What Does "Natural" Really Mean?

by WiredBerries Editors — August 16, 2007

Have you ever wondered what "NATURAL" actually means when you read it on the bottle of shampoo or skin care product you just bought? Or did you assume because the word natural was used that it must be good for you and safe? Would you be shocked to find that what manufacturers can claim is "natural" is actually very far removed from nature? If you would like to know more about what you are putting on your skin, you will have to do a little undercover work and become a " Toxic Chemical Ingredient Sleuth ."

Virtually every synthetic chemical produced has a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) published with the facts about the chemical and the potential dangers to human health. So if you think you are using safe, non-toxic approved chemicals in your skincare products, perhaps you should think again. The MSDS lists a summary of the chemical facts and summarizes the little known things like hazard identification, first aid measures, precautions when handling the raw material, exposure limits, and what medical action should be taken if the chemical is accidentally touches skin and other names by which the chemical is known. You will be surprised to learn that many of these so-called safe "natural" chemicals have skull and crossbones warning signs on the storage containers to warn handlers of the dangers.

If you think that the cream you just smoothed onto your face is safe, do you own research to be sure. Google the product's ingredients to see if any safety data sheets come up. You just may be shocked at what you read.