All natural skincare is really taking off. More people are aware of the hazardous effects chemicals and artificial fragrances are having on our skin, endocrine systems, lungs and other functions. But like with any other products you need to do your research before jumping on the bandwagon.
Blowfish are All-Natural and they kill 100 people a year
There are many things to take into consideration when choosing all natural products. For example, certain essential oils are photo sensitive; meaning that if you apply them and go into the sun without sunscreen they can cause burning and hyper-pigmentation. You also need to factor in how much of an essential oil is being used. Is there enough of the ingredient to actually achieve the desired effect? Or does the product dilute the oil enough to not have a detrimental effect.
Some Natural Ingredients are Toxic
Another thing to consider is that some ingredients are toxic in their natural state and need to be tempered in a lab for them to be safe and effective as a skincare ingredient. Cosmetic labeling is a science unto itself. Labels can be very confusing for most folks. Many clients I have treated over the years have passed over a product because it “appears” to have chemicals in it when really the botanical names need to be displayed a certain way, or an ingredient has been tempered in the lab without destroying its properties and adding chemicals to it.
Be Wary Of Hand-Made Products From Craft Fairs and Farmer's Markets
It is up to the manufacturer to register their cosmetics with the appropriate governing body and this step is often skipped by folks who sell in these venues because they either don’t know they need to register or they are flying under the radar so they don’t have to register. That hand cream you bought at the Lion’s Club might actually damage your skin, not because Mrs. Thurston was being malicious! She just didn’t realize her combination of ingredients would! Registering products allows the governing body to randomly test the safety of products. Now just because a product has been registered, it does not mean it has been tested. When registering products with Health Canada for example, it is not an approval process, it is simply listing ingredients on the label, following proper labeling protocol and the ingredients must be in the database of Health Canada in order to register as well as letting the government know this product is for sale. That provides the manufacturer information on the proper ingredients to use, unfortunately it is still up to you, the consumer; to make informed decisions for your own safety.
By: Sway, Certified Esthetician
