The terms “natural” and “organic” have been tossed around the beauty industry over the past several years. Some people see it as a trend. A lot of the biggest beauty companies out there falsely advertise their products to follow this so-called “trend”, but is it really a trend, or is organic skin care truly better for your health?
Truly Organic and Natural Skin Care Versus Convention Skin Care
The main difference between conventional skin care and natural skin care is that conventional products are made using a lot of synthetic ingredients that force your skin to act a certain way. For example, conventional skin care that is made to help acne will dry the natural oils up in the skin, reducing the levels of oil in the skin. However, this isn’t the best way to treat oily skin.
Natural and organic skin care products are formulated using pure ingredients from nature, which help our skin to function the way that it should, rather than forcing it to act a certain way.
What Are Synthetic Ingredients?
Synthetic ingredients are “artificial” ingredients, meaning they do not come from nature. Either they are made in a laboratory, or they are natural ingredients that are chemically altered to change them into a different substance.
Not all synthetic ingredients are bad. Some of these ingredients can actually be considered natural and are necessary in our lives. Botanical-based preservatives are actually necessary in any natural beauty product that contains water to prevent mold and bacteria from growing in these products. These botanical based preservatives are approved by organic certification boards as being safe for natural products.
There are also a lot of synthetic ingredients that are not good and with long term exposure, have been found to actually be harmful to our health. Some of these synthetic ingredients have been found to be carcinogens, hormone disruptors, and can also cause severe skin sensitivities. While these preservatives are used in very small amounts in these products, when we are using multiple products a day, containing these ingredients, for several years, there’s definitely risks involved in using these ingredients.
The terms “natural” and “organic” have been tossed around the beauty industry over the past several years. Some people see it as a trend. A lot of the biggest beauty companies out there falsely advertise their products to follow this so-called “trend”, but is it really a trend, or is organic skin care truly better for your health?
Truly Organic and Natural Skin Care Versus Convention Skin Care
The main difference between conventional skin care and natural skin care is that conventional products are made using a lot of synthetic ingredients that force your skin to act a certain way. For example, conventional skin care that is made to help acne will dry the natural oils up in the skin, reducing the levels of oil in the skin. However, as written in my precious blog post about oily skin, we know that this isn’t the best way to treat oily skin.
Natural and organic skin care products are formulated using pure ingredients from nature, which help our skin to function the way that it should, rather than forcing it to act a certain way.
What Are Synthetic Ingredients?
Synthetic ingredients are “artificial” ingredients, meaning they do not come from nature. Either they are made in a laboratory, or they are natural ingredients that are chemically altered to change them into a different substance.
Not all synthetic ingredients are bad. Some of these ingredients can actually be considered natural and are necessary in our lives. Botanical-based preservatives are actually necessary in any natural beauty product that contains water to prevent mold and bacteria from growing in these products. These botanical based preservatives are approved by organic certification boards as being safe for natural products.
There are also a lot of synthetic ingredients that are not good and with long term exposure, have been found to actually be harmful to our health. Some of these synthetic ingredients have been found to be carcinogens, hormone disruptors, and can also cause severe skin sensitivities. While these preservatives are used in very small amounts in these products, when we are using multiple products a day, containing these ingredients, for several years, there’s definitely risks involved in using these ingredients.
Unfortunately, our government does not do a satisfactory job in protecting us when it comes to the beauty industry. Products are often sold on the shelves of stores, long before the formulations are inspected by the government.
Why Synthetic Ingredients Don’t Work
Talk to anyone who has used a conventional acne-fighting skin care system, and they will tell you that it instantly cleared their skin up for a short period of time, but then their skin reacted and completely broke out all over again after only a few short months. Why does this happen time and time again? Because as mentioned above, these products force your skin to act a certain way. And when you force your skin to act in a way that it’s not meant to, eventually your skin will fight back, in attempt to tell you that the way you are treating it is not right.
The Beauty of Natural and Organic Ingredients
We as humans, are part of nature. Nature heals. Our bodies recognize natural ingredients far better than they recognize laboratory-made chemicals. Holistic health and naturopathic care are quickly becoming the way of life. More and more people reach for natural ways to enhance their health now, rather than choosing to pop prescription pills at the smallest symptoms of illness. There are many informative documentaries nowadays, such as Food Matters, Fork Over Knives, and many more, that back this information up with hard facts.
At the end of each and every day, what we put onto our bodies, is just as important as what we put into our bodies. Our skin is the body’s
largest organ. It’s permeable, meaning that liquids and gases can pass through it, and enter directly into our bloodstream. If you’re putting unnatural chemicals onto your skin that are proven carcinogens or hormone disruptors, your skin will not always protect you from the harmful effects of these ingredients.
Sustainability
Not only is organic skin care better for our skin and health, but it’s also better for our earth. Natural skin care is biodegradable and therefore, sustainable. Synthetic ingredients are not biodegradable, and are often harmful to our environment, both during the production process, as well as disposal.
And while natural ingredients are far better for our environment than synthetic ingredients, organic ingredients are even better than just simply natural. Organic ingredients are grown free from pesticides and other gardening chemicals. Pesticides used in farming can also be harmful to our environment. It is important for our skin care products to be as clean as possible, just like the food that we consume. Using organic-based skin care is really important for not only our health, but also our earth!
Instead of using conventional beauty to treat your skin and body, let nature do what nature is intended to do. Nature is sacred. Rethink your daily rituals and protect yourself and your skin.
