The organic farm-to-table trend in food is moving into the personal-care product market.

Growth in sales of organic skin, natural hair care products, and chemical-free cosmetics is fueling a global market projected to reach nearly $16 billion by 2020, according to a new report by Grand View Research, a marketing outfit that tracks such trends. That’s nearly twice the sales of such products in 2013.

“Rising consumer awareness regarding personal health safety is expected to support the market growth over the forecast period,” the report’s authors state.

“Decreasing use of harmful chemicals including phthalates, aluminum salts, and parabens coupled with committed efforts from numerous multinational corporations of shifting towards sustainable products has contributed to increasing consumption of personal organic products.”

Another factor: Recent approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Food and Drug Administration for a range of products that have entered the market in the past several years.

According to the new report:

•    Organic skin care products— with natural anti-aging compounds found in herbs, vegetables, and fruits — dominated the global demand.
•   Natural hair care products — free of chemical substances such as ammonia, sulfur, and paraben — are expected to grow by nearly 10 percent annually from 2014 to 2020.
•    Organic oral products designed to protect against gum disease, periodontal disease, and bleeding gums are increasing market share. Companies such as Colgate-Palmolive and Hindustan Unilever have incorporated herbal substances such as neem and clove in their product offerings.

“Retailers all over the country are expanding their personal care items to include more organic and natural products to meet the growing demands of consumers,” the report’s authors note.

“Consumer perceptions are changing to embrace environmentally sustainable and natural products that can deliver results without the use of chemicals or toxins. Along with the market expansion, more approvals for human health and safety regulatory bodies like the USDA and the FDA will also see a correlating rise in certified personal care products.”

Roger Gore, founder and owner of G Natural Products, a national brand of natural personal care products, said he has seen the trend grow with his own businesses.

"One of the biggest issues people have is adding moisture to their hair and the chemically-treated products just can't deliver the desired results today's consumers are looking for," said Gore. "Natural, organic products made from key ingredients like aloe vera extract, grapeseed oil, milk thistle extract, and other naturally found oils can nourish the scalp, hair and skin to promote all-day moisture and shine."