Earth Day is April 22nd this year, and to celebrate we’ll be doing several posts over the next few weeks on
healthy and natural grooming. With the average Joe
spending 3,000 hours of his life shaving, it’s important to step back once in a while and consider your tools and their provenance.
The first issue we want to address: the terms “natural” and “organic.” They two get thrown around a lot in the skincare industry like they’re interchangeable – but we can assure you they're not.
What is the main difference between natural and organic?
You’ll find lots of products that claim they’re “natural” or “eco-friendly,” but in the end only “organic” offers government-backed assurance that your products are grown and processed without toxic chemicals, synthetic chemicals, or antibiotics. Products labeled “natural” use these factors as guidelines rather than rules set in stone.
If you’re looking to green your grooming routine, organic is your strongest option, since it’s the most strictly regulated farming system. All organic products must comply with
state, federal, FDA, and international food safety requirements.
In order for a product to be labeled organic, it must be subject to both announced and unannounced inspections by third party government inspectors. The inspectors get so detailed as to audit companies’ records of purchases, ingredients, etc. to trace production from start to finish.
Because organic products are highly regulated, choosing them over conventional products has been shown to reduce exposure to toxic chemicals, including pesticides, synthetic hormones, antibiotics, and nitrogen fertilizers.
Here is a helpful chart from Organic It’s Worth It to compare the difference:
Organic is also great for the environment.
Organic farming is sustainable, promoting soil health and species diversity while combating damage to water resources and even climate change.
One of the many practices organic farmers put in place to achieve environmental safety is using ecological methods of pest/weed control rather than synthetic pesticides. These synthetic pesticides deprive the soil of nutrients, damaging the ecosystem.
The conclusion?
Organic products offer you that extra peace of mind should you desire it. Opting for
an organic shave soap or
shampoo the next time you need to restock is an easy way to make your grooming ritual more environmentally friendly while knowing you’re getting the best quality available. That’s something we can tip our hats to.
