I’ve learned the hard way why natural products are better. I was using toxic chemicals on my body for years without realizing what it was doing to me. I wanted to write an opinion piece on natural products, since they changed my life!
Why are natural products better?
Some natural products might be safer for long-term use. Herbal plants could be more effective than synthetic versions and may have fewer side effects in some cases. Their use can help protect the environment, reduce harm to wildlife, and encourage fair trade & organic certification practices.
I’ve completely changed my ways and rarely use common drugstore products. These are the best natural products I use and recommend (click to visit page on this website).
10 Reasons Why Natural Products are Better
1) Some Natural Products May Be Safer for LONG-TERM Use
A study reported that herbs may provide a safer long-term treatment option when compared to nonsteroidal medicines for pain relief. 1
I use beauty products every day and tend not to take breaks, except maybe on weekends. What I put on my skin gets applied over and over and may build up in my system over time.
It’s a known fact that things I put on my skin can be absorbed into my bloodstream. If I’m putting chemicals on my skin day after day, those chemicals can go directly into my body.
What if those chemicals bioaccumulate and make me sick? What if I use them for years after years and my body can’t fight if off any longer?
It makes good sense to use natural products for long-term use, as compared to synthetic products.
Propylene glycol is a synthetic ingredient (not natural) that’s used a lot in lotions and cosmetics. A study showed that with LONG-TERM use, propylene glycol can be toxic. 2
That study pushes me away from using artificial chemical additives in beauty products.
2) Some Natural Products Can be Just as Effective as Synthetic Products (or MORE EFFECTIVE!)
A scientific review reported that the natural herbs in the study were safe and MORE EFFECTIVE than their synthetic versions, when looking at anti-inflammatory properties. 3
Natural products can be just as effective, if not more effective, than synthetic versions! I definitely prefer to use products from Mother Nature, and it’s good to know they can also work extremely well. Nature is powerful if we use it with respect, discernment, caution, and wisdom.
Just because fire is natural doesn’t mean it’s always safe. But if we know how to use it properly, fire can work wonders and provide many benefits to humanity. It can also be dangerous. We need to know facts, limitations, and safe guidelines when using all things natural.
- Always do your own research.
3) Some Natural Products May Have Fewer Safety Concerns
- A scientific review stated that naturally-derived medicines and food have fewer side effects. 4
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has done a wonderful job creating ingredient lists for us that are generally recognized as safe. They do a ton of testing and review of scientific literature to make sure substances aren’t toxic.
I love referring to the GRAS (generally recognized as safe) list put out by the FDA. 5 It reveals the safety of ingredients in natural products. The list contains all kinds of natural ingredients that are often found in natural products. It gives me peace of mind to see my ingredients of concern on this list.
- If I can eat the ingredient, I feel safe using it in my natural product.
4) Some Natural Products are Better for the Environment
- There are many synthetic chemicals used in cosmetics and beauty products that accumulate when you rinse them down the drain. These accumulations can harm the environment as they build up (e.g., in lakes).
- Some artificial beauty ingredients are known to harm animals in the water (e.g., marine and aquatic organisms). When we flush these down the pipes, they can harm and kill the wildlife in these bodies of water.
- Aquatic plant life in the environment has been harmed by certain synthetic ingredients found in beauty products.
- We know that some chemical sunscreens are not good for coral reefs. They interfere with their reproductive cycles and can kill them off over time.
- A scientific article revealed that the remains of some personal care products accumulated in the tissues of fish in U.S. rivers. 6 They were artificial (synthetic) ingredients.
My concern is this: if it’s harming life in our environment, WHAT IS IT DOING TO US? With this information, it makes me think twice about a beauty product ingredient. It’s always good to check if it has any environmental impact before buying. Earth is our home, after all.
5) Natural Products Cause Less Irritation on My Skin (my opinion)
When I started to use natural skin care products, my face went from looking like an over-scrubbed beet to having normal soft skin. For some reason, I didn’t even stop to question or think about the possible toxicity of the drugstore and mall products I was using.
I used to love shopping at the mall with my sister. We would go to those beauty stores and big department counters thinking we were getting great products. For some reason, I was brainwashed to believe that retail meant quality. I have since changed my mind.
Just because something is expensive doesn’t mean it’s good for you!
