Ep 11: Natural vs Synthetic

Once again, I started researching a topic and spent a full day hyperfixated on it and made my notes way too long. This time I let myself wander down all the weird details, but instead of dumping everything on you right now, I’ve scaled it back to an overview. So WHEN you need more, we will be ready to deliver. Today is the first episode on Natural vs Synthetic ingredients!

No Black-and-White Answers (Sorry)

Let’s get this part out of the way, since we say it about everything. There is no black and white, right or wrong answer to almost any question of “better” or “worse” in cosmetics.

Everything is subjective to:

• Dose

• Person

• Application

• Origin

• And whatever specific question is being asked

Same thing goes for natural vs synthetic. You cannot make blanket statements about materials based only on that label. And because the gray area can feel scary and lonely, we’re here to walk you through it. Our goal is not to make you afraid, but to help you feel comfortable and confident making decisions that feel best for you. If you have a product you enjoy using, you can keep using it. This episode is not meant to make you dissect every ingredient list you own. Ultimately, companies are responsible for making sure their products are honest and ethically sourced. As long as you aren’t having a skin reaction, your product is safe to use.

So… What Is “Natural” Anyway?

Before we can compare natural versus synthetic, we should have a clear, black-and-white definition. Now if you can’t tell, I’m being sarcastic. The line between these two is basically non-existent. So non-existent that the FDA does not have a legal definition of “natural”.

Quick reminder:

• FDA = Food and Drug Administration

• Cosmetics are not food

• Cosmetics can be drugs (like sunscreen, acne treatments, medicated topicals)

• If it doesn’t have a “Drug Facts” panel, it’s just a cosmetic

The FDA is the “governing body” over cosmetics, but it’s kind of an honor system. Companies are responsible for:

• Correct labeling

• Safe and non-contaminated products

The FDA doesn’t “approve” cosmetics before market. If issues arise, then they step in. The FDA also doesn’t define “natural” even for food and drugs. So brands can slap “all natural” on labels as long as they can kinda-sorta justify it and not be misleading.

Industry Workaround: Certifications like COSMOS

Just because the FDA doesn’t define “natural” doesn’t mean no one tries. There are industry standards and certifications that step in, usually from non-profit organizations.

One big one is COSMOS – Cosmetic Organic and Natural Standard.(Another entry in the “why is this acronym like this” hall of fame.)

COSMOS emerged in the early 2000s when 5 smaller certifiers in Europe agreed on more consistent, global standards.

They have two main labels:

• COSMOS Organic

• COSMOS Natural

They explain Organic much more clearly than Natural.

For COSMOS Organic, the idea includes:

• Environmentally friendly production

• “Green chemistry” concepts

• Responsible use of natural resources

• Respect for biodiversity

• No petrochemical ingredients (except a few allowed preservatives like parabens, phenoxyethanol, synthetic colorants, perfumes)

• No GMOs

• Recyclable packaging

For COSMOS Natural, it’s basically “all that stuff, but you don’t have to be organic.”

As a scientist, this fries my brain.

The industry standard ends up being that Natural = at least 99% natural-origin content.

“Oh what does it mean to be natural?” “Well, you have to be at least 99% natural.” So yeah. “Natural” is kind of a state of mind.

Organic: Science vs Marketing

We could do a whole episode on “organic,” but quick version:

• In chemistry, organic means “carbon-based.”

• All plants and animals are organic.

• Congratulations, you are organic too.

In marketing, “organic” usually refers to:

• Farming practices

• Types of pesticides and processes used

So:

• “Organic” on a label does not mean the product is magically pure and from a fairy glade.

• From a scientific standpoint, we can synthetically make organic molecules in a lab.

This is where science and marketing hold hands and lie to you.

Is Petroleum Natural?

Let’s talk petroleum. COSMOS doesn’t like petrochemicals or petroleum derivatives. But where does petroleum come from? It’s literally decomposed organic material from ancient life, processed over millions of years. It comes from the ground. Some people argue crude oil is “natural” because it’s made from organic material. But crude oil isn’t what’s used in cosmetics.

Cosmetics use:

• Highly purified fractions (like petrolatum)

• With contaminants and toxins removed

  
  

So what actually makes it different from ingredients we’re okay calling “natural”? Because here’s the thing:

• Crude oil has been used by humans for cosmetic purposes since ancient times.

• The refining process just separates “the part we want” from “the parts we don’t want.”

If we say petroleum derivatives aren’t natural because they’re refined…Well, all “natural” cosmetic ingredients are refined too. You could argue it’s because petroleum is refined more than “real” natural stuff. But that doesn’t really hold either, because:

Nature Wants You Dead

Real nature is chaotic and terrifying. Plants make a lot of really good chemicals…For plants. They are full of chemicals. Those chemicals exist for defense and survival, not for your glowiest skin day.

