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Blog: Degrees (January 31, 2015)Natural skin care is the use of natural substances to clean and nourish your skin. My definition of natural substances is strict and precise, and is explained elsewhere. Since I first learned about natural skin care, I have used it exclusively. What I want to discuss now is that I have come to accept that the short-term and infrequent use of synthetic substances in skin care can be useful. My example is chapped lips. My lower lip has been "chapped" for some time, it does not improve with my natural skin remedies. But it does respond to a homeopathic remedy made of calendula and white petrolatum USP, the brand I use is Boiron. Petrolatum, or petroleum jelly, is a semisolid petroleum derivative first patented in 1872. You can tell from the patent that it is a synthetic product. I experimented with "pure" Vaseline (the original product that was patented), which did not work as well as the calendula formula, and it has a distinct and unpleasant petroleum odor. My main thesis in this website is that the exclusive use of natural substances in skin care is sufficient to care for your skin. I do not say that by itself natural skin care can make your skin perfect, because diet and general health are also factors and no skin care program can compensate for insufficient nutrition and/or environmental hazards. I do not plan to use the calendula ointment indefinitely because of the known problems of petrolatum. But a short-term and infrequent use does not seem to present the same hazards. I think in this case there are degrees of adherence to the natural skin care program, and that exceptions can be occasionally appropriate. I welcome your thoughts. |
