Aging is a natural process that brings good things like wisdom and experience. It can also bring changes to your skin and hair. How you care for your aging skin to look and feel your best is a personal choice — and choice is the right word! Beauty aisles are chock-full of anti-aging skincare products. Many new products boast labels like “natural skincare” or “clean skincare.”
Understanding what those labels mean can help you incorporate natural skincare and select the best anti-aging products for your skincare routine.
What Is Natural Skincare?
The phrases “natural skincare” and “clean skincare” don’t have standard definitions. Both are marketing terms, not scientific terms. Skincare companies have a lot of latitude in determining what’s natural enough to be labeled as such.
Some labels in natural skincare are self-explanatory. For example, cruelty-free means the product wasn’t tested on animals, and vegan means it doesn’t contain any animal products. Looking at labels lets you make more informed choices about the skincare products you use.
Here are a few other labels commonly seen on natural skincare products.
Free From Key Ingredients
Certain ingredients used in cosmetics cause concern because of potential health issues. Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), parabens, and phthalates are considered hormone disruptors and have been linked to fertility issues and some cancers. Removing these ingredients from formulas is one common trend among natural beauty brands.1
Responsibly Sourced
Some brands focus on using ingredients that can be collected and processed with minimal damage to the environment. One eco-friendly ingredient is petrolatum or petroleum jelly — a gooey substance that’s a byproduct of petroleum processing.2 It’s a common ingredient in personal care products.
Petroleum jelly doesn’t cause health issues, but it does increase demand for petroleum, raising environmental concerns. Major natural skincare brands like Burt’s Bees have ditched petrolatum.3 Other brands try to reduce packaging waste by using refillable containers or bottles made from recycled materials.
Organic
The term organic has a clear definition, but its interpretation may vary depending on how it’s used. In personal care products, organic refers to how plant-based ingredients are produced. To be organic, they must be free of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, or other chemicals.
A skincare product with the USDA Organic Seal is made with at least 95% organic agricultural ingredients. If it’s labeled “Made with organic ingredients,” the product must be made with at least 70% organic ingredients.4
What About Anti-Aging Ingredients?
Many of the active ingredients in the best anti-aging treatments are derived from naturally occurring substances, such as:5
- Retinoids and retinol are wrinkle-reducing ingredients that come from vitamin A.
- Vitamin C is used for skin clarity and fading dark spots.
- Peptides are groups of amino acids that promote the production of proteins like collagen.
- Ceramides are fats found beneath the skin.
- Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) are found in fruits and dairy products, and they promote cell turnover.
However, even if anti-aging ingredients come from natural sources, they don’t grow on trees. The cosmetic-grade versions of these ingredients are synthetic, meaning they are made in labs. They’re FDA-approved, safe, and effective, but it would be a stretch to consider them natural.
Natural Anti-Aging Skin Care
If you want effective anti-aging products, it’s a foregone conclusion that some of the ingredients will come from non-natural processes. This doesn’t mean the ingredients will harm your health or the earth. You can find eco-friendly skincare brands that use safe, natural ingredients and effective anti-aging elements. Popular brands include:
- Farmacy Beauty: Farmacy boasts “advanced science-based skincare formulations combined with real, farm-sourced ingredients raised in nature.” It offers a full line of products that target fine lines and wrinkles.
- Biossance: This line started with science when the founders developed a “skin-identical hydrating molecule (squalane) made from sustainable fermented sugarcane.” That ingredient formed the basis of their complete skincare line, including anti-aging products.
- Supergoop!: Supergoop! started as a clean sunscreen line and has expanded to include skincare that features SPF — because sun protection is still one of the best anti-aging tools.
To learn more about anti-aging skincare, keep reading helpful articles on My Skincare Routine.
SOURCES:
1. Cleveland Clinic: “Are Natural Skin Care Products Actually Better for Your Skin?“
2. Campaign for Safe Cosmetics: “Petrolatum, Petroleum Jelly.”
3. Dermatology Times: “The State of Natural Skincare.“
4. Cleveland Clinic: “Are Natural Skin Care Products Actually Better for Your Skin?“
5. WebMD: “Best Anti-Aging Skin Care Ingredients.“