Truly Green Body care and why we should demand purity in the Spa Industry

It is so important that we as consumers, and spa professionals know exactly what is in the products we promote and literally spread on thousands of bodies in our homes and establishments daily. Our skin “eats” everything we put onto it, and at a time when cancer and so many other auto-immune diseases are increasing, I cannot see a better time to become deeply aware of the difference between truly green, pure and organic products and products with greenwashing marketing schemes.

The word Organic is such a buzz word today, what does it mean? I have had the luxury to have lived in an Organic farming community in Wisconsin for the past 10 years and witness firsthand the care and consciousness that goes into such work. Organic farmers work WITH nature, not against it. They feed the soil with compost adding nutrients to the soil, which directly translates to the nutrients the crops have that grow in the soil. Ever hear Organic food has more vitamins and minerals in it? This is why. Naturally the added vitamins and enhanced herbal extracts carries over to more effective organic body care product as well.

I have seen organic apples orchards use pigs to root around the trees keeping all of the weeds out of the orchard and eating the fallen fruit that would rot anyway, leaving their waste to fertilize the trees. Seems a lot more balanced to me than spraying toxins over the trees and fruit leaving dead strips of grass in the rows beneath. A part of me wonders how the trees can live while the grass and weeds are getting exterminated. I know there is a scientific reason for this, but intuitively it seems wrong.

In organic farming there are no chemicals, pesticides, antibiotics, or artificial anything. This means the earth is happier, or bodies are happier and the future generations are left a planet that is happier. There are strict organic certification processes that safeguard this industry from it getting “greenwashed” or compromised in anyway. If you find a company that is claiming organic on their label, look for the white and green USDA ORGANIC label to assure its quality and integrity. You can also look for the third party certification such as OCI, MOSA or other. However, I will say there are more than a handful of smaller, superior body care companies who are using organic ingredients and have not obtained certification for one reason or another. Confusing, I know. Here is where you must scour the label and ingredients list, inquire directly to the company about the certification and/or avoid the product. Some of my very favorite body care companies are not certified, but have the utmost integrity and consciousness surrounding organics and pure products.

The spa industry is a healing one, a place people come to escape the stress and toxins of daily life. It is so important at this time when our industry is growing at rates no other industry can compare, that we maintain the integrity of true health. This health includes PURITY from organics, and this purity comes from awareness. Educate yourself; find out what is REALLY in your body care line.

More information can be found at:

www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare
www.cosmeticsdatabase.com