What "natural" means to us...

Blue sky, sunshine, fresh air, unspoiled beaches, crystal-clear mountain streams, exotic flowers, emerald green countrysides, these are the images the word 'natural' evokes. When associated with cosmetics and remedies, products are often considered to be: more safe, more efficacious, more environmentally friendly. Using natural products endows us with a feeling of well-being and of doing good.

Next time you are soaking in a tub of bath salts of unknown origin or dubious quality consider this: your skin is an organ that absorbs by some estimates 40% of what it comes in contact with. Natural means no synthetic chemicals that cost less but may damage your body. Here at Black Pearl Botanicals 'natural' also means in compliance with the International Fragrance Associations (IFRA) guidelines describing aromatic materials of natural origin.

The IFRA takes the terms and definitions laid down by the French equivalent of the British Standards Institute in defining the 'norme francaise' or the vocabulary. The guidelines define various types of extracts and distillates traditionally used in perfumery (oleoresins, resinoids, essential oils, concretes, absolutes etc.) and allows only the use of those substances in the preparation of fragrance compounds or perfume.

The guidelines specifically states that any additives to the natural fragrances such as synthetic dillutents must be declared and that synthetically reconstituted essential oils, synthetic colorants, synthetic nature-identical ingredients and chemically modified raw materials are not allowed. Natural can also refer to mineral substances such as: talc, titanium dioxide, pascalite clay, fullers earth and mica. At Black Pearl Botanicals rest assured 'natural' means 'unadulterated' and as mother nature intended.

Copyright 2002
BlackPearlBotanicals LLC