Bogged down by too many beauty products on the internet?
Well, it gets more confusing when all of these brands label their products as natural, organic, herbal, ayurvedic and whatnot.
Also, it is essential to know the difference between herbal and ayurvedic as most Indians are inclined toward using these products.
Without too much blabbering let’s quickly get into understanding what is the difference between natural and organic?
Herbal Products
The word Herbal originated from the mediaeval Latin liber herbals (“book of herbs”). Herbal cosmetic products are made from plants, leaves, and flowers extracted from a variety of ethical botanical sources. These herbal products are made to proffer necessary nutrients for healthy hair and skin. These products are also useful for improving one’s health and for various therapeutic reasons. The main approach to using herbal products is to have all the cosmetic benefits for hair and skin free from toxic chemicals. They are safe and effective to use for routine use and suitable for all hair and skin types without causing any harmful effects. However, it involves pesticides for growing the ingredients for these products.
Ayurvedic Products
Ayurveda is a Sanskrit term meaning “life knowledge” popularly known to treat various skin and hair conditions. Ayurvedic products are formulated using various indigenous herbs, fruit extracts and essential oils backed by ancient medical science. It is one of the oldest traditional systems widely used to make healthcare and beauty care products. However, the composition of ayurvedic products also contains heavy metals like sulphur, gold, silver, tin, copper, mercury and even some animal ingredients. It is very effective to maintain healthy skin and hair but not as likely as safe as herbal products due to the high combination of heavy metals.
Natural Products
Natural beauty products are manufactured from naturally-derived ingredients such as plants and minerals that are rich in nutrients. These products are formulated without any kind of harsh chemicals or toxic substances such as petroleum, sulphates, silicone, paraben or mineral oils. Further, these products are environmentally-friendly and free from preservatives, synthetic fragrances or additives. Safe and effective for regular use, natural beauty products are known to be vegan and cruelty-free. However, other chemicals are used to enhance these natural ingredients’ growth, including pesticides and chemical fertilisers.
Organic Products
Organic products are specially designed for plants that are cultivated without the involvement of hazardous chemical fertilisers, herbicides or pesticides. The ingredients used to formulate these products are derived from plants that are grown with a few approved methods, including biodiversity conservation, cultural integration and ecological balance promotion. For organic products, healthy fertile soil is developed to replace nutrients from the land by previous crops, while adding organic materials to the soil such as compost. Organic products are not tested on animals which implies that they are cruelty-free. Unlike other beauty products, they do not have traces of harsh chemicals, parabens, phthalates, mineral oils, PABA, petrolatum, paraffin or any animal ingredients by any means. Made with zero harsh chemicals organic products are 100% pure, gentle, and potent for everyday use for a healthy beauty regime.
Difference between Herbal, Ayurvedic, Natural and Organic Products
Now that you have gotten a deep understanding of all of these products, let’s draw down a table outlining all the major differences depicting herbal vs ayurvedic and natural vs organic products.
| Herbal | Ayurveda | Natural | Organic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Made from plants, leaves and flowers. | Made from herbs and heavy metals etc. | Made from plants and minerals | Made from natural ingredients |
| Free from chemicals. However, pesticides are used for the growth of the plant. | Contain toxic levels of metal | Fertilizers are used for the growth of the plants | Free from fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides etc |
| No global or local standards available to ensure purity | Global and local; standards available in India to ensure purity | Global and local standards are available to ensure purity but not everywhere | Many Global and local standards available to ensure purity |
Final Verdict: Herbal vs Ayurvedic vs Natural vs Organic Products
After reading this, If you think there is no difference between natural and organic products then you’re wrong. Natural skincare is formulated with ingredients derived from nature, but it might contain artificial ingredients that can’t be grown naturally. On the other hand, organic beauty products undergo rigorous testing standards to ensure 100% purity.
Considering the difference between herbal and organic products, organic products still win due to ethically farmed ingredients ensuring purity standards.
We hope the sky is clear knowing the difference between ayurvedic and organic products.
FAQs About Herbal, Ayurvedic, Natural and Organic Products
Are Organic and Natural skin care products the same?
No, natural and organic products are not at all the same. Natural products may contain artificial ingredients that are not available in their raw form or might be grown using pesticides and chemical fertilisers. On the contrary, organic products are 100% pure and made with ingredients ethically grown without chemical pesticides or fertilisers.
What is the difference between natural and organic cosmetics?
Natural cosmetics are made from plant and mineral-based ingredients whereas organic beauty products are ethically produced from natural ingredients available in their raw form. Unlike natural cosmetics, organic cosmetics undergo rigorous testing standards to ensure 100% purity free from fertilisers.
What is the difference between all-natural and organic?
All-natural means the product has not been chemically treated, whereas the organic term states that ingredients are grown without the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilisers.
Is herbal and ayurvedic the same?
No, Herbal products are made using herbs or plant-based extracts while Ayurvedic products are made with medicinal plant extracts combined with a certain level of heavy metal extractions.
What is the difference between herbal and organic?
The difference between organic and herbal products is that organic products are made from natural ingredients available in their purest form, whereas herbal products are made using naturally-derived ingredients grown with the help of pesticides and fertilisers but are free from chemicals.
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