tell me how you really feel; skincare and safety

I spend a lot of time thinking about skincare ingredients, obviously. Researching, reading, learning, using and purchasing skincare ingredients and raw materials is the central cog around which all other activities at Dot & Lil turn. I, of course, have very strong opinions about this. But lately, I've been wondering....how does the public, and more specifically my customers and community, really feel about the major issues in skincare? I'm willing to bribe you in free soap and yummy perfume to find out!! (see contest details at the end of this post)

Do you think natural ingredients are safer than synthetic?
Do you think the skincare industry needs more regulation? Less?
What about trust--who do you trust to tell you what's really going on with ingredients...where do you get your information?

For me, skincare information and safety in ingredients both natural and synthetic are huge, and I think about them all the time. But for most people, there's only so much time available in your busy life to spend thinking about these things. I'd love to know where you stand, anyone! No judgments, no scare tactics. I'd just really like to know what everyone else thinks of this crazy industry I spend so much time and energy on! On Monday (April 4th), I'll draw a name from all those who comment, and the lucky winner will get a free bar of Dot & Lil's very popular Grapefruit & Bergamot soap, pictured at the top of this post, and a bottle of our Grapefruit perfume which you can see here.

So, tell me how you really feel!