What Defines Natural Skin Care? | Baresop.
When it comes to natural skin and personal care products, how do we know what’s really ‘natural’ and what’s not? And what are the benefits of plant-based products?
Clean, Organic and Natural Skin Care: Definitions and Differences
For the past few years in the beauty, skin and health care industries, there has been an emphasised push for sustainable solutions and natural ingredients that are both gentle on the skin and gentle on the planet. However, with this rise of the “clean beauty” movement has come a wave of buyer bewilderment when it comes to certain terminologies.
From “clean” to “organic”, “natural” and everything else in between, there’s a general sense of misunderstanding that needs clarifying. So, what do skin and personal care brands really mean when they refer to natural skin care products?
‘Natural’ Skin Care Ingredients
When beauty products are deemed “natural”, this means that the product itself is formulated with a high volume of natural skin care ingredients. To meet the requirements of a natural ingredient, the components of the product must be sourced and derived from raw produce or native flora.
In addition to this, natural personal care products should be free from any kind of synthetic fragrances, dyes, parabens and sulphates as to have therapeutic effects on the skin.
‘Clean’ Ingredients
The definition of ‘clean’ products varies among skin and personal care brands, often dependant on what each chooses to value as ‘clean’. This tends to surround the process of producing the product, rather than what is in the product itself. More often than not, this equates to the product’s environmental impact.
While the definition remains vague, most brands will label their products as ‘clean’ if it has been developed using minimally-harmful technology and production practices. Some skin care brands will also use the term if their product is sourced from entirely plant-based materials and ingredients.
‘Organic’ Ingredients
When referring to skin and personal care products with the label ‘organic’, this refers to the ingredients that make up the product and the process in which these ingredients have been grown and harvested. Organic ingredients are those which are free from pesticides, artificial fertilisers, and other harsh chemicals. As such, organic personal care products tend to be more sensitive and beneficial for the skin.
To distinguish ‘organic’ from ‘natural’ in the world of skin care labels, your best point of difference is that natural skin care products are likely to contain ingredients derived from natural sources, but these ingredients may not have been organically produced. Organic products on the other hand are plant-derived from naturally-sourced ingredients that are produced without the use of chemicals.
Australian Natural Skin Care Products
Australia’s vast landscape is home to an abundance of natural ingredients that have been making waves in the beauty and selfcare industries in recent times. Through their integration into Australian natural skin care products, homegrown and nutrient-rich ingredients such as native Kakadu plum, quandong and mandarin essential oil have shown to be incredibly beneficial to both the skin and the environment.
The use of naturally-derived Australian ingredients has proven effective in reducing the carbon footprints of Australian natural skin care brands through the avoidance of the lengthy air travel which is required to distribute international products. For products that are naturally derived, great for you skin, and produced with environmental sustainability in mind at every step of the way, try our eco-friendly hand & body wash.
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