The word natural, whether in the skincare, food, cosmetic, or supplement industries, is a term that tends to be attached to labels and marketing campaigns primarily to sell products. Natural is one of those words that, at first glance, seems to speak volumes but actually means very little.

In this blog, we will break down what natural skincare is and why you might change your opinion on the importance of maintaining a strictly natural regimen of products.

Chemicals vs. Organic Compounds

When you read a headline like “chemicals vs. organic compounds,” there seems to be an implicit bias toward one of those options. The word organic has been diluted over the past several years, but in this context, we will use it to mean “derived from nature.”

Organic certainly seems more pleasant than chemical, doesn’t it? Well, consider that some of the better-known organic compounds in nature include cyanide, strychnine, and the highly toxic ethylene glycol.

There is a strong case for avoidance of many chemicals in skincare, including octinoxate (found in many over-the-counter sunscreens), parabens, artificial coloring agents, synthetic fragrances, phenoxyethanol (commonly used in moisturizers and lip products), and phthalates (which have been linked to endocrine disruption and certain cancers).

That said, some of the most beneficial skincare ingredients—those that fall outside of the natural ingredient moniker—include hydroxypinacolone retinoate (a gentle retinoid used to combat signs of aging), tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (an ester of vitamin C that provides antioxidant coverage and is a cofactor of new collagen synthesis), and the ever popular family of hydroxy acids (chemical compounds that include lactic, mandelic, and glycolic acid, to name a few).

The Dark Side of Natural Ingredients

Natural ingredients in skincare are nothing new. People have been slathering natural substances on their faces for hundreds of years in hopes of reversing the aging process. Some have proven quite effective, while others are either harmful or sourced unethically, contributing to the environmental destruction of certain animals and ecosystems. These include mica, lanolin, gelatin, carmine, lipase, and shark squalene (not to be confused with olive-derived squalane, which is incredibly beneficial to the skin’s moisture barrier).

If in Doubt, Read Your Labels

One of the best parts of the Internet age is that we can now perform our due diligence and investigate the products we wish to consume and support. Terms like natural and clean can be highly misleading and can dissuade many people from using safe and effective skincare products in favor of some that either don’t work or have a much seedier path to development than you might suspect.