There is much dispute over what ingredients or final products are considered natural. You would think this term would be cut and dry, and yet the term natural is riddled with grey areas and various interpretations. Let me first state that there is NO official governing body or definitive regulations for using this term. There are guidelines that are black and white and many organizations and government entities seek to define what natural is, but none of these groups has come up with a clear rule.Let’s first take a look at the guidelines that are clear, but still un-regulated. Natural ingredients must come from the earth. If the ingredient is man-made, it is synthetic and cannot be advertised as natural. For example, essential oils are taken directly from plants. Most undergo steam distillation. No other items are added. Essential oils are considered natural by most. Fragrance oils are man-made synthetics. They may contain a small amount of natural ingredients, but typically are created using chemicals in a lab.
Therefore, you cannot claim that your product is all natural if you are using fragrance oils (unless these oils can be proven to be made with 100% natural ingredients, which some companies are now supplying). You can say your product is 98% natural, but leading consumers to believe that your product is made with nothing but completely natural ingredients when using synthetics is ethically wrong, and possibly able to be disputed legally from a false advertising point of view. You may not use a synthetic preservative and claim your lotion or other product is natural. It is not all natural if you have included any synthetic ingredient.
Now let’s discuss the grey area. The problem with the term natural is there are differing opinions on the definition, which affect many ingredients and final products. What one organization considers natural is not the same as another organization. With no governing body to decide which definition to use and how to regulate the use of the term, there is confusion and disputes.
Here are some of the different definitions for the term Natural:
FDA - "ingredients extracted directly from plants or animal products as opposed to being produced synthetically."
USDA (applies only to meat and poultry) - "those products carrying the “natural” claim must not contain any artificial flavoring, color ingredients, chemical preservatives, or artificial or synthetic ingredients, and are only “minimally processed” defined by USDA as a process that does not fundamentally alter the raw product."
Consumers Union - "Natural is a general claim that implies that the product or packaging is made from or innate to the environment and that nothing artificial or synthetic has been added. There is currently no standard definition for the term except for meat and poultry products. Unless otherwise specified, there is no organization independently certifying this claim. The producer or manufacturer decides whether to use the claim and is not free from its own self-interest."
Dictionary.com – “having undergone little or no processing and containing no chemical additives”
Concise Oxford Dictionary - “existing in, or caused by nature; produced by nature; not artificial; true to nature; uncultivated; wild existing in natural state; not disguised or altered”.
This list of definitions is endless. All agree that natural must be derived from the earth. However, some definitions suggest that natural can only come from plants and animals. But isn’t a mineral derived from the earth a natural material? Many micas, oxides, and ultramarines are directly extracted from the earth. Some would consider them natural, although they do undergo a chemical process to make them safe for use. However, there are countless ingredients widely considered natural that must undergo chemical changes or be extracted using solvents. Others believe that mineral pigments have some of their natural components removed, but does that render the rest of the pigment unnatural?
Then there are the controversies over how processed something can be. Some definitions state that acidification, basification, ion exchange, hydrolysis, and salt formation as well as microbial fermentation are permitted. Others state that nothing can be done to the ingredient “beyond what can be done in a kitchen.”
Some of these definitions would counteract the claim that essential oils are natural. While most are extracted through steam distillation, others can only be distracted using a solvent. Does this render some essential oils as synthetic? According to some of these definitions, that may be the case.
You’re beginning to see the dilemma faced by the world. No country can come up with an agreeable definition for the term natural. And since much is tainted by people’s perceptions, it is difficult for organizations within one country to agree. What do you consider natural? Products only derived from plants and animals, or derived from any part of the earth? How processed can something be and still be considered natural? Can it be extracted or chemically treated for safety or can it only be washed clean with water? It’s quite a sticky situation.
The Natural Ingredient Resource Center at www.naturalingredient.org has their own version of what constitutes a natural bath and body product. However, keep in mind that their definition of natural is equally controversial and in no way is this organization an official governing body, but their program is a good start for voluntary truth in labeling and worth taking a look at.
The Bonnie Bath Co.
Natural, handmade bath and body products
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