Skincare, makeup, hair care — we know it's all so much better for you when it's natural and organic. The saying goes that you should never put something on your skin that you wouldn't put in your mouth . . . but it's a guideline that's incredibly hard to stick to when you want quick results.

We caught up with Jane Burleigh, the head of innovations at Biology Skincare, and she told us that we shouldn't have to compromise — we can have both!

"The conscious consumer is on the rise," she explained. "With more consumers seeking out palm oil-free products and brands with sustainable harvesting practices, cruelty-free, clean formulations and eco-aware practices. And Biology is all about natural Australian skin and hair care . . . that works!"

Music to my ears, I sat down and picked Jane's brain about all things organic — including the new technologies, ingredients and products that are making waves in the beauty arena.

The Biggest Beauty Trends of 2016:

1. Niche brands shaking up the large multinationals.
2. Food-based skincare (gastronomic skincare).

The Natural Ingredient Heros

"The current trend is for food and super berry-based skincare. I like to refer to this trend as the cold pressed skin movement.

This gastronomic skin trend supports the new wave of preservative-free skin and hair care products. Consumers are more open to the idea of buying boutique skin and hair care products, produced in smaller batches, with shorter expiry dates, in order to avoid the use of harsh chemical based preservatives.

Food skincare becomes more sophisticated with super berry complexes at the top of the list due to their efficacy data. Biology's Australian Native Wilberry complex for example, is shown to contain higher concentrations of antioxidants and skin strengthening bioflavonoids than that of blueberries and even acai berries. Clinical trials demonstrate an increase hyaluronic production and a reduction in skin inflammation."

The New Natural Technologies That Will be Big in 2017

"Biomimetic peptides (until recently only seen in the cosmeceutical arena), have launched in the natural sector. These "nature peptides" or biocompatible peptides have taken natural skin and hair care formulations to new performance levels.

Other ingredients to keep your eyes peeled for are lactobacillus and wild ginseng. These create a nutritive source of skin building blocks (such as amino acids). Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation of red ginseng has also been shown to increase anti-inflammatory activities and even reduce acne."

How Natural Beauty Products Have Changed

"The slip and glide and general performance of innovative natural formulas has improved immensely. Often consumers would turn away from a sulphate-free shampoo or body wash, due to the poor performance factor and a low foaming profile. However, the new wave of sulphate-free shampoos and washes now provide gentle yet luxurious foam profiles.

Natural moisturisers have vastly improved as well. In the past they were regarded as tacky and waxy concoctions, with some consumers turned off by the heavy feeling on the skin. Phospholipids (skin-loving natural alternatives to silicones) have allowed for the slip and glide and silky feeling consumers desired."

Why Natural Beauty Is Important

"I believe in beauty from the inside out and the outside in. Our skin is the largest organ in the body and it is a fact that what we put on our skin is also absorbed into our blood stream. It is with this knowledge that I have been on a quest to avoid the use of chemical laden products over the years. However, as a professional skincare therapist, educator and product innovator, I also expect products to combine the latest in technologies and to be highly effective – in other words, provide exceptional results. The latest combination of nature and science within product collections has allowed a new wave in natural skin and hair care that surpasses even my expectations."

The Best Beauty Advice

"Stay away from the over-use of Botox and fillers, and subscribe to the philosophy of wrinkle acceptance and ageing gracefully. A simple yet consistent routine, combined with innovative natural skin and hair solutions, will trump the quick fix every time, both psychologically and visually."

Pop Sugar, (14/09/2016) Imagem: Pop Sugar