Back to nature – this motto is in everybody’s mind. We pay attention to organic goods, buy more in the farmer’s shop again instead of the discount store and try to avoid plastic waste. This does not only apply to food. Natural cosmetic is also becoming increasingly popular in the beauty industry. But what exactly is the difference to conventional products? How do they differ in their effect? And is it always better than synthetic or chemical products? We shed light on the dark of the ingredients.
Conventional cosmetics vs. natural cosmetics – what is the difference?
The main difference between conventional and natural cosmetics is actually explained by the name alone. In contrast to conventional serums, soaps, shampoos and co., which also work with synthetic raw materials, natural cosmetics may only contain natural substances. In addition, it must be produced and processed in an environmentally friendly way.
Oil-based ingredients, silicones and artificial fats or waxes are just as taboo as synthetic fragrances or preservatives and genetic engineering. In addition, natural cosmetic is often vegan and certified organic. However, both are not a must. There are certainly natural cosmetics that contain animal raw materials such as lanolin or beeswax.
Among the common ingredients of conventional cosmetics are:
- Parabens
- Paraffins
- Silicones
- Polyethylene glycol (PEG)
- Mineral oil-based substances
- Synthetic fragrances and preservatives
Natural cosmetics are mostly based on:
- Essential and natural oils (e.g. olive, avocado or soybean oil)
- Herbal extracts
- Fragrances on a natural basis
- Blossom water
- Beeswax
- Fats (e.g. cocoa and shea butter or coconut fat)
In order to recognize whether a product is a natural cosmetic, you as a customer do not have to decode long ingredient information in front of the drugstore shelf. Most natural cosmetic products are labelled with certification labels such as EcoCert, BDIH, NaTrue or Demeter, which make them recognisable as such at first glance.
Synthetic (chemical) vs. natural – which ingredients are better?
Natural cosmetics are particularly popular with allergy sufferers, as the natural ingredients often appear to be better tolerated by sensitive skin. Especially synthetic fragrances and preservatives have a bad reputation. But it is also a fact that natural fragrances are generally not less allergenic than synthetically produced ones. They may also cause redness, itching or skin rashes as just because something is of natural origin it does not automatically mean that it is good.
If you look at the ingredients of blueberries, this fruit too is ultimately made up of chemicals. Everything on this earth consists of chemistry. This means that the distinction between synthetic or chemical vs. natural is actually not correct.
Wolfsbane is a plant that already shows its toxic potential on contact with the skin. During prolonged exposure, the sensation turns into paralysis and if taken, depending on the dose, it can paralyse the upper respiratory muscles, cause cardiac arrhythmia and lead to death. An example that shows that natural does not automatically mean: good for people.
INCI
It is much more important to test cosmetics for harmful rather than chemical or natural ingredients. For this purpose the so-called “International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredients” – INCI for short – is helpful. The INCI system is an international guideline for the correct declaration of ingredients in cosmetic products.
Two platforms we use in relation to the analysis of INCIs are Hautschutzengel and Codecheck. There you can quickly see which ingredients are of concern and why they should not be included in cosmetics. But here again – not every body reacts equally sensitive to the ingredients.
Therefore, it is important to try them out and pay attention to quality and effect when buying. Because one thing is clear: There is a reason why natural cosmetic products often have a higher price than conventional cosmetics. Pure, high-quality ingredients are more expensive and the production processes are more complex. But this is not only true for natural cosmetics. Products from beauty labels that use both synthetic and natural ingredients of the highest quality and effect also have their – justified, higher – price. If possible, this should not be the top criterion when choosing a cosmetic product, nor should the question of whether it is natural or conventional cosmetics. The best effect for your individual skin needs and the highest quality raw materials are what counts.
Konsens® has consciously chosen a mixture of natural and synthetically produced ingredients for its product range. Because sustainability and the use of individual active ingredients that are not of purely natural origin are not contradictory. The innovative formulations of Konsens® creams and serums are the result of many years of experience in the fields of chemistry, medicine and cosmetics. Konsens® is always on the lookout for extraordinary and effective but skin-compatible ingredients, which are then processed into exclusive cosmetics using the latest technologies in a high-tech laboratory. No raw material is too precious for Konsens®.
Biotechnology is the magic word. How do biotechnologically produced cosmetics work?
Biotechnologically, bioactive molecules can be produced and optimized, which enable novel skin care effects. In other words: biotechnology makes plant raw materials usable for the production of cosmetics that would not have been possible using traditional methods.
This is because natural substances from bacteria and fungi, for example, are true anti-aging wonders: they reduce oxidative stress, have antioxidative properties, act as radical scavengers, activate the microcirculation of cells and improve their supply of nutrients and oxygen.
For example, it is also thanks to biotechnology that the anti-aging miracle product hyaluron is not only available in animal form, but also as “vegetarian hyaluronic acid”. In the past, the moisturising magnet was obtained exclusively from animal materials, especially chicken combs. Today, a biotechnological process makes it possible to ferment proteins from yeast in a bacterial way. The “vegetarian hyaluronic acid” obtained from it, which is also used in various forms in the “Hyaluronic Anti Age Serum” and the “Oil Control Serum” by Konsens® to combat wrinkles and dryness, is filtered several times and is therefore not only much purer and therefore much better tolerated by allergy sufferers than hyaluron of animal origin, but is also even more effective, as the molecular weight of the hyaluronic acid increases as a result of the process.
Quality cosmetics, which are created from highly effective active ingredients and the latest technologies thanks to many years of experience. This is exactly what the founders of Konsens® strive for: to meet the highest demands of the customers and to do so in harmony with the environment and themselves.