How To Choose Natural Skincare Products For Your Skin Type

If you have already decided to choose natural skincare products for your skincare routine, then you are ahead of millions of people in the world who still have to scrutinise the ingredient lists of different products before they settle on a product to use. Instead of doing this sort of detective work, it can be easier to follow popularity and opt for skincare products (and ingredients) that have an established cult following, especially in this age of beauty influencers. But that’s not always the best route because there’s no one-size-fits-all skincare solution.

An individualised approach is crucial to finding the right natural skincare products with the right ingredients for your skin. This takes a little extra time and patience, but it’s worth it.

Luckily for you, we have done all the work to make the whole process less intimidating. With this information in your back pocket, you can feel like a confident consumer, and hopefully avoid reactive skin disasters when trying new products in the future.

Know your skin type

Knowing your skin type is the most important factor in determining what skincare products will work best for you. There are, generally, no bad products in skincare, but sometimes people with different skin types use the wrong product for their type of skin. People with acne-prone and sensitive skin need to be the most cautious with different ingredients in their skincare products. On the other hand, oily skin can handle a wider range of ingredients that sometimes trigger breakouts or irritation for other skin types.

Ingredients and treatments for different skin types

For oily skin: We often hear that oily skin doesn’t need moisturiser. This is just a myth. Just because it produces more natural oil doesn’t mean oily skin requires any less moisture. Choose products that nourish and hydrate without clogging pores or triggering breakouts. Look for natural skincare products containing Tea Tree Oil, Lavender and Lemon as these ingredients are effective at controlling excess sebum production and will produce hydration in areas where it is needed.

For dry skin: Dry skin appears dull, less elastic and is more prone to fine lines than any other skin type. In winter, dry skin might become flakier; therefore, opt for skincare that helps maintain the skin’s protective moisture barrier, such as the Kanda Body Balm which acts as a protective barrier between your skin and the external environment, keeping the skin hydrated, moisturised and nourished. Look for products containing Shea Butter as it (Shea Butter) provides hydration and protection to keep dry skin looking radiant.

For sensitive skin: Sensitive skin is prone to redness, inflammation, and rashes. To treat sensitive skin, look for skin-soothing, nourishing, and hydrating ingredients. Using antioxidant-rich Vitamin C-infused facial oil helps to comfort, soothe, and calm the skin’s natural barrier. The Kanda Body Oil gets absorbed into the skin effortlessly, making the skin bright and super smooth. The good part is that this oil contains Shea Oil, one of the world’s richest sources of Vitamin C. Look for other products containing aloe vera, oatmeal, and shea butter. They’re good moisturisers and usually don’t break anyone out. Kanda’s Body Balms and cold-pressed soaps are excellent options that contain shea butter for those with dry, sensitive skin who want extra hydration.

For normal skin: Normal skin may not be troublesome, but it also needs some tender love care. Choose a product that keeps your skin hydrated and smooth. The Kanda Facial Toner enriched with Hydrating Rose balances the skin’s Ph and tightens pores to keep your skin youthful. After using a natural face toner, apply the Kanda Facial Oil to your skin for balanced care.

Combination skin: With the T-zone being oily and the cheeks being either dry, normal, or sensitive, this skin type is tricky. Try the lightweight and non-sticky Kanda Facial Oil for dry skin. It not only works well on combination skin but also is a fantastic product for acne-prone skin. It improves skin texture and gives you glowing, youthful skin. People with combination skin often have breakouts in the T-zone on the forehead, nose and chin. This one-of-a-kind facial oil will help balance and hydrate the skin.

Quick tip to balance your skin type

Oily – Rebalance with gentle cleansers and clay mask

Dry – Hydrate and moisturise

Combination – Tackle with Vitamin C

Sensitive – Avoid harsh products & ingredients

Normal – Use antioxidant-rich products

If you’re not 100 percent sure what skin type you have, it’s worth a trip to the dermatologist to confirm. Once you understand your skin type, you can start selecting products with more precision.

Don’t buy into the hype

Products’ packaging and popularity are sometimes easy traps and shouldn’t hold too much weight or value into what you select for your skin. If you’re going to buy a product based on a friend or influencer’s recommendation, you shouldn’t just pay attention to how good their skin looks now, rather look at what type of skin they were dealing with. That will give you a more reliable indicator of how well the product will work for you.

In the past, many cult-favourite skincare brands have faced lawsuits from consumers who experienced some pretty serious adverse reactions. This doesn’t mean that these products are bad for everyone. This can serve as a reminder that while something gets the popularity vote, it doesn’t mean that it’s popular for the right reasons or that it’s the right product for you. That said, checking the ingredients list when purchasing natural skincare products is still the best way to go, no matter how many positive reviews or stars the product has online.

