It is no secret that we are becoming more conscious about what we are putting on our bodies. According to statistics 50% of women buying skincare products specifically seek out all-natural and organic products.
The widespread perception that natural skincare is somehow inherently better is growing. In some cases this is true, however there is no factual basis or scientific evidence to back up the claim.
Fact is, just as synthetic ingredients can be harmful, there are lots of natural ingredients to be found in organic products that are harmful to the skin. Just because an ingredient is natural does not necessarily mean it is better and just because an ingredient is made in a lab, does not make it toxic.
Furthermore, there is no such thing as chemical-free skincare. Water is a chemical, so is oxygen and so are the essentials oils in your products.
So, are we right to be suspicious of synthetic ingredients or are we blindly buying into all-natural brands that have little impact on our skin? What we want is products free of toxins, what we don’t want is products free of toxins but also devoid of effective active ingredients.
Alexia Inge, cofounder of online shop Cult Beauty, explains:
“In order for the rising natural category to make a place for itself in the industry – and challenge hardcoded perceptions of ineffectuality – the spokespeople of the natural movement demonised synthetic ingredients.”
This type of greenwashing breeds misinformation and can discredit brands that make exceptional products. Let’s take hyaluronic acid for example; an ingredient that can be derived from either a natural source (animals) or molecularly replicated in a lab to create an identical synthetic ingredient. The result is the same, the only difference is how the ingredient is sourced or manufactured. It should be noted than both all-natural brands and brands producing synthetic products can be involved in unethical sourcing and manufacturing practices.
There are benefits to either type of formulation and ultimately the decision lies with you. If you are looking for result-driven skincare, evidence-based ingredients should be your go to.
When it comes to scrutinising products, the main deciding factor should be safety. There is a misconception that synthetic products are stronger and therefore unsuitable for sensitive skin. The reality is there are synthetic and naturally derived ingredients that can be irritating to the skin. With so much information being available today, it is up to you to decide what is right for you and your skin type.
At Holy Grail we don’t believe in choosing between one or the other. We harness the power of nature and scientific innovation to create products that are gentle, effective and non-toxic. We take a no-nonsense approach to create quality products with ingredients proven to deliver results. Made on 70% organic bases with the addition of high-performance scientific ingredients, you wont have to choose between natural and effective skincare.