The natural trend has gradually penetrated the beauty industry until it became a full-blown trend that unfortunately is also based on some misconceptions. Naturally (pun intended), due to the constant buzz around cosmetic safety, many consumers have become afraid of chemicals. But is this fear justified? And what does natural skincare actually mean?

Natural Ingredients treatment

All You Need to Know About Natural Ingredients

There’s no doubt that natural ingredients in skincare can do wonders. But, just like anything else under the sun, not every natural ingredient is effective or even good for your skin. To help you know what to look for when choosing your natural skincare products, here is a list of the most effective natural ingredients:

1. Ingredients derived from food – all the omega acids from grains, fruits and vegetables are great for hydrating the skin and protecting it from pollution.
2. Non-fragrant plant extracts – this includes most types of algae, mushroom extracts, grape extract and numerous other non-fragrant plant extracts that both hydrate and protect against loss of moisture. These extracts also improve the skin’s barrier and protect against pollution.
3. Non-fragrant plant oils – such oils are naturally high in essential fatty acids and antioxidants. These include coconut, avocado, grapeseed and jojoba oils, to name a few.
4. Vitamins – vitamins such as A, C, E, D and B are great for the skin. They are antioxidant, protect against pollution and improve the barrier to prevent moisture loss.

Synthetic Ingredients and What You Should Avoid

It’s important to note that not all synthetic ingredients are bad for you. In fact, the best skincare products contain not only natural but also synthetic ingredients that are more bio-available than their natural counterparts. These synthetic man-made ingredients offer advanced delivery attributes that allow the natural ingredients reach the right area in the skin; make sure the product doesn’t separate, as oil and water tend to do. In addition, some synthetic igredients such as hyaluronic acid and retinol, which are naturally found in our skin and are highly effective, are basically non-existent in nature and must be produced in labs.

So, in reality, synthetic and natural ingredients are partners in crime that work really well together in perfect nature-science synergy.

Still, some synthetic ingredients are indeed harmful so make sure you stay away from the following:

• SLS
• Parabens
• Petrochemicals
• Synthetic colors
• Propylene Glycol
• EDTA
• Phthalates

When are Natural Ingredients Less Effective?

Have you ever seen what a fresh leafy salad looks like after it spent a day in your fridge? The leaves kind of wilt, right? Well, natural ingredients are similarly unstable. In fact, to maintain their effectivity and stability, most natural ingredients actually need their (safe) lab-grown friends to lend a hand.

For that reason, there are only a handful of skincare products which are 100% natural and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. All you need to do is make sure your product does not contain harmful chemicals.