Avoid these ingredients

Fragrance/parfum: Added fragrances can cause skin allergies and irritation, and it’s especially important to avoid them if you have sensitive skin.

Sulphates: Sulphates are cleansing agents often found in body washes and shampoo. They strip the hair and skin of their natural oil and can cause irritation.

Parabens: Parabens are commonly placed in products as a chemical preservative to prevent bacterial growth. They’re known to be oestrogen mimickers, and they can have a harmful effect over time by throwing off hormonal balance. This can be problematic for young children and people at risk of breast cancer.

Formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers: It’s rare to see formaldehyde in an ingredient list anymore since it’s classified as a known carcinogen. It’s often replaced with differently named chemicals (quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea) that release formaldehyde over time to act as preservatives. Although it’s not confirmed whether or not these ingredients are harmful in this capacity, it’s worth looking out for them as potential allergens.

Seek out these ingredients

Glycerin: This ingredient is the backbone of moisturising products.

Ceramides and hyaluronic acid: Both ingredients are important moisturising agents naturally found in the skin. 

Vitamin C: Vitamin C, specifically the l-ascorbic acid form, is an antioxidant that works to reverse damage from UV radiation and stimulate collagen production. You can find it in Kanda products like the Baobab soap.

Vitamin E: Vitamin E offers similar properties as vitamin C and works best when the two are combined as a skincare power duo.

Vitamin B3: This ingredient is great for controlling oil while also hydrating the skin and evening out skin tone.

Know that natural doesn’t always mean better

Familiar words in the ingredients list can be comforting to see, but it doesn’t always indicate the safest route. It is quite common for people to have severe reactions to natural essential oils, so, it’s one of those things where everyone is unique and you need to do what’s best for yourself uniquely.

Also, seeing the term ‘natural’ on a product label is sometimes more of a marketing trick than anything else for some brands. Because natural products aren’t as regulated as synthetic products, and there aren’t specific industry standards for them, some brands use that word when their products offer empty promises. Additionally, sometimes a product can dubiously be labelled as natural in reference to only one or two of the ingredients on the list.

Pay attention to the order of ingredients

Once you know what primary ingredients you’re looking to avoid or go after, you’ll want to pay attention to where they fall on the ingredients list. As a good rule of thumb, look at the first five ingredients, since that will often account for about 80 percent of the product’s makeup.

Ingredients will be listed in order of highest to lowest concentration, so if there’s a problematic or potentially irritating ingredient among the first five listed, you’ll want to steer clear of that product.

Similarly, if you’re seeking out a product for specific ingredients, but those ingredients are listed at the end, then that product isn’t worth your money. With such a small percentage of the overall product, you won’t experience the benefits of the ingredients at the end of the list.

Don’t be afraid of the long ingredients list

When it comes to the food we put in our body, we’re often taught to look for a shorter, more familiar ingredient list. While a more abbreviated list can be easier to decipher, it won’t always cut it in terms of what you’re looking to get out of your natural skincare products.

When you’re looking for natural products with specific properties, the ingredients list may sometimes get a bit long. That shouldn’t deter you. Instead, call in for backup—either from a dermatologist or technology—to help determine if the product is a good choice for you.

Use your resources

You don’t have to be a walking dictionary in order to pick out skincare products with the right ingredients. Make things easier by taking advantage of online resources. Two great online databases for ingredient and product research are Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Skin Deep database and CosDNA.

The EWG Skin Deep database is just one sector of their online services. The EWG is a non-profit organisation geared toward research and education surrounding environmental and human health issues. In the Skin Deep database, skincare products are rated and scored by a number of factors, including manufacturing practices and potential health hazards. While CosDNA is more of a no-frills database, it dives even deeper into the ingredients in a product, detailing their individual functions and safety score.

Always do a patch test

A patch test is a smart practice in your process of product elimination. Plus, it’s a great excuse to try a product, often without spending money. A patch test can help determine if certain products or ingredients will cause allergic reactions, irritate your skin, or clog your pores. The key message is: “if it’s making your skin worse or irritating your skin in any way, stop using it, it’s not the right product for you”. Testing all your ingredients before committing to them takes a little time at first, but it can save you from a lot of money and grief in the end.

While each skin type has its pros and cons, the goal is to have healthy, glowing, and smooth skin. Using products formulated with natural ingredients can help you achieve those goals. Kanda products are carefully curated with natural ingredients, are free of preservatives and cruelty. If you’ve ever wondered which product to choose, the above guide will help you determine your skin type, needs, and the most suitable natural skincare products.