By Shirley Séguin: Founder of the webzine www.mabeautebio.com and columnist for Vitalité Qc / Les nouvelles esthétiques Canada magazine.
You've probably been hearing about natural cosmetics for several years now, but the industry has taken giant steps forward in the last decade. Gone are the days when beauty care was formulated by a craftsman. Today, science and nature have finally come together to offer consumers, among other things, new high-performance natural active ingredients, maximum absorption and a synergy that maximizes results according to the specific needs of each epidermis. What more could you ask for?
That said, despite growing information on the subject, many people are still reluctant to make the complete switch from their beauty kit to natural and organic cosmetics. That's why we've come up with a simple summary of the most common myths about natural skincare, so that we can give you the facts.
1 – Natural cosmetics are not as effective as conventional skincare.
You may be surprised to learn that the active ingredients on the natural side are very often the same as those used in conventional products, but their origin differs. Rather than being synthetic, active ingredients generally come from plants, minerals, fruits or sea vegetables.
So you might be thinking: what difference does the origin of the active ingredient make to me? Take vitamin A, commonly known as retinol. The natural version, derived from rosehip oil for example and extracted with supercritical CO2, will not only be more easily assimilated by your epidermis, but will also be much less irritating than its synthetic cousin, while still performing very well. Sensitive skin types can use a natural product containing vitamin A, whereas the conventional version runs the risk of burning the skin and damaging it further.
Outch !
So, in natural skin care products, you'll find the best anti-aging active ingredients such as: hyaluronic acid, retinol, collagen, AHAs, vitamin E, vitamin C, antioxidants as well as algae, etc.
Another piece of information that is also interesting: in conventional creams, you generally have in the formula ¾ of non-active and harmful ingredients (Petrolum, PEG, EDTA etc) for ¼ of real active ingredients. With non-toxic cosmetics, it's quite the opposite! So you get more for your money!
2 – Organic skincare is more expensive
Once again, I'm sorry to contradict you, but this information is false. You have access to a multitude of price ranges these days. Obviously, the more active ingredients or essential oils your cream contains, the more expensive it will be, because the raw materials are much more expensive for the manufacturer than, for example, the petroleum-based ingredients found in traditional cosmetics.
If you're on a tight budget, I recommend investing in a good elixir/serum, which you can use morning and night on damp skin. This way, you're sure to get satisfactory results, and to have a product in your hands containing a maximum of active ingredients, without spending money on several beauty products.
3 – If I can't eat my beauty products, then they're not natural
I'll stop you right there. Eating your creams and serums is definitely not a good idea! Pure plant oils can be ingested (Argan, macadamia, apricot kernel), but when there are active ingredients inside the formula, you're likely to wince. Retinol or AHAs don't taste good, yet they're natural and extracted from fruit.
Let me be very precise and clear on this point: if a biochemist or any other laboratory has not been involved in the formulation of your daily skincare product, you run the risk of being disappointed by your purchase. Not only may it not contain effective ingredients, but its molecular size will probably be unsuited to your skin pores, and so absorption by your epidermis may be compromised.
Science doesn't mean harmful or chemical. Biotechnology has been developed to enable natural active ingredients to penetrate the layers of the epidermis, but also to isolate interesting particles. I can't stress this enough: always rely on the INCI list. It doesn't lie. If harmful ingredients or endocrine disruptors are present, you'll quickly see them!
4 – The textures aren't interesting
I invite you to visit a natural products store and try out the different textures now available on the market, thanks to the demonstrators. You'll be pleasantly surprised! I promise! You won't notice the difference.
In conclusion
Not only are natural anti-wrinkle creams effective, they have absolutely nothing to envy the conventional industry when it comes to textures and scents. Results are just as fast. It's also worth mentioning that natural ingredients restore your skin's natural regenerative impulse. They beautify your skin, day after day, rather than accelerating its ageing process via all kinds of chemical preservatives.
Don't hesitate to ask the Synergie team for advice if you have any questions about the active ingredients in their skincare products. They're always happy to answer any questions you may have.