Ingredients In Natural Skin Care

Natural--it's a word that has a special cachet in world of skin care and beauty products. The greening of the cosmetics market is big business, according to Packaged Facts, a market research firm whose 2009 report, "Natural and Organic Personal Care Products in the U.S." places the value of the natural health, beauty and cosmetics market at more than $6.6 billion in 2008. Skin care products that contain natural ingredients include moisturizers, cleansers, facial scrubs, masks and anti-aging serums.

Emollients

Emollients soften and moisturize skin, either by attracting moisture from the air--humectants--or by creating a barrier that prevents the loss of moisture from your body. Common emollient ingredients include vegetable oils, such as jojoba oil, coconut oil and almond oil. Glycerin, a common humectant in natural skin care products, may be derived from natural vegetable or animal sources, though synthetic forms of glycerin also exist.

Exfoliators

Natural facial scrubs and masks may contain ingredients that exfoliate--remove dead skin cells--either mechanically or chemically. Ground oatmeal or almond meal, for instance, are mild, natural abrasives that help loosen and remove dirt and dead skin cells.

Some skin care products contain alpha hydroxy acids, such as citric acid from lemons and oranges, malic acid from apples or lactic acid from milk or beta hydroxy acids, such as salicylic acid. They soften surface skin cells and help remove dry, scaly patches, according to a brochure published by The Skin Sciences Institute at the Children's Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati.

Botanicals

Many natural skin care products include botanical ingredients, such as aloe vera, pomegranate, green tea, turmeric and feverfew. Aloe vera may help combat atopic dermatitis, according to a review of studies on natural cosmetic ingredients published in the June 2010 issue of the "Journal of Drugs in Dermatology." The review, conducted by Dr. Joseph Fowler at the University of Louisville, also concluded that botanicals green tea, licorice, acai berry, soy, turmeric and pomegranate offer possible antioxidant benefits in skin care products.

Inactive Ingredients

Commercial skin care products contain inactive ingredients whose purpose is to keep the product fresh, stabilize the other ingredients and make the cream or moisturizer smell and feel pleasant. In natural skin care products, those ingredients include essential oils, salt and sugar, which are natural preservatives. Essential oils also often add scent to creams, lotions and cleansers, and serve as antimicrobial agents to keep mold from forming. Natural resins, such as guar and acacia gum, are natural thickeners, and lecithin, a component of cell membranes, is an emulsifier that helps water and oils mix, and keeps them from separating.