Hi ,

There are so many natural skincare products out there, and they all sound amazing, but how do you tell if the skincare you’re buying is really as natural as it claims?

Here are four simple checks you can make to ensure you’re really buying natural:

1: The first few ingredients are the MAIN ingredients:

Skincare ingredients lists are written from highest quantity to least, so a truly natural skincare product’s first few ingredients should be completely natural - not naturally derived, but natural-natural. You shouldn’t need to be a chemist to decode them! 

2: If it’s on the product name, where is it on the ingredient list? 

Unless it’s an essential oil or extract (which are super-potent and need to be used in small doses, like medicine), the herb or ingredient in the product’s name should be high up on the list. So if it’s an olive oil wash, make sure olive oil is high up on the ingredients list - low down and it means all you’re getting is a regular wash with a bit of olive oil added for marketing effect!

3: Don’t always trust your nose...

If it says lavender, and it smells like lavender, can you be sure it’s lavender? Lots of fragrance is designed to smell like the real thing so the only way to truly know is to read the ingredients. Bonus tip - rosehip is a wonderful oil, but it doesn’t actually smell like roses! Rosehips are the seeds, so wonderful properties, very different fragrance (think a little smoky and woody).

4: How long should something natural last? 

If it’s made from raw ingredients, natural skincare shouldn’t have a very long shelf life - which is a good thing! Chemically, complex-sounding names at the end of the ingredients list are most likely chemical preservatives. Get familiar with the common ones to avoid - methylchloroisothiazolinone (hard to miss), benzyl alcohol (toxic for babies), XX-paraben, Quarternium-15 (no). Lots of them? Steer clear.

Now’s a great time to start simplifying your skincare, take your time, choose wisely, choose well! Still confused? Contact us anytime at advice@fourcowfarm.com for free skincare advice and tips - we’d love to hear from you!

From all of us at Four Cow Farm,

xxx