The Benefits of Organic Beauty Products
Whether you’re hoping to improve your skin with clean, natural products or make your makeup bag kinder to the planet, organic cosmetics are a fantastic place to start.
To celebrate Organic September 2023, the natural beauty experts at The Organic Pharmacy have explained the benefits and importance of switching to naturally derived, pesticide-free cosmetics.
They’re better for the planet
Regulations and laws may differ between countries, but the essence of organic farming is to use no artificial fertilisers or pesticides when growing fresh produce. Due to these key differences between organic and mainstream processes, organic farming uses far less energy and produces less waste. In fact, if all of Europe’s farmland adopted organic methods, our agricultural emissions could drop by 40-50% by 2050 (Soil Association). This is partly due to standard chemical fertilisers being made by burning fossil fuels, but also because healthy soil with natural fertilisers traps much more carbon from the atmosphere.
Using compost or manure and practicing better crop rotation means that organic farming increases biodiversity, allowing more insects and small animals to contribute to food chains and the wider ecosystem. Not only this, but as cosmetics ultimately end up down the sink (either as makeup removed every day or as shower or bath products), most organic alternatives are also absorbed more safely into the natural sources they came from.
Opting for food and cosmetics made with natural, organically grown ingredients is therefore an effective way to improve your carbon footprint and environmental impact, simply by switching up your buying habits. This is a great place to start when looking for practical, everyday actions we can take to become greener.
They’re better for your skin
Especially with external factors like air pollution on the rise, detoxifying our bodies and removing impurities from our skin has never been so important. This is particularly important for those living in cities or other built-up areas with heavy traffic and bustling streets. Pollution — as well as UV exposure, smoking, and poor diet — can increase the number of free radicals in our system, which are unstable molecules that cause oxidative stress, inflammation, and even contribute to cancer in our skin.
These environmental and lifestyle factors tend to be reflected by our skin health, so it’s crucial that we combat free radicals and reduce our body’s toxic load. Avoiding beauty products with artificial chemicals like parabens, sulphates, and formaldehyde preservatives can reduce our skin’s toxic load in the first place, and adding organic cosmetics packed with natural antioxidants can clear the skin of impurities even more efficiently. These antioxidants include vitamin C, polyphenols, and retinol, which can all be found in ingredients like oranges, goji berries, green tea, and rosehips, just to name a few. Opting for more natural skincare and makeup enriched with these organically grown powerhouses can therefore be part of an effective, holistic approach to your face and body.
They stand the test of time
One clear argument for using natural, organic products is that they have stood the test of time. Some fruits, vegetables, and herbs have been used for hundreds or even thousands of years as natural remedies, whether that be as medicine or in an early form of cosmetics. Dating back from ancient civilisations in Egypt, Greece, and Rome, there are a huge array of naturally derived ingredients that were found to soothe, rejuvenate, and repair the body very effectively.
Early records show that we used plant extracts like olive, sesame, or hemp oil, animal products like milk, honey, and beeswax, and even marine ingredients like seaweed and algae for their beneficial properties. And, of course, these ingredients would have been farmed organically up until the days of the industrial revolution and modern advancements in the 19th and 20th centuries (Nature’s Path). This meant they were unencumbered by forced, out of season farming with artificial pesticides, and instead grown naturally, locally, and seasonally. Getting back to these conditions is therefore a great way to overhaul your beauty regime and get the most out of powerful, naturally derived ingredients that have been used over generations.
“Switching to organic ingredients isn’t just beneficial in terms of your diet: these naturally derived, chemical-free beauty products can enrich your skin, hair, and general wellbeing too. Makeup and skincare products made with artificial chemicals, parabens, and sulphates can all add to your body’s toxic load, which may already be heightened by external factors like air pollution, smoking, or UV exposure.
