What Does Natural Skincare Mean to SiSi Georgian Bay

What does natural actually mean when it comes to skincare?

It's a question that can spark quite a debate! Natural means different things to different people, and while there are guidelines around cosmetic ingredients and product claims, there isn't one universally accepted definition of natural skincare.

At SiSi Georgian Bay, we believe transparency matters just as much as the ingredients themselves. We want you to understand what goes into our products, why we choose those ingredients, and what natural skincare means to us.

How We Define Natural

When selecting ingredients for our formulations, we generally think of them in two categories: natural and naturally derived.

Natural ingredients come directly from nature, while naturally derived ingredients begin with natural raw materials and undergo some form of processing.

Both have an important place in our skincare.

For products made entirely with oils, butters and waxes — such as our balms and facial oils — it's often possible to formulate without a conventional preservative system, provided the formulation and packaging are appropriate.

Products containing water, such as our Cream Cleansers, Soothing Toner and Face Lotions, require particular attention to microbial safety. That's why we use appropriate preservation systems to help keep these products safe throughout their intended shelf life.

For us, using thoughtfully selected preservatives doesn't take away from our commitment to natural skincare. It's part of responsible formulation.

Natural Ingredients

These are ingredients obtained from nature, often through processes such as pressing, filtering or drying.

Examples include botanical oils, plant butters, waxes, herbs and flowers.

Some of our favourites include shea butter, rosehip oil and camellia seed oil.

We love these ingredients for the wonderful textures and nourishing qualities they bring to our formulations.

Naturally Derived Ingredients

Naturally derived ingredients begin with raw materials from nature but undergo additional processing to create ingredients with specific functions.

For example, fractionated coconut oil is processed to separate certain fatty acids from coconut oil, creating a lightweight, stable oil commonly used in skincare.

Another example is sodium hyaluronate, a form of hyaluronic acid often produced through microbial fermentation and further processing.

These ingredients help us create products with the texture, performance and skin feel we're looking for.

And although their processing differs from that of a simple pressed botanical oil, they can still fit within our approach to skincare.

What About Nature-Identical Ingredients?

Here's where things get even more interesting!

Nature-identical ingredients have the same chemical structure as substances found in nature, but they may be produced through different manufacturing processes.

Citric acid is a familiar example. It occurs naturally in citrus fruits, but commercially produced citric acid is commonly made through fermentation.

In skincare, citric acid is often used to help adjust a product's pH.

Different production methods can raise interesting questions about sourcing, environmental impact and sustainability.

We believe these are worthwhile conversations, and we encourage customers to ask questions about the ingredients in their skincare.

Why Ingredient Transparency Matters to Us

Our goal has always been to create skincare that is gentle, effective and thoughtfully formulated.

That means choosing ingredients for a reason, whether they're botanical oils, plant extracts, humectants, emulsifiers or preservatives.

We don't believe an ingredient should automatically be considered better simply because it sounds natural, or worse because its name sounds scientific.

What matters is its purpose, safety, quality and suitability for the formulation.

And we want you to feel comfortable knowing exactly what you're putting on your skin.

Our Promise

At SiSi Georgian Bay, our approach is rooted in nature, guided by thoughtful formulation and grounded in transparency.

We choose natural and naturally derived ingredients that help us create skincare designed to cleanse, hydrate, moisturize and care for your skin.

We also believe in making skincare approachable. You shouldn't need a chemistry degree to understand your favourite products!

If you're curious about a particular ingredient, visit our Ingredient Glossary, where we explain many of the ingredients used in our formulations.

And as always, you're welcome to reach out with questions. We love hearing from you!

Until next time, stay wild!

SiSi Georgian Bay — Skincare by Nature.