Are Natural Skincare Products Better?

If you’ve been contemplating making the switch to natural skincare products, this  was written especially for you. Beauty enthusiasts remain divided over whether natural skincare is in fact better for you, with equal numbers on both sides of the fence. Let’s discuss the evidence, starting with what ‘natural skincare’ actually means. 

What Is Natural Skincare?

Unfortunately, the simple answer is that there is no defined meaning. Unlike ‘Certified Organic’, for example, the phrase ‘natural skincare’ does not fall under any government regulation. Therefore, any company may choose to advertise a product as ‘natural’ or claim that a product is ‘made with natural ingredients’ as long as there are some plant or animal by-products contained within the formulation, even if the amount is very little. This can be very misleading, creating the illusion that the product is completely clean, green, and sourced entirely from nature, when in reality, this may only apply to a tiny percentage of the product. Despite this, there are a number of skincare brands which pride themselves on using ingredients entirely of natural origin, with nothing artificial. 

All Natural Means No Harmful Additives

When a skincare product is in fact completely natural, it can be of comfort to those choosing to forgo artificial additives such as colours, preservatives, fragrances, foaming agents, and parabens. This choice could be driven by any number of reasons. Firstly, those who experience a very high degree of skin sensitivity can have allergy-type reactions in response to many skincare, bathroom and laundry products, and artificial fragrances, preservatives and foaming agents are often the culprits. Skincare products with 100% plant-derived ingredients appear to have a very low incident rate when it comes to reactive skin.

Another primary reason that many look for natural skincare options is the potential for additives like parabens to be harmful. It should be noted that parabens is a group term for a number of chemicals used in products as preservative agents, and each individual chemical has its own chemical composition and safety profile. There are several studies reporting artificial preservatives may present several dangers including skin irritation, impacts on cellular transcription, and interruptions to hormone regulation. However, the current data is insubstantial, so at this point in time, paraben safety cannot be properly measured either way. Those wanting to err on the side of caution therefore may choose to avoid them altogether.

Is Natural Skincare More Effective?

The key to quality, efficacious products is good absorption into the skin, which brings us to the topic of bioavailability. A large number of plant-derived ingredients are shown to have a very similar molecular structure and size to those already found in the body. This makes them more ‘bioavailable’, ie., more readily absorbed into the skin in order to work their magic. For this reason, some natural skincare products may indeed be more effective than some of their artificial counterparts.

So, are natural skincare products better?

It may simply be a question of whether it is better for you as an individual. After all, every skin is unique, and should always be treated as such.

Natural skincare products can be better for some individuals due to fewer synthetic ingredients, making them less likely to cause irritation. They often contain beneficial plant-based ingredients, like botanicals and herbal extracts, which can support long-term skin health. However, "natural" doesn't always mean safer or more effective, as not all natural ingredients are suitable for every skin type. It's essential to choose products based on individual skin needs and sensitivities rather than just labelling.

Mukti's book, Truth in Beauty, is a must-have resource for anyone looking to make the switch to natural and effective skincare. From debunking myths, and learning how to decode ingredient labels, to nourishing your skin from within, Mukti's book is a beacon of hope in an industry that has become shrouded in conflicting and misleading information.