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Natural skin care: What to consider

When it comes to skin care, a lot of products are touted as “natural” — but what does that really mean?

Updated: July 28, 2026 | 6 minutes to read

Written by: Melanie Rud

A person washes their face in the bathroom sink.

Natural skin care ingredients are all the rage. But with little oversight on what actually makes something “clean” or “natural,” it can be tricky for people to understand which products are the ones they’re looking for, and which can be skipped.

Here’s a quick look at what “natural” skin care really means, so people can choose the products that work best for them.

In this article:

Clean, natural or organic skin care: What’s the difference?

Clean beauty products and natural formulas seem to be popular in the skin care community, but what do the terms “clean,” “natural” and “organic” actually mean?

There’s no formal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) definition of these terms to lean on, so how they are used depends on the brand. Sometimes, brands use the terms “clean,” “natural” or “organic” interchangeably to describe products that are free of preservatives or fragrances. “Clean beauty” has been used to describe products that have more ingredient transparency and insight into how they are produced, but since the definitions aren’t one-size-fits-all, it can be hard for people to understand what they’re getting with these types of products.

Clean beauty products

By dictionary definition, “clean” means something that is “free from contamination,” “pure” or “unadulterated.” In skin care, clean products may be classified as those that are intentionally absent of potentially problematic ingredients like toxins or allergens. Some common ingredients people watch for include formaldehyde, parabens, petroleum and sulfates. But because clean beauty products aren’t regulated the same for every brand, it can be confusing and sometimes misleading for people who are looking for safer skin care products.

Natural beauty products

Similar to clean products, “natural” may refer to ingredients that aren’t man-made. Ingredients in this category may include things found in nature, like palm oil and aloe vera gel.

Organic beauty products

While “clean” and “natural” are similar in the sense that there’s no true guidance on what the terms mean, “organic” products are able to be classified in certain circumstances. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) oversees the National Organic Program (NOP), which certifies ingredients in agricultural products as organic if they’re produced and labeled under specific conditions.

However, the USDA doesn’t carry these definitions over to cosmetics or body and personal care products, and the FDA does not define or regulate the term “organic” in cosmetics or skin care. But if a product contains agricultural ingredients that meet NOP designations, there’s a possibility that it can be labeled as a certified organic product. Any cosmetic products that have certified organic ingredients are still required to comply with the FDA’s cosmetics laws.

Before changing skin care products or switching to new ingredients, it’s recommended that people speak with a dermatologist.

How are skin care products regulated?

Another thing that complicates the “clean, natural or organic” debate is that the FDA doesn’t approve cosmetics, including most skin care products. Things that do fall under FDA approval include drugs and medications such as prescription shampoos and topical ointments. This can be confusing, because there are no strictly defined rules that denote what is and isn’t acceptable for cosmetic skin care that doesn’t serve a specific medical purpose.

While the FDA doesn’t give products a stamp of approval before they go to market, there are specific laws and requirements that companies need to comply with. For example, ingredients and finished cosmetic products must be properly labeled. Products also can’t contain color additives that don’t have FDA-approval. However, there are no set safety guidelines that outline what ingredients a product needs to be considered safe for use.

The responsibility of making sure products are safe and properly tested falls on the company, but the FDA can act against companies that misbrand or misrepresent their products and even pull them from shelves if necessary.

Are clean skin care ingredients better?

When it comes to choosing skin care products, are cleaner, natural or organic ingredients always better? It depends.

For example, it may be easy to think that organic skin care is better because its ingredients have been certified. But just because an ingredient is organic doesn’t necessarily mean it’s safe for someone to use. Ingredients grown organically, like some plants, may still be harmful to humans if they are toxic or cause allergies. In fact, some dermatologists say people with sensitive skin should stay away from organic ingredients because they can sometimes aggravate a person’s allergies.

The same can be said for natural ingredients. Just because an ingredient is produced in nature doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better — either for a person’s skin or for the environment. Palm oil manufacturing, for example, has been called into question due to environmental impacts and the number of trees taken down yearly to support production.

On the other hand, products that contain synthetic ingredients, like preservatives, may also cause harm to people. Dermatologists say preservatives in skin care products might trigger reactions like contact dermatitis (a condition in which the skin becomes red, itchy and swollen) in some people.

Before diving headfirst into products containing all-natural or organic ingredients, it’s recommended that people do research on exactly how and why these ingredients are being used.

How to choose skin care products

Confused on what to choose for a skin care routine? Instead of focusing on labels like “clean,” “natural” or “organic,” dermatologists recommend choosing products and ingredients that are right for specific skin needs. People should focus on their skin type and identify the products that help solve the issues they’re facing. In general, experts recommend using gentle products such as alcohol-free, non-abrasive cleansers. In terms of labels, it’s recommended that people choose hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic products for best possible outcomes.

And finally, people should remember that a more expensive price tag doesn’t always mean a better product. People should purchase products that work for their needs without breaking their budgets.

Key takeaways

When it comes to skin care, labels like “clean,” “natural,” and “organic” can be confusing and don’t always guarantee a product is safer or more effective. Instead of focusing on these terms, dermatologists recommend choosing products based on individual skin type and specific needs — looking for formulas that are hypoallergenic, don’t cause acne and are free of irritating ingredients.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

There’s no formal definition for these terms. Generally, “clean” refers to products that remove problematic ingredients like parabens or sulfates. On the other hand, “natural” may mean including ingredients derived from nature. “Organic” is the only term with certification standards, though regulations don’t always cover cosmetic products unless they have organic-certified ingredients.

Not necessarily. Organic and natural ingredients can still cause allergic reactions or skin irritation, so dermatologists recommend choosing products based on specific skin type and needs rather than focusing on “clean,” “natural,” or “organic” labels.

Este contenido tiene solo fines informativos y no reemplaza el consejo, diagnóstico ni tratamiento médico profesional. Consulte con su médico o profesional de la salud si tiene alguna pregunta sobre medicamentos, vitaminas o suplementos que esté considerando, o sobre cambios en sus rutinas de bienestar o de atención médica.

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