There’s a move into being more natural in life. It’s time to step away from the chemicals, artificial products, and preservatives used in beauty products. All you hear is about the negatives of the chemicals and you want to protect your health. You want to reduce the risks of cancer, skin problems, and other health issues.
One of the big problems is finding natural beauty products. While you could make your own, this is time-consuming. And quite honestly, you just don’t want to. You want to be able to buy something that is good for your skin, instead of spending time researching and making your own.
So, it’s time to find companies that make natural beauty products. But you still want to get something that smells great and feels good. After all, you don’t want to sacrifice smell and style of nature! So, it’s time to look for the best natural beauty products on the market. Here’s your ultimate guide to choosing them for your skin and needs.
Start By Knowing What to Avoid
Before you look for products that are made naturally, you need to know of the ingredients that you need to avoid. Even natural products can have a few hidden ingredients if you’re not sure about the list on the back of everything you buy.
You’ll know to avoid synthetic products, parabens and toxins like formaldehyde, but what about ones that are hidden in the “secret ingredients.” If anything says that it includes fragrance or “parfum,” you will want to avoid. Even if it’s a natural beauty product, labeling an ingredient as “parfum” means there could be unnatural products hidden.
Fragrances and parfums can include more than 5,000 different ingredients. These are all hidden because they’re classed as a trade secret or a secret formula that makes the beauty product special. The companies don’t need to tell you if there’s something toxic or potentially harmful in there because that would give away the secret!
The good news is you can call companies to clarify some of their ingredients. If there’s something you don’t recognize or understand, most companies will clarify and help. This ensures transparency.
But of course, it’s just best to avoid companies that use the potentially harmful chemicals. You want natural all the time.
You’ll also want to specifically look out for propylene glycol. This can be sometimes used in “natural” products. It’s antifreeze; the type you add to your car to prevent freezing in the winter. The ingredient is used to prevent liquids freezing during transportation, but it’s a poison. It will alter the structure of your skin and can lead to allergic reactions. Make sure it’s not there on the ingredient list and check with companies if you’re not sure.
Not all-natural products are made equally. Not all will be suitable for your skin, your hair or your health. This is where the next steps come into play.
Consider Going Completely Product Free
One of the best natural beauty tips is avoiding all products. You can improve the health of your skin and body through natural ways, including through dry brushing. This is something you’ll want to consider before looking at everything on the shelves.
Dry brushing is just as it sounds. You take a dry brush to your skin, moving in circular motions. The process increases the blood flow, helping to remove more toxins from the body and improve the look of the skin. Your organs will also benefit from the extra flow.
You can use dry brushing to improve your digestive health. Work in a counter-clockwise circle to help improve the flow of waste through your system.
At the same time, you’ll remove the dead skin from your body. This helps to open the pores and reduce acne.
Consider the Type of Skin
When it comes to skin products, always assess your skin type. One natural product can be excellent for one person but damaging for another. Natural ingredients can affect oil production and cause oily/dry skin problems. And this isn’t just about allergic reactions and sensitivities.
If you have oily skin, you want to avoid the thick oils that tend to block the pores. Look out for the likes of argan oil in your natural beauty products. The thicker oils will lead to bacteria growth, excessive oil production, and more acne. Your skin will look oilier than it really must be.
However, if you have dry skin, you’ll want to look for the thicker oils. You need something that takes time to soak into the layers, leaving you with healthier looking skin. This is where the likes of avocado oil and coconut oil tend to be highly beneficial.
Then there’s the sensitive skin. You want something that will help to support the oil production while reducing redness and irritation. Rose oil is one of the best options, as it’s calming and nutritious.
Think About Application Timing
The products you use during the day will differ from the ones you use at night. There are certain essential oils that are more sensitive to the light, meaning your skin can burn much easier. While you’ll use sunscreen (at least you should), you’ll want to make sure you protect the skin from unnecessary damage.
Avoid any products with citrus essential oils for daytime use. They will increase the sensitivity of the skin to UV rays. The only time they can be beneficial is if you’re purposely attempting to lighten some dark spots. Then you’ll want to use with care and only spend up to 30 minutes in the sun with the products on. Otherwise, leave the sweet-smelling citrus oils for the evening, when you’re not going out in the sun!
