DEFINING NATURAL

Natural is the buzzword in the cosmetic industry these days, and therefore it is important to contemplate what this term exactly means. Such an understanding will help distinguish among several products available in the market and consumers will be able to form a sound opinion.

Natural refers to products which are made out of those ingredients that are naturally occurring, are natural derivatives, active ingredients and safe in nature. Examples of such ingredients are fruits, juices, pulps, vegetables, extracts, salts, seawater, oils, butters, gums, waxes, honey, clays, muds, milk, flowers, petals, herbs, essential oils, fatty acids, fatty alcohols, yeast, leaves, peels, grass, infusions, roots, stems, flours, grams, resins, nuts, nutshells, beans, honey, sugar, tea, coffee and pulses etc. These are used and added in different forms like powdered, ground, soaked, chopped, water-suspended, oil-suspended, infused and dried etc. Certain products like fatty acids and others occur naturally but are available in extremely small quantities and hence are procured through an alternative medium. Many derivatives, especially of coconut and palm, are available, which are considered natural derivatives. Certain chemicals like Linalool, Coumarin, Limonene etc., are found naturally in essential oils and in some other ingredients and are natural.

 

A product made of natural ingredients will give you a good feel and results. Those who regularly use cosmetics can easily distinguish between good and bad products. A natural product will be governed by seasonality. A change in weather conditions or exposure to sunlight etc. will impact the properties of the product that may result in a change of colour, state of the product being solid or liquid, hardness or softness of the product and viscosity of the product etc. Therefore some amount of care is required to store them. However, the quality and delivery of the product remain unaltered and unchanged.

 

Another feature of natural products is that they are cruelty-free. This means that products are not tested on animals. Saying so does not mean that products reach consumers without testing. There are volunteers who do this job for us. This reflects the brand's confidence that it can test the products directly on humans without any worry because it is sure that the products are safe in nature and will not harm anyone. The volunteer testing confirms the high standards of Greenspa products, which are of excellent quality and precise formulation.

 

However, being natural does not mean a product can not adversely affect you. Natural ingredients may have different concentrations of some substances, which may or may not be suitable for someone due to allergies or other reasons. For example, many people are allergic to honey. This can be compared with food items. We all know that every food item is not suitable for everyone and some people can be allergic to some. The same fact is true in the case of medicines as well, where a doctor ascertains your allergies to any of the drugs, like sulpha drugs etc., before writing the prescription. Therefore, patch testing is always mandatory in all cosmetic products before application. Essential oils are of high concentration, so one must read the caution and warning on the product label. Generally speaking, the products are safe and do not cause any harm. Natural products give better and long-lasting results on sustained usage, and there is no reason to worry about them. These are beautiful formulations wrapped around natural ingredients to provide lasting results. But cautions cannot be ignored.

 

Natural products help reduce the damages incurred to the environment and contribute to preserve the ecological system. For example, nano plastic beads, used in many cosmetic products as scrubbing and exfoliating agents, are harmful to fish and other living beings when they consume them as food in their natural habitats in rivers and seas. The products containing these plastic beads are used in our washrooms and then reach the rivers and oceans through the sewage system, disturbing the ecological balance. The courts in many countries, including Bharat, have taken cognizance of the fact and have instructed the governments to act accordingly. We at Greenspa use natural exfoliating agents like walnut shell powder, dried oatmeal powder, ground rice, freshly ground coffee beans etc., in all our scrubbing formulations which are 100% natural and are not hazardous and detrimental to the environment at all. The use of these natural ingredients by Greenspa in its product formulations makes its products unique and well acceptable to all.  

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