Are all your skincare products as natural as you think?
It’s official, the planet is doomed and we’re all headed towards Armageddon.. it’s enough to send even the most dedicated ecowarrior headed for the hills.. The truth is, the effects of global warming, the sins of our fathers and programmes like Blue Planet weigh heavy on our minds and we find ourselves looking to make small changes that hopefully, will have a big impact.
This becoming of an eco-conscious collective has noticeably driven sales up in many areas, and the natural skincare market is no stranger to fad growth.
We are all guilty of falling into the trap of jumping on the latest bandwagon, and as consumers, we love a good buzzword, especially when it comes to the beauty industry.. I mean who can resist a moisturiser packed full of superfoods, active ingredients and bionic botanicals (ok I made that one up, but it could be a thing!)
Don’t worry, I’m not here to preach or tell you how to live, but if you are thinking about switching to natural skincare products, or maybe you already have, I will say this… when reading cosmetic labels, remember the old adage “beware of skincare brands bearing gifts” (I know, sorry), and that not everything on the other side of the fence is greener (again, sorry!).
The thing is, not all things natural are actually natural..
I can hear the shouts of protest already and the shocked gasps are deafening.. how are brands allowed to get away with marketing themselves as natural if they’re not?
The best advice I can give you as a consumer is to check the labels. Although there is currently very little legislation regarding “natural” classification, it is a legal requirement to list all ingredients on the packaging, and that includes parabens, sulphates and other nasties.
Also, ingredients have to be listed in order, whatever is at the top of the ingredient list is what the product will contain the most of, so if the first ingredient listed is Aqua, then yep you guessed it.. your new £50 moisturiser is packed full of H20 (great for your skin but definitely not worth £50!)
And don’t be fooled by products that claim to have lots of “active botanicals” the further down the list, the less of it there is.. so if you bought a new facial serum because it has the “age defying” Moringa oil in it, check how far down the list it comes, if it’s not in the top third of the ingredient list then it’s only there for marketing purposes.. sometimes less really IS more (although essential oils can
Greenwashing is just another example of how consumers are duped on a daily basis, and I feel sad that so many of us fall victim to our trusting natures… knowledge is power, and I’m all for arming the masses so that we can make informed decisions about what we put in and on our bodies.
As you can tell (I hope!) I am passionately transparent about what goes into all Pretty Special Beauty products, everything is natural, nothing comes from animals and there are no synthetically manufactured ingredients… and although I am not yet certified organic I always use organic ingredients where possible..
I started formulating skin and body care because I wanted to ensure that me and my family were not putting any toxins on our skin, why would I not want the same for you?