What is Natural Skincare? Why Does It Matter?
Stock Image of Chemist in Lab.
Why Should I Care About “Clean” Skincare?
About 62% of women have a skincare routine. That means 62% of women could unknowingly be using harmful or potentially harmful products on their bodies. Credo Beauty has published a thorough ‘Dirty List’ that lets consumers know of ingredients they do not allow in products they sell. The list, last updated in July of 2022, contains over 20 ingredients that are NOT considered safe for our bodies or the environment, though you may often see them in popular brands’ products. Many of these ingredients are found to be linked to cancer, hormone disruption, or found to be straight-up irritating to your skin. The worst part is not only are you putting these ingredients on your body, but you’re also putting them into your body through skin absorption.
Before we continue, at the risk of fear-mongering, it should be clarified that using products that contain these potentially harmful and ‘dirty’ ingredients will not instantly make you unwell or cause cancer - I think we’d all be well aware by now if that was the case. With that being said, the risk of using these ingredients repeatedly and for long periods of time, (I’ve been using cosmetics for over thirteen years now), doesn’t seem worth it! Why should anyone be okay with putting things that might harm us in the future or could potentially be harming us now on our sacred bodies? Beauty isn’t worth health. I know I want to look my best for the rest of my days, and I don’t mind spending a pretty penny to do so, but if it costs me my health, that’s a price I’m not willing to pay.
What’s in these products?
The European Chemicals Agency has banned over 1,500 ingredients from being used in cosmetics across the EU due to potential health and environmental harms. However, the United States has not gone as far to improve the cosmetics industry or to really regulate it at all. In fact, the US has only banned/restricted eleven substances from use in cosmetics, and according to CBS News, the newest one to be banned was more than thirty years ago. One of the banned ingredients on the European list, cyclotetrasiloxane, is suspected of harming fertility and has long-lasting negative effects on aquatic life, yet you can still find it in many beauty products from popular brands in the US (link). Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like regulatory bodies like the FDA care too much about consumer health or our environment, so it’s up to us to be more mindful and knowledgeable about the products we’re using.
To make this easier on our customers, Metsä Cosmetics is working on publishing a page dedicated to all of our ingredients - what they are, where they come from, and why they are necessary for our formulas. We value transparency and believe it’s our duty to uphold these standards. You can subscribe to our mailing list to be notified when the page is live, for now, you can find all our ingredients located on product packaging and on their respective web pages.
You can find other companies’ clean/safe ingredient lists here: (Sephora, Ulta, Beat the Microbead).
Why are companies still using these harmful ingredients?
To keep it short and simple: it’s because they can. As mentioned above, the US cosmetics industry has incredibly lax regulations compared to those in the EU and Canada. Speaking from personal opinion, I believe companies can be filed into one of two categories. Category 1: They understand the potential risks/damage the ingredients can cause but don’t deem the risk high enough, or deem the benefits to aesthetics more valuable than potential health risks. I would also include companies that expect consumers to be knowledgeable on these kinds of topics and thus, be capable of making informed decisions regarding whether or not they want to use the controversial ingredients. However, this leads to the wider issue of a general lack of public awareness surrounding the controversy of said ingredients. Category 2: They simply don’t care; it’s all worth it because the product sells and/or the ingredient is a cheaper alternative to something safer. You should bear in mind category two when companies use the term ‘fragrance’ on their ingredients lists, rather than explicitly listing the chemicals. The FDA defines fragrance as a mixture of chemicals that give a distinct scent - these ‘fragrances’ can be derived from petroleum, animal and synthetic musks, and even formaldehyde. Yes, you read that correctly.
We must understand that science is always progressing, what was deemed safe fifty years ago, might not be considered safe today - think lead or tobacco for starters - testing techniques improve, new information is discovered, long-term issues have been measured, etc. I don’t believe every company that uses or has used ‘dirty’ ingredients in products are doing so to harm customers, but I do believe companies that don’t do research, or choose to ignore it and put the general health of their customers last, aren’t great companies nor business practices I want to support. Once again, it’s up to consumers to educate themselves and make educated choices about what they are putting in and on their bodies. Because the US cosmetics industry has such a lack of legislation, we must take extra time and effort to thoroughly ensure our goods do not contain these ‘dirty’ ingredients. I can’t count how much time I’ve wasted reading the small print or googling an ingredient I don't recognize when in reality - it just shouldn’t be in there or the packaging should have an officially recognized logo to guarantee the product’s safety. To make your voice heard on this matter, you can visit the Environmental Working Group’s page here and sign petitions that speak to you.
What ingredients are in natural & clean formulas? Do they work?
The term ‘natural skincare’ is of course unregulated, therefore is technically undefined; anyone can call any cosmetic product ‘natural’. Some deem cosmetics ‘natural’ if every ingredient is directly produced in nature, ex: botanical extracts & fruit oils. Others consider a product natural when it has ingredients found in nature and/or naturally derived - this is the definition we at Metsä Cosmetics follow. Naturally derived means that the ingredient’s starting material was from nature, a plant, mineral, etc. A naturally derived ingredient could also mean a non-vegan ingredient, however, not to worry we are a vegan and cruelty-free company and will stay that way.
Research is limited, but fruit extracts, such as Bearberry extract (found in our Forest Preserve Cream & Winter Meadow Body Lotion) have shown evidence of minimising dark spots and brightening the skin. Another ingredient such as Lactobacillus Ferment is a natural fermenting ingredient traditionally used in yogurt, kimchi, and other fermented foods, but has been shown to have anti-microbial anti-inflammatory properties aiding in the reduction of skin redness and sensitivity. This ingredient is found in our Forest Preserve Cream and the Master Mushroom Elixir. Other natural ingredients can include, but are not limited to, aloe vera leaf, tea leaf extract, rice bran oil, and reishi mushrooms, all of which are used in Metsä’s Signature Formula collection and have been used in ancient beauty practices for centuries.
All things considered, should you run to your bathroom and throw out every single product you own? No. I haven’t even made my own cosmetics collection completely natural or safe yet. It would be a complete waste to chuck all the products I’ve purchased pre-cosmetics-education into the bin. However, it’s safe to say I will not be purchasing or using any more of these products once I finish the remainder I own, and I would encourage anyone else to do the same. Health and wellness are not about being perfect but about continuously growing, learning, and becoming better for ourselves and those around us, and part of that growth for me is re-evaluating and examining the products I’m using on myself and producing for others. It’s also about spreading information I’ve gathered to others in hopes of helping them on their journey to better health and a happier life.
You can use the EWG’s website here to search for ingredients or specific products and learn about their Hazard Score.
