How do you view Skin Care?

How do you view Skin Care?

Skincare is ...

What does the word skincare conjure up for you? For some of us, it’s simply an incidental splash of cool water on our faces,  almost like an afterthought, following the basic twice a day oral hygiene routine (👀). If it is lotions, potions creams, powders oils and gels, then we are among the 90th percentile. Then there is a smaller - but growing- percentage of us whose minds immediately turn to more modern options, such as skin care tools and Med Spas. This includes everything from simple quartz rollers, and other facial massage doodads, to more complicated LED Light therapy devices, crystal masks, microdermabrasion, microneedling and even hypodermic needles filled with various elixirs, promising the fountain of youth. For many, these have become a part of our daily, weekly, monthly and annual skincare regimen. 

How Natural is Natural Skincare:

We are somewhere in the midst of a natural skincare revolution (it’s been going on for a good minute, so midst is questionable, but you get the gist?). If you have not joined the masses who have jumped on the natural skincare bandwagon, you need to peek your head out from under the rock you have been hiding, and slather some Shea Butter Body Butter, or spritz some Rosewater/Aloe Hydrating mist all over your body and face, respectively (phew … that was a mouthful!). 

There are natural skincare options available for almost every skincare need. Remember that a large percentage of what is concocted in the most advanced labs share their beginnings with some humble gifts bestowed upon us by Mother Nature. Don’t be fooled by claims of chemical free skincare. Mother Nature is in fact, the original Chemist/Chemistry Lab. A chemical, by definition, is any substance consisting of matter; this includes gasses, liquids, and solids. Some of the best, most well known and most effective natural skincare “chemicals” bestowed upon us by Mother Nature includes the likes of Aloe Vera, Calendula, and even oatmeal. While many would define natural as “unprocessed”, it is notable that some natural options do in fact undergo some amount of processing to be rendered into a usable state. The well known and widely used Shea Butter is one such example. Produced from the fruit of the Karite Nut Tree, it undergoes a process which involves boiling, mixing, and separating the fruit, to get us to what we know as Shea Butter. There are also times when the natural and the synthetic marry, in order to create what is ultimately considered to still be natural skincare. For example, the most basic of skincare products,  soap, was originally made via a chemical reaction between plant ashes and animal fats, known as saponification. In modern times, this process has evolved, and a lab created version, sodium hydroxide, is now widely used to make bar soap. Without soda ash, or its synthetic counterpart, sodium hydroxide, soap is not possible. Many natural skincare creators, as did I, had their initial foray into handmade skincare, via soap making. It is still my first love. While most soap makers now use sodium hydroxide and plant oils and butters in soap making, there are still some that use the traditional method of using soda ash, specifically from burnt cocoa pods, to make the ever popular African Black Soap.

Is Natural as effective as Synthetic?

This question is, and always will be posited, as it should. My take on it is, yes, as long as expectations are set realistically. No doubt, synthetic skin care is effective. A chemical peel here, some actives there, and in almost no time you have fresh glowing skin. That is all the difference. Using synthetic options, in as quickly as a few days, you can see your hyperpigmentation clearing up almost miraculously before your eyes, while natural options are slow and steady, getting you to the healthy skin you desire, over time. Acne breakouts? No problem! Hyperpigmentation? Gone! What skin issues? Many of us are on a quest for as close to perfect skin as possible. There are countless options available from your derm’s office to clear you up in a flash! The question though, is, at what cost? 

We have become an “instant gratification” “selfie” generation, and as such, have become accustomed to quick working solutions. Many people, however, have been trending towards the “live in the moment” experience, causing us to not only slow down our lives in some instances, but also slow down our expectations. This is very timely for the “Natural” revolution. As a part of this movement, we have also become more conscientious about what we consume - both internally and topically. No, natural skincare doesn’t work as quickly as synthetic, but could potentially be as effective, given time to do its job. By using Natural Skincare, you can certainly reap all the benefits of synthetic skincare, without all the potentially dangerous and long lasting negative side effects of synthetic options. 

Now is the perfect time for you to consider some natural options, such as the Karibu365’s line of facial products found here.

Want to find out about natural skincare products to replace your derm dispensed options? Watch this space and follow @karibu365 on IG. 

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