Science vs Nature: What’s More Important in Beauty Products?

POPSUGAR Australia has partnered with Garnier Green Labs to help you find a skincare routine that combines the best of beauty and science, to help you achieve your best skin ever.

In the world of skincare, there’s one debate that resurfaces regularly — and that is whether natural or man-made skincare products are best. 

The short answer is that neither is necessarily better or worse than the other, but rather, it’s important to use a well-formulated product that’s backed by science and clinical studies. “A healthy skincare routine often requires a blend of different ingredients, whether it’s natural, artificial, or both, to help achieve skincare goals — and it is important to find the combination that works best for your skin,” dermatologist Dr. Marisa Garshick tells POPSUGAR Australia.

Garshick explains that it’s more about personal preference and finding a product that works well for your skin, regardless of whether it is natural or not. “It is best to approach skincare by the efficacy of the ingredient, remembering that there are natural ingredients that can be effective, but there are also natural ingredients that may not be as effective,” she says. 

That’s where a product like the Garnier Green Labs Pinea-C Brightening Serum Cream SPF 15 comes in. A multi-purpose product that combines the best of nature and science, this 3-in-1 lightweight serum cream hybrid acts as a one-and-done in your morning skincare routine that replaces three steps with one, to help you get results with fewer steps in your regimen. 

There’s a very good reason Garnier Green Labs has chosen to combine ingredients like fruit and plant extracts with high-quality man-made ingredients (for example, sun protecting active ingredients, avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate, and octocrylene), and that’s to ensure its products are efficacious and suitable for all people — especially those with sensitive skin types. For example, the Pinea-C Brightening Serum Cream combines pineapple fruit extract with glycerin and sodium hyaluronate to help boost moisture, which Garshick explains makes it a good option for those with dry or sensitive skin.

When asked whether this combination (of natural and man-made ingredients) can be efficacious, Garshick confirmed that it can. “Yes, some natural ingredients can still show results based in science,” she says, adding that, “a combination of key ingredients that have benefits to improve overall skin health can be very valuable when considering a skincare routine.” 

Garshick also explains there are many plant and fruit extracts that are rich in certain skin-loving vitamins and minerals, such as antioxidants, fatty acids, or natural exfoliating properties that can be good for overall skin health. “In some cases, natural ingredients can help to brighten the skin, hydrate the skin, as well as eliminate dead skin cells to help improve the overall appearance of the skin,” she says.

Depending on the skincare circles you run in (likely on social media), you may staunchly sit in the all-natural or all-synthetic skincare camp. But as Garshick has taught us, it’s all about finding something that works for your skin, that’s targetted to your specific concerns — and, on that front, finding products that are backed by science is crucial. “It is important that someone seeking an all-natural product be mindful that just because something is ‘all-natural’, it doesn’t necessarily make it safer or more effective,” Garshick cautions. “While there are natural skincare products that may be based in science and show benefits, as with any product, it is important to understand the ingredients and determine if it is right for you and your skin.”

Garshick adds that it’s also important to note that there’s no formal or standard definition of what constitutes something as “natural”. “It is always important to understand the ingredients [in your skincare], in addition to remembering that just because something is natural, doesn’t mean your skin won’t have any allergy or sensitivity as some individuals may develop irritation even from natural ingredients.” That’s why we gravitate towards products like the Garnier Green Labs serum cream range because they include potent plant-derived ingredients in formulations that are science-backed to create dermatologist-tested and -approved products. 

If you’d like to try the Garnier Green Labs range and find the right product for your skin, head to their website.

Editor’s note: Dr. Marisa Garshick is an independent dermatologist and is not contracted to Garnier Green Labs in any capacity.