Questioning natural skincare: Stop using sunflower, avocado oils, aloe vera and other natural ingredients
In recent years, natural skincare has surged in popularity, with ingredients like avocado and sunflower oil, as well as aloe vera and green tea extract to mention a few, being embraced as the healthier, more sustainable choice. These "all-natural" products are often marketed as safer for skin health and the environment. In this article, we challenge these assumptions, based on interviews with professionals, data and science, highlighting eight key issues that suggest natural skincare may not be as "green" or skin-safe as it appears.
In 2024, the global natural cosmetics market generated total revenue of US$13.87 billion. It is projected to experience an annual growth rate of 6.75% (CAGR 2024-2028). While this rapid growth reflects rising consumer demand for natural ingredients, there are truths behind these numbers that deserve closer examination.
Natural ingredients include plant-based oils like coconut oil, jojoba oil, avocado oil, essential oils, botanicals like plant extracts and erbs, botanicals, and more. Although these ingredients may seem like eco-friendly, skin-loving choices, the reality is more complex. The belief that "natural" is inherently better has fueled an entire industry, despite the lack of concrete scientific evidence proving that these ingredients are better for your skin—or for the environment. Let's first explore their safety for the skin and then their environmental impact.
Why natural ingredients are not safer
Natural skincare is often promoted as safer and better for the skin, but this assumption is flawed. Here, we’ll explore the issues related to impurities, allergens and inconsistencies in natural products.
1. Contain impurities and allergens
Despite the “natural” label, plant-based ingredients can contain impurities and allergens that cause bad skin reactions. Ewa Daniél, a skincare professional and toxicologist, notes in an interview with Bioli:
"There is no inherent reason why a substance derived from nature is safer than one created in a lab. Just like people can be allergic to pollen or pet dander, plant-based ingredients can also trigger reactions."
According to AllergyCertified, analyzing natural ingredients is much more complex due to the presence of various impurities:
“It’s much more difficult to ensure the purity of natural ingredients compared to synthesized ingredients because natural ingredients are complex mixtures of compounds,” explains Lene Stiil, CEO of AllergyCertified, in an interview with Bioli.
Some plant-based oils, like coconut oil, jojoba oil, avocado oil, and essential oils, can directly trigger allergic reactions.
2. Bacteria growth and preservation challenges
A lesser-known but critical issue with natural ingredients is their vulnerability to bacterial contamination.
“Many natural and organic products contain a high amount of so-called botanicals like aloe vera juice/extract. These ingredients can be like candy for bacteria. When developing product formulations you often need to add a higher level of preservation. This can be problematic, especially for those with sensitive skin,” explains Frederik Eberth, Safety Assessor and Scientific Consultant at Mersilconsult.dk.
To combat bacterial growth, higher levels of preservatives are often required in formulations containing natural ingredients. This increased preservative content can be problematic for consumers with sensitive skin, potentially causing irritation. By minimizing natural ingredients, formulations can often require fewer preservatives, resulting in a gentler, more stable product for the skin.
3. Inconsistencies
Another issue with natural skincare is the inconsistency of plant-based ingredients. Due to environmental factors like soil quality or harvest conditions, the composition of natural ingredients may vary from batch to batch. This variability can be especially problematic for people with sensitive skin, as minor changes in formulation could lead to irritation or allergic reactions.
In contrast, synthetic ingredients are produced under controlled conditions, ensuring consistent formulations every time.
“Unlike many natural ingredients, synthetic ones undergo rigorous purification processes that ensure consistency and minimize the risk of allergic reactions,” Stiil concludes.
A better alternative to sunflower and jojoba oil in skincare is ester oils, which are processed ingredients . Ester oils, such as Isononyl Isononanoate, Cetearyl Isononanoate or Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, are derived from fatty acids and alcohols. These alternatives are favoured because they are more sustainable, have a lower environmental impact, and provide consistent purity and performance in formulations, unlike natural oils that can vary in quality. This reliability is crucial for consumers with sensitive or reactive skin.
4. Acts as perfume
A lot of natural skincare includes essential oils, plant oils and botanical extracts which acts as perfume. That’s perfume, which can be just as allergenic as synthetic perfume developed in a lab, if not more so, as they contain various volatile compounds that can trigger allergic reactions, from mild skin irritation to serious allergic responses.
As mentioned, some ingredients can directly trigger allergic reactions. Others become allergenic when exposed to oxygen, such as limonene, a commonly used ingredient, which we explored in the article, Fragrance: The Delightful and Harmful Ingredient.
The same with green tea extract, also known on the INCI as Camellia Sinesis Leaf Extract, which is not tolerated by AllergyCertified when making certifications for instance:
“While it works as an antioxidant, it’s also considered as fragrance and it is classified as H317, meaning it can cause allergic reactions when it comes into contact with the skin, which doesn’t meet our criteria.” Daniél concludes.
