If you make a purchase through my affiliate links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
What you put on your skin is just as important as what you put in your body. These days there are more and more products labeled “natural”, “organic”, and “clean or non-toxic”.
While natural and clean products aren’t regulated by the FDA, organic ones are. However, natural products can be better for your skin than chemicals, but clean and organic are even more so.
Clean or non-toxic skincare simply means the product(s) don’t have any ingredients that cause a toxic response.
Natural Products
Natural skincare is called natural because its ingredients came from nature. However, this can be just a marketing tactic.
A company can call its product natural simply because it put an ingredient in it that came from nature. For example, if it added water to the product, it could label the product as natural.
But, don’t dismiss natural products just yet. Just because all the ingredients may not be naturally occurring substances, doesn’t mean they are bad for you either.
Just be sure to read the ingredients list on the label before choosing your products.
You can also keep in mind that natural products may not always be better for the environment. For instance, hyaluronic acid is natural when taken from the umbilical cords of horses and cows. However, the synthetic and vegan version doesn’t hurt animals and is just as effective.
For a list of harmful ingredients to look out for, click this link.
Clean/Non-Toxic Products
If a product has this label, then it’s more trustworthy than natural, which may make it a better choice sometimes.
While clean products may not have a single natural ingredient in them, it means it has nothing harmful in them. They focus on keeping substances out of their products that could harm you or the environment.
Synthetic ingredients may be the only ingredients in the product, but they are safe.
These products will usually have a list stating what it’s “free from” as well as being cruelty-free.
Organic Products
Organic products have ingredients that are grown without artificial fertilizers, pesticides, or any synthetic substances. Regulated by the FDA, they have to be at least 95% organic in the U.S. Other countries have a different range of percentages.
If a product is labeled organic or certified organic, you can trust that it’s natural and safe.
Be aware, though, some products may say “made with organic ingredients”, but this doesn’t make it organic.
How to start
Before you go into your bathroom and start throwing all your products in the trash, read the ingredients list. Even if there are some undesirables in there, you have used it this long, so you might as well finish it up. Just to save some money.
If you’d rather jump into a complete overhaul of your routine, be patient. I have suggestions down the page.
What I would do is as I ran out of the product I had been using, I would just buy an alternative version. To me, there’s no need to waste any money. But, to each his/her own!
In case you have a routine yet, it should look like this:
Day: Cleanser, toner, vitamin C serum, moisturizer, eye cream, and SPF 30 or above.
Night: Cleanser, toner, retinol eye cream, and night cream.
Don’t forget to exfoliate twice a week.
When choosing your products, the company should have a complete ingredient list. Be sure to read it!
**Tip You can use different products from different lines unless the products are designed to work together. If designed to work together, then you will have a better result. Otherwise, it’s your routine. Build it how you want!
With that having been said, I have 3 favorites that are clean and safe.
GlowBiotics
Glowbiotics is probiotic skincare. They use Probiotic Derived Bioactives (PBDs) which are non-living and healthy probiotic fragments that come from the most beneficial bacteria and then go through a special fermentation process.
Most people know that we all have good bacteria growing in our gut, but did you know that it also grows on your skin?
It’s called the microbiome for both your gut and your skin.
Glowbiotics refer to the good bacteria on your skin as “beauty bugs”, which would then make prebiotics the food for them.
If you have ever experienced a rash, redness, or irritation, this was because there was a disruption in your skin’s microbiome. Lots of products on the market can strip your skin of this essential asset, which will then cause acne, rosacea, eczema, and premature or sped-up aging, along with a myriad of other skin diseases.
Benefits of using Glowbiotics
When you use their probiotic skincare you will find it fights acne and premature aging also while reducing redness and inflammation.
But that’s not all.
Glowbiotics also prevent dry, itchy skin by strengthening your skin’s barrier and it also stimulates your skin’s natural repair and renewing abilities.
The best part, for me anyway, is that it stimulates the production of collagen and elastin!
They also use some of the best ingredients! Check them out here.
100% Pure
Honestly, their name says it all for any skin type or concern. They guarantee their products are pure with no harsh or toxic ingredients.
The pigments in their products come from things like cocoa, tea, fruit, and vegetables, so they can avoid using FD&C colorants and heavy dyes.
They never test on animals or use ingredients that come from animals.
And if you think going pure will be expensive, just check out their prices!
You can really go 100% Pure with not just your skincare but also with your makeup, hair care, and body care!
A nourishing mask concentrated with soothing oats, moisturizing coconut milk, calming c… [More]
Purlisse
If you subscribe to Ipsy, FabFitFun, Birchbox, or BoxyCharm, then you have probably already tried some of their products. It has also featured them in magazines like Vogue, Allure, and Elle.
The founder of Purlisse, who is Chinese-American, has combined Asian wisdom and modern philosophy into these nourishing and high-performing products.
From makeup to body scrubs, to skincare, their products are infused with ingredients such as blue lotus, watermelon, rice, coconut, and collagen.
They have a skincare quiz to help you or you can use their “build your routine” tool.
Pur~Youth Preserve + Pur~Bright [More]
Final thoughts
Now you know there is a difference between natural, clean, and organic products. While you can trust that clean and organic products won’t contain unwanted ingredients, be wary of the ones labeled “natural”.
When you check out the prices of my 3 picks, you see that changing your products doesn’t cost a fortune!
Hey there! I came across this post about the difference between natural, organic, and clean skincare products and I thought it was really interesting. I love learning about skincare and what products are best for my skin.
In my opinion, it’s important to understand the difference between these terms so you can make an informed decision when choosing skincare products. I think it’s great that Siobhan Skincare is providing this information to their customers so they can make the best choice for their skin.
I have a few questions about the article though. It mentions that “natural” products may contain synthetic ingredients, and that “organic” products may not be completely natural. Can you give some examples of these synthetic ingredients and why they might be included in “natural” products? Also, what makes a product considered “organic”?
As for my experience with these different types of skincare products, I’ve tried a few natural and organic products in the past and I have to say, I’ve been pretty happy with the results. My skin seems to react well to these types of products and I feel good knowing that I’m using products that are better for my skin and the environment.
Overall, I think it’s great that companies like Siobhan Skincare are educating consumers on the difference between natural, organic, and clean skincare products. It’s important for us to understand what we’re putting on our skin and how it affects our overall health and well-being. Keep up the great work!
They can label a product as organic if it is 95% organic. That means they grew it without fertilizers and pesticides.
We have been, for the most part, using natural products because we believed that to be basically organic with the price tag. Your article has made an important point in that natural products are not regulated by the government. We have not been purchasing non-toxic products because we have noticed that many of the ingredients are not natural even though not harmful. After reading your article, we are going to begin to look for organic skin care products. Using what we have already purchased is a good suggestion. Thanks for the information.
I am glad you found it useful. You have to look out for the marketing gimmicks some companies will use. Just remember that a product can only be certified organic or organic if it’s at least 95% organic as per the FDA in U.S.
Such an informative article on the difference between natural, organic, and clean skin care products.
I for one have only used a lotion whenever I have had dry skin. The only thing that worked was a product that I thought was natural, turns out it wasn’t even close. It had more ingredients in there than my mothers chili.
In any event, I switched out of using any products altogether and moved to a less drier climate. Turns out, that was all that was needed.
On the upside, I have learned more about these types of skin care products and if my children have any issues, I know where to turn to give them there answers.
Thank you!
Even though you moved to a more humid climate, you still need to take care of your skin. It still needs hydration and moisture, even if it’s just a light moisturizer. Don’t forget to wear sunscreen either.