So, I've had this kind of question come up a lot recently by quite a few clients "what's your opinion on natural products?". I felt the need to answer this as a post because obviously there is a lot of info out there about natural skincare ranges and how they are better than... well that's another question. What is a product called if it's not 'natural'? Surely to a certain extent, most products come from a 'natural' source. They contain water and oils which come from the earth, so what makes a product 'unnatural'?. I'm guessing its from the amount that it's processed right? But really, how much does it matter? Mineral oil is the bulk of A LOT of products (something we see as a nasty ingredient) and is a by product of petroleum, which is from crude oil, which is naturally occurring on the planet, which I guess you could say is natural yes? Like where does it stop?
I guess the point I'm trying to make is that just because something is natural, it doesn't mean that it's good for you. In the same way, just because something is manmade or synthetic, doesn't mean that it's bad for you. My skincare range is what I would call 'natural'. It's a simple range which contains a lot of ingredients that have had very little processing done to them. They are very oil based and some contain water. I don't advertise all over the packaging that it's all 'natural' but it is. I feel like some companies really play on the whole 'organic', 'natural' branding just to make us buy it. At the end of the day if you are using a face cream for example, which contains natural essential oils, if the dosage is too high then it will irritate your skin. You wouldn't apply bergamot oil directly on to your skin as it can cause irritation and also hyperpigmentation if you go out in the sun with it on.
Then at the same time I use the Nimue Skin Technology range in the clinic too. This is a very advanced derma-cosmeceutical product which can penetrate down to the bottom of the epidermis and actually stimulate the dermis. By doing this it can change the actual function of the skin - improving the texture and overall health. It is a very clinical looking range and I guess doesn't look 'natural'. It does however, contain essential oils and carrier oils to improve the skins texture and function so is this not classed as a natural product? It's not tested on animals (neither is my range!) and doesn't have any parabens, mineral oils or SLSs etc etc.
So, I know I'm rambling a bit here but what I'm trying to say is not to worry too much about the whole 'natural' thing. Don't get too sucked in by it, but instead look for skincare products that don't contain any of the typical skin irritants (whether they are 'natural' or not). For example, the main culprits are parabens, phthalates, synthetic fragrances, PEGs, and SLSs and also avoid anything that smells too strong. If you have to jump back when you smell it, it's probably a bit too strong for you. Only use something like this in small doses such as face oils (as you only need to use around 3-5 drops of the product). Patch tests are great too, always test some products either behind your ear or on the inside of your elbow to see how your skin reacts. At the end of the day, nuts are super natural but some people can be highly allergic to them - would they say natural is best? Probably not if their throat is swelling up with all the 'naturalness' of the product!
I hope you understand my point I'm trying to make and I guess in summary I would recommend that you want to try and use products that don't contain any of the ingredients that I've listed above. Also avoid anything that is too strong smelling (whether it's with synthetic fragrances or essential oils) and invest your money into good skin care that will show you results.
Thank you so much for reading! If you have any questions maybe leave me a comment below and I will try and answer them for you.
Have a great day!
Emmaline x