Natural Care - Why Bother?

What is natural skin care?

Natural skin care is usually construed as references to those products with no synthetic ingredients such as preservatives, petrochemicals, mineral oils, perfumes and detergents.

Typically, natural care products with natural ingredients such as vegetable oils, essential oils, herbs and flower extracts (both aqueous and wax), which was prepared in the "old way" without chemical treatment or modification. Sometimes produces ethically derived from animal origin such as beeswax, may also be present in natural skin care (1).

The natural skin care made with organic approved materials and practices can be certified as organic by organic organizations.

Unfortunately, there are numerous products on the market that claim to be natural, or that are cleverly marketed as a unit of botanical extract, or vitamin A, the thick cocktail of synthetic ingredients. These are "pseudo-natural" (1). Help clarify whether the product is all natural skin care, you should read the ingredients label.

Because it is a natural skin care better than synthetic?

Products made from ingredients that were natural plant extracts and sustainably maintained cultures express the essence, energy, qualities and benefits of the source material in ways that do not contain synthetic ingredients.

In short, the plants geographic location, soil and water as well as increased exposure to the sun, the seasons and harvest times to participate in mature plants and crops in a unique way.

These factors can not be replicated in laboratories or controlled hatchery that exposure to natural environmental conditions facilitates the development of the subtle differences in plants. These are reflected in the quality of oil extracted, and its composition, properties and benefits.

In addition, synthetic ingredients are manufactured in laboratories using science, but often dangerous process involving the use of carbon dioxide, propylene glycol or hexane-based methods. Although these chemicals may be present are traces in the final synthetic ingredients, it is unclear what effect they might have as they accumulate in our bodies over a longer period of exposure (2 ).

Of course, some natural extracts and oils can also affect or undermine the natural extraction methods used in their preparation. For these reasons, manufacturers of natural skin care products to give much attention to the acquisition of raw materials and natural products as ingredients in the second.

The essence of the vegetable oils?

Vegetable oils consist of complex mixtures of different fatty acids (lipids). This is a special blend and the ratio of these fatty acids that determines the uniqueness of oil. In addition, the most important lipid fraction, there are other very important bioactive substances, such as phospholipids, phosphatides, sterols, phytoestrogens, isoflavones and vitamins. These bioactive compounds is known as the unsaponifiable part of the oil. They are usually present in small quantities and are the signatures of oils (3).

To demonstrate how the composition of oil determines the differences in functional properties, the typical fatty acid profile, apricot kernel oil and borage oil as described in Kusmirek (3) from below.

1 - The apricot kernel oil is a mixture of 58 to 74% oleic acid, 25 to 30% linoleic acid, with the remaining 4-7% is composed of palmitic, palmitoleic, stearic and alpha-linolenic acid. The unsaponifiable content is 0.5% -0.75.

2 - Borage oil is a mixture of from 30 to 40% linoleic acid, 8 to 25% gamma linolenic acid, oleic acid 15-20%, 9-12% palmitic, 3 to 4% stearic acid, 2 to 6% acid eicosenoic. The unsaponifiable content is about 1%.

Apricot kernel oil is an excellent emollient and nourishing oil that is easily absorbed. These properties are attributed to the high proportion of oleic and linoleic acids. In addition, apricot kernel oil is also an excellent source of vitamin A present in the unsaponifiable substances.

Borage oil is known for its nutritional properties and penetrating through the presence of linoleic and oleic acids, but also rich in gamma-linolenic acid to its regenerating and firming properties.

Differences in the properties of oil and apricot kernel oil, borage and other oils are not covered here, shows that it is important to mix different oils for optimal skin care, while the skin is adequately fed, continually hydrated, soft and the ability to regenerate efficiently. These are essential to promote a healthy glowing skin, regardless of age.

But even if synthetic oils have to reproduce the exact mixing ratios and plant-derived fatty acids and unsaponifiables, it is almost impossible to mimic in synthetic oils of the contribution of energy that takes place in the factory, the equivalent natural oils are extracted. Therefore, natural ingredients are different from their synthetic equivalents.

What about essential oils and other herbal ingredients?

Essential oils are concentrated aromatic extracts and other volatile compounds of plants, sometimes containing growth factors known for their regenerative properties. They are the source of the smells of nature and can be used to add odor to natural products. Because of their high concentration and high costs to produce small amounts of essential oils used in natural skin care. Moreover, as the essential oils irritate the skin, they should never be used undiluted.

Unlike oils, flowers / plants, water is the aqueous extracts of flowers / plants. Natural oils and aqueous extracts are made using techniques of distillation, vapor or infusion. They are often slow and inefficient processes that increase the cost. However, the products generated using non-synthetic methods are much safer and healthier than those extracted with the use of artificial methods.

Is there a problem with changing a lot of natural ingredients?

The answer is no!

Sure, the ingredients naturally produced show 'batch to batch variation', but that's part of nature, to show the cycles of change. These are natural biorhythms, and how all nature is sometimes a lot of sun, other times it's just the clouds. Of course, these climate changes will affect the rate of plant growth.

This means that from time to time some natural ingredients may be slightly higher or lower one or even more components, but with time these differences resolved. The most important thing is that the overall impact of using natural ingredients, there is still benefit in the long term.

The traditional supporters of the cosmetics industry, as opposed to the change associated with natural ingredients. Instead, they are in favor of synthetic materials has a much better option for the production of products such as products for skin care. They contend that synthetic ingredients are scientifically controlled, exacting, standardized, and can be completely reproducible manner. But in the end ... are not natural!

What about preservatives, stabilizers and emulsifiers?

Of course, preservatives and stabilizers to extend the life of any substance, natural or synthetic (1,2,4). Because of this recognition from the United States and European bodies and regulators have approved the use of certain preservatives for which it has long been the accumulation of data on safety and toxicity, eg mixtures of dehydro-acetic acid. These preservatives are designed to replace the family of parabens preservatives in personal care products. Although natural products must have the minimum amount of preservatives.

No doubt, preservatives such as parabens, phenol derivatives and methylated spirits extremely effective because they increase the durability of the product almost endless! But they are also known to disrupt hormonal balance and may be allergenic (1.2). Clearly they are not health-promoting substances. Because they are easily absorbed through the skin and is long and their long-term effects on distal organs is unknown, and therefore undesirable.