Is natural always better?
Understanding how natural and lab created chemicals effect the skin.
By Kelly Robinson, LFS
There has been a huge debate in recent years over using “all natural” products for skin and hair. Those who are proponents of going the natural route are often looking for a safer or gentler alternative to chemically based products, or they want to limit the amount of “toxins” that they expose themselves to. Companies will often use wording like “derived from natural sources” or “made with natural ingredients”. But does this really mean that it is better for the skin?
Safety of Natural Products
Natural ingredients can do great things for the skin. They are still used in thousands of skin care products with positive results. Coconut oil and honey are two great examples of products that have shown benefit to the hair, skin, and body. However, it is not correct to assume that everything that is natural will automatically be good for your skin or body. Nature has a way of creating very complex chemicals within a single plant or animal and not all of these chemicals are safe. There are several examples of wild plants that create very negative effects on the skin when there is contact. Poison Ivy is an example of a completely natural plant that can create oozing sores when it comes into contact with the skin. Allergies can also be a concern with natural products. Ask any Allergist what the most common allergies that he or she sees in their office and you will undoubtedly get a list of natural products from wheat to soy to tree nuts. Certain scrubs that are made from walnut powder, or plant kernels, have been shown to cause small micro scratches on the skin that can cause irritation. This is because, under a microscope, these plant based exfoliates take the form of uneven, jagged shards. Natural can mean safe, but not always.
Derived from Natural Ingredients
This is a label that has been seen on many products. It means that they have taken a natural ingredient and altered it in some way to create a usable byproduct. This can be very misleading to someone thinking that they are getting something that is superior or better for you, simply because it was derived from a natural source. To associate a natural product to a naturally derived product would be like comparing and ear of fresh corn to corn syrup. Corn syrup has been found to be generally safe (although very high in sugar) and is found in lots of food items, but it is no longer like its original source. It has been altered to use for a different purpose. Naturally derived doesn’t necessarily mean that it is automatically bad for you, but it is important to know that naturally derived is nothing but a meaningless marketing term used to sell products.
When altering a natural product is a good thing
Some of the negative side effects of a natural ingredient can actually be altered or extracted out to become safer for the skin and body. Citrus is an example of this. Citrus, like lemons or oranges, contain citric acid and vitamin C. Both citric acid and vitamin C can benefit the skin, but the pH of a lemon can be too acidic to use on a daily basis on the skin. Labs will often use what are called “buffers” to alter the pH of an ingredient and make it closer to the skin’s natural pH. Vitamin C is also highly unstable. It requires additional steps to insure that the vitamin C in that product will be good for longer than just a few minutes before becoming inactive. Lab created microspheres also allow for better product application and penetration of ingredients that would normally not have the ability to penetrate the skin on their own. Chemicals are also used to make certain ingredients blend together, making the product uniformed when it goes on the skin. Other ingredients can prevent the growth of harmful bacteria or fungi.
The bottom line is that while natural ingredients will always have a place in products, do not assume that just because it is “all natural” that it will be better for your skin or body. There is nothing wrong with having a mixture of natural and synthetic ingredients that can work in harmony together to create a safe and effective product. Our recommendation is that you should know whats in the products you use and make sure that the ingrediants match the intended use.
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