Sophomore Jennifer Perdomo, 20, said she does what she can to get into the new green movement.

“I try as much as I can, like recycling and bringing water bottles from home and refilling them. I try as much as possible, its hard,” Perdomo said.

The political science major said she tried Bare Essentials and wears mineral make up from Maybelline.

“I’m pretty much into organic food and it’s (organic make up) also good for my face,” Perdomo said.

There is an ever-growing movement happening around the world with efforts to be more health conscious while watching the materials we use.

This new initiative has taken over yet another industry and it is as popular as ever.

The cosmetic and self-care sector has branched out to include organic and natural products for their consumers.

CEO and founder of EES Cosmetics, Edward Schack has been working in the cosmetic field for 26 years and is an expert in manufacturing and distributing cosmetics.

“The whole movement started in the food industry. We’ve seen a lot of great benefits in using organic, especially organic milk and organic vegetables and food not grown with pesticides or fertilizers. You get a better product,” Schack said.

He said the movement then moved into all food across the spectrum and into the dietary, supplemental and nutritional areas.

“We are getting more consumers driving the market wanting more natural alternatives to the pharmaceutical types they have for treating ailments,” Schack said.

Schack explained the growing trend of natural products made its way into the cosmetic industry soon after.

“With that happening, many companies are noticing that since it’s just a consumer-driven industry that their consumers are requiring more and more of their makeup and personal care type products  have an organic or natural effect,” Schack said.

He said this wave of organic or natural products started and really evolved in the last eight to 10 years.

“The organic move in the cosmetic industry and personal care is still strong,” Schack said. “Its not as strong as it was a couple years ago. The big movement right now is natural, with as many natural ingredients as possible.”

Schack said although there’s major popularity with natural products among consumers, there is a sort of hesitation in the industry to call something natural.

“We’re struggling with the word “natural” right now. There are a lot of different meanings and definitions to the word natural,” Shack said.

He said the industry is looking to the regulatory agencies to get a clear definition of what natural means.

“Natural to me is anything given to us from the earth. Its mostly grown, plant based,” Schack said.

Schack added there is a common misconception among consumers that anything that is natural is good for you.

“In general they’re correct, but something like arsenic, which is natural can be very devastating to an individual. We have to be careful about the word natural, what the definition is and what the real benefits are,” Schack said.

He said the cosmetic industry is still working on how to produce the best product without all the chemicals that are still present.

“The problem is there’s not a lot of natural alternatives to things like preservatives that are used in cosmetic products. But the industry is getting better and is addressing it,” Schack said.

He said while the industry gets rid of the petro chemicals,  the products will become better and will be accepted more by consumers.

“A lot with cosmetics and personal care is the feeling the person gets when they use the product. You establish that loyalty to the brand based on the person’s perception of that ingredient,” Schack said.

He explains the cosmetic industry is about how the customer feels about the product.

“‘What does it do for me?’ ‘Does it make me feel or look better?’ Depending on the answer to those two basic questions, the person is going to be a repeat customer,” Schack said.

He said companies that push natural products include Origins, Jo Malone, Aveda, and L’Oreal.

“Avon, Unilever, and Proctor and Gamble are moving more towards natural-based products. You’ve got some stand-alone companies that are doing very well, such as Burt’s Bees or Tom’s of Maine,” Schack said

This new wave of cosmetics has already hit the CSUN campus.

Freshman Edlin Gutierrez, 18, has tried Bare Minerals in the past and said wearing natural products is important to her.

“I like it,” she said. “I don’t want it (her make-up) to look so cakey.”

Gutierrez said when she wears natural products, it feels lighter on her face.