Natural skin treatments are becoming increasingly popular according to recent surveys. They still account for a very small percentage of the total annual revenue for the cosmetic industry. But, at least the numbers are growing.
That’s the up side. The down side is that the increased popularity has caused an increase in the number of companies that claim to provide these products. If you know anything about cosmetic ingredients, you realize that some of them don’t know what they are doing. All you have to do is read the label of ingredients to see that.
The purpose of using only naturally-occurring ingredients on our bodies is to reduce our risk of allergic reactions and reduce our total exposure to toxins. Some environmental toxins cannot be avoided. We would have to stop eating, drinking and breathing in order to avoid them all. But, we can avoid health and beauty aids that contain toxins.
Allergic reactions can be caused by naturally occurring compounds. They are usually caused by exposure to artificial preservatives and added fragrances. It is the naturally occurring fragrances that are a big problem for many people.
The natural skin treatments that seem to be made by companies that “don’t have a clue” contain ingredients known as essential oils. The name is misleading. They are not actually oils.
They are distilled and concentrated plant fragrances. If you do a little of your own research, you can confirm what I am about to say. Essential oils should not be applied directly to the skin. They can cause redness, burning, itching and irritation; allergic reaction.
A tiny drop of an essential oil on your wrist or behind your ears would not be a problem. But, body lotion, facial cream and other natural skin treatments that cover a large area should not contain them.
If you are allergy-prone, you should test all new products on a very small area, before using it as directed. The only exception to this rule is when companies use only ingredients that cannot cause allergic reactions. I know at least one company that does that. I buy all of my skincare products from them.
On a more positive note, recent research has shown that many plant extracts and specific nutrients can help prevent the visible signs of aging and actually reverse them. Judging from the latest research, it’s a good idea to look for natural skin treatments containing coenzyme Q10, wakame kelp extracts and Functional Keratin.
Functional Keratin is a protein complex extracted from sheep’s wool. The processes used to complete the extraction are patented. Only a few companies have access to the ingredient. It has been described as something of an anti-aging miracle ingredient, because it stimulates collagen production, increases the skin’s antioxidant content and reduces inflammation.
Those are actually only a few of the benefits seen in clinical trials. You might see more if you start using some of the natural skin treatments containing the little miracle ingredient. It seems that people with more problems see the best results.
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