More and more people are becoming aware of just how many chemicals we are exposed to in our daily lives. Many scientific studies have confirmed the harmful effects of common chemicals that we come in contact with every day. We may not be able to completely eliminate our exposure to chemicals, but we can certainly eliminate chemicals coming in contact with our face by using only natural skin care products.
While over-the-counter natural skin care products have been a recent development, caring for the skin using natural ingredients is not. There is evidence that dates back six thousand years, which shows people from the Middle East, China, and Egypt, were all concerned with the appearance of their skin.
“Natural,” when used to market skin care products refers to the use of compounds, which occur naturally. Often these natural compounds are derivatives of herbs and other plants. These substances have been used throughout history to treat many ailments, ranging from gout to rashes, and acne to eczema.
If you are considering using natural skin care products you should read the products labels carefully to make sure the product is really natural. Some less expensive “natural” products may use natural ingredients that meet government requirements that allow a product to be called “natural,” but still contain chemical “fillers” that may not be safe for your health and skin.
The government allows a cosmetics company to call its skin care product “natural” if only one ingredient in it comes from a natural substance. Even when that one natural ingredient in the product was chemically enhanced in the lab and altered, the product can still be called natural. More expansive or high-end natural products, on the other hand, use only 100% of ingredients found in nature.
When you shop for a skin care product that claims to be natural, make sure that the product has enough natural ingredients that you will benefit from the natural material. Avoid any skin care product that is made with chemicals that may cancel out the benefits of the natural ingredients in the product.
Some common ingredients used to enhance the skin’s natural beauty include tea tree oil, the juice of aloe vera leaves, castor oil, and green tea. Tea tree oil has strong antiseptic (bacteria-killing) properties and has been shown to combat acne as well as to improve skin’s overall healthiness. Aloe vera gel, which is squeezed from the inner leaves of the plant, is a moisturizing agent, which also helps damaged skin repair itself. Aloe vera is a key ingredient in many sunburn treatments. Castor oil comes from the castor bean and can be used to diffuse the signs of age spots or other skin discolorations. Finally, green tea is often added to products for its anti-oxidizing action as well as its astringent (pore-tightening) properties.
Companies catering to discerning skin care product buyers usually offer a full range of product lines to meet the needs of every skin type, allowing the consumer to pick and choose the product that works best in meeting their needs.
Most over-the-counter skin care products are effective for most people, but for some men and women, have to make their own products for their type of skin. Luckily, there are plenty of traditional and homemade natural skin care recipes known to be effective for many skin conditions. There are many websites and herbal suppliers that have strung up that cater to the skin care needs of these individuals looking for natural skin care.
