Nature Is Not the Whole Story

Natural ingredients can be valuable, but natural does not automatically mean safer. Here is what the evidence tells us about natural and synthetic beauty ingredients.

Nature Is Not the Whole Story

Natural ingredients have an understandable appeal.

They can feel familiar, simple and connected to the world around us. But when it comes to skincare, natural and safe are not interchangeable words.

Synthetic does not automatically mean harmful either.

The more useful question is not simply where an ingredient came from.

It is:

What do we know about the ingredient, and how is it being used?

Dermatology researchers have pointed out that “natural” and “clean” are marketing terms rather than guarantees of safety or effectiveness. (PubMed)

What Is a Natural Ingredient?

A natural cosmetic ingredient generally comes from a natural source such as a plant, mineral or animal-derived material.

Examples can include botanical extracts, oils and naturally occurring compounds.

But natural ingredients can contain many different chemical substances, and some can cause skin reactions.

Research into naturally derived cosmetic ingredients has identified numerous ingredients with potential to cause allergic reactions in susceptible people. (PubMed)

So “natural” tells us something about origin.

It does not tell us everything about safety.

What Is a Synthetic Ingredient?

Synthetic ingredients are produced through chemical processes.

That does not automatically make them unsuitable for skincare.

A synthetic ingredient may be created because it provides a particular function, stability or consistency that is useful in a formulation.

The important question remains whether the ingredient is appropriate for its intended cosmetic use and supported by suitable safety information.

What Does the Science Say?

Strong evidence

There is no scientific rule stating that natural ingredients are always safer or more effective than synthetic ingredients.

Dermatology literature has specifically warned against treating “natural” as a guarantee of safety. (PubMed)

Limited evidence

Individual ingredients can be studied for their safety and effects, but those findings cannot automatically be applied to every natural or synthetic ingredient.

Not yet proven

There is no good basis for saying:

- all natural ingredients are safer

- all synthetic ingredients are harmful

- natural skincare is automatically better

- synthetic skincare is automatically worse

The evidence needs to be considered ingredient by ingredient.

A Useful Reality Check

A 2022 study examined 1,470 products marketed as “clean” and found that 93.8% contained at least one potential allergen, most commonly fragrances or botanical ingredients. (PubMed)

This does not mean clean or natural products are inherently unsafe.

It demonstrates why labels alone cannot tell the whole story.

An ingredient can have a natural origin and still be capable of causing a reaction in some people.

What Should You Look For?

Instead of asking only whether an ingredient is natural or synthetic, consider:

What is it used for?

What evidence exists about it?

Is the product information clear?

Does the claim match the evidence?

Does the brand explain its terminology honestly?

That approach is more useful than automatically putting ingredients into two simple categories.

Safety

If your skin is sensitive or you develop an unexpected reaction to a cosmetic product, stop using the product and seek appropriate medical advice if needed.

Natural ingredients can cause reactions, particularly fragrances and botanical ingredients.

(PubMed)

The safest approach is not to fear an entire category of ingredients.

It is to understand what you are using.

Five FAQs

Is natural skincare safer?

Not automatically. Natural origin does not guarantee safety or effectiveness. (PubMed)

Are synthetic ingredients bad for your skin?

Not simply because they are synthetic. Individual ingredients need to be considered according to their use and evidence.

Can natural ingredients cause allergies?

Yes. Research has identified many naturally derived cosmetic ingredients with allergenic potential. (PubMed)

Is clean beauty the same as natural beauty?

Not necessarily. Both terms can be used differently by different brands and neither has one universal scientific meaning. (PubMed)

What matters more than natural or synthetic?

Ingredient identity, intended use, safety information and evidence.

The Better Question

Natural versus synthetic can make for an easy headline.

Real ingredient science is more complicated.

An ingredient's origin is only one part of the picture. Good beauty communication should also consider evidence, safety, purpose and transparency.

At Clekina, the aim is to communicate about ingredients thoughtfully rather than rely on simple labels.

Because sometimes the most honest answer is also the simplest:

Natural is not automatically better. Synthetic is not automatically worse. Look at the evidence.