Organic vs. Chemical Skincare Products: Which is Better for Your Body?

Clean beauty is the beauty trend in vogue right now, with beauty influencers touting the innumerable benefits of organic products for skin care.

There are hundreds, probably thousands, of beauty influencers flaunting their ‘all-organic’ beauty status. And, you’ve also probably seen tons of products lining the store shelves, often donning terms like ‘non-toxic,’ ‘pure and natural,’ and ‘100% Natural.’ Although this demand for organic skincare products has always been there, the sudden spike in adoption is transforming the beauty industry.

The global organic skincare market was pegged at $33,396 million in 2020. This number is expected to grow at a CAGR of a whopping 5.3% to reach $58,615 million between 2022 and 2031.

One of the main reasons for the eager adoption of organic products is an increase in awareness about the harmful effects of chemical/synthetic products and the long-term benefits of organic products.

Most of us choose organic options for a healthy lifestyle, but we seldom think about our skincare. We tend to forget that skincare is a part of self-care (a major part!), yet the tide is turning in favor of clean and organic skincare products.

The food we eat every day is broken down into body-building essentials absorbed by the body, and the toxins are flushed out. So, garbage in and garbage out works the same way here, too, on a computer system.

Think about the number of products we use on our skin for a minute. Everything we use, from moisturizers to cleansers, lotions to deodorants, scrubs to soaps, has a ton of chemicals. And, when these potent chemicals come in contact with your skin, you can only imagine the harm they can cause your sensitive skin. These chemicals, too, get absorbed, just like the way the food you eat gets ingested.

So, what we put on our skin matters. Although all the beauty care products listed here are crucial for healthy skin, the idea behind a happy and natural skin is to seek effective and reliable organic alternatives for your skincare products.

What are Organic Products?

Organic skincare refers to products made using natural ingredients – without harmful chemicals / synthetic elements.

For a product to be considered organic, it should be made using organically farmed plant-based ingredients. Some of the derivatives in organic products include,

Plant-based oils and butter
Plant extracts
Resins
Essential oils
No genetically modified ingredients
No animal testing

No artificial fragrances For U. S certification, organic products must also fulfill certain other criteria, such as,

Resource Recycling
Biodiversity
Reduce the use of synthetic elements
Improve soil and air quality

Your skin has a natural PH level, and ask an expert, and they’ll tell you that your skin will more or less register PH 5.5 on the scale. Pollution, makeup, alcohol, and other elements can alter your skin’s pH. When you use organic products that are closer to your skin’s PH levels, it helps maintain skin health.

What are Chemical/Synthetic products?

Chemical or synthetic products refer to products that include scientifically derived or modified ingredients made using synthetic combinations of natural ingredients. In a typical chemical beauty product, you can find many harmful chemical ingredients that cause long-term distress to the skin.

Your typical chemical skincare product can contain anywhere between 15 to 50 chemical ingredients or combinations. According to research, a woman uses at least 9 to 15 personal care products every day. So, a woman can place between 500 – 515 individual chemicals on her skin daily.

Each chemical cosmetic contains a perfectly formulated combination of core ingredients such as,

Emulsifiers
Water
Preservatives
Glitters
Thickeners
Artificial Coloring agents
Emollients
Artificial fragrances

Do Organic, vegan, and Natural mean the same?

Although natural doesn’t mean organic, these names are often used interchangeably. For example, if you see ‘natural’ written on skincare products, you can infer that the products have ingredients mainly produced by nature.

Natural products do not have to be organic.

That’s because natural ingredients can contain traces of chemicals and synthetic compounds. However, organic products have strictly no traces of pesticides, artificial fertilizers, or chemicals.

100% Vegan products do not contain animal-based products such as dairy, lactic acid, honey, and lanolin.

Organic vs. Chemical Skin care products – The Difference

Before we start pondering which skincare regime is better for our skin, we need to determine if there is a genuine difference between these two segments. Blindly picking organic or even natural products over chemical skincare products will not serve your skincare needs. Of course, there is a huge difference between organic and chemical products, but not everything with the title ‘organic’ or ‘natural’ on the box is pure.

