Human labor or skill is not a differentiating factor between a natural or synthetic substance, simply because we can re-create and set the conditions for naturally occurring reactions take place. Cookies is an example of a product that does not exist in nature unless the human labor and skill set the stage for a series of chemical reactions that occur in the kiln to produce cookies. For example, sodium bicarbonate is one of the oldest fermentation agents used in cooking: baking soda + acid (Lactic acid milk, benzoic acid from fruit, etc) – water – salt + carbon dioxide, carbonic acid dissociates – – water + carbon dioxide This is an example of a chemical reaction that is technically synthetic due to the addition of human capacity, but is clearly seen as natural as it contributes to the eye as a natural product and the final results of the reaction are naturally occurring substances. In the cosmetics industry, the hundreds of ingredients are used to impose different effects on the skin. These ingredients are purely natural ingredients extracted from nature in its original, purely synthetic ingredients that have been created from synthetic materials through a complex series of chemical reactions and have no connection with nature any longer. So how is a consumer to decide what ingredients are natural and which are synthetic?
Each chemical reaction has three parts and each one has a series of questions to help you decide: reactive – + — / process as a catalyst of energy —- Reagent products: – are of natural origin, ie, taken from the earth in its original or modified physically through milling, smelting, screening, etc? – Are the result of biological processes? Catalyst: – Is a natural substance? – That is natural, but harmful toxic to humans or the environment? – Is it harmful to the environment to obtain or use? – Is it reusable? – Is it synthetic? If so, where do you belong in the continuous synthetic? – Is this a petrochemical? Power Process: – Is the process imposed from the outside of the reaction? – What is the source of energy that is imposed and is a renewable or nonrenewable source? – Is the amount of energy needed to carry out the minimum or intensive reaction energy? This must be weighed against the benefit of the products resulting from the process that is worth the cost of energy compared with the benefit of mankind? Products: – Are these naturally in the reagents, but now separated? – Are chemically different reagents in part or in full? – Are they toxic or not toxic to humans and the environment? – Are biodegradable, with no impact to the land through normal or micro-biological processes of disintegration? Implications for the daily use of cosmetics from a wide variety of cosmetic products available to us..