As in many sectors, cosmetics has also taken over the word “natural” and thanks to its assets, today, natural cosmetics has become one of the best solutions for those who want to take care of their skin and hair while protecting the planet Earth. Since, they are products extracted from nature in an environmentally friendly way.

To do this, these products use 95% of ingredients extracted from nature, of which 90% are part of ecological and vegetable materials, in addition to 5% that are completely organic compounds. Thus, more and more brands are betting on this type of cosmetics and for this reason, it has expanded worldwide.

Now, those who manufacture and distribute products based on natural cosmetics, know that sometimes it is difficult to find optimal suppliers of raw materials for this. Therefore, it is worth knowing what are the best options to obtain the necessary raw materials when making natural cosmetics.

Main characteristics of natural cosmetics

Basically, as the name suggests, natural cosmetics is one that only uses ingredients from nature. Either compounds of plant origin (such as plants with properties suitable for cosmetic use), derivatives of animal origin (for example, beeswax) and various minerals (such as clays).

Thanks to these compounds, the formulas of natural cosmetics are widely demanded today, highlighting that, as well as taking advantage of the ingredients extracted from ecosystems, also offers benefits to the skin on a large scale. In this sense, it is worth highlighting its main features below:

• Natural cosmetics are products created for people who want to start a more natural lifestyle.
• Unlike traditional cosmetics, this one guarantees articles free of dyes, parabens, petroleum derivatives and artificial flavourings.
• Fortunately, they are not tested on animals during the production process.
• Inherently, it is a type of cosmetics that offers greater benefits and better results in people.
• The packaging in which natural cosmetics are marketed is usually recycled and even biodegradable.
• The fragrances of this type of products are 100% natural, so they are more pleasant to the human sense of smell and tend to be much more durable.
• In most cases, its use is safe and applies to all skin types. Likewise, it is recommended to verify that you are not allergic to any of its components.

What can be found in the composition of natural cosmetics?

While it is true, natural cosmetic products are identified by their exclusive composition of natural raw materials. That is, mineral resources and ingredients of vegetable or animal origin. Based on this, they have to be obtained as a result of extraction, filtration, distillation, drying, pressing, sieving, freeze-drying and grinding processes.

Through the aforementioned physical methods of obtaining these natural raw materials, it is possible to preserve the vitamins, nutritional values and beneficial substances found in the raw materials. Taking into account that, such methods deal with processing the material to a small extent.

On the other hand, in the case of the ingredients of animal origin necessary to elaborate these cosmetics, they can only be used when they are not harmful to the life of the animals. In this case, raw materials such as milk, honey, lanolin and propolis are highlighted.

As if that were not enough, nowadays, the production of natural cosmetic articles has also been led by the use of raw materials obtained through biotechnological processes (i.e. enzymatic, microbiological). However, in addition to being starred by raw materials of vegetable and animal origin, in natural cosmetics can also be found the following elements:

• Essential oils.
• Different types of marine components.
• Active substances and natural preservatives.
• Natural emollients and emulsifiers.
• Inorganic compounds and oxides derived from minerals.

What are the functions of natural cosmetic ingredients?

As each natural raw material has a composition rich in nutrients and provides various properties, it is capable of fulfilling several functions at the same time. However, the most vital ingredients used in this type of cosmetics are hydrolates, plant extracts, antioxidants, emulsifying agents, exfoliants, humectants and surfactants. Below, we invite you to learn more about them:

Hydrolats

They refer to herbal waters and are defined as distilled products in the form of by-products during the manufacturing process of essential oils. Thus, they are also used as the aqueous phase in creams, balms and soaps.

Among its main characteristics, are that they have the ability to tone the skin and improve its condition significantly, as well as attenuate the possible irritations that exist.

Plant extracts

They are those that allow us to get the best out of plants and, in other words, are active ingredients that are extracted during the lineage process using solvents (such as vegetable ethanol or vegetable oils).

Regarding their functions, they are mainly antibacterial, rejuvenating, firming, strengthening, moisturizing and fatigue reducing. Therefore, they benefit the skin to a great extent.

Vitamins

They provide the wonderful power of vitamins which are organic chemical compounds with a positive effect on the skin condition. They are mainly responsible for protecting and regulating its intensity, restoring its firmness and soothing skin irritations effectively.

Antioxidants

Its main action is to reduce the amount of free radicals that tend to accelerate the aging process of the skin. They limit the growth of microorganisms and are identified as an optimal component that fights against skin aging.

In addition to this, they offer an additional advantage based on the protection of the cosmetic product from external factors, which increases its useful life. It should be noted that, natural antioxidants are ferulic, lipoic, coenzyme Q10, vitamin C and vitamin E.

Emulsifying agents

Mainly, they are those that help to create a permanent emulsion and, consequently, mix two phases: water and oil. In such a way, they give the relevant consistency to the cosmetic product and allow to stabilize it.

