Is Natural & Organic Skincare Better?
Natural and organic skincare is gaining traction in the beauty community, yet many people still skip the research and go for whatever they can find, without understanding the actual ingredients inside.
The skincare industry is realizing that there is a huge percentage of skincare products that are not only harsh for the skin but also travel deeper beneath the surface and can have serious health effects.
A growing number of natural and organic skincare and health brands are raising awareness about the harmful effects of some synthetic ingredients in products.
In that regard, we at Pradiance offer our portion of fact-checked research so you don't have to spend hours looking for it yourself.
Harmful Synthetics and Their Natural Skincare Replacements
Did you know that a surprising number of everyday products contain toxic synthetic ingredients?
From face washes to sun screens, many formulas contain chemicals that provide no skincare benefits.
The good news is that there are natural alternatives that can replace them.
Here is the list of ingredients to avoid in your skincare:
Parabens:
These lengthen the shelf life of skincare products. Parabens can prevent the growth and spread of mold, fungus, and bacteria in skincare.
A chemical preservative, parabens can be found in toiletry and personal products such as creams, soaps, shampoos, and others.
Parabens negatively impact the body’s natural hormonal balance to a large degree. These common preservatives are endocrine disruptors mimicking estrogen, upsetting hormone balance and are carcinogenic.
The toxins in parabens can cause fertility issues, premature puberty in children, defects at birth, toxicity in organs, certain cancers (such as breast), and disrupt the endocrine system.
There are natural and organic alternatives to parabens, such as grapefruit seed extract, jojoba, honey, and vitamins A, C (ascorbic acid), and E (tocopheryl acetate) that hinder the growth of micro-bacteria and make excellent organic ingredients for natural skincare. Use natural and organic preservatives that do not damage your health. Look for “Natrue”, “Ecocert”, “Soil association” Certifications on cosmetics.
Sodium Lauryl:
This is a cheap, harsh detergent in cleaning products made of foam-creating mineral salts that contain sulfur. The molecules in Sodium Lauryl attach to and draw out both oil and water.
Combined with other chemicals, Sodium Lauryl becomes Nitrosamine, a powerful carcinogen, which penetrates the skin’s moisture barrier, allowing chemicals in.
They can be found in toothpaste, soaps, skin cleansers, and shampoo, but also in thorough cleaning products like dishwashing liquid and laundry detergent.
Sodium Lauryl in products like skin care are able to cause irritation to the eyes, skin, mouth, scalp, and lungs. Additionally, skincare and other cleaning products containing Sodium Lauryl are not recommended to be used on eczema, dermatitis, scalp flakiness, and other skin conditions.
Instead of Sodium Lauryl, Jojoba oil is a marvelous natural replacement. It is greatly similar to the natural oil found on our skin. Oils like jojoba can be used as carrier oils in natural skincare products. A wide variety of skin conditions can be treated with pure jojoba oil, including acne and dry skin.
Fragrance:
Fragrance in skincare is mainly used to cover up the unappealing odors of more potent-smelling ingredients.
It can result in sensitizing effects on the skin, which can be damaging. Fragrance can also cause photo/sun sensitivity. The damage of fragrances is subtle and may only become noticeable after years of using them on the skin.
Natural and organic fragrance alternatives in skincare include almond, melon, cucumber, vanilla, aloe vera, coconut, mango, and cocoa/shea butter. Gentle essential oils are appropriate for skin care use, and are used in very low quantities in natural skin care products. They are beneficial for the skin and have skin healing properties.
Petrochemicals: Mineral oil/Petrolatum/Petroleum
This synthetic ingredient is one of the most popular emollients in synthetic skincare.
It is made up of crude oil which cars also use, and the ingredient may not always be fully refined.
As a result, the final product may still contain harmful chemicals such as Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs). Individuals who are exposed to PAHs may develop cancer, damage their reproductive systems, and suffer from asthma-like symptoms and eye cataracts.
The synthetic ingredient itself has the ability to clog up skin pores, trap toxins, slow skin cell growth, disrupt normal hormonal functions. They can rob bones and the nervous system of magnesium, can be estrogenic, plus absorb oil soluble vitamins A, D, E and K from the body and then excrete them.
Even fully refined, a product like petroleum jelly may not be suitable for the skin.
The skin is able to naturally generate a protective shield on the skin, such as on an open injury.
Petrolatum and petrolatum-based skincare may interfere with and disrupt this process. Also, the synthetic ingredient prevents other beneficial ingredients from penetrating the skin and impairs breathing. A skin type such as one prone to acne, therefore, may not be suited to this ingredient.
Petrolatum or petroleum jelly can be substituted with common ingredients such as Shea Butter, Beeswax, Coconut Carrier Oil, or Cocoa Butter, great alternatives commonly used in natural and organic skincare.
PEG (Polyethylene Glycols):
These compounds are widely used as product thickeners and softeners in cosmetics and skincare. Among the impurities found in PEG compounds are ethylene oxide, and polycyclic aromatic compounds.
Put in products to primarily aid absorption of ingredients: PEG (Polyethylene Glycol), Polysorbates, or Ethoxylate alcohol: all contain dioxane, which is carcinogenic and probably one of the most potent toxins known to man. Can cause dermatitis, kidney or liver abnormalities, skin growth prevention, or just plain irritation.
It is also possible to detect heavy metals such as lead, iron, cobalt, nickel, cadmium, and arsenic. Cancer is linked to many of these impurities.
Both good and bad ingredients are absorbed faster into deeper skin layers with this ingredient.
It can irritate and damage if applied to sensitive or damaged skin. As well as reducing the moisture levels of the skin, PEGs speed up the aging process.
Substitutes for PEG compounds include natural glycols. These are excellent alternatives, such as natural vegetable glycerin which may be used in organic products due to its moisturizing and emulsifying effects.
Other Benefits of Natural and Organic Skincare Ingredients
Kigelia Africana
Firstly, This naturally found ingredient can be greatly incorporated into skincare as it reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Kigelia Africana can prevent signs of aging such as fine lines, wrinkles, laxity, and uneven skin tone.
It has the brilliant capability of triggering cell regeneration, and if used consistently in natural and organic skincare products, can allow for a rejuvenated and renewed complexion.
Sesame seed oil
As it is rich in Vitamins B and E, Sesame seed oil helps soothe skin rashes and fade scars. It is also well-known for clearing up skin conditions such as inflammation, psoriasis, eczema, athlete's foot, and skin redness. Sesame seed oil acts as an armour against the sun's harmful rays due to its natural anti-tanning properties.
Kalahari melon seed oil
This natural ingredient works well in natural facial cleansers. The seed oil extract has a high concentration of linolenic acid, which makes up most of the ingredients' content. Kalahari melon seed oil works excellent at unclogging pores, and removing any excess sebum from the surface of the skin.
How Can Pradiance Help You?
Pradiance strives to bring out the best side of natural skincare. We want you to achieve rejuvenated skin without having to worry about how your daily essentials are affecting your overall health.
Wondering if our products are right for your skin type?
Then check out our Discovery kits to test out our essentials to make a decision.
