Artisan Skincare vs Conventional Skincare – Which One Should You Support & Why?

My transition from conventional beauty products to organic and natural beauty has not been long one but it has certainly been an educative one. I switched from conventional beauty to green beauty after struggling from severe and persistent skin issues like, acne, acne scars, redness, irritation, etc. for over a decade. However, the real shift happened last year when I started my personal Instagram account. I made that change gradually by reading, researching, and exploring some amazing green beauty brands. I also came across many green beauty enthusiasts and interacted with some talented Indie brand owners that helped and guided me through this phase.

I have had many friends and acquaintances question me as to why I support green beauty and how it is different from the conventional beauty products (that are easily available in the market and pretty affordable than green beauty products); and I feel deeply motivated and thrilled to speak about it. During these interactive discussions, it was also brought into my attention that not much has been documented or is available on the web to help guide them. So today I’m discussing some facts about artisan skincare Vs conventional skincare beauty.

In the recent years, artisan skincare brands have gained commendable reverence and recognition. Healthy ingredients, small batch makers, ethical employment values, philanthropic initiatives are some of the contributing factors. But how do these elements fare against the conventional skincare brands/companies?

Let’s talk facts!

(Healthy) Ingredients Matter

The entire crux of handcrafted skincare stems from selecting the finest, raw, organic, and non-toxic plant based ingredients (that are completely synthetic and preservative-free). Not just that, artisan skincare formulators often handpick and select their ingredients personally. These natural ingredients are not just healthy but are quite efficacious and potent in treating diverse skin concerns.

Conventional skincare products mostly include toxic and cheap ingredients and chemicals that are lab formulated. Some of these ingredients are so complex that it’s hard to understand what they mean or stand for! They seldom help in treating any skin condition; in fact, they wreak havoc on one’s health and wellbeing. For example, parabens have been linked to breast cancer; and some of the common skin irritants available in conventional products are SLS and phenoxyethanol.

Process and Time (Are Important)

Lot of people criticize that organic products are way more expensive than the conventional beauty products. Why is that so? Well, that’s because artisans pay quite a lot of attention, energy and effort to ensure how the organic ingredients are grown. That brings along the cost factor! Typically, the organic farms are quite smaller than conventional farms; plus, on average, they take more time to grow crops because the organic farms abstain from using chemicals and/or growth hormones to produce their crops, unlike the conventional farms. Other cost enhancing factors include organic certification, increased labor expenses, etc.

Manufacturing and Packaging (Cannot Be Ignored)

Handmade skincare brands are always small and humble businesses, which operate on a small scale. The artisans periodically prepare products in small batches to ensure the authenticity, freshness, and potency of the products. The entire process of creating and packaging the products is handled manually by the artisans. You’ll never find any organic product with a shelf-life of more than 12-18 months.

Whereas, conventional skincare brands mass produce products (with cheap ingredients) using various machines and equipments. Since these products are developed in bulk, they often come packed with a sky-scraping shelf-life (of at least three-plus years). Not to mention, the preservatives and supporting chemicals that lend them longer shelf life!

The artisan skincare companies ensure recyclable and reusable glass bottles/jars and biodegradable packaging, which is much more expensive than plastic used by conventional skincare companies. In fact, the premium organic skincare companies include dark colored glass bottles rather than clear glass bottles to ensure longer freshness of the products.

Personal Touch, Transparency, and Approachability (Is Everything!)

The formulators behind the handcrafted skincare companies are driven by their passion to make efficacious skincare products, sans toxic ingredients. Bonding with customers and ensuring customer satisfaction is the epitome of their business. Artisans wear multiple hats to run a humble business. Not only are they creators, they want to connect with their customers on first-hand basis. You will often find them directly interacting with their customers; providing guidance; and seeking feedback. Such practices build personal connections and reflect the integrity and vision of the artisans.

Conventional skincare companies, on the other hand, are huge business establishments where personal touch is always missing. One may get feedback by an automated system or even a customer care executive but the interaction often ends up getting lost in the process.

Definitely as individuals, we have our own preferences and choices; and it’s entirely up to us how we wish to live our lives…but it’s always good to be well-informed and take conscious decisions for the safety of our planet, our health and wellbeing. It’s a philosophy about investing in your health, and the health of the planet.

Written by Greenchicgirl