What Are Natural Products?

The Loose Definition of Natural in Cosmetics

Cosmetics often claim to be natural, but have many additives that would disqualify them. Simply put, a natural cosmetic or personal care item is made up of only natural ingredients, like oils, fats, and waxes, all from plant origin. Many products can be mostly natural, and have fragrance and man-made preservatives in them, but they are not 100% natural. The term "natural cosmetics" is not well defined across the board, and is not a protected term. Many natural items are also Vegan, but anything with beeswax is not. It could still be ethically-sourced or cruelty free. 

Examples of Natural Ingredients

Natural ingredients include beeswax, shea butter, aloe butter, mango butter, cocoa butter, olive oil, soybean oil, palm oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil, aloe vera, essential oils, vitamin c (ascorbic acid), vitamin e (niacinamide), vitamin b5 (panthenol), avocado oil, argan oil, oats, bentonite clay, flaxseed oil, honey, and more. 

Benefits of Natural Ingredients

Natural ingredients are usually carcinogen-free, cruelty-free, mutagen-free, paraben-free, phthalate-free, toxin-free, and vegan. Natural products are usually more skin-friendly for individuals with sensitivities. They can be full of vitamins and minerals that are good for your skin and hair. 

Natural Ingredients at leaf + marble

Here at leaf + marble; sustainability, eco-friendly, and natural are huge factors in what we do. You'll notice we do not call many items natural, and that is simply due to fragrances and small additives that we may have to include for functionality. If our product says "natural" that means that we have put no additives in it that could even be questioned on natural status. Almost all of our bath + beauty collection is made with all natural ingredients, or naturally derived ingredients. We strive to find suppliers that are eco-friendly, sustainable, and ethical. This factors into our costs. We try to keep our profit margin minimal, as we acknowledge the cost of natural and sustainable products, but some items can get pricey. Many of our items have palm oils, or beeswax. We do our best to ensure they come from ethical sources. At the time of writing, we are working on updating our product descriptions to include the cruelty-free, paraben-free, phthalate-free notices, as well as list what items are made 100% vegan. We do have a few certified natural fragrances, which we currently list when used. 

The Cost of Natural and Eco-Friendly Supplies

Unfortunately, leaf + marble is not large enough to place bulk supply orders at a discount, especially with packaging. This means that our glass + bamboo bottles and jars are typically between $2.50-$6 each. This easily turns an item into having to be $8 instead of  $5. We do not wish to switch to plastic packaging, as we cannot guarantee that they will be recycled after use. We take pride in being able to offer reusable packaging as much as possible. In the future, if we are able to have a true physical location, I would like to offer a program to return your packaging to be sanitized and reused. For now though, please wash and reuse your containers whenever possible, we really appreciate it. 

In terms of ingredients, some of our supplies get expensive. Preservatives to ensure your creation lasts and does not spoil can easily cost $70+ for a simple 16oz bottle, and depending on batch size, this can go quickly! Some of the oils used are equal in cost. We try our best to find the best deals from suppliers that align with our values, and we keep our profit margins lower than we should to try to keep costs reasonable. 

If you purchase from us, please know that you are supporting a small business who strives for sustainability and eco-friendly products, and spends countless hours researching their suppliers to ensure the items we create and sell are as ethical, natural, and eco-friendly as possible.