"I’ve read that it’s better to use 'all natural' products to treat acne because there
are no chemicals. Is it better to use all natural products or is it all hype?"
As an Esthetician who deals exclusively with acne and sensitivity, I'm asked this question a lot. You might think the answer is quite simple, but it really isn't. The problem is that acne cannot always be effectively addressed by ingredients that are typical of "all natural" skin care lines. In fact there are some "all natural" ingredients that can be horribly aggravating to acne.
The most important thing to keep in mind is that not everything natural is good for acne and redness, and not everything with a chemical sounding name is bad.
There are two very important things to consider when it comes to treating acne and redness here
1) Tea tree and lavender may be antibacterial, but will never ever be as effective as Benzoyl Peroxide when it comes to flushing out pores and keeping acne bacteria from proliferating and making a mess. Depending on the severity of your acne, it may not be possible to stay entirely natural. On the other hand, Salicylic Acid, which comes from wintergreen and/or willow bark, is one of the best acne medicines around, and even takes care of redness. On the other other hand, Sal Acid doesn't adequately penetrate the skin unless it has SD Alcohol as a vehicle. Are you getting the picture?
Aside from these ingredients, if you see more than 4 or 5 botanical ingredients on a label, the product will not be good for acne or sensitivity.
2) Always remember that when it comes to redness and sensitivity, natural fragrance can be worse than artificial! In fact, if a product has many botanicals in it, this would be something to stay away from. Sensitive skin tends to have quite a few allergies, even when they may be mild enough to cause redness you may have attributed to something else. The most important part of a good regimen for sensitive skin is the inclusion of anti-inflammatories. Aloe, sea whip (you might see "pseudopterogorgia elisabethea extract" on the label), green tea and zinc oxide are what you want to look for.
I've seen so many organic or “all natural” lines make egregious mistakes when it comes to acne and sensitivity, even when a label says an item is meant for acneic or sensitive skin, I prefer to advise you on what ingredients to avoid. If you still need guidance on what to use, you can't go wrong visiting a skin care salon that shares your vision. At least then you wouldn't be flying blind with trial and error on a skin type that can be one of the most difficult to deal with.
- Coconut Oil
- Cocoa Butter
- Avocado Oil
- Grapeseed Oil
- Shea Butter (it can be clogging if it's processed wrong, plus it's too rich for oily skin)
- More than four or five botanicals in a product
- Isopropyl Myristate
- Isopropyl Palmitate
- Ethelhexyl Palmitate
- Vitamin C - if it doesn't give what type it is. It's important where it comes from, because it'll be useless if it just says Vitamin C, or if it’s coupled with an acid to stabilize it, it’ll be extremely irritating - I've seen lists on all-natural products with just "vitamin C" on the label; back on the shelf it went. Look for Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, which is the most gentle and most stable type.
- Vitamin E if it doesn't give what type. Just plain vitamin E can be irritating and do nothing for the skin - it has to be formulated right. L-Tocopherol or Tocopheral Acetate is best.
If you need any specific help with your skin care routine and particular issues, feel free to fill out my Eval By Email® Online Skincare Consultation form!
Have you wondered about this issue and have now found clarity, or had a feeling this was true but didn't know how to articulate it? Please share this post !
Have you wondered about this issue and have now found clarity, or had a feeling this was true but didn't know how to articulate it? Please share this post !
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