Once I changed my skin foundation especially, my skin stopped looking so red, blotchy, and irritated. For more info on the foundation I use, see my article on natural foundation here.
My own experience proved that chemical-based drugstore and general mall products were irritating my skin! For me, using natural products was the solution to restoring my skin to a normal state. A clean diet and exercise also helped.
I can’t say enough about how dramatic of a change this was for me!
6) Many Natural Products Promote Fair Trade Practices
Aside from being better products, natural products are more likely to have the FAIRTRADE mark. That means the workers involved in growing, harvesting, and producing the natural crops are treated fairly. They get fair prices for their products and work. An overseeing authority board ensures that the business transactions are ethical, honest, and support the wellness of all parties involved.
Many people out there just want to make money and don’t care how people are treated in the process.
- There are many disadvantaged countries out there with people who are willing to work extremely hard in uncomfortable conditions just to feed their families. Unfortunately, some companies take advantage of them and pay next to nothing for unbearable labor. Fair trade practices prevent that from happening.
Fair trade promotes wellness and care for humanity’s working conditions all around the world. It’s important to ensure all workers and their families have access to clean water, health care, and education in order to sustain their work and communities. Funds from fair trade practices allow this to become a reality.
* When you buy a product marked with the Fair Trade certification stamp, know that you’re contributing to make the planet a better place.
7) Many Natural Products Encourage Organic Certification
Natural products are better because they’re more likely to have organic certification. What does that mean? Basically, it’s a stamp that says the product isn’t sprayed with chemicals when growing and that the genes of the plants aren’t altered. For animal products, the animals must be fed with organic food and be treated humanely.
Organic basically means that you’re getting a product without toxic chemicals and without laboratory tampering. There are no artificial chemicals in the product. It’s based on pure nature.
In the United States, in order for any product to be labeled ‘organic’, it must pass a series of rigorous inspections to ensure the product is clean and of high standard. The federal government makes sure that only natural substances are used in the growing process.
Look for the USDA stamp on natural products to determine whether or not the product is certified organic. USDA stand for the United States Department of Agriculture.
I always buy organic food and natural products when possible. Sometimes organic costs a little more, but it’s worth it.
Why I buy organic:
- There are NO harmful chemicals sprayed on the product.
- The product hasn’t been modified genetically.
- The product is in a state closer to nature (vs. processed).
- The product is much more pure.
- I don’t want artificial or toxic chemicals in my body.
- I’ve found the quality of organic products to be much better.
Products that aren’t natural CANNOT be certified organic. When you see the USDA or ORGANIC stamp on a product, rest assured you’re getting something NATURAL.
8) Natural Products Help Restore a Healthy Relationship with the Environment
Take a look at the skies of a city with factories and industrial air pollution. You see smoke, film on buildings, dirt, people coughing, and nature dying. How is that natural? Is it okay to continue the expansion of such a dirty industry?
If given the choice, would you rather be in a city with clean air, healthy trees, and vibrant green plants all around, or a smoky, dirty, dead, and concrete environment where you have to wear a mask?
If given the choice, would you rather eat an apple sprayed with chemical pesticides, or a fresh apple not sprayed with chemicals?
I hope these questions are self-explanatory.
When we choose natural products, we are promoting nature as it is without going overboard and messing it up. When we over-process things, it can harm nature, the environment, and ultimately humanity.
Humans can act like parasites to planet Earth. If we take it too far, the world can turn into a toxic waste dump.
Should we just keep taking and taking until we run out of space and natural resources?
Oregon has a wonderful policy where they replant millions of tree seedlings every year in place of their deforestation projects. Logging in Oregon provides jobs and beautiful natural wood products. They give back more than they take by continuously feeding and supporting the natural cycle of the forest by methodical replanting.
Oregon is still super green and full of trees, even with logging as a main industry! They have mastered the art of giving back.
Choosing natural products helps reduce harm to the planet, ourselves, and encourages the restoration of Earth’s natural balance. It’s fair to give back what we take and to encourage others to follow.
9) Natural Products Value Purity
Most people prefer orange juice that says 100% juice on the label (vs. 75% juice). Why is that?
People inherently prefer purity in products.
Would you rather put 100% argan oil in your hair, or a product that says only 50% natural? Most people who use argan oil prefer complete purity in their product. I use natural beauty products as much as possible for this reason. Here’s my recommended natural beauty product page, for the best natural products out there (in my opinion).
