There are a lot of misconceptions in the beauty industry in regards to what is considered “natural”. More than often, brands will over complicate their product descriptions and ingredient lists in order to distract or mislead their customers into buying their products. It is easy to put a “natural” or “cruelty free” label on a product and triple the price, but unless you fully understand what these phrases are supposed to mean then trusting misleading marketing will leave you worse off.
Understanding these concepts does not have to be complicated, neither does incorporating natural skincare products into your daily routine. In fact, a recent study showed that the average woman applies over 515 synthetic chemicals to her body every day. Many of those are also used in products such as household cleaners and have been linked to a number of health problems from allergies and skin sensitivity to more serious hormonal disturbances, fertility problems and even cancer. Simply becoming more aware of what to look out for and the benefits of natural products can enhance your entire health and well-being, while simultaneously avoiding the negative effects that artificial ingredients can cause.
Benefits of Natural Skincare Products
1. Avoid irritation
Many skincare products and cosmetics contain a variety of artificial chemicals, fragrances, colors, preservatives and parabens. Using products with these ingredients can cause irritation and harm to your skin, particularly if you have sensitive skin. Having suffered from sensitive skin and eczema throughout my life I could sense a reaction almost immediately once something harmful was applied to my skin. Researching ingredients and what was suitable for my skin really enhanced my understanding. If a product is classified as natural it should contain no synthetic ingredients, instead it should contain ingredients only from naturally occurring sources. Unfortunately, there currently is not a legal definition for advertising terms “natural”, however at the bottom of this post I can advise you of what to look out for.
2. Better for your overall health
As the skin is seen as a barrier to prevent toxins from entering our bodies, applying them directly to it can increase the risks of them entering the bloodstream. These harmful chemicals can pose threat to your internal organs which can ultimately increase the chances of negative health effects. Therefore, the more unnatural products you use, the higher toxic concentrations that can enter your body causing problems down the line. Limiting these products has not only been found to enhance physical health, but also mental health and well-being through this self care and peace of mind.
3. Kinder to your skin
As well as reducing the chances of irritation, redness and breakouts, natural products are much kinder to your skin due to the ingredients present within them. Many synthetic ingredients have drying agents within them that are counter effective to their intended moisturizing properties and have a high incidence of leading to reactions. Natural ingredients, such as Rosehip oil, are sources of antioxidants and vitamins that help protect and repair the skin. Natural oils like Rosehip and Jojoba are also deeply hydrating, anti-ageing and soothing for dry skin. See Face Serum and Rose Face Cream.
4. Naturally Scented products smell better
When ingredients are natural, then everything is naturally scented. After making a switch to natural products, many notice the difference between a synthetic and a natural fragrance. Take rose face cream for example, it contains Rosehip oil and Rose essential oil which are the purest form of the ingredients. In order to keep our products fully natural, we use Essential Oils to lightly fragrance them. Not only do they smell great, they have a variety of other benefits also.
5. Not harmful to the environment
Natural products do not contain sulfates, which are often found in other skincare and cosmetic products as they serve a purpose as cleaning agents. Sulfates are manufactured from petroleum which is the leading producer of greenhouse gases. Avoiding using products with sulfates can help to preserve natural environments, marine life and wildlife for future generations.
6. Cruelty free
Many skincare and cosmetic products are often tested on animals, causing unnecessary suffering to them. Although some brands will market themselves as cruelty-free as they do not directly test on animals, does not mean the ingredients they use in their products haven’t been. Governments have put bans in place for animal testing, but a lot have loopholes, such as existing products not being banned for animal testing. The only way to ensure the products you are using are 100% cruelty free is to choose natural, pure skincare products.
What to look out for
Parabens: These are synthetic preservatives that prolong a product’s shelf life. When applied to the skin, they can penetrate it and remain in the tissue. Although there is currently no proof that parabens are linked to cancer, it should be kept in mind how they can remain within tissue. Our products do not contain parabens and although this shortens the shelf life to approximately 6 months, if incorporated in your every day skin care routine you will get more than enough use out of them.
Artificial Fragrances: Can cause irritation and skin allergies.
Other man-made toxins: Phthalates and Dimethicone.
Chemical dyes: Can cause skin allergies and studies have found breast cancer links to red 04 dye.
Mineral oil: Clogs pores as it is a petroleum-derived oil.
Instead, replace products with these ingredients for natural ingredients such as Jojoba oil, Rosehip oil, Retinol (natural Vitamin A) and antioxidants such as Vitamin C.
Essential Me products are 100% natural and handmade in small batches in order to ensure the highest quality. Never tested on animals.