Are Natural & Organic Ingredients Better for Your Skin?
Many people believe passionately that natural or organic ingredients are better for your skin but the truth is this belief has no factual basis or scientific legitimacy.
The surprising fact: There are lots of natural or organic ingredients that can be bad for skin! As Dr. Corey L. Hartman puts it, “Poison ivy [is all] natural and all bad!”
We don’t know for certain if it’s due to blissful denial or because they don’t know the research, but lots of cosmetic companies sell products with synthetic ingredients or natural ingredients that can be a problem for skin. Many products may even claim to be better or safer just because they’re completely natural or organic, but this may not make them suitable for skincare.
As there are many natural ingredients that are still beneficial for your skin, the trick is knowing which ones are helpful and which can harm skin.
Conversely, just because an ingredient is synthetic doesn't make it a problem for your skin. There are good and bad natural and synthetic ingredients alike, and the good ingredients can go a long way to enhancing your daily skincare routine.
Natural is as Natural Does
As mentioned, a large range of natural ingredients are exceptional for your skin, but the idea that they’re the "best" or only option for skincare is not good advice. When formulating products for Paula's Choice Skincare, Paula and her team only select natural ingredients with a proven track record of being beneficial for your skin. We avoid using problematic ones—no matter how natural or organic they are—because these aren’t doing your skin any favours.
Now that's natural skincare done right that the best cosmetics companies can follow.
We’re not the only ones concerned about the misguided notion that natural always means better for your skin, either. Dr. Linda M. Katz, director of the Food and Drug Administration's Office of Cosmetics and Colours stated that "consumers should not necessarily assume that an 'organic' or 'natural' ingredient or product would possess greater inherent safety than another chemically identical version of the same ingredient. In fact, 'natural' ingredients may be harder to preserve against… contamination and growth than synthetic versions."
Dr. Hartman adds, “not to mention that [‘natural’ and ‘organic’] are not carefully regulated and don’t have strict definitions. So when they are used in marketing skincare products, there is no generally agreed-upon standard that they must meet. The terms are just words that appeal to consumers”. Find out how you can better understand cosmetics ingredients labels to pick the right skincare products for your skin’s unique needs.
USDA Spokeswoman Joan Shaffer has also stated that "people should not interpret even the USDA Organic seal or any organic seal of approval on cosmetics as proof of health benefits or of efficacy. The National Organic Program is a marketing program, not a safety program. Chocolate cake may be natural and/or organic but that has no bearing on whether it is safe or nutritious to eat.”
Natural Ingredients: The Bad
Many natural or organic ingredients used in skincare products can cause significant skin sensitivities that build up over time. Some of them can also be harsh and abrasive on skin, or even trigger an allergic reaction. None of that is good for you, so it’s important you know what to avoid so you can take the best possible care of your skin.
Skin-irritating ingredients of any kind (whether natural or synthetic) cause all aspects of your skin to break down and become impaired. Ongoing use of irritating ingredients interrupts your skin’s ability to renew and maintain its natural shape, and significantly diminishes its ability to defend itself from environmental damage.
This is especially true of fragrance ingredients that often go under the misleading category of essential oils.
All fragrance, whether synthetic or natural, causes trouble for your skin. Essential oils may be good for your nose, but they’re a serious problem for your skin. We’re often shocked and dismayed at how many natural products are little more than eau de cologne dressed up as a moisturizer, lotion, serum, or toner. What's particularly troubling is the fact that your skin is very good at hiding that it’s sensitised. Just because you're using a product with problematic ingredients but not seeing any signs of surface irritation doesn't mean it's not taking place where you can’t see it.
All of the following common natural ingredients can be a problem for the skin in one way or the other. For example, even though vitamin C skincare and citrus ingredients share common origins, applying citrus directly to your skin can enhance the sun’s negative impact because they’re not properly formulated for safe topical use. While many of these ingredients do have beneficial properties (like antioxidant compounds), they also come with negative ones that can outweigh the benefits. Plus, there are plenty of other natural ingredients that give your skin only the positives and none of the negatives. Those are the only ones that should be in your skincare products!
These natural ingredients shouldn’t ever be in your skincare products:
- Alcohol
- Allspice
- Almond extract
- Angelica
- Arnica
- Balm mint oil
- Balsam
- Basil
- Bergamot
- Cinnamon
- Citrus juices or oils
- Clove
- Clover blossom
- Coriander oil
- Cottonseed oil
- Cypress
- Fennel
- Fir needle
- Geranium oil
- Grapefruit
- Ground up nuts
- Horsetail
- Lavender oil
- Lemon
- Lemon balm
- Lemongrass
- Lime
- Marjoram
- Oak bark
- Papaya
- Peppermint
- Rose
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Thyme
- Witch hazel
- Wintergreen
- Ylang ylang
Natural Ingredients: The Good
Since the list of problematic natural ingredients is so long, you may be wondering what are the best natural ingredients for skin. There are many! Here are the top ones that have only beneficial properties and none of the bad:
- Clays
- Chamomile
- Bisabolol
- Seaweed
- Kaolin
- Amino acids
- Ceramides
- Hyaluronic acid
- Grapes
- Green tea
- Chocolate
- Licorice
- Oats
- Soy
- Willow Herb
- Coconut oil
- Safflower oil
- Canola oil
- Shea butter
- Honey
- Mica
- Olive oil
- Sunflower oil
- Argan oil
- Carnauba wax
- Meadowfoam
- Rice bran oil
- Turmeric
- Rosa canina fruit oil
- Palm oil
- Omega fatty acids
- Corn oil
- Glycerin
- Lecithin
- Aloe vera
- Jojoba oil
- Pomegranate
- Algae extracts
- Sea whip extract
- Feverfew extract
- Bearberry
- Mulberry
- White tea
- Cocoa butter
- Sesame oil
- Borage oil
- Ubiquinone
- Acai oil
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin B3
- Goji berry
- Coffeeberry extract
- Evening Primrose oil
- Tamanu oil
- Curcumins
- Silybum marianum extract
Packaging Matters!
Lastly, keep in mind that with natural skincare ingredients, packaging really, really matters! Think of how long a head of lettuce lasts in your refrigerator and you'll get an idea of how the wrong type of packaging (such as jars or clear bottles) will cause natural ingredients to break down. This occurs from repeated exposure to light and air and contamination from repeatedly scooping out the product with your fingers.
Dr. Hartman notes that “this oxidation can lead to instability, discolouration and inactivation of the active ingredients in your skincare products”. Be sure to look for opaque, non-jar packaging that minimises exposure to the elements. Then you’ll be getting the most benefit from the natural and organic ingredients that can truly help you get (and keep) the skin you want.
Shop natural ingredient skincare products online for softer, smoother, healthy-looking skin with Paula’s Choice SG.
References for This Information
- JAMA Dermatology, September 2019, ePublication
- Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, October 16, volume 80, pages 226-32
- Contact Dermatitis, September 2016, issue 3, pages 129-143; October 2013, issue 4, pages 196-230; and February 2014, issue 2, pages 90-97
- Acta-Demato Venerology, June 2016, issue 5, pages 679-683
- Annals of Emergency Medicine, April 2016, issue 4, pages 554-556
- Cutis, October 2015, issue 4, pages 269-274
- Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences, December 11, issue 1, pages 199-206
- Food Chemistry and Toxicology, February 2011, issue 2, pages 324-341
- The New York Times, “Natural, Organic Beauty”, 1 November 2007
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, “National Organic Program”, 2025
