Which is better for me, traditional or natural cosmetics?
By asking yourself this question you have already taken your first steps towards a healthier future! As you read through this site, you will find not only information as to where you can buy natural cosmetics, but you will find suggestions, testimonials and insights on how to distinguish natural cosmetics from conventional cosmetics. All of the products that we present and recommend here have been rigorously tested in accordance with internationally recognized quality labels.
All manufacturers who are certified according to one of the following quality seals have committed themselves to the sustainable production of their goods using only natural materials and free of animal-testing.
While there is still no uniform or legally binding definition of natural cosmetics, here are some of the quality seals you should be aware of: CSE (Certified Sustainable Economics), Demeter, NATRUE, Naturland, EcoControl, the ECOCERT label or the BDIH seal for controlled natural cosmetics. That’s a lot of seals! Fear not, read on and you will learn what these various seals mean.
What are natural cosmetics made of and what distinguishes them from their traditional counterparts?
Natural cosmetics are products which contain only natural raw materials and are free of certain ingredients such as PEG (polyethylene glycol), silicone, parabens, paraffin, synthetic fragrances and other petroleum products. Again, at this point there is no catch-all definition for natural cosmetic, so refer back to the previous paragraph to acquaint yourself with the important quality seals.
The main ingredients of genuine natural cosmetics are:
- natural oils, such as olive oil, soybean oil etc.
- essential oils for aromatics and healthful benefits
- blossom water
- beeswax
- fats, such as coconut oil, cocoa or shea butter
Here’s where it can get a little tricky. Not all natural materials are inherently beneficial. There are a few raw materials which although they are natural products are detrimental to skin care. Consider for example the following elements:
- alcohols
- water
- mineral oil
When faced with uncertainty regarding the product’s main ingredients, one would do well to look for the above listed quality seals or undertake further research through databases. Incidentally, the INCI program has its own app (INCI Ingredients), which provides you with information on all ingredients.
What does the term ‘vegan cosmetics’ mean and to what extent is animal-testing a factor in the production of cosmetics?
In the case of natural cosmetics, products originating from live animals- be it milk or honey for example, is allowed. Vegan cosmetics however are produced entirely from raw materials free of animal origin. The use of raw materials from dead vertebrates (mink oils, animal fats, collagen and fresh cells) is not permitted in natural cosmetics. Across the EU, a general ban on animal-testing in the cosmetics industry has been in effect since 2013.
Why you should RUN not walk away from conventional cosmetics
Up to 98% of the ingredients in conventional cosmetics can harm the body! That may come as something of a shock to you, but it’s true. Conventional cosmetics are predominantly made up of the following insidious ingredients:
- Emulsifiers, polyethylene glycol (PEG)
PEG is a synthetically produced polymer plastic also known as micro-plastic. It is used because of its broad spectrum of viscosity and solubility properties. It acts as a binder, a solvent and contributes consistency in creams and lipsticks.
- Parabens
Parabens are chemical compounds with the distinction of being the most widely used preservative in the cosmetics industry. They are intended to prevent the product from spoiling as well as to neutralize any undesirable order or flavor. Although parabens are generally ‘well-tolerated’ they can nevertheless cause allergies in some people. In a 2004 study by conducted by scientist Philippa Darbre, parabens were detected in breast cancer tumors. The findings are far from conclusive and additional studies are required to better understand the phenomenon.
- Silicones
The silicones used in cosmetics are synthetic polymers which combine of silicon and oxygen atoms. Although silicone compounds do occur naturally, they do so only in an inorganic state. Think of quartz sand, for example. The roles of silicones within the cosmetics industry are far ranging indeed. They function as abrasives in dental care products. Because of their cloudy properties, silicones are used to mask blemishes. Due to its variable consistency, silicone is able to expand and change its consistency. This is probably better used around windows than in one’s mouth!
- Paraffin
Paraffin is extracted from mineral oil and, depending on the manufacturing process or composition, it has textures ranging from light to oily to waxy. Paraffin is used primarily for the consistency of cosmetic products. Paraffin imparts a lustrous optical effect on the skin but operates in the absence of any meaningful nourishment.
