Natural Skin Care - Why Bother?

What is natural skin care?

natural skin care usually implies that applies to those products which are characterized by a lack of synthetic ingredients such as preservatives, petrochemical products, mineral oils, fragrances and harsh detergents.

Typically, natural skin care products are made using natural ingredients such as vegetable oils, essential oils, herb and flower extracts (both aqueous and waxy), which are ready to "old fashion way", without any chemical treatment or modification . Sometimes, ethically produced animal derivatives, such as beeswax, may also be present in the natural skin care (1).

natural organic skin care products are manufactured with approved materials and practices can be organically certified by the relevant environmental organizations.

Unfortunately, there are numerous products on the market that claim to be any natural or wise to be marketed for its unique botanical extracts and vitamins, among thick cocktail of synthetic ingredients. These are "natural" pseudo-products (1). To help clarify if a skin care product is really natural, it is recommended that you read the label of ingredients.

Why is a natural skin care is better than synthetic?

products that are made from ingredients that are naturally sustainable water extracted from plants and crops to be manifest, energy, quality and use of raw materials, so that no synthetic ingredients.

Simply put, geographic location, soil and water plants are grown in, and exposure to the sun, seasons and harvest times contribute to a mature plant and crop yields in a unique way.

These factors can not be simulated in a controlled laboratory or nurseries, natural exposure to environmental conditions facilitates the development of subtle differences in the plants. This is then reflected in the quality of extracted oil, as well as on their specific composition, properties and advantages.

In addition, synthetic substances produced in laboratories using science, but often dangerous process involving the use of carbon dioxide, propylene glycol or hexane based methods. Although these chemical agents may be present in trace amounts in the recent synthesis of compounds, it is unclear what effect they can have as they accumulate in our body, prolonged exposure (2).

Of course, some of the natural extracts and oils may also be affected or destabilized by the extraction of natural methods of their preparation. For these reasons, manufacturers of natural skin care products give great attention to source their raw materials and natural ingredients that are prepared from them.

What is the specificity of vegetable oil?

Vegetable oils are composed of complex mixtures of different fatty acids (lipids). This is a specific combination and ratio of these fatty acids that determines the unique character of any oil. Besides the main lipid fractions, there are other very important bioactive substances such as phospholipids and phosphatides and phytosterols and phytoestrogens, isoflavones and vitamins. These bioactives are known as the unsaponifiable fraction of oil. They usually present a small amount of the unique signatures of oil (3).

To demonstrate how oil composition was determined by the difference in functional properties, the typical profile of fatty acids from borage and apricot kernel oil as described in Kusmirek (3) are compared below.

1 - apricot kernel oil is a mixture of 58-74% oleic acid, 25-30% linoleic, and the remaining 4-7% consists of palmitic and stearic and palmitoleic and alpha-linolenic kiselina.Unsaponifiable content is about 0 , 5 -0.75%.

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

apricot kernel oil is a super nourishing and emollient oil that is easily absorbed. These properties have an attribute with a high percentage of oleic and linoleic acids. Furthermore, apricot kernel oil is also an excellent source of vitamin A, present in the unsaponifiable matter.

Borage oil is known for its nourishing and penetrating properties attributed to the presence of linoleic and oleic acids, but with a high content of gamma-linolenic acid makes its regenerating and firming properties.

Differences in the properties of apricot kernel oil and borage oil and other oils are not discussed here, show the importance of how to blend different vegetable oils for optimum skin care, so that the skin is adequately fed, continuously hydrated, smooth feel and features to regenerate efficiently. These are essential to promote a healthy skin glow, regardless of age.

But, even if the synthetic oils are reproduced accurately and mixture ratios of fatty acids and unsaponifiables obtained plant, it would be virtually impossible to mimic in synthetic oil contribution of energy that takes place in the plant, some of which are equivalent to the natural oils extracted. Thus, natural ingredients are different from their synthetic equivalents.

What is with essential oils and other herbs?

Essential oils are concentrated extracts of aromatic plants and other volatile substances, sometimes contains a growth factor known for its regenerative properties. They are a source of natural fragrances, and can be used to add odor to natural products. Due to its concentrated nature and high cost of production, only a small amount of essential oils used in natural skin care. In addition, as well as essential oils can be irritating to the skin, they should never be used undiluted.

