What Natural Products Are Good for the Skin and What Can Hurt
When you think about skincare, you probably operate under the impression that natural is always better. According to cosmetic dermatology, that’s mostly true. But there are a few natural products you shouldn’t use on your skin. Here’s what you need to know about natural products and your skin.
What to Know About Natural Skin Products
Safe to Use: Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is one of the safest natural products to use on your skin. This plant fat has been known to help soothe the skin and suppress some of your body’s natural inflammatory agents. Coconut oil is also an excellent moisturizer that can help build a natural barrier for your skin. If you suffer from eczema, psoriasis, or itchy skin, it may be worth looking into some of the benefits of skincare products infused with coconut oil.
Not Safe to Use: Witch Hazel
Witch hazel may be a natural product, but it’s not necessarily the best one to use on your skin every day. This product has been used as a toner and as an acne treatment because of its ability to cause skin tissue to contract. Unfortunately, it can strip all of the natural oils from your skin if you utilize it too often. This could lead to skin irritation, dryness, and possibly even a skin rash if you have particularly sensitive skin.
Safe to Use: Green Tea
Green tea has long been lauded for its antioxidant properties when consumed on a regular basis. Now, research is surfacing that reveals green tea could be an excellent addition to your skincare routine. Specifically, the polyphenols found in green tea can have anti-aging benefits. Green tea in sunscreen and moisturizers could help fight sun damage and wrinkles if used regularly. Now you can have your tea and use it on your skin, too.
Not Safe to Use: Lemon Juice
While lemon juice is high in vitamin C, that doesn’t mean it’s safe to put on your face to brighten the skin. Lemon juice is also highly acidic, which could just end up irritating your skin. It’s also possible that you’ll end up with a skin rash as a result of phytophotodermatitis, which is a skin reaction that occurs when certain chemicals (like those found in lemon juice) are exposed to UV light. Don’t risk it!
Safe to Use: Oatmeal
Oatmeal is one of the best natural products you can use on your face, but not all oatmeal is created equally. The specific type of oatmeal that’s good for the skin is called colloidal oatmeal. It’s a powder derived from grinding oats into very specific particle sizes. This form of oatmeal is an excellent tool to help you soothe the symptoms of dry, irritated skin.
Remember to Ask Your Dermatologist
Before you use any of these natural products on your skin, make sure you take the time to talk to your dermatologist. At the end of the day, their skills and knowledge about skin care are going to be incredibly beneficial when it comes time to form a skincare routine that incorporates natural ingredients.
If you’re curious about more natural ingredients that can contribute to skin health, set up a consultation with our team at North Pacific Dermatology today.