- Synthetic Fragrances
Fragrances are used in virtually all cosmetic products, and generally speaking, they are of the synthetic variety. Fragrances imbue the often striking aromatics into the product itself, and quite frankly, do a lot of heavy lifting to mask unpleasant body odor. Fragrances are often listed simply as ‘perfume’ among the other ingredients. Despite their ubiquity, fragrances are frequently the main culprit in the event of allergic reactions. In an effort to mitigate some of the undesirable side-effects, legislation was passed in 2004 requiring certain allergenic fragrances to be listed separately in the ingredients. Sensitive individuals such as babies, small children, pregnant or nursing mothers are generally advised to avoid perfumed cosmetics.
- Alcohol
The primary alcohol in cosmetics is ethanol, which is mainly used as a solvent and preservative. In some products, such as deodorants and shaving creams, alcohol should lend an invigorating freshness. High doses can result in skin irritation and / or skin dehydration.
- Aluminum
While deodorants are designed to absorb or mask off-smells due to their odor-inhibiting and antibacterial agents, aluminum compounds are sometimes used within as an active antiperspirant. These aluminum compounds penetrate the sweat glands and seal the pores of the epidermis. If skin irritation and nerve damage don’t scare you enough, consider a Swiss study conducted in 2016 (Stefano J. Mandriota, Andre-Pascal Sappino) which linked aluminum compounds to nightmares like breast cancer and Alzheimer’s. Here’s one more for you- according to the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority), just a once-daily application of deodorants containing aluminum over the course of a week already exceeds what a human body can safely tolerate. Yikes.
Most of the ingredients we’ve listed are not absorbed by the skin, but rather linger on the surface thereby preventing the skin it’s natural respiration process. While things might look shiny and fine on the superficial level, under the layer of film created by these agents the skin is suffering and perceptibly drying out.
Trigger warning. This next section is pretty scary! Going beyond minor discomforts such as dry or irritated skin, we must acknowledge that the chemicals in many conventional cosmetics can result in a laundry list of serious health problems ranging from hormonal and developmental disorders, obesity, neurological / behavioral disorders, diabetes and cancer. Although these associations have been known for quite some time, the collective lack of information results in the continued use of these potentially dangerous substances.
This is not an empty assertion meant to scare you. The above listed maladies were determined by a 2016 study conducted by the University of California Berkeley working in collaboration with the Clinic de Salud del Valle de Salinas.
Generally speaking, adolescent girls use more cosmetics than adult women. What is not known, however, is whether these products have any adverse effects on the development of young women, and if so, what those effects might be. In order to investigate this question, the HERMOSA (The Health and Environmental Research in Make-Up Of Salinas Adolescents) study was initiated in 2016. More specifically, the researchers wanted to determine to what extent cosmetics affected the girls’ hormonal imbalances, identify the primary sources of these effects, develop treatment strategies to mitigate the adverse effects and to raise the subjects’ awareness.
Urine samples were taken from 100 adolescent females aged 14-18, both before and after replacing common body care products with alternative products. These values were also compared with values from another study conducted in 2011-2012.
The study clearly showed that the chemicals found in the cosmetic products entered the body and that the use of cosmetics which contain lower amounts of chemicals had a rapid and direct impact on the body’s levels of pollution. Although it was not possible to completely eliminate the chemical concentration within the course of the study, a considerable decrease of the chemical levels was apparent after only three days of intervention. The study indicates that by simply switching to low-chemical cosmetics, individuals can significantly reduce levels of pollutants in their bodies in short order.
Now that we know using natural cosmetics can help decrease the bad stuff in your body, the question naturally arises: what are the benefits of using conventional cosmetics? Price? Convenience? Brand loyalty? Conventional cosmetics may be less expensive than their natural counterparts, but in the long run this is not a satisfactory justification. Keep in mind that the targeted use of natural cosmetics can drastically reduce both the number of products you need and the level of chemical pollution in your body. The choice is yours of course, but just spend a moment thinking about that film you’ve applied to your own body…