Unlike oil, floral / plant water from the aqueous extracts of flowers / plants. Naturally produced oil and water extracts are made through distillation, steaming, or infusion techniques. These are often slow and inefficient processes that add to cost. However, products obtained using non-synthetic approaches are much safer and healthier than those extracted using artificial methods.

Is there a problem with variations in the natural ingredient of the series?

quick answer is NO!

Of course, naturally produced compounds show a series of "variations", but that's part of nature, showing cycles of change. These are the natural bio-rhythm, as with everything in nature, sometimes in abundance, the sun, other times there are only clouds. Of course, these changes in weather patterns affecting the growth of plants.

This means that occasionally some of the natural ingredients may contain slightly higher or lower percentage of one or even several components, but over time, these variations izbalansirati.Ključna point is that the overall effect of using natural ingredients is still useful in the long driving.

Supporters of mainstream cosmetic industry object to the variation associated with natural ingredients. Instead, they argue that synthetic ingredients are far better choices for the production of any products, including skin care. They argue that synthetic ingredients are scientifically controlled, accurate, standardized and can be made in full reproductive mode. But at the end of the day ... not natural!

The preservatives, stabilizers and emulsifiers?

Of course, stabilizers and preservatives to extend shelf life of any product, natural and synthetic (1,2,4). Because of this recognition of European and U.S. organic and regulatory organizations have endorsed the use of certain preservatives for which there is a long standing accumulations of safety and toxicity data, for example-a mixture of acetic acid dehydrate. These preservatives are designed to replace the paraben family of preservatives in personal care products. Although natural products should have the necessary minimum amount of preservatives.

Without a doubt, preservatives such as parabens and phenol derivatives and denatured alcohols are very effective, such as increasing product shelf life almost indefinitely! But they are also known to interfere with the hormonal status, and may be allergic (1.2). Clearly, they are not health promotion materials. Since they are easily absorbed into the skin and long, their long-term effects on distal organs are unknown, and therefore undesirable.

Interestingly, vitamin E is a powerful natural antioxidant, as well as a fantastic natural preservative oil mixture and emulsified oils (2). Extracts of rosemary and oregano are also considered as a natural preservative because of its anti-bacterial properties (2). However, it is not often used, such as to give a strong odor and can cause some skin irritation. This is an example of where caution must be made with natural ingredients. Although these effects are more the exception than the rule.

alginic acid obtained from brown algae is sometimes used as a stabilizer (4). However, allantoin, extract of comfrey root is more suitable stabilizer for natural skin care products (2).

Emulsifiers are substances that help to prevent separation of oil and water fractions in the form of creams or lotions. The natural skin care products that are lethicin and wax Cetearyl alcohol (1,2,4). Lecithin is extracted from soybeans and is known to soften skin and aid the penetration of skin care products. Cetearyl alcohol is a mixture of high melting point and Cetyl Stearyl fatty acids derived from any animal or vegetable fats. The natural skin care is desirable to have plants sourced Cetearyl alcohol. In addition to its great emulsifying properties of this fatty acid mixture helps maintain skin hydration.

So, what is he to take home message?

Regardless of some of the limitations of natural skin care, natural ingredients in these products are still far more useful than those that are completely synthetic. Synthetics can not be reproduced and nurtured a unique heterogeneous character of natural extracts and oils, as discussed above.

Technology aside, it is also clear that there are greater financial gains for producers to use the most, if not exclusively sastojci.Trošak synthetic production of natural skin care products is higher than the necessity of synthesizing massive amounts of easy to make and use synthetic ingredients. Compared with their respective natural counterparts they afford versatility in production line, the shelf life and profitability.

These attributes are scientifically designed for skin care in the 20 century satisfied a growing market desire for youth elixirs. However, since 1960 the increasing awareness of what is in our food, the demand for natural and organic products increased. This request to extend the personal care sector. Indeed, natural and organic cosmetics market is the fastest growing sector of personal care products since the late 1980s.

Luckily today, the driver did not clean the skin seems to look good, but for products that can achieve this goal with respect to human beings and the environment.

Bibliography

1 Morrison, K & Whelligan, F. 2007th About Face. Random House NZ. Auckland.
Second Hampton, A. 1987th Natural organic hair and skin care. Organica Press. Tampa, Fl.
Third Kusmirek, January 2002. Liquid Sunshine - Vegetable oils for aromatherapy. Floramicus. Somerset. England.
4th Winters, R. 1994th Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients. Three Rivers Press. NY.