I have a friend currently building her skincare routine and she asked me whether or not she should invest in vegan/organic products instead of synthetically made ones.

Before I could answer, I had to think about it because I honestly had no clue. This post will hopefully answer her question!

Here are the following topics I’ll talk about:

• Natural vs Organic
• Organic vs Synthetic
• Can I Make Organic Products at Home?
• Recommended Brands
• Subscribe

Natural vs Organic

When I was researching about organic products, the term “natural” was used interchangeably with it. Then I came across a page that talked about “natural” meaning practically nothing compared to “organic”.

Here’s an excerpt from www.bustle.com:

“However, the world of so-called natural beauty products is weird and complicated. One major thing: The word “natural” means literally nothing as far as the FDA is concerned. Though there has been some legislative movement toward creating more regulations regarding the ingredients cosmetic brands are using — The Personal Care Products Safety Act is probably the buzziest — there’s currently not a solid rule that can stop any brand from slapping some leafy-looking design and the word natural on their label, as long as they can claim it’s not “misleading.”

Basically, any product can say it’s natural. Organic or non-organic.

If it contains salt, it can say it’s natural…

If it contains water, it’s natural…

Feeling betrayed by your “natural” products? Yeah, me too.

So if you’re really planning on changing to chemical-free products, be wary of the term “natural” while stocking up your new skincare products.

Organic vs Synthetic

Labs are meant to create skincare products with the correct proportions and the correct stable ingredients to provide better for our skin. While some synthetic products are the shit, there are some products (with unnecessary chemicals, pesticides, or fertilizers that do us more harm than good) that are actually shit.

For example, if you didn’t know already, a couple of Mario Badescu’s products used to contain steroids in it that caused detrimental skin problems for its customers.

A lot of people seem to like choosing organic skincare products. According to gloryjuiceco.com, “Choosing organic and natural skincare should be a priority.”

Here’s why

1. Organic products are better for your skin.

Your skin absorbs up to 60% of what you put on it. If you’re big into skin care and meticulously do your skincare routine day and night, you might want to invest in organic products. Most people apply layers of chemical-filled products and unintentionally put their skin and body at harm as the extra chemicals get absorbed into the skin and make its way into your bloodstream. While non-organic products show results faster, it isn’t better for you in the long run.

2. Organic works better and results last longer than synethetic

Organically grown plants have shown higher contents of vital vitamins and minerals that can serve as antibacterial. Along with this, you won’t have to worry about the chemicals entering your skin and bloodstream. The active ingredients in organic products usually are up to 95% of the product, whereas synthetic products’ contents are active up to 10%- you would be getting more beneficial products into your skin from the organic products as the active ingredients’ concentration is higher.

3. Better for the environment and is cruelty free.

This might seem to be an obvious one. By buying organic products, you are supporting organic farmers and their hard work. If organic products gains more momentum, air pollution of pesticides would decrease. Plus, organic products don’t need to be tested on animals, thefore, converting to organic skincare would support discontinuing testing on of skincare products on animals.

Are there any downsides?

Yes, there is one that I’ve found:

Organic Products don’t have any preservatives, therefore they only last for about 3 months, so you will probably have to restock more often than you would with synthetic products.

While organic seems like the path to go, I want to debunk some common myths about lab-made products:

1.Not ALL lab-made products have chemicals!

This may seem weird to say. Why are they using a chemistry lab to not add chemicals? Well, they need to measure correct proportions of ingredients as well as make the ingredients stable to make sure the product works every time one uses it. On the other hand, organic products don’t have any chemicals, so they might not work every time or may cause reactions on your skin when used with other products.

2. “Natural” doesn’t mean chemical-free

Natural is an extremely flexibe work for the FDA and almost anything can have “naturally-derived” products. So keep that in mine when buying “natural” products.

3.Not all chemicals are deal breakers

According to  board-certified dermatologists Dr. Meghan Feely, MD, FAAD (@drmeghanfeely) and Dr. Diane Madfes, MD,  “parabens [a type of chemical with a bad rep] are a very large molecule and they sit on top of the skin and they don’t get absorbed throughout.” It is also “one of the best preservatives that we have.”

(Dermatologist research from bustle.com)

There are a couple exceptions here and there for organic and synthetic products. You may find that some organic ingredients cause bad reactions for your skin type. Or you may find that synthetic products work fine for you and haven’t caused any problems.

Can I Make Organic Products at Home?

No.

Well, technically, yes.

I wouldn’t try it if I were you. I am guilty of this and TRUST ME it wasn’t worth it despite everything my mother saw on Youtube and recommended to me.

While you might be saving some money, you should know that all products are made in labs to make sure all the active ingredients actually work. If you could just mix haldi (turmeric) and yogurt and achieve better skin – what would be the point of labs? And skincare products? And everything the skincare world has known?

I admit, there are some ingredients in your kitchen that may prove to be beneficial. So by all means, if you want to do it, you do you! I just personally wouldn’t recommend doing it. :))

What are Some Good Organic Brands?

I haven’t used any of these, but by judging the ingredients list I have put together these 3 brands:

1. 100% Pure

Natural and Organic Skin Care || toxin-, paraben-, sulfate-free

Ethics || Animal cruelty free, vegan

Eco Friendly || recycable and resuable material

$$| the pricing for this brand is a little on the higher end ranging from $6-$60

“100% PURE’s USDA certified organic products contain the very best ingredients and nutrients. The brand’s natural cleansers and masks detox and refresh skin, and the natural facial scrubs exfoliate and buff away bumps, flakes, and dullness. Plus, 100% Pure offers a full line of cosmetics and personal care products. Don’t be surprised when this company becomes your one-stop-shop for all-natural products.”

SHOP 100% PURE

2. Nourish Organic

Natural and Organic Skin Care || no parabens, phthalates, petrochemicals, artificial fragrances, silicones, propylene glycol, mineral oils, sulfates, synthetic dyes, triclosan, EDTA, or aluminum, gluten-free

Ethics || Eco-friendly, animal-cruelty free, partnered with charitable organizations

Eco Friendly || BPA-free bottles, local ingredients, recycled packaging materials,

$$ || This one is a little pricy too, ranging from about $12–$50

“What goes on your skin ultimately gets absorbed into your system. That’s why we believe that you shouldn’t put anything harmful on your body. We are proud to have been the first company in the U.S. to develop USDA certified organic beauty products that are made with nutrient-rich fruits, vegetables, and plant extracts. Nourish Organic offers you pure, certified organic ingredients and nothing more.”

3. Made Simple

Natural and Organic Skin Care || certified organic brand, 100% plant-based, not GMO, raw

Ethics || vegan, animal-cruelty free, work with small, progressive charities,

Eco Friendly || Recycle and reuse their plastic; customers can save 10 jars and/or bottles and gain 10% off next purchase when they give them back to the company

$$ || Cheaper than the first two, ranging from $2-$36

“All our products contain simple ingredients you can read and understand. If you can’t pronounce the ingredient, you probably shouldn’t be putting it on your skin! OK, well maybe “Helichrysum” is a tongue-twister. Raw means we don’t apply heat above 100°F. This keeps the essential vitamins and nutrients intact. All of our oils and butters are unrefined, cold pressed virgin organic, delivering the maximum amount of skin benefiting microelements. Our entire line is also Vegan, with no animal or bee ingredients, and Cruelty Free. Test on animals?!  Never!!”

Okay guys that’s the end of this post! If I missed anything you’d like me to add just comment it I’ll try to add it in. :))

Please hit the like button! ❤

Love, Moe

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