Today we’re going to put the spotlight on why choosing natural over mainstream skincare is a better option for you. It may seem daring (a step out of your comfort zone). We may leave you awestruck. We may even turn your head sideways with some facts illuminated below. That’s okay. We’re here to be the whistleblowers on traditional, mainstream products, and help ensure you’re using products that are as good for you as the results they give. Turns out 40-50% of women have moved to using exclusively natural skincare on their faces, so maybe it’s time for you to consider doing the same.
They’re (Often) Furry Friend Friendly -- Cruelty-Free Is The Way To Go
It is still a shock to us that, after all this time, animal testing remains a part of the mainstream skincare industry (seriously, just yikes). There are any number of companies that continue to use animals as their experimental subjects to see if products are safe before testing them on humans, and still others who claim to be cruelty-free while selling their products in countries that require animal testing (we’re looking at you, China).
We’re not about that, and luckily neither are most natural skincare brands. Most natural brands work to ensure the safety of our furry friends by insisting their products be cruelty-free and even offering vegan options.
If making sure that animals are treated fairly and ethically is up your alley (which hello, it should be!) then this is just one of many reasons natural skincare is better.
They’re Safer For The Environment
Thanks to the carbon emissions (and countless other chemical nasties) we’ve polluted the world with since the industrial revolution, things have gotten scary on our planet of late. Climate change isn’t a thing to be taken lightly, and many producers of natural skincare realize this. That’s why, if you look for them, you can find brands out there who embrace the “Farm To Face” approach to skincare production.
The reason is simple: whenever and wherever we see an opportunity to minimize the impact of manufacturing on the planet, we want to. This means (among other things) taking harmful pesticides and fertilizers that poison pollinators, soil, and groundwater out of the equation.
Here at 10 Degrees Cooler, we make sure that our products contain the highest grade, most ethically-sourced ingredients available (e.g. our 07 Reviving Eye Serum which is made with 100% certified organic beauties like Camellia and Prickly Pear Oils).
They’re Way More Gentle To Your Skin
Is there anything more annoying than trying to use products to quell skin issues only to have them agitate them even more? For those of you with sensitive skin or chronic skin conditions, we’re sure you’ve encountered this problem before. You use what your dermatologist prescribed only to see no results, few results, or (worst of all) bad results.
Well, the thing is, most mainstream products contain strong ingredients like benzoyl peroxide or sodium lauryl sulfate which irritate the skin’s barrier. The result? Worsening symptoms.
In fact, in one study on rosacea patients it was determined that a natural skincare ritual was far superior to a traditional, dermatologist-prescribed one. It improved the skin’s appearance by 32% compared with a 12% improvement from a traditional routine.
They’re Not Chemically Harmful
When it comes to regulation of chemicals added to skincare, it’s pretty much still the wild west here in the United States. The FDA doesn’t ban nearly as many potentially harmful ingredients from personal care products as does Europe. While the EU has an impressive list of over 1300 chemicals that can’t be used in consumer goods, the United States has a mere 11. That’s right, you read that correctly, fewer than a dozen.
If this makes your skin crawl as it does ours, then this is one more reason natural skincare is will appear the better option for you. The transparency (to say nothing of comprehensibility) of plant-based goods’ labels far exceeds that of mainstream ones.
To get you up to speed on some of the chemicals that are prevalent in mainstream skincare (but not in ours!) and their possible effects, see below for 3 of the most common enemies:
Phthalates: Chemical additives that act as solvent agents to products. They’re known to do everything from disrupt the body’s natural hormonal balance to increasing asthma levels in children.
Petroleum: Yep, as in oil. Petroleum is used as an artificial emollient (meant to make your skin smooth and hydrated). The only problem is your body isn’t a machine, and pumping oil-based ingredients into it can cause long-term damage to key organs.
Parabens: You know those fragrances that you’d get from your local mall growing up? The really artificial floral ones? Chances are the scent came from parabens, a.k.a. added “fragrance”. They have been shown to mess with hormonal balances in both men and women.
Our advice? Avoid these at all costs and use products with easily comprehensible ingredients labels.
They’re Naturally Hypoallergenic
Our final point on why natural skincare is best is that it rarely exacerbates common allergies. Since most of the ingredients found on plant-based skincare labels are a) identifiable and b) naturally-sourced, it makes it far easier to know if something will cause an allergic reaction than with mainstream products.
There’s no longer a need to guess what’s inside, you can literally read, research, and say “Ah, this is for me!” or “Oh it has that? I’m allergic! Pass!”.
Transparency in natural skincare promotes knowledge. It’s the thing we will always love about it and something we’re proud of.
Now that you’re well-versed on all the amazing benefits of natural over mainstream skincare, we hope you’re ready to dive in and try it out for yourself!
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