What "natural” ingredients really mean.

The word natural carries a comforting promise: safety, purity, gentleness. In cosmetic science, however, the source of an ingredient says nothing about its safety or performance. Arsenic is natural. So is poison ivy. Jellyfish venom, one of the most complex toxins known, is also natural.

At Upenya, we believe real skincare comes from balance. Africa’s botanicals meet proven science, and every ingredient earns its place through evidence rather than marketing.

What “natural” means

In cosmetics, natural refers to ingredients obtained directly from plants, minerals, or microorganisms through physical processes such as pressing, distillation, filtration, fermentation, or drying. These processes avoid chemical modification.

ISO 16128-1:2016 defines natural ingredients as those derived from renewable biological or mineral sources with minimal processing (ISO, 2016). Examples include marula oil, Aloe ferox gel, and honeybush leaf extract, all used in Upenya’s Youth Skincare range.

The term natural is not a legal certification. The Cosmetic, Toiletry & Perfumery Association (CTPA) notes that it does not indicate toxicology, sustainability, or formulation safety on its own (CTPA, n.d.).

In short, natural describes origin, not outcome.

 What “natural origin” means

Natural origin ingredients begin with a substance from nature but undergo controlled modification to improve purity, stability, or performance. Under ISO 16128, these are defined as materials in which more than 50 percent of the molecular weight is derived from renewable natural sources (ISO, 2016).

Examples include:

• Cocoyl glucoside, a mild, biodegradable surfactant created from coconut fatty acids and plant sugars

• Glycerin, derived from plant oils and refined to pharmaceutical-grade purity

These refinements make ingredients more stable, safer in formulation, and less likely to cause irritation.

What “nature-identical” means

A nature-identical ingredient is created in a laboratory but is chemically identical to a molecule found in nature. It delivers the same biological benefit without the environmental cost of large-scale harvesting or the variability of raw extracts.

Niacinamide (vitamin B3) is a well-known example. While it occurs naturally in plants, synthesised niacinamide provides consistent purity and potency. Clinical research shows that niacinamide strengthens the skin barrier, improves hydration, and reduces inflammation without irritation (Sjöberg et al., 2025).

This is why responsible formulators often choose laboratory-produced versions. The result is greater safety, reliability, and sustainability.

Why “natural" ingredients are not always better

Nature can be harmful

Poison ivy, scorpion venom, and jellyfish stings all come directly from nature and can cause significant harm. Natural substances can be powerful, but they are not automatically gentle or safe.

Safety depends on purity, dosage, and how an ingredient interacts with skin. Several dermatology publications caution that “clean beauty” marketing can be misleading when it implies that natural ingredients are inherently safe (Rubin & Brod, 2019).

Sustainability through science

Large-scale harvesting of plants can damage ecosystems and increase carbon impact. Producing nature-identical ingredients in a controlled environment reduces environmental pressure while delivering the same benefits to the skin.

The Upenya standard

Upenya blends Africa’s botanical intelligence with rigorous cosmetic science:

• Clinically tested in Europe under ISO and COLIPA guidelines

• Community benefit sourcing for marula, Aloe ferox, and honeybush

• Nature-identical actives used where they improve performance or sustainability

We do not claim to be “100 percent natural.” We claim to be 100 percent honest. Effective, safe skincare relies on chemistry that works.

Final thought

Everything around us is made of chemical compounds. Skin, water, fruit, and air all rely on chemistry to function. What matters in skincare is not whether an ingredient is natural, but how it is made, tested, and proven to perform.

At Upenya, we choose ingredients supported by evidence, not hype.

References

International Organization for Standardization (ISO) (2016) ISO 16128-1: Guidelines on definitions for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products. Geneva: ISO.https://www.iso.org/standard/62503.html

Cosmetic, Toiletry & Perfumery Association (CTPA) (n.d.) Natural ingredients and safety. London: CTPA.https://www.ctpa.org.uk/natural-ingredients

Sjöberg, T., Fšahaye, A., Nilsson, E.J. et al. (2025) ‘Niacinamide and its impact on stratum corneum hydration and structure’, Scientific Reports, 15, 4953.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-88899-0

Rubin, C.B. & Brod, B. (2019) ‘Natural does not mean safe: the dirt on clean beauty’, JAMA Dermatology, 155(12), 1321–1322.https://doi.org/10.1001/jamadermatol.2019.2724