It’s not just about the sun, either. You’ll want to think about the ingredients and time it takes to soak into your skin. Coconut oil may be excellent for dry skin, but it is much thicker than others. It takes time to fully soak in, which you may not have when getting ready in the morning. This is one of the perfect night time oils because you have the time to soak in to avoid ruining your clothes.
Check the Body can Sweat
Many of us like to use antiperspirants on the skin. We don’t want to sweat and must deal with the patches under our arms, down our backs or even around our breasts. The problem is sweating is a perfectly natural thing to do. Stopping the process can lead to the body temperature increases and helps to release some of the toxins from the body.
So, when you look for natural deodorants, avoid the ones that are labeled as antiperspirants. They will use unnatural chemicals to create this ability. Good deodorants will help you smell better while still helping you sweat.
Avoid Lathering Shampoos
It’s normal to want a shampoo that lathers. The same applies to toothpaste! There’s this feeling that lathering is the process of cleansing the hair (and the teeth). This isn’t the case. There’s no need for anything to lather while cleaning and you’re not using fully natural products if this happens.
Lathering is formed using sodium lauryl. It’s a harsh chemical that will do more harm than good to your scalp. The process of lathering can also strip excess oils from the hair, removing the natural oils and making the hair limp and dry.
Look out for products that are labeled “no-poo.” No, it’s not that they don’t have “poo.” Well, they don’t, but that’s not the point of the marketing. They’re full of natural ingredients that don’t lather the way typical shampoos do.
Assess Where the Ingredients Come From
While a company may use natural products, it doesn’t mean those natural products are right for you. Often, we only look at the types of ingredients used. We never really investigate the details of where those ingredients come from and what that means for the body. Nor do we assess what that means for other businesses and country structures.
It’s important to assess where individual companies get their natural products from. This will help to ensure the products are both toxin and chemical-free while supporting businesses that you like or that are good for the environment.
This is the part where you may need to call the companies to discuss their ingredients. Those that have absolutely no fear or concerns will be happy to discuss locations and checks they do on farmers and third-party companies. While they may not give you individual names (for data protection) they will be happy to give you general locations and how they support those individuals.
Change Your Expectations When Using Natural Beauty Products
The best natural beauty products aren’t going to last for months on end. Because they’re made with natural ingredients, they should be treated in a similar way to food that you buy. Think about the healthy, unprocessed food that you buy in the grocery store. You never expect it to last for months, unless you freeze it; and even then, there’s a shelf life!
The best natural beauty products are the same. You’re getting rid of the additives that help to make products last, so they tend to go off sooner. That will mean buying in bulk isn’t possible and you will need to stock up more frequently. It’s important to adjust your expectations on these productsbecause of this. Many people don’t and then wonder why their products have gone off or are causing some issues on the skin.
Likewise, you’ll need to adjust expectations on the cost. You’re not buying in bulk but you’re also buying natural. It takes companies much longer to put together natural products. They need to go through extra testing and use ingredients that go off quicker. In some cases, they will grow their own products, which means waiting for that process to complete naturally.
Natural products tend to cost more than the chemically-filled ones. Of course, you should find that you’re healthier, so you spend less on medical bills in the long term. It’s just an adjustment that you’ll need to make before you start searching.
Consider Making Your Own
While you don’t want to, sometimes you may be best considering DIY beauty products. This isn’t something you have to do all the time. You can just get one or two simple ingredients to start the cleansing and support process.
Apple cider vinegar is one of the best options for cleansing routines. It’s affordable and will last for a few weeks (and even months in some cases). You can put it on a cotton pad and use it directly on your skin, although you may want to dilute it. It can also be mixed with some essential oils or other natural ingredients.
Lemon juice is another natural ingredient you’ll want to consider using in your beauty routine. It can help lighten dark spots and is also an excellent cleanser for the skin. Just avoid using it on the face, as the citric acid may be too strong.
Know the Best Companies
In the end, you’ll want to do some research into the companies that sell the natural beauty products. Do your research on the business model and morals. Find out more about the steps they take to test the products. While they may be natural, you still want to avoid those that test on animals or take part in other inhumane or questionable acts.
Make a list of all the companies that create natural products and have good business models. This will help you go into stores armed with a list of brands to look out for. It helps to cut down the time spent on searching.
Natural beauty products aren’t made equally. Not all are even fully natural. Make sure you go into the search looking for the right ingredients and signs that you’re getting the perfect option for the health of your skin, body and the world.
