As far as skin care trends go, it seems that all-natural or natural skin care products are still at the top of the best trends list lately. And with everyone jumping to make the switch to formulas that are purported to be natural, it may have you wondering what natural skin care products are in the first place.
Before you update your skin care routine with the first moisturizer and serum you lay eyes on with the word “natural” on the label, allow us to explain a bit about natural skin care products. We consulted Dr. Joshua Zeichner, NYC-based board-certified dermatologist and L’Oréal Paris consultant, for the scoop on natural beauty.
What Are Natural Skin Care Products?
Let’s cut to the chase: What are natural skin care products? According to Dr. Zeichner, the term doesn’t have a specific or regulated definition, and can vary from one brand to the next. But, they usually have a few things in common.
“Generally speaking, natural skin care products contain botanical extracts and are formulated without dyes, fragrances, parabens, sulfates, or cyclic silicones,” he says. He also notes that natural doesn’t necessarily mean chemical-free (even water is a chemical), and they aren’t any more safe or effective than other (non-natural) products.
In summary, natural skin care products are a great choice for someone who’s looking to use more botanical-based ingredients in their routine, according to Dr. Zeichner. But, since how one brand defines "natural" can differ from the next, it’s up to the customer to keep up with where the ingredients in their products come from.
Is Natural Skin Care the Same as Organic Skin Care?
You’re probably asking yourself if natural is the same as organic, since those two terms are often used interchangeably. According to the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology (JDD), "organic" is a term designated by the United States Department of Agriculture. Similar to natural products, products that claim to be organic are not regulated by the FDA. The JDD also states natural products are not necessarily organic.
The Best Products with Naturally-Derived Ingredients
With your new understanding of natural beauty products, you’re probably wondering where to start with updating your routine to introduce natural alternatives. L’Oréal Paris does not classify formulas as natural products, but defines when products have naturally-derived ingredients.
To be considered as such, these ingredients must be unchanged from their natural state or undergone processing while still retaining greater than 50 percent of the molecular structure from their original plant or mineral source.
Via: Lorealparisusa.com