Chemical skincare products are made using natural ingredients modified in a lab to offer a natural effect. On the other hand, organic products are made using non-genetically modified ingredients and are considered pure and authentic.

What makes Chemical Skincare products harmful to your skin?

The organic and chemical skincare claims have polarized the market. There is a natural product market as well. However, not all-natural products are good for your skin or your health. Think of poison ivy – it is natural but is it good? Similarly, chemical/synthetic products are also not entirely bad.

Some of the harmful chemicals in synthetic skin care products are:

1. Parabens

Parabens are present in almost all synthetic skin care products, and these harmful ingredients can disrupt the endocrine system and increase the risk of cancer.

2. SLS

A synthetic foaming agent, SLS is usually found in shampoos, pastes, face washes, and more. Since SLS reduces the surface tension of solutions and removes the permeability barrier, it can cause skin infection, irritation, and sensitivity when used in excess.

3. TCS

Triclosan or TCS can be found in several shampoos, cleansing products, soaps, and sanitizers. Recent studies have indicated that continuous exposure to TCS can reduce BMI and increase abortion rates, asthma, and food allergies.

4. Microplastics

Although microplastics have been banned, you can still find a minuscule amount in sunscreens, scrubs, and body washes.

5. Alcohol

Alcohol is predominantly used as a preservative for cosmetics and an agent for enhanced absorption of Vitamin C and retinol. Although alcohol in small amounts is not a cause for concern, when used as the main ingredient, it breaks the skin barrier and destroys the essential compounds in the skin.

Why Are Organic Products Better for your skin and environment?

The list of compelling reasons to choose organic products for your skin is innumerable. Some of them are:

1. Better for your skin’s long-term health

There are unconfirmed reports that about 60% of the skincare products you apply to your skin get absorbed into the skin. Regardless of this claim’s veracity, some unquantifiable portion of the product gets absorbed. Unfortunately, it is sometimes all the proof you need to turn to organic items.

Products made using plants (and plant-based ingredients) grown organically undoubtedly have a larger concentration of antioxidants, vitamins, and essential minerals. In addition, since they are grown without chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides, they offer you the benefits of green beauty.

2. Loaded with nutrition

Organic skincare products are naturally healthy and pure, making them nutritionally rich. Organic products, as such, are great for your general health and are great for your skin too.

Organic products deliver concentrated forms of goodness to the skin. For example, to prepare organic oils, dried organic herbs and flowers are blended into the oils. These 100% organic products, such as Body Tales Vitamin C Cleansers or Anti Acne Serum, combine the best of organic ingredients scientifically formulated for lasting and immediate results.

3. Less likely to cause side effects or allergies

One of the major drawbacks of using chemical skincare products is the adverse side effects on our skin and overall health. Organic products generally do not cause side effects as they don’t contain harsh chemicals. Organic products make you less likely to suffer from inflammations, skin hypersensitivity, or irritations.

4. Cruelty-free products

The beauty and personal care industry is reeling under the backlash of animal testing. When you go organic, you are supporting safe and cruelty-free beauty.

5. Eco-friendly and sustainable products

When you use organic products, you don’t leave a harmful footprint on your environment. Since these products are made using organically sourced ingredients, they minimize the impact on soil, water, and the environment.

5. Safe for skin

The synthetic chemical-based products might be giving you faster results, but they tend to damage your skin from within. However, it might take a while to see positive results with organic products, but the results will be long-lasting and naturally enriching.

So, which is better?

Undoubtedly, organic products are way better than synthetic products. However, not organic products suit your skin and satisfy your needs. The ideal choice would be to go in for reliable skincare companies that provide organic ingredients blended with scientific formulations like Body Tales.

Body Tales products are 100% vegan, paraben, and sulfate-free. Every ingredient used in every product, from their cleansers to their serums, is there for a specific purpose. These highly-concentrated solutions go deep into the skin to nourish the cells – in a healthy, organic, and body-enriching way.