“The richness I achieve comes from nature, the source of my inspiration.” -Claude Monet

In the beauty industry there are constantly new formulations and ingredients on the market. In the last 10 years, the biggest new influence in the industry is the influx of natural or botanical products. As we are becoming a more environmentally aware world, consumers are wanting to get back to nature to truly find out what it has to offer.

Naturally derived products were the origin of cosmetics (think back to Cleopatra lathering her face and hair in olive oil every day and taking milk baths), yet it is only in recent times that we have come back to this and moved away from the once scientific focus. With the introduction of these natural and botanical products, specialized companies have been appearing throughout department stores all over the world to fulfill this consumer demand.

These products tout many things including, organic, 100% natural and botanical which gets consumers believing that what they are buying is going to be better for their skin as well as helping the environment. What many aren’t aware of is that although many love the feel and smell of these products, there can be draw backs. Here is a list of the positives and negatives of natural and botanical products for you to consider next time you’re looking to try something new.

Positives:
They smell heavenly
They focus on the basic necessities of skin care without all the added marketing hype of anti-aging, skin lightening, etc.
They are better for the environment with some companies such as Cargo even encasing their products in environmentally friendly packaging.
Some people find they react better with their skin than chemical based products.
They are generally cheaper as they don’t have expensive ‘fillers’ that take a lot of time and money because of the scientific research needed.

Negatives:
· They don’t have as long a shelf life as there are little or no preservatives (many even need refrigeration)
· Many naturally derived extracts, such as lavender, are irritants to the skin. Many people believe that just because a product is natural, it won’t irritate the skin, but this is not true.

As with any product there is always going to be positives and negatives to it’s benefits. When it comes to choosing between chemical or botanical based products, it mostly comes down to personal preference. Some consumers like the idea that hours and hours of research has bee conducted in a lab and their product contains every new anti-aging ingredient possible (whether it works or not!). Others prefer their cosmetics to provide them with a holistic experience and are more focused on the smell of the product and the idea that it is derived from nature in all its beauty. It is worth trying products from both these sources to make your own decision, yet be aware that no matter the origin of the product, there is still the possibility that you may have an adverse reaction. As with most products, try on your jaw line and neck for three days to see how your skin responds.

If you are interested in trying some of the natural and botanical products available, here are the leading brands to look out for; Aesop, Jurlique, Est., Natural Instincts, Dr.Hauschka, Aveda and L’Occitane. If you have read my articles in the past, you’ll be aware that I personally love natural products as I find the experience of putting on and removing them refreshing and luxurious and a process I look forward to morning and night. So if you have the tendency to be a little slack with your beauty routine, maybe try finding some products that you truly love, and you’ll be more inclined to stick with it.