Let’s talk beauty and skin, shall we?

Because just like food, it matters not only what you put IN your body, but what you put ON your body.

Seriously. 

Did you know that your skin is the biggest organ in your body? That it’s a living breathing thing? 

Meaning that everything you put on it- what you wash with, what you do your laundry with, your lotions, deodorant, etc, gets immediately absorbed into your skin. And thus into the tissues of your body. 

And if you’ve ever looked at some of your beauty and skincare ingredient labels, like whoa.

Scary town and yikes, is all that comes to mind.

What is all that stuff?

Well, mostly manufactured chemicals, phthalates, foamers and thickeners, and even manufactured fragrances. All of which can wreak havoc on our hormones, and internal cells.

I’ll just keep it quick and simple for you today:

When you overload your body with stuff it can’t recognize, it’s not good. Aka, if you can’t pronounce it, your body can’t either. And when you put stuff into it that it can’t, our bodies get stressed, inflamed, more susceptible to diseases and toxicity, and makes our poor cells and tissues work so much harder than they have to, just to try and detox it all.

And then, do it again the next day as you slather more stuff on, as part of your daily routine.

But, the good news is this: you don’t have to go hippie mamma earthy (I just really don’t have it in me) or stop using self-care products completely, because now there are so many other great options out there, with little to no downside. And definitely no chemicals.

And, it’s pretty easy to start to eliminate the extra scary stuff, and get more pure, real and simplified with your skin care and beauty products.

And remember – this is not about being perfect– this is about upgrading what you can, when you can. When you start to run out of these things in your own home, try swapping it out for one of these natural products instead. Soon, you’ll have made-over your whole arsenal. 

Today I wanted to share with you some of my personal favs– things that I now love and use daily and weekly, in 3 different categories: skincare, bodycare and beauty!

Skincare:

Indian Clay Mask. Whoa. This is a clay powder you mix with water or apple cider vinegar to naturally draw out impurities. It’s amazing for a once a week little spa day at home, and is only made with one ingredient!

Acure Cell Stimulating Face Mask. If you don’t have time to mix up a little mask (like above), this is a great pre-packaged option. Plus, you get to look like a sea monster. I notice a difference every single time I use this!

Acure Radical Wrinkle Complex Face Lotion. My favorite face lotion, hands down. Light enough to wear under other makeup, or before bed.

Oz Naturals Face Antiaging Face Serum. Truth: I almost didn’t add this one to the list because, selfishly I’m afraid you guys will buy it all, and there won’t be any left for me. And I’m obsessed. This stuff is AMAZING. A great anti-aging serum made with vitamin C and vitamin E. Smells awesome and makes a big difference for age spots, sun spots and even tiny wrinkles!

Yes to Cucumbers Daily Gel Face Wash. Most drugstores have this great transitional brand. This is a great one, if you are still using a conventional face wash. Ultimately, washing your face with a pure oil (try coconut or avocado or jojoba) or plain ol’ water is much healthier for your skin than drying face wash and soaps. But if that seems scary, try this first.

Bodycare:

Alaffia Coconut Body Wash (or try the Vanilla Mint versions, or Coconut Lime shampoo and conditioner). Just get it. The best.

Dr Bronner’s 18 in 1 Wash in Rose (hers), Eucalyptus or Peppermint (his and hers). Love love the new scents they just launched, like this Rose one. To streamline that shower routine, of course.

Deep Steep Body Lotion, in Honeydew-Spearmint. I think I’ve been through at least 6 bottles of this already. The smell is just hard to beat.

Tom’s Long Lasting Natural Deodorant. I know. GIANT EYE ROLL. You think natural deodorant doesn’t work. Sister, you need to give it at least 4-6 weeks to give your body a chance to acclimate to it vs that scary aluminum based stuff that blocks and clogs your pores (right by all your lymphnodes). Contrary to popular belief, sweat is a good thing. When your body sweats, it’s getting rid of toxins. Which you want out! What’s not good is the smell. Natural deodorant like this one, helps naturally neutralize the smell, and eventually after a couple of weeks, your body will get rid of the stuff it’s trying to, and you won’t sweat as much OR smell bad. It’s worth it!

Tom’s Flouride Free Natural Toothpaste, in Peppermint (or at Trader Joe’s). A totally easy switch. Flouride free, people.

Beauty:

Gabriel Nail Polish (loving this color for Spring!). A awesome mineral based nail polish (free of formaldehyde!) that stays on just as long as conventional brands.

Alba Botanicals Natural Sunless Tanner. a non-orangey sun kissed look, minus the terrible smell that usually lingers on your skin. I love blending the Acure face lotion and this for a great natural look after this long winter.

Alaffia Coconut Lip Balm. Addicted. Smells like vacation. Not waxy, so you can put lip color on over, and it just makes me happy.

Burt’s Bees Lip Color, in Niagra Overlook. The workhorse. Great colors, that stay on well, and best of all- lead free! Which is worth it when you think about how much of it you probably eat (unintentionally) as you go about your day.

Love + Salt Body Spray, Olivine (a #ladyboss Seattle business!). This body and sea salt hair mist just smells like vacation. It’s a great, natural alternative to perfumes, and that packaging. I mean, come on. It’s just too pretty to resist. These make great gifts too. And available at some Anthropologie stores as well.

 

Ok, so what else!? What other natural beauty or skin care products do YOU love? Leave a note in the comment below. This, more than anything needs to be shared and talked about more, amongst us ladies, right? Tell me your favorites!

A lot of these products are also available at natural food stores, and on the new Thrive Market, which is pretty much like a online wholesaler for natural food and household products. It’s amazing! Such great deals on pure ingredients products for every part of your life. Because I love it so much, they have me a free $25 off code for your first order, to share with you. Explore around here!