Look closer at the exploding natural beauty products market, and you'll discover eco-friendly lipstick, sulfate-free bubble bath and foot scrub that supports local communities. When it comes to beautiful bodies, "green" is all the rage, and no wonder. Experts say your skin may, on average, absorb up to 60 percent of 200 chemicals daily. In response, most natural beauty product manufacturers reject ingredients like petrochemicals, parabens, synthetic preservatives, mineral oils, pesticide residues and genetically modified additives.

But how do you know for sure? You don't. What you need to know is that the government has yet to weigh in with comprehensive natural beauty product standards. Some products that are labeled "organic" or "natural" may contain small amounts of authentically natural ingredients, but they may also contain harsh chemicals. In order to really know what's behind the label, you need to do your research. Read Websites, product literature and, above all, labels. If you have problem skin, call the companies and ask about their ingredients.

In the meantime, here are some of our favorite natural beauty product lines:

• For Colorado-based Pangea Organics, the mandate is "truly organic" and full disclosure. At Pangea, healthy means "of the earth" — not "ingredients taken from the earth and then mixed in a lab with unnamed additives." Calendula, rosemary, Egyptian fennel and Nigerian ginger are but a few of Pangea's herbal extracts that support body and mind. Pangea products enjoy a two-year-plus shelf life, yet tend to biodegrade in 48 hours.
  
• For EO, a small, 12-year-old family business, plants matter. Essential oils are concentrated, aromatic plant essences, and they give the company its name and passion. Used in aromatherapy for centuries, essential oils are a main ingredient in EO's products, which are based on traditional healing practices. The company has studied herbalists, chemists and family-owned farms, and it boasts the first USDA-certified organic lip balm. EO relies on its oils to "awaken and delight the senses."
  
• Devoted to wholesome skin care, New Zealand based Living Nature, began 17 years ago, and since then, it has consistently offered some of the world's most natural products. Still isolated and relatively unpolluted, New Zealand provides exceptional raw materials. Many of the company's plants are "organic wildcrafted" — grown and harvested chemical-free in the wild. But because they are wild, some are not certified organic. New Zealand 's special plants, manuka honey and clays are rich in bioactive ingredients and positive medicinal benefits.
  
• A leader in holistic skin care for 35 years, Dr. Hauschka's pure botanical products and treatments are anchored in unique farming methods that protect life rhythms and a plant's core healing properties. Ingredients are grown organically, biodynamically (a more holistic form of organic agriculture) or ethically wild-harvested. Dr. Hauschka uses a high-quality alcohol distilled from vegetables and grains instead of the isopropyl alcohol usually found in cosmetics. The company's Website offers comprehensive answers to a range of questions.
  
• The brainchild of a California businessman, Organic Fiji promotes the vitamin-rich, natural healing and moisturizing properties of 100 percent certified organic coconut oil. With one of the world's only certified organic coconut plantations, the company uses an ancient Fijian recipe for its soaps. Its facial products protect the skin with natural antioxidants, and the company is committed to clean, humane and healthy environmental practices.
  
• Devour started out with a wildly successful hand-blended fragrance oil. The company prides itself in long-lasting scents, and its nonalcoholic fragrance base blends naturally with a woman's own body chemistry for a scent that, unlike commercial perfume, is personal and distinctive.