Your Natural Shop

With so many different types of cosmetics to choose from on the market today, making the best choice for not only the optimal health of your skin, but for overall health and wellness can be confusing. Here at Your Natural Shop we would like to share a few tid-bits of information about natural cosmetics; what they are, how to identify them, and why they are a better healthier choice for the overall health of your skin and body.

WHAT IS NATURAL OR ORGANIC?
Many commercial cosmetic brands tout the word “natural” or “organic” when describing their products, but the question one would want to ask is, ‘what does that really mean and how truly natural or organic is the product?’ For many companies it is merely a marketing ploy to get you to buy the product. As a savvy consumer who only wants the best for your health and beauty regime, you may want to investigate a bit further. Reading labels is a start, but also important is in fully understanding the true meaning to catch-all terms such as natural or organic. If a company tells a story about how their product is all-natural, the ingredients will give away the plot – in this case it is OK to skip to the end of the book and research those ingredients. The word natural usually depicts ingredients that have not been synthetically created, using only that which comes directly from nature such as flowers, plants, herbs, fruits and nuts. Organic should indicate that the ingredients were grown without pesticides, herbicides, or chemicals.

HOW DO I IDENTIFY NATURAL COSMETIC PRODUCTS?
Today there are guidelines in place in using the word organic on labels regulated by the USDA’s National Organic Program. Look for the organic symbol which will tell you whether the product is certified organic or not - some organic symbols will tell you what percentage of organic ingredients are in the product, and from there you can discern if the product is best for you depending on what your standards are for buying pure and natural or organic cosmetics. We like this wonderfully delicious Raw Shea Butter Hand Cream made by Nubian Heritage for giving us that happy-hands-feeling keeping our skin soft and smooth with a calming and uplifting scented with natural essential oils -- you will see the “certified organic” symbol on the front of their packaging, and the ingredients are fully listed.

Keep in mind that not all company’s products are certified organic, nor do they use the words organic or natural on their labels, though their products are in fact truly organic or natural. If you are uncertain, write or call the company for validation, and again, the ingredient list will tell the story as well. For an all-natural facial cleanser, take a look at Burt’s Bees refreshing Orange Facial Wash which we adore for its appealing natural citrus scent and fresh cleansing action – their label states “100% natural” and their ingredient list validates this claim.

WHY CHOOSE NATURAL?
What we put on our skin not only affects the health of the external layers of the skin, but also your whole health in that your skin will absorb anything that is applied to it - be it lotions, oils, salves, or make-up. Even shampoo and conditioners will be absorbed from your scalp into your body and therefore, it is beneficial for your optimal health and well being to find products that are derived from natural sources such as plants, herbs, nut, flower or other types of natural oils, as well as vitamins, minerals and more. We like this invigorating Rosemary Mint and Tea Tree Shampoo from Beauty without Cruelty made of all-natural ingredients to help strengthen and condition your hair, leaving your scalp feeling all a-tingly and sure to liven up your morning routine. Or try this soothing French Chamomile with Sweet Orange and Lavender Hand and Body Lotion by Pangea Organics for a healthy and naturally-good feeling on your skin – it’s like a hug from nature.

In reading labels, you may see ingredients that you’ve no idea as to their safety or even what they are. Synthetic chemically derived ingredients are known to be detrimental to one’s health – our bodies cannot process or assimilate most chemicals effectively and they can build up in the system to cause damage on down the road. If you are concerned about the overall health and well-being of your skin and body, listed below are some known chemicals to watch out for and try to avoid.

From the Environmental Workers Group Shopper’s guide to Safe Cosmetics:

INGREDIENTS TO AVOID:

• DMDM hydantoin and Imidazolidinyl urea - toxic contaminants.
• Fragrance and dyes - allergies, cancer, nervous system.
• Methylchloroisothiazolinone and Methylisothiazolinone - allergies, nervous system.
• Parabens or “-paraben” - hormone effects.
• “PEG” and “-eth” - toxic contaminants.
• Sodium lauryl or laureth sulfate - skin damage, toxic contaminants.
• Triclosan and triclocarban - thyroid and environmental concerns.
• Triethanolamine (TEA) - allergies, toxic contaminants.

PRODUCTS TO AVOID:

• Anti-aging creams with lactic, glycolic, AHA, and BHA acids.
• Hair dyes with ammonia, peroxide, p-phenylenediamine, diaminobenzene; all dark permanent hair dyes.
• Liquid hand soaps with triclosan.
• Nail polish and removers with formaldehyde.
• Skin lighteners with hydroquinone.