Word: Avey Cortes

There’s an old and somewhat tired school of thought favoured by tree hugging New-Agey types that suggests that it’s unhealthy, unethical, or just down right crazy to put anything on your skin that you wouldn’t put in your mouth (insert crude joke here). Whilst there is a slight element of truth to this smug philosophy, the majority of organic products currently out on the market are rarely as effective or as potent as a pot full of chemicals. I mean has anyone tried Thursday Plantation’s tea tree deodorant? The label on the product reads that it is “for anyone who is looking for an effective all day deodorant free from aluminium” with, “long freshness as a base for customer’s own choice of perfume.” Admittedly I loved the smell, and I felt clean after first applying in the morning. However, a few hours into my day, I was neither particularly fresh nor smelled like perfume.

Despite all the ethical brownie points we as consumers think we’ve earned in buying such products, organic potions are mostly unregulated, meaning they are usually just as lethal as the evil synthetic stuff. So what are conscientious consumers supposed to do? Do we continue inadvertently ingesting chemicals (licking the petroleum-based cherry Chap Stick off your sweetheart’s lips) or do we resort to slathering our faces in the ethical goop and walk around smelling like some hippy’s bong water?

A quick look at organic products on counters that are actually worth your pennies are Australian brand Mukti, Aromatherapy Associates and US based Intelligent Nutrients. The latter offers USDA-approved food for your skin, hair and body as concocted by one Horst Rechelbacher (best known as the founder for a little brand called Aveda). The expansive range is completely free of any toxic petrochemicals, plastics, sulfates, silicone, heavy metals and anything else that could turn you into an infertile mutant and/ or dead. And the formulations actually work too. The secret ingredient is the supplemental Intellimune Seed Oil Complex, which delivers the same number of antioxidants as eating seeds from 10 pounds of grapes, 11 pounds of blueberries, 20 pounds of strawberries or 30 pounds of fresh tomatoes. Talk about flower power! Similarly Aromatherapy Associates harness the power of nature by packing their products with plant oils and bases such as regenerative damask rose water instead of plain water. The Overnight Repair Mask left the skin so well hydrated with its Strawberry Seed that we didn’t need to use a moisturizer afterwards – an incontestable sign of a decent mask.

So there you have it, planet organic is no longer just for the Mid-levels tai-tai’s and Lamma hippies, eco-friendly skincare products are starting to work as the aforementioned brands prove. It’s just a case of weeding (pun intended) them out.