MOP or visit www.mopproducts.com

Neways is a complete line of natural products that includes personal care products, nutritional supplements, and cleaning supplies. All of their products combine the latest research with a more natural twist. Our pick: The Night Science anti-aging treatment contains rice peptides and mushroom extract along with a host of other ingredients to replenish the skin. www.neways.com

Origins skincare always manages to find a new secret ingredient that will leave your skin glowing. Our pick: The Perfect World for Eyes cream is made with Silver Tip White Tea to help prevent skin damage and wrinkles. www.origins.com

Sundari is a natural skincare line based on Ayurvedic wisdom. All of the products are made with natural essential oils and moisturizing oils and are designed according to your Dosha. Our pick: Essential oil for pitta skin is perfect for the summer heat with ingredients like ylang ylang and sunflower, rose, and sandalwood oils. (212) 343-0600 or visit www.sundari.com

Vital Botanicals is a line dedicated to therapeutic ointments, lotions, and salves. Our pick: The Oregon Grape Cream for psoriasis and eczema is a wonderful soothing cream that is much more natural than its over-the-counter cousins. (800) 609-4326 or visit www.vitalbotanicals.com

Zia Natural Skincare combines nature with technology creating one of the highest quality natural skincare lines available. Our pick: The Ultimate line which includes a cleansing mousse, toning mist, and moisturizer that contain lycopene, vitamins A, C, and E and essential oils. (800) 334-7546 or visit www.zianatural.com.

Latest posts by Healing Lifestyles & Spas Team (see all)