There has been controversy over natural and organic cosmetic products for a long. 

Cosmetic products are made up of chemicals only, and there is no such certification that tells the cosmetic product is organic and natural. In several countries, people just use organic and natural terms to lure consumers into paying a premium. Several cosmetic companies use organic actives like ayurvedic herbs, and then they claim that their products are organic.

Some countries like India have a department like Ayush, which provides certifications based on ingredients and processes used for the manufacture of cosmetic products, but these also don't make the products 100% organic and natural.

There is one thing to understand, we can only call something organic and natural if 100% of the product is manufactured using organic and natural products, without any chemical mixture, but even as simple as soap uses NaOH (Sodium Hydroxide) to set properly.

So, it is better to call products safe and cruelty-free rather than organic and natural. This is because, as a human, we should have empathy towards animals, and there shouldn't be any animal testing. Also, when we increase the use of natural raw materials and oils, we can reduce the involvement of harmful chemical actives.

How to find good cosmetic products?
There is one single rule of thumb for buying cosmetic products, and that is to read its ingredients. As a customer, we should be aware of what ingredients and actives are there in cosmetic products that we are using.

It's for our good health, that we should gain knowledge from the internet and trusted sources about the ingredients in our soaps, shampoos, creams, and lotions.

For Example, having NaOH (Sodium Hydroxide) in soap is not a bad thing. Although it is harmful if used alone, when used in soaps, it helps in setting the soap bar and also provides lather.

Similarly, there are chemical raw materials in our cosmetic products that are not harmful to us or nature, and we should not just run after people selling organic and natural products blindly.

So, should we not buy Organic and Natural Cosmetic Products?
This answer is not to demean organic and natural cosmetic products, but to make everyone aware that some selected cosmetic companies may be using organic and natural to charge a premium from their customers, which is wrong.

So, as a customer, we should be careful before we buy a cosmetic product. We should read its ingredients, and check for any side effects, as most of the cosmetic products that are there on market are of good quality and have gone through stringent tests. Just because some company is saying that we have 100% organic and natural products should not be an impulse to purchase that product.

Also, companies usually have simple organic actives in their products. For example, my soap has neem leaves, and it is a pure glycerine soap with neem plant extracts, because of which they usually claim that we are 100% natural and organic, which is not the case.

But yes, when you buy cosmetic products, it is better to search for products that have more organic actives as they are milder on the skin and hence won't harm in any way.