Natural cosmetics - why plant power simply cares better

Natural cosmetics are trending. With good reason, we think. In fact, we even have 9 good reasons to do so. Find out why natural care makes you beautiful for a long time, how you can use it to avoid harmful substances and why natural cosmetics are not all natural cosmetics.

9 reasons why we love natural cosmetics

We associate naturalness with well-being. What is natural is good for us. Perhaps you have already traveled to such a truly pristine natural paradise. Every morning you opened the window wide, took a deep breath and smelled nothing but clean air and blooming flora. A liberating feeling!

Unfortunately, everyday life usually looks different. Street noise gets to your ears and the way to work doesn't exactly bring olfactory delights. Instead of warm rays of sunshine, millions of dirt particles in the air tickle your skin.

At least you want to treat her to a permanent vacation. Maybe you're even sitting at the computer because you want to order natural cosmetics online, but you're still unsure. Is this just the latest hype or does it bring you real benefits? Here are 9 reasons that convinced me:

1. You treat yourself to "green" luxury

Genuine natural cosmetics consist of vegetable oils and extracts. For many of them, the flowers, nuts and co. even come from wild collection. In contrast to chemically fertilized monocultures of giant plantations, these are natural raw materials.

Take, for example, the organic neroli oil that makes our products smell so delicate. This shows how much nature is in the bottle. It takes a ton of bitter orange blossoms to produce one kilo of essential oil.

2. Long radiance instead of short glow

"Instantly firmer skin", "Hair damage eliminated in 1 minute" - do you recognize such promises? Conventional cosmetics often focus on quick effects . They use synthetic oils or silicones, which provide a great deal of padding and smoothing but do not interact with the skin and therefore provide no long-term benefit .

Natural cosmetics approach your beauty in a completely different way, in the long term. Natural cosmetics balance skin and hair with natural substances. They receive nutrients and are protected against moisture loss. This helps your skin to regenerate itself effectively.

By the way, this process takes place at any age. It doesn't only become relevant from the age of 40, 50 or 60. That's why we at FIVE do not use classifications such as "anti-aging". Nothing prevents the signs of the times as well as intact regenerative power. With natural care you keep your radiance for a long time. Read our article on skin aging and anti-aging products .

3. This is how you optimally support natural skin processes

Native oils work with the skin, but don't do the work for it. Because then the skin would stop important processes. Natural cosmetics therefore use vegetable oils with only a slightly occlusive – i.e. sealing – effect. Many paraffins based on mineral oil, on the other hand, clog the pores with an impermeable film of fat.

After a short time, the skin becomes comfortable. It throttles the enzyme production that regulates the moisture balance. If you don't apply cream quickly enough, the skin will immediately feel dry and tense again. At the same time, the occlusive layer seals the skin. Bacteria and germs are trapped and cause pimples to sprout. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

With jojoba oil , shea butter and co., on the other hand, the occlusive effect is well dosed. They retain moisture but do not clog the pores. The protective mechanisms of the skin continue to work normally.

4. You do without synthetic preservation

Cosmetics that contain water need preservation. Some vegetable oils also go rancid after a relatively short time. Preservation is therefore also in many - not all! – natural cosmetic products necessary. However, there are also natural preservatives: organic alcohols, essential oils and rosemary extract, for example, have this effect.

For our latest product, the FIVE facial serum, we rely on an innovative ferment. This replaces alcohol, which can irritate sensitive skin. In any case, real natural cosmetics relieve you of the worry about parabens and other chemical preservatives.

5. Clean yes, but gently please

Natural cosmetics normally do without sodium laureth sulfate in shower gel, shampoo and cleansing milk. Most conventional cleaning products are based on these salts of sulfuric acid. What's wrong with them? These are aggressive degreasers that massively disrupt the skin barrier. After such an abrasion, the skin first has to do a lot of work to build it up. The moisture balance gets mixed up and regeneration is interrupted.

Mild coconut or sugar surfactants cleanse much more skin-friendly. They remove dirt more gently. But beware: not all natural cosmetic products do without sodium laureth sulfate and even the NaTrue seal allows its use. A look at the INCI list brings certainty.

6. No to nanoparticles

These chemical particles, which are a hundred times smaller than the diameter of a hair, should not be allowed to enter your system. However, they have become fashionable in many conventional products. Nano-sized mineral UV filters, for example, often replace chemical UV filters without optically “whitening”. But deodorants and other products can also contain nanoparticles. The particles can easily get into the bloodstream via small wounds or the lungs. Its use on injured skin or skin irritated by shaving and as a spray is particularly questionable. ^{[4] [5]}

Since 2013, nanomaterials have had to be labeled in the INCI list. Real natural cosmetics do not use nanoparticles , as it is still fairly unclear how the tiny troublemakers affect us and our environment.

To be sure, check the INCIs . If there are nanomaterials in it, then the word "nano" stands behind the ingredient.

7. Naturally scented

What fragrance palette does nature not provide us with! So why reach for the chemistry box? Natural cosmetics pamper your senses with organic essential oils . It's almost like a vacation for your nose. Send them to explore Sicilian orange groves, oriental jasmine gardens or Californian almond blossoms. Bon Voyage!

8. You avoid packaging waste

Anyone who makes natural cosmetics is obviously a fan of nature. Most manufacturers not only want to take, they also want to give something back. They usually design the packaging very sparingly. For example, we do not use outer packaging for our jars and bottles. And because our products are highly concentrated, each pack is extremely economical. All this helps you to avoid unnecessary garbage.

9. Natural cosmetics without animal testing

For us it is clear: natural cosmetics without animal cruelty is a must. And fortunately , since 2013, animal testing for cosmetics has been generally banned in the EU. For all. However, the regulation unfortunately leaves loopholes open. An example: Cosmetics manufacturers are allowed to use substances that are tested on animals for other purposes. In addition, many large corporations also deliver to countries where animal testing is even mandatory, such as China. You won't find real natural cosmetics there. Because manufacturers who take this motto seriously have withdrawn from such markets.

Did you know that the vegan flower that all our products bear reveals a lot about animal welfare? It also shows that all ingredients and production processes are not tested on animals.

Do natural cosmetics need a seal?

The question remains, how do you recognize natural cosmetics at all? After all, flowers are a popular packaging motif. And the term is not protected. Therefore, the proportion of actually natural ingredients varies quite a bit from manufacturer to manufacturer.

There are institutes that certify products according to their own guidelines for natural cosmetics . The best known are: BDIH, NaTrue and Ecocert. Keeping an eye out for their seals is a good place to start. But here, too, some substances are permitted that other natural cosmetics manufacturers classify as questionable (see Sodium Laureth Sulfate).

In addition, the certification is associated with considerable costs. Independent young brands in particular often do without it and prefer to invest in product development and high-quality raw materials. Ultimately, you can best recognize natural cosmetics by the list of their ingredients.

Organic cosmetics - the pinnacle of natural cosmetics

At FIVE , for example, we buy organic ingredients whenever possible. The product base and thus the lion's share of the ingredients are of organic quality and are therefore free of pesticides. What is organic is also marked as such in the list of ingredients. Fortunately, our INCI lists are wonderfully manageable.