Plants have to look out for #1, and they don’t have legs to run away. So they make:

• Irritants

• Allergens

• Poisons

We accept that animals can hurt us if threatened. Plants are not that different.

No one thinks rose thorns are “good for your hands.”

And listen, I love nature. We live in Utah with 5 national parks plus gorgeous mountain ranges. I love hiking, seeing plants, animals, and fungus. I feel spiritually uplifted in nature.

But that doesn’t mean nature loves us back. The most dangerous chemicals in the world are natural.

Humans have not created anything as toxic as some natural compounds. Example: Botulinum toxin (botox, botulism).Thousands of times more toxic than anything we’ve synthesized… and yet very popular in anti-aging. So no, “natural” does not automatically mean gentle or safe.

“Natural Is Better for the Environment”… Is It?

A common belief is that “Natural is better for the environment.”

As consumers, we usually think about:

• Using the product

• Washing it down the drain

• Throwing away the packaging

So “natural” feels like:

• It will just go back to the earth

• It must be kinder to the planet

Sometimes that’s true. Sometimes it absolutely isn’t. In general, agriculture has one of the biggest impacts on biodiversity loss. To grow large amounts of crops, we:

• Clear land

• Remove native plants and animals

• Change ecosystems

This isn’t all bad; mass farming makes food more affordable and accessible. But it has real impacts on the environment.

When we’re “naturally sourcing” ingredients for cosmetics, what does that actually mean? The fantasy is:

• Someone wanders into a wild meadow

• Gently collects flowers and seeds

• Magically infuses them into your shampoo

Marketing absolutely leans into that vibe. You’ve probably seen the ad: soft-focus flowers + a girl running through a field. But in reality, there are 8 billion people on the planet and that model of harvesting will never scale.

It takes a lot of plant material to make cosmetic ingredients. In practice, plants are often:

• Harvested faster than they can regrow in the wild

• Or farmed on large scales

  
  

If we farm rare plants, they become “less natural” in the marketing sense. Their perceived value drops. But more farming = more land use = more environmental impact.

So:

• “Natural” isn’t automatically better for the planet.

• “Synthetic” isn’t automatically worse.

• The reality is messy, and it depends on how things are sourced, produced, and disposed of.

  
  

Conclusion

So, big picture for this episode:

• There is no strict legal definition of “natural” in cosmetics.

• Certifications like COSMOS try, but even then, it’s fuzzy.

• “Organic” means one thing in chemistry and something totally different in marketing.

• Petroleum-derived ingredients have natural origins and are highly refined – just like many “natural” ingredients.

• Nature is a chaos gremlin. The most toxic substances we know are natural.

• Environmental impact isn’t just “is it natural?” – it’s farming, land use, biodiversity, and scale.

Natural vs synthetic is not about good vs evil. It’s about context, dose, sourcing, and what you personally value. You don’t have to carry the weight of the world in your skincare routine. If you like your product, it works for you, and your skin is happy, that’s a win.

Bibliography

1. British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries. Pesticide Toxicity and Hazard. Feb. 2022,https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/farming-natural-resources-and-industry/agriculture-and-seafood/animal-and-crops/plant-health/pesticide-toxicity-hazard.pdf.

2. Burkart, Yvonne. “The Clean Beauty Scam Explained (By a Toxicologist).” YouTube, uploaded by Yvonne Burkart, PhD, 12 July 2025, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1D7xea4QxI.

3. Cosper, Alex. “Understanding COSMOS – the COSMetics Organic and Natural Standard.” Desjardin, 25 Jan. 2018, https://www.desjardin.fr/en/blog/understanding-cosmos-the-cosmetics-organic-and-natural-standard.

4. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. “Melaleuca.” Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/habitat/invasive-plants/weed-alerts/melaleuca/.

5. “[Article on Paracelsus and the ‘dose makes the poison’ concept].” Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology, vol. 119, no. 2, 2016, pp. 126–132. PubMed Central, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4942381/.

6. Novakovich, Jennifer. “Certifying ‘Sustainability’ – Positive Progress? Or a Participation Trophy?” The Eco Well, 4 Dec. 2020, https://www.theecowell.com/blog/certifyingsustainability?rq=cosmos.

7. United States, Food and Drug Administration. FDA Authority Over Cosmetics: How Cosmetics Are Not FDA-Approved, Are FDA-Regulated. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 18 Nov. 2025, https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetics-laws-regulations/fda-authority-over-cosmetics-how-cosmetics-are-not-fda-approved-are-fda-regulated.

8. United States, Food and Drug Administration. “Cosmetic Ingredient Names.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 25 Feb. 2022, https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetics-labeling/cosmetic-ingredient-names.

9. Wong, Michelle. “Are Natural Ingredients Better for the Environment?” Lab Muffin Beauty Science, 2 June 2023, https://labmuffin.com/are-natural-ingredients-better-for-the-environment/.