Good Question! Organic is a word that pops up all the time these days. It’s called green advertising. As long as it’s organic, it’s good. Maybe, not. Poison Ivy is organic, but we wouldn’t put it on our face!

a) Organic – that which contains organs to support life and will eventually rot (humans and plants, for
example). (Not to be confused with “certified organic” labeling on food and personal care products.)

b) Inorganic – without the organs necessary for life (rocks, for example)

Generally, what people mean when they ask if minerals are organic is: “Are they natural?” That’s a tricky question
to answer because there isn’t a satisfactory definition of “natural” in the personal care product industry.
Perhaps a better question would be: “Do they occur naturally?” The answer to that would be “yes and no.”
There is a misconception that all minerals used in mineral powders come directly from the earth. Even
minerals such as Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide that originate in natural rocks must be processed
when extracted and later in laboratories. Several minerals such as Iron Oxides and Mica are
manufactured wholly under strict laboratory conditions. In nature, these minerals would be contaminated
with heavy metals and other toxins and would, therefore, be prohibited from cosmetic use. This doesn’t
make them more minor minerals.

“Clean” rather than “natural” is better to describe products attempting to eliminate toxins and questionable ingredients. Clean has been the mineral makeup pioneers’ quest from the start. Because the category is so much more extensive than it once was, it has opened the door to compromise. Now, there are mineral powders with Talc, Parabens, Synthetic Fragrance, and other undesirable ingredients. However, there are still a few purist brands around.