How I evaluate products

I evaluate products using a three-step process which involves evaluating a product for purity, quality and effectiveness. If a product doesn't meet the purity standard, I don't waste time evaluating it for quality or effectiveness. And just because a product passes the purity test doesn't mean it will meet the quality or effectiveness standards. All three standards must be met before I recommend a product.

Note: "Organic" does not mean "natural." For an explanation of the vast difference, click here.

three-step evaluation process:

PURITY

· Are the ingredients predominantly from certified organic or certified biodynamic ingredients?
· Are all the ingredients from natural sources as opposed to synthetic?
· Are there any questionable, synthetic or potentially toxic ingredients in the product?

QUALITY

· Are the plants (from which the ingredients are derived from) grown in the ideal regions and climates to produce the most healing, beneficial and naturally active extracts?
· What method(s) is used to extract the ingredients?
· Are the ingredients watered down, diluted or refined in any way? For example, a 1:1 liquid herbal extract is 4 times stronger then a 1:4 liquid herbal extract. A refined plant oil is much poorer in quality than an unrefined, cold-pressed oil in its natural state. Good skin care in large part comes down to looking at the therapeutic value of the ingredients, and extraction methods.

EFFECTIVENESS

· Does the product do what it says it will do for the person intended?
For example, does a cleanser designed for dry skin both clean the skin and leave it moisturized rather than stripped?

why use an organic beauty product instead of a conventional one?

Because of superior purity, quality and effectiveness, organic products are more expensive than their mainstream counterparts. So why use them?

You care about your body. Your skin absorbs everything, so what you put on your body ends up in your body. I prefer not to put synthetics, chemical, pesticides, herbicides and genetically modified ingredients into my body.
You care about the earth. I prefer natural ingredients that come from and sustain the earth. I tend not to care for products developed in a lab and tested on animals.
You care about product effectiveness. Natural, organic ingredients are more effective than petroleum waxes, fillers, and chemicals.

Think about this: There are two chefs. One is not concerned about where her ingredients come from, the other takes great care in sourcing the highest quality certified organic ingredients. Both chefs have the same level of training. Who is going to make the best meal?

is organic better than natural when it comes to beauty?

Yes, without question. Though natural products are a step in the right direction, many of them contain just one or two natural ingredients and slap "natural" on the label. So labeling a product "natural" really means nothing. Natural products are not certified by third parties (organic products are), and many can still be grown in sewage sludge and contain synthetic pesticides, herbicides and genetically modified organisms. On that note, did you know that according to Greenpeace, over 50% of the world's soy contains genetically modified organisms?

Unlike conventional and natural ingredients, certified organic ingredients are grown free of all the above contaminants. The bottom line is that they are cleaner, healthier and purer for you, and promote healthier water, soil, plants and food for you and our children.

For more information on GMOs, including an FAQ, click here:
http://weblog.greenpeace.org/ge/archives/GEqanda.pdf

To learn more about genetic engineering from a technical perspective, click here:
http://www.greenpeace.org/raw/content/international/press/reports/illustrating-the-problems-of-g.pdf

To take action, click here:
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/genetic-engineering/food
(the flash presentation is enlightening)

understanding organic certifications

It's all about the ingredients. Because there is no definitive standard in North America or the EU for evaluating organic beauty products, we must look to the ingredients and private standards to tell us whether or not the product is truly organic. Both the Soil Association of the UK, and Eco-cert of France set forth standards that are headed in the right direction, but not yet accepted as national standards. In the interim, manufacturers can undergo these certifications and earn their respective marks. You may order a copy of the standards from the Soil Association or from Eco-cert for a fee should you be interested.

Until these standards become more widely adopted by manufacturers and governments, we must look to the ingredients and to the manufacturer's policies and certifications to evaluate the purity and "organic-ness" of a product.