Why natural Ingredients are not environmental-friendly
5. Competes with food sources
One of the most overlooked problems with natural skincare is that it often competes with food sources, taking up valuable farmland that could be used to feed people. Popular vegetable oils like avocado and coconut, which are staple foods in many parts of the world, are increasingly diverted into skincare products.
Avocado oil, for instance, is lauded for its moisturizing properties, but avocado farming is resource-intensive, requiring vast amounts of water and land. These crops could otherwise be used to feed communities, especially in regions where food insecurity is a real concern. Similarly, coconut oil, another frequently used ingredient, is a key food source in tropical regions. As demand for coconut-based products grows, so does the strain on the environment and local economies that rely on these crops for food production.
It's not just oils—ingredients like green tea and chamomile, commonly found in natural skincare, are also sourced from crops typically used for food. This raises ethical questions about prioritizing skincare products over food production.
6. Resource-intensive production and ecosystem impact
While natural ingredients may seem inherently more sustainable, the preliminary life cycle analyses we conducted, which we used as an internal decision-making tool in our research, tells a different story. These studies, utilizing the ReCiPe 2016 Endpoint (H) method, which measures environmental impact from production at the factory gate through to consumer use, reveal the significant toll that natural ingredients can have on ecosystems.
Our comparison of plant-based oils, such as jojoba and sunflower, with lab-made ester oils highlights the higher environmental burden of natural oils.
“In the life cycle analysis we carried out, we observed that plant-based oils like sunflower and jojoba place a significant burden, especially on ecosystem quality. Ester oils, by contrast, are a much more environmentally favorable option,” says Aldo Seguel, Chief Scientific Officer at Bioli.
In the ReCiPe 2016 Endpoint (H) LCA method, ecosystem quality is measured through the species.yr unit, which calculates the number of species lost per year due to various environmental impacts.
7. Taking up valuable farmland
A critical but often overlooked consequence of the natural skincare trend is its consumption of valuable farmland. Ingredients like green tea, chamomile, and aloe vera—common in natural beauty products—compete for agricultural land that could otherwise be used to grow food.
For instance, green tea and chamomile are traditionally grown for consumption in teas and herbal remedies, but their increasing use in skincare diverts valuable farmland from food to beauty products. This trend puts pressure on the agricultural system, especially in regions where land is already scarce, raising ethical concerns about how we prioritize land use.
Aloe vera is another ingredient widely used in natural skincare for its soothing properties. Aloe vera requires substantial amounts of land and water for cultivation. These resources could instead support the growth of essential food crops. In a world where food security remains a pressing global issue, it’s worth questioning whether devoting land to non-essential crops for skincare is the best use of our natural resources.
Lastly, sunflower oil, commonly used in both food and skincare, also takes up valuable agricultural land that could have been used for growing food crops.
8. Oxidation and the need for extra ingredients
Natural ingredients, such as those derived from plant oils, extracts, and vitamins, are highly prone to oxidation due to their unsaturated compounds, which are particularly vulnerable to oxygen, light, and heat unless sufficiently preserved. As these ingredients oxidize, they not only lose their beneficial properties but can also develop unpleasant odors, making the use of additional ingredients necessary to maintain product quality.
"When ingredients oxidize, they can become rancid and smell very bad, and you’ll need to add more ingredients or perfume to mask the odor. Many essential oils become more allergenic when they are oxidized," explains Frederik Eberth.
Unlike synthetic ingredients, natural compounds often lack stabilizers, making them more susceptible to degradation unless properly formulated with preservatives and antioxidants like Tocopherol (Vitamin E). These stabilizing agents are crucial for extending shelf life and preserving product efficacy. However, the inclusion of these extra stabilizing ingredients or perfume, as discussed in this article, increases product complexity and environmental cost.
It's time to rethink skincare
The perception of natural skincare needs to be reconsidered. While natural ingredients like avocado, coconut, and sunflower oils are often seen as eco-friendly and gentle on the skin, the reality is more complicated. From competing with food sources to their significant environmental impact and hidden impurities, natural skincare may not be the sustainable, skin-safe solution it’s marketed to be.
As the skincare industry advances, biotechnology presents a promising alternative—one that emphasizes sustainability, safety, and efficacy. Biotech-based ingredients are developed using fewer resources, have a consistently lower environmental footprint, and offer higher purity standards, ensuring better outcomes for both your skin and the planet.
Key Tip
Any product can claim to be "all-natural", but the ingredients label—often placed on the back of the bottle—tells the true story. It’s always better to examine the ingredient list rather than relying on front-label marketing claims. Although decoding skincare labels can be challenging, it's worthwhile. Anything containing the word “oil” is a natural ingredient. To help explore further, we’ve created a guide: Unfolding the INCI: A Guide to Decoding Skincare Ingredients, with tips on how to find out what’s in your skincare product to help you make more informed choices.