Natural beauty has taken the beauty industry by storm in the last few years, with the market size estimated at $34.12 billion in 2018. This is driven by the increasing demand for beauty products coupled with rising awareness about environmental conservation. Unfortunately, scientific research data have been twisted to mislead consumers into buying natural products when, in reality, “natural” means nothing. The term “natural” has no regulatory FDA backing. Therefore, just because something is “natural” does not mean it is safe to use. Natural beauty can, and often do, cause allergic reactions and irritations due to their excessive use of essential oils and avoidance of preservatives.
Most natural skin care products are latent with essential oils. While brands love to market the aromatic appeal of essential oils, they can be highly problematic to the skin. Essential oils are derived from plants and can be highly volatile to the skin. If your skin barrier is compromised, essential oils can further sensitize and irritate your skin. It should be noted that a compromised skin barrier is often not visible to the human eye. Just because you don’t see irritation or a reaction doesn’t mean that damage isn’t occurring beneath the surface. It is true that some essential oils provide some skin benefits. For example, rosemary, lemongrass, thyme, cinnamon, citronella and tea tree oils do have research showing them to be helpful for acne-prone skin. However, they have yet to be proven more effective than the gold-standard ingredient for acne, which is benzoyl peroxide. The slim benefits of essential oils do not outweigh the negative impact it has on the skin barrier.
The natural beauty industry regularly antagonizes the use of well-researched ingredients and preservatives such as parabens and propylene glycol, claiming that it is carcinogenic and dangerous. According to Breastcancer.org, parabens can cause breast cancer. This is simply untrue. Parabens are one of the most well-researched skincare preservatives and reported the safest preservative by the American Contact Dermatitis Society in 2019. Claims that parabens cause breast cancer is built on the understanding that parabens have a weak estrogenic effect in the body, and high estrogen levels are correlated with breast cancer. However, according to Harvard Medical School, there is no scientific proof that parabens can cause breast cancer. In 2017, Goop, which is founded by Gwyneth Paltrow, claimed that using products formulated with propylene glycol is akin to putting antifreeze on your face. Not only is this false, but it is also unsubstantiated by any scientific research. Propylene glycol is a synthetic liquid substance that absorbs water. In cosmetic products, it functions as a skin conditioning agent. The National Library of Medicine, backed by clinical studies, states that propylene glycol is a nontoxic and noncarcinogenic skincare ingredient.
The natural beauty industry, also known as clean beauty, spreads misinformation to monetize on ignorant consumers. Products that are supposedly “clean” or “natural” tend to cost more. This is dangerous because other beauty brands and suppliers are forced to abandon the use of well-researched ingredients for newer, less-researched ingredients to compete and meet the demands of consumers. What we end up with is an industry built on lies and ignorance.