What USDA Certified Organic Means on a Skincare Label, and How to Check a Brand’s Claim

By Your Health Magazine Contributor

Your Health Magazine Contributor

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What USDA Certified Organic Means on a Skincare Label, and How to Check a Brand’s Claim

Written By Dr. Zehra Murthy, molecular biologist and founder of Belfiore Herbal

“USDA Certified Organic” on a skincare label means a USDA-accredited certifier has verified the product’s organic content, along with the growers, handlers and manufacturer behind it. The word “organic” on its own tells you much less, so the exact wording on the label matters.

Who regulates “organic” in skincare

Two agencies are involved. The FDA regulates cosmetic safety and labeling, but the term “organic” isn’t defined in the cosmetic laws it enforces. The USDA’s National Organic Program does define it, and a cosmetic made with agricultural ingredients can qualify for certification.

To qualify, the ingredient producers, the handlers and the maker of the finished product must all be certified. That means an organic farm alone doesn’t make a finished bottle a certified product.

The four label tiers

How to check a brand’s claim

1. Read the exact wording. “Organic” and “made with organic lavender” are different legal categories. A brand name containing the word doesn’t place a product in any of them.
2. Find the seal and the certifier. Products in the top two tiers may carry the seal, and the top three must name their certifier. If a product claims certified organic status and names no certifier, ask the brand who certified it.
3. Scan the ingredient list. Single-botanical products are the easiest place to practice. A product like organic ashwagandha oil has a short list, so you can see in seconds which ingredients are marked organic and which aren’t. One marked ingredient describes that ingredient, not the entire formula.
4. Look up the operation. The USDA’s Organic Integrity Database is public and lets anyone search certified farms and businesses by name. A listing confirms the operation’s status, and the certifier can verify details about what it covers.
5. Separate other seals from USDA certification. Skincare can also be certified to private standards, foreign organic standards and eco-labels. Those can be meaningful, but the USDA’s National Organic Program doesn’t regulate them, so judge each one on its own criteria.

I read a label the way I read a research paper. I want to see the evidence behind the claim, and with organic skincare, that evidence is the certification.

What organic doesn’t tell you

Organic describes how ingredients were produced. It says nothing about whether a product suits your skin. The FDA is direct on this point: an ingredient’s source doesn’t determine its safety, and many plants, organically grown or not, contain substances that can be toxic or allergenic.

If your skin is sensitive, patch test a new product even when the label is flawless. Organic cosmetics also have to meet the same FDA safety and labeling rules as every other cosmetic.

The takeaway

Before you pay for “organic,” spend one minute on the label. Read the wording, find the certifier, scan the ingredients and look up the operation. A brand that has done the work will make all four steps easy.

Sources

• USDA National Organic Program: Cosmetics, Body Care Products, and Personal Care Products
• FDA: “Organic” Cosmetics