The beauty industry has several terms that means almost the same thing. Well, do they though? Understanding what means what and what does that which you aim to achieve is important. For some reason, the definition of these terms does not get all the attention it should be getting for generalization sake. Using the organic term as a synonym for a clean or natural skincare beauty product is quite common. Although the one-fits-all natural description fits almost all categories, the difference is clear.
In the lines below, we dive into trying to explain what the differences are between these terms for your understanding. If you are also looking for the difference between these terms, you should continue reading until the end to get a full understanding of these skincare terms.
Reintroducing Natural Skincare
Natural skincare products are products that use ingredients from nature. These ingredients include water, plants, fruit extracts, natural oils (such as coconut oil, jojoba oil and grapeseed oil), raw butters (such as cocoa butter, mango butter and almond butter) and other naturally occurring ingredients. However, companies that claim they use natural products are usually not under any kind of regulation. This means that there is no measure for inspecting, testing or certifying these products in any way.
For this specific reason, it is important to note the ingredients that these companies state on the list of ingredients for producing the skincare product. In most cases, naturally occurring ingredients for these natural skincare products mean they are good for your skin and the environment.
What about Clean Skincare?
Clean skincare refers to skincare products that are without any toxic or harmful ingredients. Companies that focus on clean skincare focus on what is not in the product so you will see ingredient labels that are "free of" toxic ingredients. For example: free of parabens, free of sulfates, free of mineral oil, etc. When shopping for clean products you can have confidence knowing the ingredients are safe for your skin, but they may not necessarily be natural. Also note, the clean label on these products is not under any type of regulation.
Some refer to clean skincare products as non-toxic skincare. Again, these products focus more on what is not in the product than what is in it. It also lays much emphasis on the environmental impact of these clean products.
Organic Skincare
Organic skincare products are products that contain organic ingredients that are grown without the use of pesticides, artificial fertilizers, or synthetic ingredients. Organic skincare is USDA certified and has a national stamp that certifies that the product follows some specific rules and regulations. However, it is very important to note that not all organic products are natural but pass the specifications under the organic rule.
The use of the word ‘organic’ is under strict regulation by the FDA to ensure that it has at least 95% of non-synthetic ingredients. This standardization of materials and ingredient comes with official certification that almost guarantees its safety.
Which Skincare type is better?
Now that you understand the difference between these terms, you are probably wondering which one of these skincare products is right for you. Depending on which you are comfortable in applying to your skin, you get to determine your values. On average, there is more demand for natural skin care products. You may ask, is natural skincare better? I can't say that it's better or worse but I do believe with natural products the ingredient list is typically simple and small so it's easier to identify which ingredients your skin likes and disklikes.
There are benefits of using natural skin care products for our skin and the environment. Below are some of the top three reasons why natural skincare products are the top choice for most people:
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Better skin treatment
Natural skincare products are made from natural ingredients that work well with almost all skin types. It is compatible and harmonious with your body. Using natural skin care products that have a record of accomplishment of delivering excellent results for better skin treatment is best for you. Natural skincare products allow your skin to get better treatment and balance its natural state.
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Better Health
Synthetic and chemical mix up of some conventional skincare products are something you should take note of in skincare products. This is because you might be exposing your health through the different harsh chemicals you are applying to your skin. These harsh products can wreak havoc on your immune and reproductive system. Using a natural skincare alternative that gets its ingredient from nature is a safer option for your health and skin well-being.
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Environmental Effect
Sustainability of the natural ingredients for making these skincare products are important. Their production follows sustainable practices that are not harmful to the environment. Because of fewer chemicals and toxic waste from the production of these skincare products, there are no blowbacks to the environment when discharging their waste products. When you decide to use natural skin care products, your skin and your environment will thank you for your choice.
What to Look Out For When Picking Your Natural Skincare
You must understand the kind of skincare product you are buying and applying to your skin. This is to avoid any greenwashing and marketing tactics that will come back to harm your health and skin. Your first point of action is to look for brands that are transparent about their product and company practices. This will allow you to dig deeper into the ingredient and production of their products to understand any grey areas if any exist.
To ensure that you do not fall for the marketing tactics of natural skincare products from certain brands, here are some of the terms and descriptions you should be wary of when exploring
- Naturally derived: This could mean the ingredient in the skincare products is from natural sources but they have some altercations in some ways. There may be some chemical addition to these derivatives to get the final skincare products.
- Dermatologist Approved: Natural skincare does not require any regulation before it is available in the market. A brand can pay a dermatologist to approve their product for a little fee to promote their brand. When a brand is marketing and promoting their product as one that has dermatologist approval, do well to investigate deeper about their skincare products.
- Ingredients to Avoid: Any natural skin care product that contains any form of sulfates, parabens, formaldehyde, phthalates, aluminum, synthetic fragrance, and polyethylene glycol (PEGs) should be avoided. These synthetic ingredients might be toxic to your skin and not environmental friendly. Although there are safer synthetic ingredients, do well to dive deep into the skincare product you are using to know which is good for you and those that are harmful.