COMMERCIAL NATURAL SKIN CARE PRODUCTS

Over the last quarter of a century, so many products are advertised as natural, nonsynthetic, herbal and organic. No one knows about all these categories authentically and their definition, in the commercial domain, is vague. Advertisers blatantly make the claim that their hair oil can prevent premature greying of hair! How can hair oil do such wonder? Hair oil is just a style facilitator.

There is no evidence that hair oil has anything to do with hair growth or prevention of premature greying. But such misguiding advertisements are loudly played on electronic media and displayed in social and print media. No action is being initia t e d against such dubious claims because of powerful lobbying.

Unscientific and unproven claims that aloe vera soap can make a woman beautiful with glowing skin. There is no official authority to verify such claims and the definition of beauty is highly individualized as every creature and creation has its own beauty. The dream sellers roam in different garbs donning white coats or saffron attire. Despite all the claims of public good, the ultimate goal is to fatten the bottom line of one's own corporation. So, it would be pertinent to understand what is natural and whether it is of any worthwhile use as far as the " natural" skin care industry is concerned.

Beauty products get noticed by their attractive packaging or soothing scent. Most of the containers have brilliant green images on the glossy paper wrapping to give a sense of the " natural" origin of the content. Don't let such marketing strategies impact your buying choice and pay exorbitant prices for the product which might not suit you. Commercial natural beauty products are not always better for everyone and many people do encounter side effects.

One point to be noted is that the so-called natural product market is unregulated and you can't be sure of what you are getting and its purity hence, people with extra sensitive skin might suffer in the form of itching, rash or pigmentation. Technical- ly, a natural product is one which comes directly from plants or trees and has not been adulterated by any laboratory-manufactured ingredient. But in the absence of any regulatory body, the safety and efficacy claims may be dubious in many cases where financial considerations are a top priority. There is no authority that can ask manufacturers to prove what they claim.

The public belief that a fragrance-free product is most probably natural is not fully true. The product might be unscented but even then some chemicals may be added to suppress any odour and there are some chemical preservatives and surfactants to make a cream or lotion. Thus, the idea of an absolutely chemical-free beauty product is hard to digest.

The concept of hypo allergy is vague as allergy is an individualized phenomenon. One who is sensitive always gets the rash while the rest pay a premium price in the name of a hypo allergy product. Similar is the story regarding non-toxic skin products. A product which is non-toxic to many is toxic for some. Furthermore, a truly organic product should be derived from plant sources where no fertilizer, pesticide or herbicide is used. Is this possible, especially in a country like India? It is always better to count your coins before you pay.

Don't get swayed by TV advertisements where aloe vera keeps you young forever and your skin becomes radiant like a lady with a lamp painting of Raja Varma. Make an informed and logical choice because excessive use of cosmetics to attain illusionary beauty may disturb your hormones by chemical additives getting absorbed through your skin.

The purpose of this article is not to convey that natural beauty product or even chemical-based products are all worthless but it is to emphasise that nothing is hundred per cent safe. Hence, there is no need to pay exorbitant premiums for these products. The better choice would be to select products with a single or two ingredients or maybe even homemade products. Finally, one thing should always be kept in mind. Beauty is only a concept and that too a very personal idea. Every concept, every idea has a certain life. After that, it starts waning. Philosophically, the best beauty products are two compassionate eyes and smiling lips. The choice is yours.