Natural products are substances that are produced by living organisms, including biotic materials, bio-based materials, bodily fluids, and other natural materials that were once found in living organisms. They are often used in traditional and modern medicine for treating diseases due to their unique pharmacological or biological activities. Natural products are also commonly used as food additives, antibacterial agents, and antioxidants to protect food freshness and longevity.

When it comes to personal care products, natural ingredients are often preferred by consumers. However, not all natural ingredients are beneficial, and some can even be harmful. For example, poison ivy is a natural ingredient that can cause skin irritation and allergic reactions. On the other hand, there are many natural ingredients that have beneficial properties with no negative effects or adverse reactions.

It is important to note that all materials and substances are chemicals, including natural ingredients. The difference between a natural ingredient, a natural-origin ingredient, and a chemical ingredient lies in how they are obtained and processed. A natural ingredient is a chemical compound that comes from the plant, mineral, animal, or microbial kingdom and is obtained by processes of physical extraction without any transformation of its constituents. An ingredient of so-called natural origin has undergone transformation of its constituents, but this transformation respects the principles of environmentally-friendly green chemistry that uses minimum energy and solvents and generates minimum waste. Chemical ingredients are produced using chemistry to produce active molecules whose resources in the natural state are depleted or found in small quantities in nature.

When it comes to personal care products, the NPA Illustrative Positive List of ingredients is a good source of information as to whether or not ingredients are allowed, but there are many ingredients on the Illustrative List that can be found in both natural and synthetic forms. The deciding factor as to whether ingredients will or will not be allowed in the Natural Standard is whether there is documentation that supports the raw materials are naturally sourced and the ingredient is processed within the allowed processes.

In the food industry, the word "natural" on a food product label means that the product cannot contain artificial ingredients and should be minimally processed according to the USDAs guidelines. However, both the USDA and FDAs re...