Are you new to natural skin care?

If you are just starting out on the path to natural skin care products, you might feel just a little bit overwhelmed. You will find synthetic chemicals in pretty much every type of cosmetic and toiletry that you can think of – that means everything from soap to sun lotions and deodorant to day cream.

If you are planning on changing over to all-natural skin care, you will probably find that some of your old favourites are in danger. Most of us have a trusty face cream or cleanser that we’ve been using for years and think that we just can’t live without it. These don’t have to go at first – replace some of the items you are less satisfied with and settle on a brand that offers a natural alternative that you enjoy.

However, as you start using natural skin care products more and more, you’ll fall in love with them. Their incredibly gentle action on the skin is noticeable immediately, whilst many people do see improvements in their complexion. Also, synthetic perfumes do not come close to the scent of essential oils and you’ll probably find yourself noticing the difference even more as you get used to the beautiful scents that nature has to offer.

Chemicals to watch out for

It can be difficult to find out which ingredients to avoid in your skin care products because there are so many different chemicals used, some with very little testing. Here are some common ones to look out for. By no means is this an exhaustive list or a recommended one, just a guide to some of the chemicals which people tend to be wary about.

Deodorant – parabens, aluminium chlorohydrate, propylene glycol, triclosan, TEA, DEA, parfum

Creams & lotions – parabens, petrochemicals, lanolin, ethyl alcohol, propylene glycol, urea, parfum

Liquid soap and shower gel – sodium lauryl/laureth sulphate (SLS/SLES), triclosan, ethyl alcohol, propylene glycol, DEA, TEA, parfum

As you can see, there are quite a few ingredients to watch out for. Whilst in some cases it has not been proven that they have harmful or unwanted effects, you may choose to err on the side of caution by avoiding them. As well as being less likely to contain these ingredients, natural products do also tend to be gentler, making them ideal for people who have sensitive skin.

However, it is important to stress that no matter what you think you are buying, you should check the label. Even a beauty product with beautiful packaging that has a natural theme may contain some of the ingredients listed, as some companies like to give the impression their products are more natural than they really are.

The added benefits of organic skin care

One thing you can do to find a natural skin care brand that is truly good for your skin is to look for signs that it is organic. Look out for logos from The Soil Association, Organic Food Federation or Ecocert on the packaging, as these indicate that the products will have been made with a high percentage of organic ingredients. Each of the certification bodies also has a list of chemicals that it does not allow in its certified products so this also helps you to avoid unwanted ingredients.

There are some natural skin care products which are difficult to get certified as organic, however, so it is always worth having a quick glance at the ingredients list. This should highlight organically grown ingredients so you can see just how much of the product is organic.

Another benefit to choosing organic skin care products is that they do not contain the pesticide residues which may be present in natural, but not organic, beauty products. How pesticides affect the human body are still being researched but they do seem likely to have some potentially serious negative effects. Some have been found to cause illness in those who are exposed to them often, such as farmers and gardeners, so it would seem sensible to avoid contact with pesticides where possible.

A gentle introduction to natural skin care

At Green People, we’ve created a wonderful ‘welcome to organic’ pack for people who are brand new to natural skin care. The Organic Starter Collection contains a selection of bathroom essentials including organic shampoo, shower gel and body lotion. We don’t use any of the ingredients listed earlier and all of our products are very gentle on the skin.

If you are particularly interested in facial products, take a look at our main natural skin care range and also our Organic Body Spa, a luxury collection ideal for those with mature skin.