One of the most objective questions we get in our store is: "Why should I pay more for your product when I can go to [insert big box store] and get a 4 pack for cheaper?" Skincare is part of most people’s daily routine, and while you may choose your products based on their features such as anti-ageing, pore-refining, etc, have you ever thought about the chemical ingredients in those products? If you are solely concerned with price, this article may not be of interest to you.

If you are interested in why natural skincare should be a part of your routine, we have 5 reasons to help you decide if you need to switch from your current product.

1. What goes on your skin gets absorbed into your bloodstream.

Your body absorbs what you put on your skin (your largest organ) and if you wouldn’t choose to eat the chemicals listed on the product label, why put them on your skin?  Usually after a week or so, your skin will respond to the benefit of a natural product and you'll see the difference.

2. Your body has a toxic load threshold.

"Every day the average woman applies up to 200 chemicals on her skin through cosmetics, perfume, skin care products and hair care products. We are exposed to a vast array of toxins and chemicals every day that build up in our bodies and contribute to our toxic load. While the body has an effective detoxification system, we can easily overload it if we don’t become mindful about reducing our chemical and toxin exposure." -Jillian Foster, 2018

3. Natural product are better for the environment.

Chemical based products can have a negative impact on our environment. During manufacturing, a majority of the chemicals will end up in the air and water in addition to what we wash down the drain during our own personal use. These harmful ingredients may end up in the soil and waterways and can harm microorganisms and wildlife.

4. A natural product is made from ingredients you understand.

Ever look at a commercial skincare product label? Need we say more? Also, only a small percentage of chemicals used in mass-produced skincare products have MSDS safety data sheets. There are also many chemicals still used in the US that other countries have banned due to safety concerns (Europe being the most strict). Ingredients such as parabens, triclosan, and phthalates all have research showing they are harmful to our health. Many small, natural skincare companies (like Artful Soap Co.) take great care to never use these toxins when making their products. This results in a better functioning product that doesn't irritate the majority of the population.

5. As we said, they work better.

Most natural skincare products contain nourishing oils and antioxidant ingredients that your skin loves! Your body will recognize these natural ingredients the same way as if you ate them. Your system will then use these ingredients to help heal the body and skin. In the long run, you’ll reap the benefits of using natural skin care much faster than those "anti-wrinkle night creams, etc."

Chances are you are now wondering which ingredients to avoid and which ones you should look for in your natural skincare products. Here are the ingredients to avoid with health concerns shown through scientific research, and the ingredients to include that are great for your skin.

Chemical ingredients to avoid:

Natural ingredients to include:

There are many more natural ingredients you should look for like: Coconut oil, Shea butter, Olive oil, Cocoa butter, Bees wax, Safflower oil, Grapeseed oil and natural colorants like FD&C colorants or micas. Artful Soap Co. products only contain the ingredients above along with natural preservatives, like citric acid and vitamin E, in order to provide the best products we can.

We hope this article helped you discover why so many people are switching to natural skincare. You don't have to choose our products, but do your skin a favor and make sure the product you choose is 100% natural like ours!

Some information in this article obtained from Jillian Foster (BHSc Naturopathy), a qualified naturopath.