CHEAT SHEET:
naturally safe beauty products
Consumers are more concerned than ever about their health and the environment, causing them to question what’s in their beauty products. In order for consumers
to make conscious decisions, education is necessary. Rochelle Jacobs, managing director at Naturally Serious, and Karen
Behnke, founder of Juice Beauty, help shed some light on the natural beauty
movement.
Natural vs organic vs clean. What is the difference?
Natural is commonly considered to be an ingredient that is a plant or a mineral. “The word organic is highly regulated and means the brand or ingredients have been certified by the relevant organic certification body. An
accompanying logo that confirms this should be found on
the packaging,” says Rochelle. Clean has no legal
definition but is commonly understood as a product free of “toxic” ingredients: parabens, phthalates and synthetic fragrance, to name a few.
Is natural better?
“Organically farmed raw ingredients have roughly
30 per cent greater nutrient and antioxidant levels than their
conventional counterparts,” says Karen. Nevertheless, consumers wrongly assume that all natural ingredients are better or even safe, when they are not. The line between natural and synthetic is
grey – and within beauty, there is a place
for everything.
Are synthetic ingredients safe?
This can be a murky science. There are both
safe and harmful synthetics. “If you take the ingredient ‘fragrance’, it can
contain hundreds of potentially toxic and known
endocrine disruption ingredients,” says Karen. But if
you want to change the structure of your skin, an active ingredient (chemical) is required. The key is to research ingredients and the sourcing practices of the brands. Ingredients to avoid are
those that cause irritation or inflammation to the skin, and this
will vary for everyone.