The 3 Best Natural Ingredients to Look for in Your Skin-Care Products

Natural ingredients have a reputation. You may associate “natural” ingredients with great qualities like cleanliness, eco-friendliness, and sustainability. But there’s one more word that should come to mind whenever you consider a nature-based beauty routine: Power.

Natural ingredients are powerful at defending and nurturing your skin. Need proof? Just look to the plants and natural resources that they come from. “Plants have intuitive sources of defense mechanisms, because they have to constantly protect themselves from the same environmental conditions we live in,” says Dr. Hemali Gunt, head of clinical and scientific affairs for Burt’s Bees.

As Dr. Gunt explains, plants have natural antioxidants because they’re protecting themselves from sun-induced damage and they have the ability to synthesize large amounts of vitamins and polyphenols with a variety of properties. And thanks to nature-backed skin-care brands, we can harness all that power in our very own skincare routines.

“Materials or ingredients from nature which are rich in providing a variety of replenishing benefits should be a clear choice when it comes to a skincare regimen,” says Dr. Gunt. We agree—which is why we asked her to share a few heavy-hitting natural ingredients, all of which you can find in Burt’s Bees nature-backed products. Read on to see why each and everyone one of these ingredients deserves a spot in your skin-care routine.

Beeswax

Beeswax is a primary ingredient in the Burt’s Bees Lip Balm that you probably already have in your purse and was chosen specifically for the complementary nature of over 300 compounds that come together to create a powerful skin-care ingredient.

“Beeswax is reported to have a whole host of skin benefits and to promote relief from dry and irritated skin,” says Dr. Gunt. “It’s not just sitting on top of your lips like other occlusive films to build hydration, but also helps slowly re-moisturize your dry lips and enhance lip’s natural moisture barrier.” Simply put, beeswax is a multitasking ingredient that will help your lips feel nourished and look healthy.

Find in: Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm ($3.50)

Bakuchiol

Known colloquially as “natural retinol alternative,” bakuchiol is a natural anti-aging ingredient derived from the Psoralea corylifolia plant. “Bakuchiol provides retinol-like benefits which helps reduce signs of aging as both ingredients have similar gene expression profiles,” explains Dr. Gunt. Even better, bakuchiol is gentle enough for use on sensitive skin, unlike retinol, which can often lead to irritated, flaky or red skin. It’s also effective in hydrating and strengthening our skin’s moisture barrier. In clinical studies, Burt’s Bees has discovered that bakuchiol-infused products also led to an improvement in hydration and visible signs of mild to moderate sun damage in female patients who had clinically diagnosed sensitive skin conditions without causing irritation or redness.

The ingredient works so effectively that Burt’s Bees made it a center point of the anti-aging Renewal Collection, which includes Firming Moisturizing Cream, Intensive Firming Serum, Firming Eye Cream, and more products designed to keep skin looking youthful.

Find in: Burt’s Bees Renewal Collection ($4–$20)

Turmeric

Turmeric is a spice that comes from the curcuma longa plant, and it’s been used in herbal and medical remedies for centuries. “Cooking with and consumption of turmeric has long shown to have tremendous health benefits due to its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant and wound-healing properties,” says Dr. Gunt. More recently, turmeric has been harnessed in skincare for its wide array of benefits. It’s an especially powerful ingredient in a product such as lip balm because lips have a much thinner skin protection layer and are more prone to damage by drying and exposure to environmental stressors.

Complementing the moisturizing benefits of beeswax, turmeric helps repair dry lips over time. If turmeric is on an ingredient list, not only should you snatch up the product—you should make it a regular part of your skin-care routine.  

Find in: Burt’s Bees Rescue Balm ($4)

These three ingredients each deserve a spot in your skin-care regimen, but don’t forget that the list of nature-backed ingredients is as abundant and powerful as the world around you. Start here to harness the best of what nature has to offer, and channel it all into the goal of healthy-looking, glowing skin.