The natural cosmetics movement, also called “slow”, was started in 2012 by the Belgian Julien Kaibeck, in imitation of the “slow” food movement, and tries to respond to the “greenwashing” and the avalanche of “miraculous” products that, often “green” companies try to sell us without actually considering them as organic products as they are made with petrochemicals and synthetic ingredients, despite the “green” advertising they promote.
* Greenwashing: This concept was called by David Bellamy, on the occasion of the celebration of Earth Day in 1990. At that time he highlighted the hypocrisy of some companies, which placed their products accompanied by wonderful and beautiful images of nature, highlighting a commitment to the environment that was truly questionable.
“These are companies that offer products that clean perfectly for their effectiveness with green colors and images of nature and “freshness”, but which, in their production, seriously pollute the waters of nearby rivers. Or they offer a perfect health image (Cosmetics), but in reality they contain large amounts of chemical components that obviously contaminate and harm health as well. ”
Unfortunately, there are also brands of natural cosmetics that are not as “organic” as advertised, which is why it is very important to know how to read the labels and compositions of the products we consume.
“Slow” cosmetics therefore encourage more sensitive consumption and more reasonable beauty products. Fewer products, more organic, simple homemade recipes, and especially, gestures and cosmetic ingredients that respect the environment.
THE 4 PILLARS OF THE “SLOW” COSMETICS MOVEMENT ARE SUMMARIZED IN: Source; (https://www.slow-cosmetique.com)
1. IT IS ECOLOGICAL:
A cosmetic without petrochemicals (vaselines), plastics, toxicity or contaminants. No pollution and with natural organic ingredients. A cosmetic based on local products and assets (with plants and oils originating from the area where it is produced). A cosmetic that recycles packaging and materials whenever possible and respects the environment in which it is produced.
2. IT IS HEALTHY:
Respectful of human, plant and animal living things. And it prevents substances that are endocrine disruptors or that accumulate and intoxicate our body such as parabens.
3. IT’S SMART:
It tries to take care of the real needs of the skin and provide the really necessary active ingredients. Because consuming more is not always consuming better.
4. IT IS REASONABLE:
It is a cosmetic that makes realistic and feasible promises and does not seek to sell impossible or fraudulent solutions. Also offering a fair and ethical price so that the pleasure can also be reasonable. And because simplicity is the greatest of luxuries.
THE FIFTH PILLAR IS OF OWN CONTRIBUTION and is part of the philosophy I will share through this page.
For us, from naturamatters, natural cosmetics must also be minimalist.
And why minimalist ?: Because if a cosmetic product or “solution” works with three natural and healthy ingredients we do not need to spend more money or resources to make it and, moreover, according to certain mixtures and synergies of components, it can be even counterproductive. Not always more is better.
Feeling good about yourself @ is important, so we are not against the idea of wanting to correct facial imperfections with makeup or wanting to avoid blemishes and wrinkles. However, within our minimalist concept of cosmetics, our maxim is: no, it’s more.
The skin, to preserve its lipid barrier and the layer of saprophytic bacteria that protect it only needs three components: a good soap that cleanses but does not destroy the beneficial bacteria that protect our skin, water to hydrate and natural fats to nourish. And this is achieved with three basic ingredients: natural soap, water, and natural vegetable oils that provide us with quality fats.
We know of the amount of literature and websites that formulate complicated recipes for creams with aqueous phase and fat phase. Making a cream with an aqueous phase, although interesting, greatly complicates any recipe because where there is water you need to add a preservative, more or less natural. And here we come into conflict with the issue of preservatives which are always, to a greater or lesser extent, biocides. Logically, synthetic preservatives are even more problematic than can be used by the natural cosmetics industry. However, formulating a cream with vegetable fats is very simple, and only requires a little vitamin E to prevent the rancidity of the fats. This is what we did not mean when we talked about the minimalist attitude that we propose to you from here.
Many times, less is more and if we do not need to formulate a cream with complicated ingredients, our attitude will be to make our lives simpler and simpler.
This will not be an obstacle because sometimes we offer some more complicated recipes for people with free time and desire, but in any case, you should know that true skin hydration is internal and that much more important than formulating a cream that contain water, is to drink it daily. With skin, this is the best solution. On the other hand, oils and fats are important to nourish and keep it beautiful for longer.
