Natural ingredients matter more than the brand of skincare

(22/06/2010)

When choosing what to put on their skin, more than twice as many women say natural ingredients matter more to them than the brand. The survey also found that more than two thirds of women prefer products that are not tested on animals and are free from artificial chemicals. But when it comes to going completely natural, more than a third of women would refuse to give up their lipstick.

The findings come from an on-line survey of 1000 women who were asked about their attitudes to natural beauty. Seven out of ten of the women said they regularly use organic soap or shower gel, two-thirds use organic skin care and just over half use mineral make-up. Advertisers may spend millions on glossy ads promoting their brands but it seems that more and more women are rejecting them in favour of more organic, ethical and natural beauty goods.

Janey Lee Grace, author of Look Great Naturally without ditching the lipstick (released by Hay House) carried out the survey in conjunction with psychology Professor, Karen Pine from the University of Hertfordshire. Over a third of women, when asked which item from their make-up bag they would be most reluctant to give up, said their lipstick.

Janey Lee Grace commented, “The words 'beauty' 'glamour' and 'style' can be linked with the word 'natural' without a thought of sackcloth! We can still have our lipstick and a clear conscience. There’s a 100 per cent natural alternative to everything from nail polish to self-tan, so in fact it’s now easy for women to save their skin, their cash and the planet while still looking gorgeous.”

Professor Karen Pine, author of Sheconomics, said, “These findings indicate a shift away from expensively packaged and heavily promoted luxury brands to more ethical and natural products. This is a sign that women are responding to the downturn in the economy and concerns about the environment by making different purchasing decisions. We know that women still want to look good and treat their skin kindly but this shows that women are not being seduced by the big advertisers and are making conscious choices based on their own principles.”

Other stats from the survey:

· Only 6% of women say they are not committed to using natural products.

· One third of women are uncertain about advertised claims, half are concerned about lack of availability and three quarters fear the products might be out of their price range.

· More than twice as many women think natural ingredients are more important than the brand.

· Two thirds of women say lack of artificial chemicals motivates them to choose natural beauty products. Two thirds also say not being tested on animals matters a lot to them.

· More than a third of women would not give up their lipstick and over 40% would hold on to their foundation if they had to choose just one make-up product.

Related categories:  Natural ingredients