It’s better to use products that are of high natural purity, as compared to chemical-filled and over-processed products that produce a ton of waste.
The purity of a natural product improves the quality. Most people prefer a bar of gold that’s 100% pure as compare to anything less.
When we return to a state of purity in our relationship with Earth, we often find that our overall quality of life improves.
- When the purity of our air and atmosphere is restored, people feel and breathe better.
- When the purity of our water is restored, people are healthier and happier.
- When the purity of our forests and landscapes is restored, our atmosphere and climate is balanced.
10) Many Natural Products are Edible
There are certain natural products that can be eaten. Here are some great examples:
- Aloe vera juice
- Cocoa butter
- Olive oil
- Rose water
- White tea
- Sesame oil
- Coconut oil
Make sure NOT to eat any natural product unless it specifically states that it’s safe for human consumption on the label (e.g., for culinary purposes is okay).
Sometimes a product is natural, but that doesn’t mean that it has been properly cleaned and processed for human consumption. Always read the label to determine if the product is intended to be eaten or not.
I always buy the edible versions of natural products, when available. That way, I feel better about the safety, cleanliness, and purity of the product (even if I’m only using it externally).
Obviously, not all natural products are safe to eat. But the ones that are, I always buy the edible brands when making my own natural beauty products. Better safe than sorry. Skin is a route into the body, so in a way, applying products to the skin is a way of “drinking” or “eating” the product. I avoid toxins and chemicals like the plague!
Nature please. Not danger.
Why is it important to use natural products?
Natural products help restore the inherent balance and harmony between people and Earth. They encourage environmental cleanliness, health of wildlife, the welfare of communities, safer long-term use, excellent effectiveness, show fewer side effects, are less irritating, have fewer toxins, and are much less processed.
Conclusion
It’s much better to use natural products as compared to their synthetic counterparts, if possible. Hopefully, this article gave you an idea of what the benefits are when you use natural products. There’s a natural beauty movement going on that’s likely to explode in the near future. People are demanding purity, simplicity, and effectiveness in their natural products these days.
To see what natural beauty products I use and recommend, visit my page (on this website) that lists all my favorites here.
Of course it’s just my opinion, but natural beauty is definitely better. It’s the wave of the future as people get tired of artificial exteriors and beauty rituals that steal too much time away from more important things.
Nowadays I spend much more time in meditation and less time fussing over my looks. Most people don’t even care if we put brand A or brand B on our skin. That’s not what they’re looking at when they connect with us. When we realize what’s truly important, we’ll invest our time and money in things that ultimately reward and enrich our lives in the long-run.
Time is a gift. Carpe diem.
- Here’s my recommended natural product page: click here to go to natural beauty page on this website.
References
1. Maroon JC, Bost JW, Maroon A. Natural anti-inflammatory agents for pain relief. Surg Neurol Int. 2010; 1: 80. doi: 10.4103/2152-7806.73804 [PMC free article]
2. Lim T Y, Poole R L, Pageler N M. Propylene Glycol Toxicity in Children. J Pediatr Pharmacol Ther. 2014 Oct-Dec; 19(4): 277–282. [PMC free article]
3. Yatoo M.I., Gopalakrishnan A., Saxena A., Parray O.R., Tufani N.A., Chakraborty S., Tiwari R., Dhama K., Iqbal H.M.N. Anti-inflammatory drugs and herbs with special emphasis on herbal medicines for countering inflammatory diseases and disorders-A review. Recent Pat. Inflamm. Allergy Drug Discov. 2018; 12: 39–58. doi: 10.2174/1872213X12666180115153635. [PubMed]
4. Koo Y.E., Song J., Bae S. Use of plant and herb derived medicine for therapeutic usage in cardiology.Medicines. 2018;5:38. doi: 10.3390/medicines5020038. [PMC free article]
5. U.S. Food & Drug Administration. (2020). Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. Substances Generally Recognized as Safe. Retrieved from: https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=e956d645a8b4e6b3e34e4e5d1b690209&mc=true&node=pt21.3.182&rgn=div5#se21.3.182_11 on May 24, 2020.
6. Betts KS. Ecology and Wildlife: Pharmed Fish. Environ Health Perspect. 2009 Jun; 117(6): A240–A241. doi: 10.1289/ehp.117-a240. [PMC free article]
