Organic Skin Care - There is more to it than you may think...

Organic skin care products are the best option for you and your family's skin, infants and children are at the top of that list. But buyer beware, not all products claiming to be "natural" or "organic" can be trusted. There is no regulation of the term "organic" in the skin care industry.

Manufacturers can make claims that their products are natural or organic without certification.

Many companies use marketing tactics like listing "from coconut" of "from olives" in the ingredients to make you believe the product is natural.

The truth is, they can extract anything from a natural source and process it so that, chemically speaking, it no longer has any relationship with the original source.

This is why it is imperative for you to use only products certified organic by the USDA. You must see the USDA logo in order to be one hundred percent certain that your skin care products are organic.

Some of the most trusted companies like Jason, Avalon Organics and even Burt's Bees are beginning to allow ingredients such as parabens, nanoparticles and fragrance to creep into their products.

Companies and products that were once original and authentic, in an effort to compete in the trendy organic market, have comprimised integrity for profit.

I could write for day about all of the information needed to enable you in making the most informed decision for you and your family's skin care. The amount of information can be overwhelming to say the least.

I recommend the Environmental Working Groups "Skin Deep" cosmetic database. The EWG continuously updates and holds the cosmetics world to a higher standard.

They offer powerful statistics and extensive resources allowing you to build your own knowledge base. EWG's database allows you to search for a specific product and returns detailed information about the ingredients and side effects.

The rating system for the evaluative safety is as follows:

0-2: Low Hazard 3-6: Moderate Hazard 7-10: High Hazard

Also listed are toxic and hazardous chemicals and potential health risks associated with usage of the product that contains such chemicals...I encourage you to use this resource as we all have to search for our favorite products and see how they measure up.

Beauty cosmetics are another issue entirely. Organic Makeup? Did you know there was such a thing? There is, but...beware. Regulations of the cosmetics industry are so loose that it is difficult to trust any company's statements to be legitimate. That is topic best left for another article.

But, quality skin care is not a replacement for a healthy diet and lifestyle. Your skin is part of the big picture of overall health and wellness.

Your skin is a direct reflection of what your body is experiencing internally. The more stress in your life and the less quality nutrition you put into your body the more you will experience problems with your skin.

Your skin grows from the inside out, so your overall nutritional levels really matter.

Skin is the largest organ of the body. Your skin is responsible for protecting your internal organs from injury, infection, and it helps to detoxify your body through perspiration. The healthier your skin, the better barrier it provides to viruses and bacteria.

Skin produces and stores Vitamin D, a crucial element of a healthy immune system. And let's not forget how your skin simply (and not so simply) protects you from extreme changes in temperature by controlling the heat flow between you and your environment.

Now knowing that our skin is such a vital and sensitive organ of our body, why are we so careless in how we care for it? In a society so obsessed with fighting the signs of aging, why are we so quick to resort to extreme measures such as surgery and chemicals?