Despite the information overload on the beauty benefits with using essential oils, food, and other things from nature, curious consumers are still skeptical or hesitant to try natural-based, greener and eco-friendly beauty products. For one, there’s the preconceived notion that these ingredients are not as efficient as their synthetic or conventional counterparts. They’re also concerned about exactly what these natural ingredients have over a synthetic one – for example, what makes chamomile so great? Why bother investing in something with actual papaya enzymes?
Top all of that with a usually premium price, and you’ve got a room full of skeptics who’d probably like to try, but aren’t willing to make a risk or ditch their Neutrogena or MAC so easily.
The solution? Educate them!
Today, I’m going to try and quell some of the reasons there’s still some hesitance with trying a more natural-based beauty product. Read below to learn why essential oils, plants, herbs, and foods grown directly from Mother Earth and used with minimal to no interference from a lab can be just as beneficial as a synthetic.
1. They’ve been used for centuries – before modern medicine
Wanting to be beautiful, confident and attractive isn’t a new concept. Women have been clamoring for this since the dawn of time.
Essential oil use goes way back – 4500 BC. The ancient Egyptians discovered their use for fragrance, and records show that essential oils and aromatics were used for treating illness, as well as performing religious ceremonies in templates and pyramids. The Egyptians even used cedarwood, myrrh and frankincense in the embalming process, three oils that are still used today.
Cleopatra famously used milk baths to stay beautiful and desirable. Daughters of ancient Chinese emperors (or female emperors) used things like crushed pearl, soybeans, almonds, peach blossoms and herbs to look younger longer. For centuries, shea butter has been the beauty secret for African women, using the creamy concoction to stay soft from head to toe.
According to ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics and Chinese manuscripts, priests and physicians used oils thousand of years before the time of Christ. There are more than 188 references to oils in the Bible, and some precious oils like frankincense, myrrh, rosemary, cassia, and cinnamon were used for the anointing and healing of the sick. Additionally, biblical prophets recognized the use of essential oils as protection against disease.
So you see, while synthetics are nothing to sneeze at, there’s also nothing wrong with finding a natural alternative that can keep you smelling just as nice, feeling soft, and looking younger longer.
2. Many synthetic ingredients are based from nature, or modeled by their molecular structure
So try the real thing instead! Unprocessed (or minimally processed), many natural ingredients work very well at covering the basic needs of your average beauty product. 100% Pure uses fruit pigments for coloring, so there’s no need for fake dyes. Coconut oil and castile soap can naturally produce lather, so you don’t have to expose yourself to SLS. Yes, the lauryl alcohol in SLS is derived from coconut and palm oils, but they are heavily synthesized and treated with additional chemicals. Why use synthetic emollients when plant oils like jojoba and cocoa butters work just as well, often with little effect on sensitive skin?
All that synthetic stuff’s just not necessary!
3. Natural ingredients can outperform their synthetic counterpart, and with minimal risks
Acne problems? Try tea tree oil. Dry skin? Coconut oil, shea butter and cocoa butter work wonders. With a green counterpart to almost every synthetic out there (emollients, emulsifiers, humectants, preservatives), you can get everything you need in nature. And many times, these natural compounds can come with unintended (and surprising) additional benefits, and can work double duty. Essential oils like lavender can soothe both your nerves when inhaled, and calm inflamed skin. It’s also an antiseptic. But the best benefit of all – it smells terrific, and is a popular herb for scenting beauty products.
Why do companies just forego using a natural ingredient? Cost. Synthetics are cheaper to make and distribute. Cheaper ingredients mean bigger profits when the completed product is sold.
If given the choice between an equally safe and performing ingredient from natural or synthetic means, which would you choose?
I think most of us, even those who aren’t environmentally aware, would just go with the natural option. Why not? As a kid, I’d often pick an aloe vera plant, squeeze its gel and rub it on my cuts when I tripped.
Science isn’t bad – quite the contrary. It’s helped us as a civilization to live longer, healthier and overall happier lives.
Now, I want to be clear – I’m not saying all synthetic ingredients and products are bad. There are plenty of safe ones and we use them all the time – in medicine, or many in our other personal care products. When it comes to your appearance, however, using a possibly risky synthetic product when there’s a natural version that works just as well is just silly.
This is especially true when you remember than the average woman uses 13 products a day on her skin. The synthetic ingredients that can build up over time, or the cocktails that could result from using so many are also mysterious and risky.
Go natural, and feel the difference – I sure did!
(Source: Desert Essence Blog, Cultural China, Heavily Rooted, Organic Glow)
