Are natural skincare ingredients safer than synthetics?Updated a year ago

Synthetics are actually fine

While there are certainly synthetic ingredients that can be dangerous, we have a lot of data about the safety of mainstream ingredients. In the US, the industry follows guidelines set by the Cosmetic Ingredients Review Panel which advises the FDA. The CIR reviews ingredients based on a variety of safety factors and makes recommendations for safe usage. 

As with many things that we use or consume, it’s the dose that makes the poison. Responsible formulators follow the guidelines for safe ingredient percentages, even taking into account whether products are left on the skin or washed off, and on which body part they’re used. 

In some cases, like parabens, the industry has largely moved away from using the ingredient in question, even though its risks as it is used in cosmetics are not well-established. 

Natural skincare ingredients aren’t necessarily safer

More importantly, there is no reason to believe that natural skincare ingredients are safer. They have just as much potential to pose a danger. From poisonous cyanide in apple seeds to heart-stopping convallatoxin in lily of the valley, there are plenty of ways for nature to kill us. 

Responsible skincare brands, natural or otherwise, know not to use ingredients that pose such a level of harm. That said, there are still minor risks that can come with some commonly used natural skincare ingredients. For example, many natural brands use essential oils to add a scent to their products even though they can be quite sensitizing. 

There’s also an added risk that comes from lack of research. Natural products are often made with new alternatives to ingredients that used to be staples, such as certain preservatives. 

Because they’re new, these ingredients haven’t undergone the same level of testing as more vilified ingredients. In other words, it’s not that we have evidence of the safety of natural ingredients, but we don’t have as much data about what kind of risks they may pose. In cases of preservative failure (an issue that is far more common with natural brands), products can grow harmful pathogens that can lead to skin infections.