Consumers are a lot more conscious now than they used to be. People want to know that the products they buy are good for the planet and good for their bodies. 

We’re all making an effort to reduce our dependence on products that aren’t sustainably sourced or products that ultimately pollute the environment when they make their way to a landfill.

Most people don’t realize how much room for meaningful change exists in their self-care routine. 

Your skincare and personal grooming products may contain synthetic ingredients that damage the environment and fail to provide valuable benefits to your skin health. 

Grabbing a chemical-laden and synthetically formulated men’s “5-in-1” grooming product isn’t the best solution for your skin or the planet. 

Now’s the time to take a closer look at the ingredients list and find a product that’s equally suited to your skincare goals and your ethics. 

Natural Skincare Products Are Better for the Environment

Synthetic ingredients are harmful to the environment in the way they’re sourced and the way they’re disposed of. Some synthetic ingredients are created in a lab from start to finish. 

Others require mining to gather resources. 

Mining for these ingredients is destructive to the environment, and reintroducing these ingredients to the environment creates a new set of concerns.

Synthetic chemicals make their way into the water both through the mining process and through the disposal of the finished product. These ingredients can cause significant harm to the plants and animals who depend on natural water sources for survival. 

Natural skincare products are grown and harvested. There’s no reason for mining or manufacturing when active botanicals can be sustainably grown like organic produce.

Natural Skincare Products Are Less Likely to Use Animal Testing

Several countries require by law that personal care products formulated with chemicals need to be tested on animals. If you’re using a product with synthetic ingredients, the manufacturer of those ingredients likely tests each batch on animals. 

Although the final product the company brings to market doesn’t necessarily have to be tested in this way, the ingredients in every bottle may have been individually tested.

Companies use misleading claims that are technically truthful to promote the image of cruelty-free cosmetics without ever obtaining a cruelty-free certification for their products. 

They circumvent culpability by having other people test the products on animals to absolve themselves of that responsibility and give themselves enough wiggle room to make certain claims.

Although natural skincare companies have the option to test their products on animals, many of them will never exercise that option. 

Natural brands are often built around conscious choices and mindful practices. Testing products on animals doesn’t fall in line with that philosophy. 

Natural Skincare Products Are Free From Toxic Ingredients and Chemical Irritants

Think about what happens when your body begins to sweat. You’re getting a good workout, your sweat glands open up, and they release water to the surface of your skin. 

Most people think about what comes out when their skin opens up. They don’t often consider what goes in. 

Your skin can absorb things and introduce them to your bloodstream. That’s how topical medications and transdermal patches work. 

Your skin slowly absorbs ingredients and gradually releases small amounts of them into your bloodstream. Throughout history, people have inadvertently poisoned themselves with cosmetic and skincare products. 

Many Victorian women painted themselves with ammonia and lead, ultimately dying from the consequences of their self-care routines. 

Synthetic skin care products, especially those that incorporate ingredients that have not been responsibly sourced or inspected, may contain trace levels of heavy metals or other toxins. 

Many lab created skincare ingredients have been tested and rated for safety when applied topically. Still, these tests don’t observe the potential consequences and cumulative effects that can be caused by small amounts of these ingredients entering the bloodstream. 

The worst-case scenario with natural skin care products is that a particular botanical doesn’t agree with your skin. 

This situation is a lot easier to remedy than severe contact dermatitis or exposure to heavy metals. Before you put anything in or on your body, make sure you know where it came from. 

Natural Skincare Products Are Packed With Nourishing Ingredients

Your body doesn’t maintain itself with artificial ingredients. Think about what a balanced diet looks like. It’s a lot of whole foods, organic produce, and healthy lean proteins that your body uses to fuel itself properly. 

You’ll get all the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients you need from the outer perimeter of the grocery store.

Processed junk is designed to taste good rather than to fuel your body. It’s often loaded with refined sugars, chemicals, and artificial flavors. It might be gimmicky and enjoyable, but to call it nourishing would be a stretch. 

Food void of proper nourishment will fill you up without addressing your body’s needs, leaving your energy levels lower and hindering your body’s performance.

It’s time to start thinking about skincare the same way we think about our diets. Your skin needs to eat, too. 

As the largest organ of your body, it serves the crucially important role of shielding you from the elements. It’s routinely exposed to harsh weather conditions and free radicals. 

Replenishing what your skin loses in its effort to protect you is key to maintaining your skin’s health.

Natural skincare products are made primarily with plants, just like a healthy diet. Ingredients like plant seed and kernel oils can moisturize the skin much better than processed petrolatum moisturizers made of petrochemicals derived from crude oil. 

You wouldn’t eat petrochemicals, and you probably shouldn’t be slathering them on your face. 

Make the Switch

When you switch to natural skin care products, it’s a win for the entire Earth. 

You’re reducing your consumption of environmentally harmful ingredients, acting against animal testing, and improving the health of your skin. It’s beneficial from every angle.

Caldera + Lab uses hand-harvested organic and wild botanicals in our products. That’s it. 

We use plants to create gentle and natural skin care products that have been clinically demonstrated to improve the health and appearance of every man’s skin, no matter his skin type. 

You won’t find artificial ingredients or toxins in our skincare line. In fact, you won’t find any animal products, gluten, phthalates, parabens, GMOs, or gluten at Caldera + Lab. 

We’re a proud member of 1% For The Planet and operates with the environment in mind at all times. Our supply chain is traceable, audited, and certified.

We care about the earth just as much as we care about your skin.

Sources:

"Cruelty-Free"/"Not Tested on Animals" | FDA

Victorian England Shows How Women Poisoned Themselves in the Name of Beauty | Business Insider

Arsenic, Cadmium, Chromium, Cobalt, Lead, Mercury, and Nickel Content | FDA