Now before you run to the bathroom cupboards and banish your beloved skincare and cosmetic products for life, it's not all bad news.

In fact, as the old saying goes, "when you know better, you do better", and being better informed about skincare and cosmetic products benefits not only your health, but it's a positive choice for the environment as well.

What Is Natural Skincare?

Natural skincare products and cosmetics are generally referred to as those that have been created using botanically derived ingredients, such as herbs, roots, essential oils, fruit and flowers.
In addition, these products are usually produced using naturally occurring carrier agents, preservatives, surfactants, humectants and emulsifiers, and generally contain minimal (or none) synthetic chemical ingredients.

Using skincare and cosmetic products that contain mostly, or completely naturally derived ingredients is believed to be better for our health, as unless you have highly sensitive skin or skin that is prone to certain allergies, most natural ingredients will be harmless.
Added to this, natural skincare and cosmetics usually come with the added benefit of the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which are inherent to many of the natural ingredients, such as Amino Acids. These can have a powerfully positive impact to the health and quality of our skin.

But it is not just our health that benefits from using natural skincare and cosmetic products, it is good for the environment as well. Whatever we use on our bodies and hair inevitably ends up being washed down the drain when we shower, which ends up in our creeks, rivers and oceans. Using products such as body moisturisers, shower gels, hair shampoo and conditioners that have minimal synthetic chemicals significantly reduces any adverse affect on the environment around us.

Is Natural Skincare As Effective As Synthetic Skincare?

For many years, a common misconception about natural skincare products was that they simply did not work as well as their synthetic counterpart.

But over the past fifteen years, manufacturing practices of natural skincare and cosmetics has evolved rapidly in line with consumer demand. Many high quality natural skincare and cosmetics work just as effectively as their synthetic counterparts and the beauty industry giants are all jumping on board.

But as well as giving results, naturally derived skincare and cosmetic products often feel and smell so much better, as they feature fresh, natural raw materials and ingredients such as 100% pure essential oils, fruit extracts and plant extracts.

These days, department store, spa, salon, pharmacy and health food store shelves are all lined with many different skincare and cosmetic products that feature naturally derived ingredients. We can choose from an abundant variety of applications, such as Mineral Makeup, high-end Cosmeceuticals, through to SPA Range products and a variety of face creams, body washes, lotions and hair care.

How Can You Choose Skincare That Is Safe For You?

When it comes to using any skincare or cosmetic product, all of us should be discerning consumers and ensure that we do our homework:

1. Check the ingredient listings on the product label to ensure that the product does actually contain a high percentage (the higher the better) of naturally derived ingredients.
2. Choose Certified Organic products. Skincare and cosmetic products that have been labeled Certified Organic by an accrediting body, such as ACO or OFC in Australia gives you the consumer piece of mind knowing that your product has been created using ingredients that are free from nasty chemicals and have been manufactured in a sustainable way.
3. Know your skin - speak to an expert Spa or Salon owner about your skin type and stay in tune with your skin to be aware of any sensitivity when using skincare and cosmetic products.

Kylie Drury

3 Sep 2010