Putting together a safe and effective skin care routine shouldn’t require a chemistry degree, but it might feel like it does when you try to figure out why there are so many unpronounceable chemicals included in the products on your bathroom vanity. Educated skin care shoppers are increasingly turning to natural products to achieve the same results without being exposed to potentially toxic ingredients. If you’ve always wanted to make the switch to natural skin care, read on to learn how you’ll benefit from cleaning up your routine.

Natural Products Are Available Everywhere

Years ago, shopping for natural beauty products meant heading to farmer’s markets and specialty stores to choose from only a few options, many of which were sticky, greasy, or prone to spoilage. Recent interest in natural options, however, means that you can pick up sustainable and well-formulated natural products anywhere. Better yet, there’s enough variety available that you’ll be able to find exactly the right products for your skin goals, whether you want a soothing lavender hand cream or an anti-aging facial oil.

Natural Products Are Suitable for All Skin Types

Does it sound strange to contemplate putting an oil on your face? You might already be avoiding petroleum-based products that include mineral oil and paraffin, which are heavy and can clog pores. However, many natural formulations include plant oils full of fatty acids that mimic those found in human skin or deliver high concentrations of vitamins and antioxidants. Squalane, for instance, is derived from olives, but it’s also found naturally in the oils your skin produces, so it’s an excellent choice if you often experience dry or dehydrated skin. With so many plant oils available, there’s one that’s just right for you; check out this guide to buying facial oils to learn more.

Natural Products Are Safe and Healthy 

Although conventional beauty companies are still using ingredients like parabens, phthalates, and sulfates, savvy shoppers are increasingly aware of the dangers of being exposed to such chemicals, which accumulate in the bloodstream and may disrupt normal hormone function. In response to their concerns, natural beauty brands have carefully formulated skin care products and color cosmetics that exclude any ingredients linked to human health risks. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration hasn’t made many changes to its regulations for beauty products in the past several decades, so it’s up to shoppers to find options that feel safe to them.

Fortunately, natural skin care companies are often founded with safety as a top-of-mind priority. Most brands offer a full listing of ingredients that won’t appear in any of their products; if you know you have sensitive skin or you’re trying to avoid certain notorious ingredients like parabens, learning what each brand considers “suspicious” can help you decide where to buy the right products for your routine.

Natural Products Are Easier To Understand 

The long list of potentially hazardous chemicals printed on the back of most prestige and drugstore products can be not just confusing, but also overwhelming; with a constantly changing understanding of which ingredients are safe and which aren’t, doing enough research to ensure that all your purchases are safe is enough work for a part-time job. Natural products use simpler ingredients, and it’s easier to understand why each one is included in a certain product. Some natural brands even offer explanations on their websites or packaging of the provenance and purpose of every ingredient they use, which can be immensely helpful for learning about beauty products.

Natural Products Are Sustainable

Increasing concern over plastic waste and energy usage has led many natural brands, already interested in preserving human health and safety, to turn their attention to preserving the integrity of the natural environment. While creams and moisturizers are best preserved with plastic packaging, many companies that offer solid products like shampoo and conditioner bars for hair have gravitated towards durable packaging that accommodates refills, or recyclable paper or cardboard containers for single-use packaging.

Switching to natural products hasn’t always been an easy proposition, but with their newfound mainstream popularity, there are readily available options at every price. For beauty shoppers concerned about the ingredients in the cosmetics they use every day, the transparency that natural brands offer with simple ingredients and wholesome formulations is an appealing alternative to traditional chemical-laden, petroleum-based beauty products.