To read frequently asked questions about organics, click here:
http://www.ota.com/organic/faq.html

For 10 great reasons to go organic, click here:
http://www.ota.com/organic_and_you/10reasons.html

I also look to companies that posses BDIH certification. This organization has developed a set of standards for "certified natural cosmetics". More information on BDIH, can be found here:
http://www.kontrollierte-naturkosmetik.de/en/

Most of the brands Saffron Rouge represents have BDIH certification.

understanding the 3 kinds of ingredients

Because I evaluate ingredients as opposed to products, it's useful to understand that there are three main types of ingredients:

Natural ingredients derived from natural sources which are either
1. untreated and unprocessed or
2. processed with other natural ingredients.
Ingredients from natural sources that are treated with synthetic ingredients and/or processes to produce the final ingredient. These ingredients are called derivatives and bear a chemical name (not latin, as is the case with herbal extracts).
Ingredients from synthetic sources, which may or may not be also treated with other ingredients and/or processes. These ingredients bear a chemical name.

My policy is as follows:
Type 3 ingredients are not allowed.
Type 1 ingredients are certainly allowed.
Type 2 ingredients are examined on a case-by-case basis.

I should also explain that an ingredient with the exact same chemical name can fall into the type 2 or type 3 category depending on what it is derived from. In these cases, the wording on the label does not give you this answer. In such cases, we must look to the manufacturer for information on ingredient sourcing.

understanding preservatives

Are preservatives necessary? In most cases, yes. Without proper preservatives products start to grow germs and bacteria ? not good for your skin. I'm equally worried about products that contain no preservatives as I am about ones that contain damaging chemical preservatives.

Natural preservative systems are effective and safe. There are a few popular methods of preserving products naturally:

Packaging ? metal tubes and sealed pump systems can limit the air and contamination that gets into a product
Certain base plant oils, essential oils and herbal extracts have natural preservative properties (i.e. are anti-microbial and anti-bacterial)
Plant alcohol (in concentrations of less then 15% - more then this can become drying to the skin); Amino acid-based preservative systems; and specialized processing techniques like Dr.Hauschka's rhythmical processing can all help in the preservation of a product.

selection guidelines

Here are some of the guidelines I follow when evaluating products:

· Plant and mineral ingredients must be used whenever possible. No plant or minerals ingredients may be used from an endangered source. No irradiation of plants is permitted. No synthetic coloring agents or fragrances, or paraffin and other petroleum products are permitted.

· Plant ingredients must be certified organic, or certified biodynamic wherever possible. In cases where none of the aforementioned are available in sufficient quality and/or quality, ingredients should be sourced in the following order of priority: organically grown, wild-crafted, and lastly conventionally grown plant ingredients as long as they do not contain any genetically modified ingredients.

· Preservatives derived from synthetic sources are not permitted. Parabens (propyl, methyl and ethyl) .and other synthetic preservatives are not allowed in any of the products represented by Saffron Rouge. Preservatives must be derived from natural sources. In cases where the source is natural, but the treatment process involves the use of synthetics, the final ingredient is considered a derivative. All derivatives (including preservatives) are examined on a case-by-case basis.

· No ingredients derived from animals may be used with the exception of: beeswax, bee pollen, propolis, honey, royal jelly, milk, and lanolin, which are considered acceptable as they do not harm the animal. In addition, a few products contain carmine and/or silk (which I have permitted within the selection criteria) ? both of which are derived from insects. Unfortunately, these two ingredients cannot be derived without harming the insects. No animal testing on ingredients contained in products or on the products by the company or on behalf of the company is permitted.

· Manufacturers must provide a certificate of organic certification from a third party agency concerning their ingredients.

· Manufacturers must provide a written guarantee that to the best of their knowledge no genetically modified ingredients are used in the products, and every reasonable effort is taken to verify with its suppliers that raw materials are not produced from GMO seed stock.

· Manufacturers must track origin of ingredients to ensure quality of ingredients.

· Manufacturers should have an environmental based mission or company philosophy.

· Manufacturers should use recyclable and environmentally friendly packaging wherever possible.

I hope you've found the above information helpful on your road to beautiful, healthy skin.