Many women are switching to naturally-derived skincare options. Should you make the switch too?

There is an ever-increasing choice of beautiful natural products that can do a great job of managing most skin concerns. This trend is being driven by women who are increasingly worried about the negative health effects that can come with specific artificial ingredients.

Why might you want to ditch your existing skincare range?

It’s widely known that there are a number of questionable ingredients in mainstream skincare products. As many as one out of every 24 women[1] are exposed daily to a personal care product that contains a known or probable reproductive and developmental toxin. Is it you?

Parabens

These are a range of synthetic compounds that are found in many different products. They are a known hormone disruptor and use of them can lead to increased risk of breast cancer and reproductive problems. Parabens are used as preservatives in makeup, shampoo, moisturisers and more. You’ll find them listed as:

• Methylparaben
• propylparaben
• isoparaben
• butylparaben.

Formaldehyde releasers

While formaldehyde is required by the body as part of cell renewal (and you’ll find it naturally occurring in produce, such as pears), you don’t want to be inhaling it or rubbing it on your skin. It can cause skin reactions and breathing issues. In the skincare world, formaldehyde has a range of different names, including:

• DMDM hydantoin
• imidazolidinyl urea
• diazolidinyl urea
• quaternium-15
• bronopol
• 5-Bbomo-5-nitro-1,3-dioxane
• sodium hydroxymethylglycinate.

Fragrances

While some women like their skincare products to smell nice, often the fragrance has been added to cover up other nasty smells. Or it’s there simply to make you like the product more. Artificial fragrances contain phthalates, which are known to be endocrine disruptors, substances that have been linked to early-onset puberty, infertility problems, thyroid issues and prostrate/breast cancer. Check your skincare ingredient labels for:

• Dibutyl phthalate
• dimethyl phthalate
• diethyl phthalate
• Generic ‘fragrance’ listing

There are also a number of other products used to create skincare and makeup that are known to cause irritation to skin or are linked to health problems. All of them are 100% avoidable.

What benefits can you expect with a natural skincare regime?

The first thing to remember is that even though a product is natural, it may still cause irritation or not work for your skin. ‘Natural’ does not automatically equal good—after all, stinging nettle is natural! However, you’re less likely to react to the ingredients used by a natural skincare brand that knows what it’s doing.

Fewer problems with acne

Acne is caused by skin oils that cause blocked pores, which then become infected with acne bacteria. If you use products that dry out your skin, it will reduce acne to begin with, but then the body compensates by over-producing oil and compounding the original problem. Harsh cleaning products also change the skin’s pH, which isn’t helpful. A gentle natural cleanser helps to solve the problem, because it cleanses your skin without totally stripping away the natural oil.  Always follow with a natural toner, to get skin pH back to optimum.

Skin that is naturally youthful

Manufactured chemicals for anti-aging can artificially plump up the skin, but actually destroy or compromise the underlying structure. It’s like painting over a wallpapered surface - it looks good initially, however when that wallpaper bubbles or sags, even the paint can’t help. Much like you have to remove the decaying wallpaper and re-surface the wall, natural products build up true healthy skin from below, which results in skin that looks great now and in the future.

Less harm to the environment

When you wash your face, what happens to all that product? The shampoo, the soap, the makeup, the polymer microbeads? It goes down the drain. These chemicals can pollute our waterways, impacting wildlife and ecosystems. Natural products won’t harm the environment, so you can use them with a clear conscience.

Nourishment that’s more than skin deep

We know that if we eat broccoli, kale and apples regularly, we feel good. So why do we slather the biggest organ in our body, our skin, with up to 168 different artificial ingredients every day?

Naturally-derived product ingredients - such as cucumber juice, berry extract, avocado oil, bamboo beads, macadamia oil and mango butter - are simple and effective. Your body and your skin will thank you by looking and feeling good. So make changes today to start including natural skincare in your routine – it’s a logical way to de-risk the business of staying gorgeous!

[1] https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/2004/06/15/exposures-add-up-survey-results/