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In what seems like a sudden surge towards healthy living, Singaporeans have been jumping on the organic bandwagon. Logically speaking, eating organic produce should be good for your body but will applying organic facial cream have the same effect?
With Singaporeans snapping up organic food, you can now find dedicated natural and organic produce section in many supermarkets. However, the shift towards natural skincare is slower. And I totally get why this is the case.
Companies are always advocating the use of a new concoction that is filled with a chemical-filled patents. But by only using naturally-derived ingredients, can a beauty product truly work? This debate is going to be long and arduous, so I have decided to put these products to the test.
Naturals by Watsons
A new line by the Hong Kong brand, Naturals by Watsons uses a combination of certified organic ingredients like argan oil and olive into hair and body products. But unlike most organic products that cost a bomb, this range is extremely affordable. Body scrubs and lotions cost less than $5.
For this review, I put the Blood Orange Body Lotion to the test. The emollient is supposed to keep my skin hydrated while brightening and evening out my skin tone. The lotion has a strong citrus scent, and as I rubbed it into my skin, the cream absorbed really well, leaving behind no sticky residue. However, as there wasn’t any creamy film left, I personally felt the moisturising factor was lower than that of an average cream. But for the affordable price? Definitely worth it.
Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief Collection
The eco-friendly brand is famous for its scientific use of natural ingredients. The recent launch of its Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief Collection taps onto the power of reishi, a mushroom said to calm sensitive skin like no other.
I tried the Advanced Face Serum in this range, and was very surprised at its milky texture (since most serums are water-based). Origins says that this product works to improve the skin’s resilience to stress while at the same time calming and soothing all signs of sensitivity.
When I applied the serum for the first time, surprisingly it was quickly absorbed by my skin, leaving a thin film of moisture after. Over time, I noticed that the product did work to reduce redness from my skin, but I wasn’t sure if my skin’s resilience improved. The use of natural ingredients did make me feel that the product was more “skin-friendly” but it could just be a perceptual bias!
OGX Quenched Sea Mineral Moisture Collection
Formerly known as Organix, OGX is a hair brand that prides itself in its use of recycled packaging and natural ingredients. For its Quenched Sea Mineral Moisture Collection targeted at dry and damaged hair, OGX claims that its natural ingredients give you salon-standard results.
I wouldn’t consider my hair damaged but because it’s long, I have some split ends every now and then. So I opted for the Quenched Sea Mineral Moisture Shimmering Spray. A leave-on spray filled with deep sea minerals and sea kelp, it is supposed to make dry and brittle hair smooth and manageable. With this in mind, I religiously sprayed the product every other day.
The water-based spray has an oily texture and beachy scent that takes some getting used to. Due to its texture, the product gave my hair a glossy finish, and I did notice my tresses being more moisturised. With its affordable price, this hair spray does its job (although I have to say, I am still getting used to the smell).
So are natural products really worth it? With price out of the factor, they are certainly a better alternative if you’re adverse to chemicals. I personally have sensitive skin, and I can say opting for natural or organic has made a difference to me. But if you have normal skin and can’t decide; natural products might just be the way forward. With fewer chemicals, natural or organic products give you less harmful ingredients to worry about (like having a sunblock with carcinogens!).
Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief Collection, $53 - 120, is available from July at Origins counters in Isetan Scotts, Metro Paragon, Robinsons Raffles City, Orchard, and JEM, and Tangs VivoCity. For more information, visit www.origins.com.sg and follow the brand on Facebook.
Naturals by Watsons, $4.90 - $12.90, is available at all Watsons stores. For more information, visit www.watsons.com.sg, and follow the brand on Facebook.
OGX Quenched Sea Mineral Moisture Collection, $15.90, is available at all leading pharmacies, supermarkets and hypermarkets. For more information, visit www.ogxbeauty.sg and follow the brand on Facebook.