“This Organic September, get back to nature by investing in clean, gentle beauty products that not only look good, but are packed with powerful antioxidants. Ingredients produced by organic farming are kinder to the environment, meaning that you can reduce the carbon footprint of your makeup bag while also benefitting from plants, fruits, and herbs that have been used as natural remedies for centuries.”- Margo Marrone, co-founder of The Organic Pharmacy
The Editor’s Beauty Edit of cULT Organic Beauty Products
THE ORGANIC PHARMACY Niacinamide Ultra 5 Serum £95.00
This supercharged serum rapidly quickly became a beauty must have when it launched earlier this year. Supercharged with 5% Niacinamide, Triple Molecular Hyaluronic Acid, Stabilised Vitamin C, Bakuchiol and Organic Rose Water it’s the ultimate all rounder, smoothing wrinkles, repairing the skin barrier, brightening, reducing redness and even the visibility of pores.
WELEDA Skin Food Cleansing Balm £12.95
Weleda’s Skin Food range has developed some what of a cult following and their Nourishing Cleansing Balm hits all the right marks. Melting away daily dirt, makeup and impurities, its gentle creamy milk formula enriched with organic sunflower seed oil and chamomile, nourishes and hydrates the skin to leaving skin looking plump with moisture. Top tip. Leave for 10 minters as a mask before cleaning for extra hydration.
VINTNER'S DAUGHTER Active Botanical Serum £180
The ultimate in luxurious face oils. Formulated using 22 of the world’s most nutrient-rich botanicals, which have been infused over a 21-day process in order to achieve the highest potency, this Active Botanical Serum effectively address a broad range of skin concerns, from pigmentation to dryness and skin ageing.
EVEREDEN Golden Belly Serum £33
Packed with so many nourishing ingredients, if anything is going to keep the stretch marks at bay its Evereden’s Golden Belly Serum. Containing centella asiatica extract, rich in amino and fatty acids, it nor only helps to reduces the appearance of stretch marks but activated passion fruit oil works like a peptide to stimulate collagen growth, boost elasticity and strengthen skin, whilst organic rosehip oil add deep hydration keeping, to sooth skin and reducing and stretch induced itching.
RMS BEAUTY Luminizer £39.00
Enhances the skins natural glow without the worry of any nasties. Non sticky, greasy or glittery, the Rms luminizer instantly adds life to the face, for a lit from within glow. Highlight cheekbones, brow bones, inner corners of eyes and cupid’s bow..
BAMBFORD B Silent Organic Body Oil £44
Relax and regenerate with Bamford’s Organic scented Body Oil, designed to ease feelings of anxiety while promoting deep relaxation.
Helping to promote better-quality sleep, its blend of aromatherapeutic essential oils inducing St John’s wort, Lavender and Chamomile, with nourishing oils such as coconut, sunflower and sesame seed will leave you mind feeling rested and your body nourished.
KORA ORGANICS Noni Bright Vitamin C Serum £66
One of the few celebrities to produce a skincare that beauty editor’s actually love, Miranda Kerr’s KORA Organics is a cruelty-free, certified organic and natural brand that produces results. Created with consultants in microbiology, aromatherapy and organic chemistry, her awarding winning Noni Bright Vitamin C Serum features a blend of noni extract, rosehip oil, sea buckthorn oil and green tea to detoxify, nourish and revitalise your skin.
Nuxe's multi-award winning Huile Prodigieuse has been crafted from 100% natural origin ingredients (88% of which are processed from organic farming) to create an indulgent cocktail of plant derived oils to nourish and replenish as you sleep. Blend with the likes of avocado, jojoba, macadamia and sesame oils, to infuse your skin with fatty acids whilst protecting against free radicals, skin is left rejuvenated and radiant.
AXIOLOGY Lid To Lips Balmies £14
A great allrounder, Axiology Lid To Lips Balmies are vegan multi use crayons made using 10 ingredients less. Leaving a lightweight feel, these blendable, vegan mini crayons that can be used on eyes, lips and cheeks , also come packed in sustainable plastic free packaging.
Not just for sunny days SPF is a beauty essential. SPF30 Organic Coola Classic Sunscreen Spray Tropical Coconut, is a refreshing lightweight, ultra-shear sunscreen to help protect the skin from the ageing effects of the sun all year round.
