Organic versus chemical-based skincare products has been the classic debate for ages. More and more people everyday are switching to organic-based skin products, simply for the health benefits.

But truly, are organic products better? Raw, and typically packed with plants, minerals, and nutrients, organic products have recently gained more popularity.

Products made by Lush, Love Beauty and Planet, and even products made by individuals in their own kitchens via recipes on Pinterest have taken over. Lush sells handmade products, which are 100 percent vegetarian, and 80 percent vegan, which pulls in a variety of people with varying diets.

Lush also prides themselves in being animal cruelty free, which means that none of their products are tested on animals. Lush has increased in popularity with their highest-selling product, bath bombs.

“Sometimes, in sense of skincare, I use a Lush facemask, called Mask of Magnaminty. It’s not an everyday thing, but I use it fairly often because it’s good at clearing acne”, Ashley Brown, sophomore, said.

Love, Beauty, and Planet is a company that is working towards making both your skin and the planet better. Because of this, ingredients come from sustainable sources. Recyclable plastics, making their products “fast-rinse” in order to decrease water usage and time in the shower, and making users aware of their carbon footprint are just a few goals the company tries to reach.

Companies that produce chemical-based products, such as Neutrogena, Olay, and L’oreal all have thousands of buyers each year, simply because they’ve been around longer and have a wide variety of products.

“I found that organic products clog my pores, if anything, so my face wash is also very chemical-based”, Madi Carr, sophomore, said.  

Neutrogena has recently become more popular with teens who suffer from acne, and their solution to the problem? A Light Therapy Acne mask, which takes 10 minutes out of your daily schedule to help zap away zits and leave teens’ skin looking as good as ever.

With busy, hectic lives, college students rarely have time (or money) to devote more than a few minutes to their skin.

“My skincare routine before college, honestly, I didn’t have one at all. I’d wash my face when i was in the shower, but other than that I didn’t really do anything, so it’s definitely changed a lot for me”, Brown said.

Whether it’s organic or chemical based, college students are all about the products that help them lead life with healthy skin.

“I started looking online at different recommendations, and then I discovered different types of facewash, like depending on your skin type, so honestly my freshman year is when I started caring about my skin and I’m so grateful for it, actually”, Carr said.

When using skin-care products, whether they be organic or chemical-based, it’s important that they address your specific needs.

Helpful tips that one can do on a daily basis to have healthy skin is to drink water, stick to a skincare regime, and keep stress levels at a minimum. These are simple ways to ensure that a surprise pimple won’t pop up right before the career fair, a presentation, or even a fun night out.