What exactly is Natural Skincare? This term has been used loosely. Natural skin care deals with the application of topical skincare products made of ingredients available in nature (plant or animal derived), extracted, refined, unrefined or cold pressed. In this article I am NOT advising you completely discard every skincare product you own that isn’t natural. I am certainly not that extreme, still use my medical grade Retinols, Sunscreen, Alpha and Beta Hydroxy acids any day, when treating a skincare concerns. However, I am saying try out some natural alternatives too, they aren’t all bad and some actually produce significant results. So here are 5 reasons why you may want to consider natural skincare products as a part of your routine.

 

1. Skinfoods

I usually ask myself- What are you feeding your skin? The skin is the largest organ of the body. Think of skin and body care products as good treats for your skin and it is necessary to feed your skin right.  Most mass-produced non organic skincare products lack nutrients. This is because there are more fillers than actives. These products are intended to help boost the health of your skin or hair but they are filled with chemicals and synthetic ingredients that ends up masking any real issues you might have but natural skincare products area rich in ingredients used when formulated the right way.

 

2. Chemicals

There are chemicals in everything to be frank but what you might want to do is separate the good from the bad. Natural skincare products contain less harmful chemicals. I’ll explain, when the ingredients and actives (which are plant derived or animal based) are sourced from organic products and undergo any form or distillation, extraction or steam process to obtain the useable ingredients, they are further preserved using chemicals that would support the shelf life of these products (some ) and for stability; I consider these safe. Mainstream products go further to add more chemicals which could be harmful for the purposes of preservation or colouring and texture. For instance, parabens (in all forms), Nitrosamines, Phthalates and the list is endless, these disrupt hormones and are linked to cancer as well.

 

3. Simplicity of Ingredients

 

Why buy products with ingredients you just can’t decipher? Natural products typically have a simple ingredients list, makes it much easier to decide if it’s good for you or not. We tend to layer skincare products, from cleansers to moisturisers, even makeup, so it’s imperative that you are not causing damage by adding on multiple toxic ingredients into the skin.

 

4. Gentleness and longterm effects

Natural skincare products are gentler on the skin. Although progress and results might be slow, it is definitely worth the wait. Most mainstream ingredients work quicker with fantastic results, however overtime you may experience adverse reactions.

 

 

5. Environmental impact

We know of the pollution in the air all around us and sometimes, we accept that it is a way of life. Natural skincare products help mitigate these. I often ask myself these: Are my skincare products eco-friendly (I tend to use skincare products more than anything else). Are the ingredients safe? Were they grown with fertilisers? Are they synthetic? When it is all washed up, how does it affect the eco system and the local water supply?

Having said all this, please remember to be very cautious when purchasing Natural skincare products, be sure they’re reliable and from a good source.