Doo yoo use them? (Natural Beauty Products - Should We Use Them?)

Member Name: star500

Product:	Natural Beauty Products - Should We Use Them?
Date:	13/02/01 (713 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: They do work for many people

Disadvantages: Natural products can be expensive and some are not widely available

Natural beauty products are available in many shapes and forms, ranging from the cheap and cheerful found in the local chemist to the expensive and exclusive available in department stores or by mail order. But what exactly are they? Is there really a need for them? And do they work?


# What are they? #

Many people would argue that natural products are the best things to use on your skin whether it be a new shower gel, a shampoo or a body lotion. However, some people get confused as to what a "natural" or "organic" product really is.

It is commonly believed that "natural" means that the product is not tested on animals, will not cause any allergic reactions and contains 100% naturally occurring ingredients. This is not always entirely true:

(1) Natural does not automatically mean that the ingredients have never been tested on animals. Most companies adhere to a "cruelty free" policy but deeming a product as being "natural" or "organic" does not necessarily confer this status.

(2) There is no reason to suggest that a naturally occurring ingredient will not cause an allergy to flare up. While companies would hope that every single person would be able to use their products with no problems, this is not always the case as each person's skin will react to ingredients (natural or synthetic) in their own way. It is sometimes thought that natural ingredients are less harsh on the skin than synthetic ones. This may be true to an extent but for the human body, anything that isn't usually present inside or on the skin is classed as "foreign" and thus has the potential to cause a reaction.

(3) In the majority of natural products, there is usually a percentage of organic compounds with some synthetic agents to stabilise or preserve the finished product. Thus they are not 100% purely made from natural ingredients. However, there are

exceptions to this including some products from the "Lush" range. Also, to confer "organic" status on natural products, any plant based ingredients will not have been treated with pesticides, herbicides or any other non-synthetics. Similarly, the extraction process should not be contaminated with chemicals either.


# Is there a need for them? #

I would imagine that a lot of people - men and women - would say that there is definitely a market for them. This is probably because of the common belief that "nature is good" and "synthetic is bad" which, as I have explained before, may not always be the case.

You only need to walk into one of the high street stores or chemists to be met with an array of products - some of which are marketed as being "natural" or "organic". But just exactly what types of products are on the market at the moment?


~ Lush ~

This is one of the most widely known stockists of natural products containing fruit and plant extracts. Each product is handmade and includes bath ballistics, soaps, solid shampoo and deodorant. Some items have to be kept at low temperatures as they have a very short shelf life due to the absence of synthetic additives and preservatives so you may find your body lotion sharing a place with your dinner in the fridge.

These products can be purchased from their own high street stores, by mail order or from their website: www.lush.co.uk


~ Liz Earle ~

Liz Earle, health and beauty guru and author of many lifestyle books, has endorsed a range of face and body care products known as "Liz Earle's Naturally Active Skincare". A wide range of ingredients are used in the products such as Aloe Vera, Vitamin E and other naturally occurring substances.

In this case, the range does contain a significant percentage of natural products and these are usually the ac
tive
ingredients which confer the effects on the skin. There are a few synthetics present and they are not tested on animals.

The range is available by mail order (01983 813999), from her website: www.lizearle.com and the products are regularly featured on QVC and their website: www.qvcuk.com


~ Aveda ~

This American based company use the principles of "aromacology" which is "the art and science of pure flower and plant essences". Their haircare range in particular, contains a lot of naturally occurring plant based extracts such as cherry, aloe, sage and peppermint which not only give the products a wonderful fragrance but also enhance their effectiveness.

One of their best selling products, Shampure shampoo, contains 25 flower and plant essences and their leave in conditioner, Elixir, does not coat the hair with silicon or petrochemicals. Instead it uses natural emollients to condition and reduce static.

Again, Aveda operate a cruelty free policy and use a wide range of organic based ingredients in a bid to reduce the use of synthetics both in their products and their packaging. The range is available from department stores such as House of Fraser or Fenwicks or online from Lookfantasic (www.lookfantastic.com). The products are also featured on QVC.


These are just a few brands which contain "natural" or "organic" products as obviously there are too many to list and I have only mentioned ranges that I am familiar with.

However, not all ranges which have "natural" in their name actually contain these types of ingredient. For example, a "Grapefruit and Honey" shampoo may contain extracts of grapefruit and honey but the majority of the product will be made up of synthetic agents including an artificial fragrance to give a "natural grapefruit aroma". So be careful when purchasing these products as you may be mislea
d.

Note: This example was for illustration purposes only and was not directed at any particular manufacturer or brand of grapefruit and honey shampoo.]


# Do they work? #

As with anything, products such as these will work for some people but not for all. However, as each brand has it's own loyal fan base then it seems that naturally occurring products are just as effective as those which are synthetically produced in the lab.

For a lot of people, the higher prices may be a deterrent when it comes to purchasing them but this is usually because the manufacturers of high grade, natural products are amongst those who make "premium" brands. These premium brands, either available exclusively by mail order or from specific department stores, are expensive whether they are synthetically based or not.

However, when compared on a "price per 100ml" basis, some of these brands may not work out as expensive as they seem as a lot of the time some items (eg cleansers, toners, shampoos) are available in large "salon" sizes which work out more economical in the long run.

Eg: 1 litre Aveda Blue Malva colour shampoo = £21.00 (£2.10 per 100ml)

Compare this to standard shampoos in your local supermarket or chemist which cost £2.99 per bottle.

Nonetheless, generally natural products are more expensive than their synthetic counterparts found in your local Boots or Superdrug but for those that use them and find them effective, they will pay the extra few pounds to ensure that they receive high quality natural products.


# Should we use them? #

I personally use products such as these on a regular basis, not just because they are natural but because they work for me. I also use my fair share of synthetic products too, primarily because I have mild eczema and sometimes need a synthetic, petrochemical loaded emollient ointment to keep it at bay.

Howe
ver, I feel that the use of natural products is definitely a personal preference. If you do not like the idea of coating your skin and hair with laboratory produced synthetics then you don't have to as there are alternatives out there. As with most things, if you have found something that works for you then it doesn?t matter if it is "natural" or "synthetic" as long as you are happy to use it.

But that is just my opinion - what doo yoo think?

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