True Benefits of Certified Organic Skincare

September is Australian Certified Organic Awareness month and in line with this I want to share something that’s close to my heart – the true benefits of buying certified organic products.

When you buy a certified organic product what you are really buying is absolute assurance that what you are getting is actually what it says on the label and in the container. With the recent media airing of how certain companies have mislead us consumers it is becoming increasingly difficult to know who to trust and believe.

Greenwashing (making misleading claims about a product’s sustainability and purity), and falsely making organic claims is rife.

Just recently Gaia Naturals (includes GAIA Natural Baby, GAIA Pregnancy + New Mum, GAIA Skin+Body, especially for women, and GAIA Made for Men) a well known skincare brand was fined by the ACCC who released this statement on their website on the 20th of June 2018:

“GAIA described its Natural Baby Bath & Body Wash, Baby Shampoo and Baby Moisturiser as “Pure ★ Natural ★ Organic”. However, these products contain two synthetic chemical preservatives: sodium hydroxyl methyl glycinate and phenoxyethanol.

“Businesses making organic claims must be able to substantiate those claims. GAIA’s claims may have misled consumers into thinking these products are free from synthetic chemicals when they are not,” ACCC Commissioner Sarah Court said.

This enforcement outcome with GAIA forms part of broader work by the ACCC relating to organic representations. Acting on information from stakeholders, the ACCC has assessed the use of organic claims across a range of businesses and products.

I’m a mum and the fact that BABY PRODUCTS are marketed in this way to us mums is something I find absolutely outrageous and horrifying!

Then just yesterday the honey industry was rocked with the news that Capilano, Australia’s biggest honey producer, and supermarkets are accused of selling ‘fake’ honey! As the ABC reported on the 3rd of September:

“Testing at a leading international scientific lab that specialises in honey fraud detection has found that almost half the honey samples selected from supermarket shelves were “adulterated”, meaning it has been mixed with something other than nectar from bees.”

What these actions really amount to is unethical behaviour by businesses that value profit over ethics and transparency.

So here’s the deal. When you want absolute assurance that what you are getting is actually what’s on the label and what you want it to be – CHOOSE CERTIFIED ORGANIC!

By choosing certified organic you buy from businesses that are investing time, money and hard work in getting an independent and unbiased certification so you the consumer can rest easy and get what you actually want and pay for.

It would have been so easy for me to have created just another skincare range and called it natural, botanical , chemical free and organic. This would have been the fast, easy and cheap way to get to market. Instead it took me over three years just to get organic certification! ALL Aika’s 29 products are certified organic (not just a few). That’s 29 formulas with over 120 ingredients. I persevered because I wanted to create something that was beyond just a business. I wanted to create a business with heart and soul, something that stood for more than just me earning an income and putting food on the table for my kids. Because I care deeply and passionately about you.

So here’s three great benefits of buying Aika certified organic skincare:

1. SOIL TO SKIN PURITY:
We can prove organic certification for our entire supply chain. This means that every single raw ingredient we use (we have over a 100) needs to be traceable back to its source and verified individually for how each is grown, harvested, processed, stored and transported. It means that all our processes from receiving and storing raw ingredients, our formulas, how we manufacture our products, cleaning processes, water safety, environmental sustainability, packaging and how we deliver our product to market has been scrutinised by ACO and meets these high standards. This is our ongoing commitment to you that you will only and ever get the best of the best from Aika.

2. PEACE OF MIND
Regular audits are essential for our suppliers and includes inspection of farming land including soil and water testing for toxic insecticides, herbicides, fungicides and fertilisers to ensure growers and handlers are meeting these set standards. Aika also undergoes yearly audits on all our systems and processes which include inspection of our certified organic facility The Lighthouse, to ensure we adhere to the strict ACO standards. Regular testing is carried out on our products which guarantees that no chemical residue is present in our product. We want you to have absolute peace of mind as to what you put on your skin.

3. ECOLOGICAL HARMONY
Using certified organic products ensures that we protect and promote a more sustainable environment for everyone. It ensures that animal welfare is maintained, there is no animal testing of raw ingredients or end products. It means that farming communities benefit from fair trade practices and child labour is not used. Since all our products are certified organic what goes down the drain won’t harm the environment. All our packaging has been assessed to be eco-friendly, recyclable and biodegradable. Kind to you, kind to our planet.

At Aika we stand by the Sanskrit philosophy of Ahimsa – do no harm.

Aika’s Australian Certified Organic (ACO) certification logo.

 

Next week on the blog – Celebrating Spring the Ayurvedic way!

 

WIN $150 OF AIKA SKINCARE!

Why do you choose certified organic? Comment on our Blog and go in the draw to win $150 of Aika certified organic skincare in August.

We value your feedback and would love to answer any questions you have about Aika.
Please visit our website for more information or contact our passionate and dedicated team at Aika HQ

‘Lighting the way for true wellness’