Natural products have become the new normal for women (and men) looking to take better care of their skin. Naturally sourced ingredients offer a healthy and eco-friendly alternative to conventional skin care regimens.
Natural vs Naturally Sourced: Is There a Difference?
Put simply, a natural skincare product is one that’s primarily developed using products obtained from plants, animals, and minerals. Such a product will contain little to no synthetic or chemical substances, with the exact percentage varying based on the country of origin.
Today’s natural skincare products are formulated using either natural or naturally sourced ingredients. While both are derived from nature, one can’t help but wonder, “What’s the difference between them?”
- Natural Ingredients: These are used as they’re and don’t undergo any chemical transformation. The skincare manufacturer will usually leave them in their purest form. However, please note that they may undergo physical transformation, e.g., grinding, pressing, and distillation.
- Naturally Sourced Ingredients: They also come from nature but will typically undergo extraction, processing, and transformation to help stabilize them before being used in cosmetic formulations. Great examples include chamomile and grape extracts.
Benefits of Using Skincare Products Made Using Natural Ingredients
The use of natural ingredients in everyday skincare routine is a trend whose popularity has picked up, and for good reason. Their formulation is free from parabens and other harmful chemicals that can cause allergies and skin irritation. Their benefits are many and include:
1. Anti-inflammatory Effects
As more consumers become conscious of what they apply to their skin, it’s not surprising to note that cosmetics and skincare have taken center stage. Besides the known benefits of avoiding synthetic fragrances, natural ingredients contain potent anti-inflammatory benefits.
The natural properties of ingredients such as green tea, chamomile, and aloe vera help soothe and calm inflamed skin. Their effects are believed to help in reducing puffiness, redness, and skin irritation.
2. Provide Better Skin Nutrition
Good natural cleansers, face creams, scrubs, etc., contain nothing but pure, clean ingredients. The best brands don’t contain synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides. Furthermore, they don’t include GMOs, which makes them ideal for use in skincare.
Plants naturally contain healthy fatty acids, minerals, carbohydrates, proteins, and vitamins. Your skin needs these crucial antioxidants to thrive. Therefore, inspect the label of any skincare product you want to buy to look for the presence of natural ingredients, such as rose and argan.
3. Potent Anti-Aging Effects
The truth is that your skin will need a little additional love and care as your years advance. And this is where the use of natural ingredients comes in, as there’s a multitude of anti-aging benefits linked to these elements.
By using natural ingredients such as jojoba oil and rosehip oil, you get to protect it from the effects of aging while helping to nourish and hydrate it. But perhaps most importantly, these ingredients are easy to come by and are free of toxins and harmful chemicals.
4. Environmental Conservation
We live at a time when transparency, sustainability, and environmental conservation have become everyday concerns and a priority for many. Using natural components not only benefits your skin but also helps with conservation efforts.
Natural skincare products are manufactured in a manner that’s friendly to the environment, thus helping minimize their impact on the available resources. The commitment to using natural ingredients involves gaining an interest in their origin, freshness, and concentration.
How to Incorporate Natural Ingredients into Your Care Routine
Natural skincare provides numerous ways to personalize your beauty routine depending on the look you want to achieve. Whether you’ve oily, dry, or sensitive skin, you can trust that there’re natural products that will suit your skin type and address your beauty regimen concerns.
The following are natural ingredients you should incorporate into your daily care routine.
- Coconut Oil: Apart from being nourishing, coconut oil contains potent anti-aging and skin protection qualities. You can also use it to nourish your hair.
- Aloe Vera: This is by far the most commonly used natural ingredient in the world. It’s beloved for its soothing and moisturizing properties that make it ideal for use on sensitive or easily irritated skin. Aloe Vera also contains healing properties that can promote skin regeneration.
- Honey is a moisturizing and antioxidizing agent that you can rely on when looking to revive dull or dry skin.
- Shea Butter is a plant-based butter that has been proven to work perfectly as a natural skin moisturizer. You can depend on it to help soften and repair dry, broken skin, leaving you with a smooth, comforting sensation.
- Lemon is a versatile natural ingredient whose uses include exfoliation, skin-brightening, and antibacterial properties.
- Argan Oil has a reputation for its anti-aging benefits and ability to revitalize damaged skin. It contains vitamin E and healthy fatty acids, making it the perfect choice for anyone looking for deep skin nourishment.
The Takeaway
The use of natural ingredients in skincare is much more than a passing trend. These ingredients are nutrient-rich, allowing them to provide real effectiveness to skincare routines without having to worry about potentially harmful chemicals.
Embracing them will mean adopting a holistic approach to beauty and skincare that takes into account your general wellbeing, the status of your skin, and environmental conservation. They provide an avenue to care for the skin in the best way possible.