As if that were not enough, emulsifiers are also good for the skin and this is another of their main functions, in addition to avoiding the stratification of the cosmetic phases. The most popular of all is GSC or “glyceryl stearate citrate” and even beeswax.

Exfoliating Scrubs

As the name suggests, they are those ingredients that exfoliate the epidermis and since they suppress the outer layer of dead skin cells, it is efficient in stimulating the growth of new cells. In addition to that, they thoroughly clean the surface of the skin and oxygenate it.

Usually, natural exfoliants work in two ways: mechanical and chemical. In the case of mechanical, they are abrasive substances (such as inorganic sales or ground seeds) and the second type refers to enzymatic agents that dissolve dead cells. In natural cosmetics, they are found as hydroxy acids, malic and citric acid.

Moisturizers

They are characterized by a long-lasting moisturizing effect. They are substances responsible for gathering water both in the cosmetic preparation and in the skin. Thus, they smooth wrinkles and allow you to enjoy an elastic and supple skin. All this, thanks to the fact that they provide a hydration that is preserved over time.

Surfactants

They focus on saponifying the impurities present on the surface of the skin and, thanks to that, they simplify the cleansing of the skin. Therefore, they are a group of ingredients used in cosmetics that ensure effective cleansing of the skin.

One of the most commonly used surfactants in natural cosmetics refers to “cocamidopropyl betaine”, which is obtained from coconut oil. Among its benefits are its antibacterial effect, its ability to gently remove dirt and its suitability to avoid any skin irritation due to its excellent foaming properties.

What ingredients should be avoided in natural cosmetics?

Thanks to its valuable substances, natural cosmetics is distinguished for being safe for all skin types, and even for the most sensitive ones. But beyond this, its philosophy lies in avoiding the use of harmful substances that are generally used in synthetic cosmetics and affect nature, apart from generating harmful effects on people in the long term, due to its prolonged use.

As a result, it is worth bearing in mind which substances can definitely not be used in natural cosmetics and the main reason for this:

• Benzophenone, benzoylbenzene and oxybenzone: These are defined as chemicals that are used as sunscreens and therefore occur in sun creams. Because they function similarly to female estrogens, they can cause hormonal imbalances and even allergies.
• Parabens: These preservatives can cause skin irritation, burning and itching. However, in addition to having toxic effects on the skin, they also have a negative influence on the whole organism because they affect the hormonal balance and act in a carcinogenic way over time.
• BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene): These are chemicals present in most synthetic creams and balms that act as preservatives. Unfortunately, they have a negative effect on the skin because they cause allergies and redness, and can even be carcinogenic. On top of that, they do not dissolve in water and are not biodegradable.
• Ethanolamines: Mostly, these substances are concerned with removing impurities from the surface of the skin and hair, but they have a toxic effect on the immune system of people, sometimes cause allergies and are suspected to be carcinogenic. In addition, they are often contaminated with nitrosamines which are highly toxic.
• Cyclotetrasiloxane (D4), cyclopentasiloxane (D5), cyclohexasiloxane (D6): Refers to substances that facilitate the application of the cosmetic and improve its consistency. But, with the passage of time, they evaporate and generate negative results; one of them is endocrine disorders.
• Vaseline and paraffin: Processed petroleum derivatives are used as a cosmetic base in the synthetic field and contain other by-products generated in the distillation of crude oil, so they are not friendly to humans or the environment. Emphasizing that they can cause cancer in people.

Tips to choose a good supplier of raw materials for natural cosmetics

In order to elaborate the best natural cosmetics, the manufacturer and/or distributor of natural cosmetics has to take into account some ideal recommendations to choose an optimal supplier of raw materials. Otherwise, it will be very difficult to transmit quality and confidence to their customers.

Therefore, the following are the most important tips when selecting a good supplier of raw materials for natural cosmetics:

• Quality assurance: It is essential that you have organic certification and quality certification to guarantee suitable and sustainable raw materials, so that all your products can be labelled as “ORGANIC” and comply with organic farming regulations.
• Affordable and competitive prices: Another of the most important aspects is the cost of raw materials. You must make sure that they offer an excellent quality-price ratio, so you can make items that are affordable to end customers and at the same time, stand out for competitive prices in the market.
• The facilities to access larger quantities of raw materials: In order to acquire the greatest possible economy, it is also good to choose a supplier that allows access to special quantities of different products to also get better prices and have an excellent variety to meet the demand of the target audience.
• Access to detailed information: To verify quality and offer added value to your customers, as a manufacturer you must have access to technical data sheets, safety data sheets, certificates of analysis, ecological certificates, regulatory information, etc. at all times. This is ideal for manufacturing good products that do without unsustainable or environmentally unfriendly practices.