Why Organic? - All You Need to Know About This Frequent Subject

Consumers may hear the word "organic" and think it's better - but what does being organic really mean?

By definition, an organic product is produced with plant (or animal) ingredients that were grown without chemically formulated fertilizers, growth stimulants, antibiotics, or pesticides, and do not contain – even inactive - synthetic ingredients. By most certification agencies’ standards this definition actually leaves out minerals and water, as these ingredients are not “grown”.

Another important aspect of an organically grown or harvested ingredient is that no genetically modified organisms are used by organic farmers. Organic farmers develop biological diversity in the field to disrupt pest habitats and replenish soil fertility.

Conventionally grown ingredients involve the use of synthetic chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides, and even genetically modified organisms. This is the most generic industrial agriculture, or mass production.

The most important thing for conscious consumers to look at the labels defining whether the product was “made with organic ingredients” or is certified “organic” on the product level. Let’s say a product made with a combination or organic essential oils or extracts may easily contain synthetic preservatives or dyes. Another important thing to look for is whether the fragrance (perfume) in the product is synthetic or composed of organic essential oils.

Numerous research show that organically grown herbs, fruits and vegetables have a substantially (20-40%) higher antioxidant content than conventionally grown plants. In other words, the same amount of product contains a more concentrated nutrient complex if it is organic. By receiving a more concentrated nutrient complex, and knowing that no harmful chemicals absorb into their body through the skin, consumers have a higher and higher demand for certified organic products.

One should also consider that our skin is our largest organ that absorbs products like a sponge. Anything that is chemically formulated is uncanny to our body and affects the actual utilization of the absorbed nutrients versus the nutrients that are in their most natural form. Many chemical ingredients are also harmful for our body, and unfortunately these are not regulated (yet) by the FDA, even if they are banned in most other countries in the world.

Certified organic and wild crafted ingredients, certified organic farms. But what does all this really mean?

All of the active ingredients in ilike organic skin care products are certified organic, and most of them are grown on their certified organic farm in Hungary, while some of them are wild crafted. What does this mean?

The Hungarian farm of ilike organic skin care had to be inspected for 3 years before it was officially declared “certified organic” and they could use this phrase for their ingredients.  The European standards include strict details about organic farming. For example European farms are not allowed to use manure from conventionally grown animals or industrial animal farms, such as battery cage chicken farms. Both the Hungarian certification agency, and BDIH, -- the international agency that certify the ilike organic skin care products on the entire product level -- do a yearly thorough audit of farming, wild crafting and processing of the active ingredients, as well as the documentation of sourcing the inactive ingredients. For example, besides no synthetics, also no GMO sources are allowed in order to be certified organic. BDIH also reviews the manufacturing processes, environmental hygiene, storage conditions and all package copy details and marketing communications about the products. These yearly examinations are all documented on paper and images, additionally to the daily documentation of the company's own farming and manufacturing management.

Some of our active ingredients, typically common herbs are wild crafted. This phrase means that by a yearly renewed license they are collected from nature where they wildly grown. As ilike organic skin care is certified organic their wild crafted ingredients should also be certified organic.

By the certification agencies’ standards this means that they can only harvest the herbs from natural habitats that are officially documented as not been treated with chemicals in the past 3 years.

Despite the fact that the company knows their herbal ingredients well with almost 60 years in manufacturing ilike organic skin care products, their harvesting colleagues go through yearly education about these herbs and the methods of harvesting them in order to ensure the continuation of biodiversity of the lands. Furthermore they are supervised by authority during the harvest to ensure proper herb picking and no over-harvest in the specific areas of nature.