By Sonia Evelyn
Today we find a growing number of cosmetics screaming out the benefits of their natural ingredients enticing us to part with our hard earned pennies. As we strive for healthier looking skin and hair through the associated benefits of such naturals ingredients, the story seems incredibly plausible. However, while the discerning shopper may be super equipped to spot a paraben or a sulphate, how many of us really understand what's in our cosmetics.
As we search for answers to keep us staying young and beautiful, cosmetic companies heavily sell us the story of bio-actives, extracts,organics, botanics, herbal and the like. Yes, those lovely exotic ingredients, from far away shores with the potential to relieve all our problems and transform us into visions of loveliness.
As a manufacturer myself, I would like to share a few tips to help you make more informed choices.
These natural ingredients more often than not are processed so much that by the time they get to into your product,their potency has somewhat diminished if at all existent and bares very little resemblance to its original form.
Natural extracts need to be mixed with other chemicals, leached or masticated to be preserved. Often the preservatives used can be harsher than a regular synthetic product. Sometimes the extract will be preserved in oils and so avoid the heavy preservative.
Some natural ingredients such as clays can be also be unpredictable. Their potency and effectiveness can differ considerably, depending on a variety of growing conditions, such the soil and weather.
Finally always read your labels to see how high in the ingredients list your yummy ingredients feature. As a rule of thumb, I would say with any natural products worth its salt, if you can't grow or drink the first three ingredients, then maybe look somewhere else.
There is currently no definition of natural in the UK, so cosmetics only need to contain 1% of natural ingredients to be called natural. So try not to put all your focus on the marketing hype around the bamboo, yucca and shea butter, you may actually be buying a 99% synthetic product. Instead look for products which are certified or have listed their percentage of natural. That way you know you're getting value for money. However, beware there are many organisations stamping products as natural all with differing criteria. Help though is at hand for the consumer, with Ecocert working to unify certification. So hopefully, the minefield of natural ingredients will finally be more consumer friendly simplifying choices when what natural really means.
Follow Sonia Evelyn as she shares her knowledge as an expert writer in the field of afro hair and natural black hair care. To join the members forums, click Revealed: Black Hair Breakage and further reading at http://evelynproducts.com/
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