Natural Ingredients vs Synthetic Ingredients in your Skin Care

In my treatment room I hear my clients confusion on what ingredients are "safe" and environmentally friendly.

To start, we must understand that ALL matter is made up of chemicals. This includes our own bodies, the furniture you’re sitting on, the trees outside, the air we breathe, and the water we drink (H2O = two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom). Next, whether a chemical is natural or synthetic does not determine toxicity or safety. In fact, some of the most toxic chemicals to humans are completely natural (for example, botulinum and tetanospasmin). Rather, it is “the dose that makes the poison” — a principle that applies to all chemical compounds whether natural or synthetic. For example, did you know that even water can be toxic when too much is consumed too quickly? Or that formaldehyde is naturally found in pears? However, no one is suggesting water or pears are toxic, unless consumed at a toxic dose. And finally, and perhaps most importantly, our bodies recognize and respond to chemical structure — not the origins of the chemical. According to Scientific American, “the chemical structure of a synthesized compound is exactly the same as the natural compound it is supposed to supplement, such as ascorbic acid, which is the primary form of Vitamin C. It will taste the same, smell the same, and it will function the same in your body.” Therefore, it is the appropriateness of the ingredient for the individual’s skin you are treating that matters — not whether that ingredient was naturally or synthetically produced. Now, for those of you that will ask: what about for environmental purposes? Aren’t natural ingredients better for the environment? Again, it’s not the simple answer we’d all like it to be. The truth is, it’s nuanced and depends on the individual ingredient and how it is produced. For example, is it environmentally sustainable to harvest or mine for the ingredient? What about farming practices, responsible land use, and transportation? The take away:. Neither synthetic nor natural ingredients as a whole are better or safer than the other. As always in skin care, it’s much more nuanced than that. Don't be fooled by the way a product is marketed. Talk with your esthetician to help you decide what products and ingredients are best for your skin.

Danise Loftis LE

SkinBalancebyDanise.com Sources: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/natural-vs-synthetic-chemicals-is-a-gray-matter/ https://toxedfoundation.org/all-natural-all-safe-everything-is-a-chemical/ http://www.compoundchem.com/2014/05/19/natural-vs-man-made-chemicals-dispelling-misconceptions/ https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/know-science/natural-doesnt-mean-better