Humans have been using natural oils and fats to moisturise their skin for thousands of years. So naturally, our skin has evolved to extract, process and utilise the most beneficial properties of these oils and fats.
However, especially in the last fifty years or so, it seems that people have simply forgotten this as they have succumbed to the corporate commercialization of emulsion-based moisturisers as we know them today.
It might surprise you to learn that most of the ingredients "developed" by today's big cosmeceutical companies, have predominantly been created to imitate naturally available substances. These companies do this with only their profits in mind. After all, it's not possible to trademark, patent or limit other companies use of a natural substance. Instead, these large corporate's discovered that they could recreate or "develop" their own versions of these natural substances, then promote them as being superior to the natural alternatives, and hence profit from them.
Unfortunately, over time, these clever marketing tactics’ have been effective in altering our perception of natural substances, including oils. Over the last few decades, we've been reconditioned to believe that the man-made imitations surpass the natural versions. So much so, that most people today are scared of using natural substances as they believe that they are inferior and have less beneficial properties than the man-made alternatives. I too fell victim to these tactics, and for many years I was scared to try natural oils on my skin. Now, however, I wouldn't look back.
In reality though, these naturally occurring substances, which mother nature spent millennia perfecting, are the superior substance as they're naturally stable, loaded with vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, omega's and many other beneficial properties that our skins naturally know how to absorb, process and utilise.
The key ingredient in most of today's creams and lotions, water, is used because it's cheap and can be emulsified with oils and other ingredients to make them more cost effective. Further, as the man-made imitation ingredients are not dependent on the seasons, they can be produced cheaply, and in reliable quantities all year round. However, what many people also do not realise, is that today’s creams and lotions are also specifically designed to sit on the top layer of the skin. So once removed, your skin instantly craves more, and you're forced to use and buy more and more. This is exactly what the large cosmeceuticals have been relying on, and profiting from, for decades.
Although they're often more expensive to produce, and are subject to natures seasonal influences, oils, on the other hand, are absorbed deep down into the epidermal layers of the skin, delivering their many benefits to where they're needed most.
However, like many things in both the natural and man-made world, not all oils are the same. Some can nourish the skin, while others can clog pores or be potential irritants. Care does need to be taken when choosing the oils right for your skin. As someone with sensitive skin, I always been mindful when trying new products on my skin. After much research in to the various types of oils available and their various properties, the blend I bring to you today contains a specific selection of those oils known to be naturally powerful, yet gentle and kind to most skin types, including sensitive skin.
