One day I read something that changed my life! Around 60% of everything we put on our bodies is absorbed through our skin and into our blood stream within SECONDS. This made me rethink everything I used and exactly how it could effect my body. Think about it. We wouldn’t drink these products because it would instantly make us sick, but we’re still being affected slowly through years of dosage into our blood stream. However because we don’t have that instant illness; when problems arise, we don’t think, “oh it must be the years of using that product with carcinogens.” So I tossed or handed down almost everything I used.

A resource I found was EWG’s Skin Deep. You can find the link in my Resources page. Here you can type in a product and it will give you a toxicity rating from 1-10. They have most common products and if they don’t have what you’re looking for you can enter in the ingredients and it will generate a rating for you! Also not only do I use natural products but I refrain from using anything with fragrance. Fragrances are chemical-made and companies aren’t required to list whats in them. I thought changing all of my products to non-toxic versions would be a hard task but in reality it made things a lot simpler because in a world of endless options, it narrowed down my search. Once I really used a variety of products however I realized raw ingredients work more effectively than a product with a long list of ingredients. I mix other products into my routine if I see something in a store that I want to try but I’ve listed my main go-to products that I always keep on hand. You can find the shopping links for these on my Resources page as well!

SHEA BUTTER
Shea Butter is fat from the nut of the African Shea Tree.
I use Shea butter for both lotion and shaving cream! It’s one of the only “lotions” that can really moisturize my skin and the hydration lasts for much longer than with anything I’ve used. It doesn’t have a pretty scent, shimmer, or fluff but thats’s not what I’m looking for. It has no other ingredients or preservatives and does it’s job effectively. Shea butter really shines as a shaving lotion! I mix it with coconut oil to thin it out and it may gunk up the razor a bit and need to be thoroughly cleaned BUT there’s a surprise benefit! My smooth shave that usually lasts anywhere from 1-24 hours will last around 3 days! It also acts as an in-shower lotion so on days I shave I can skip a step.

WITCH HAZEL
Witch Hazel is an astringent liquid made from the leaves and bark of the Witch Hazel shrub.
I use Witch Hazel for my face and sometimes in cleaning (but that will be in a different post). I apply it to my reusable cotton pads after I’ve washed my face and before applying a face lotion or serum. Doing his tones my skin as well as evens out the oil levels which helps with breakouts. (I also apply Tea Tree oil for spot treatments!) Other benefits include healing skin sores or bruises, and calming irritation, eczema or razor burn.

SUGAR SCRUBS 
Sugar scrubs are great because they’re so easy to make yourself and can be as simple as two ingredients. The base consists of sugar and coconut oil and you can add any additions you’d like such as oils, herbs, etc. (I’ll post scrub recipes down the line! ) I like to use scrubs before shaving, between tanning, or when my skin is really dry. In addition to exfoliation they also aid in circulation, elasticity, and hydration.

CASTILE SOAP
My bar soap changes often but one form of soap I always keep on hand for both body and home is castile soap. Castile soap is a hard soap made from vegetable oils. Brands like Dr. Bronner’s have many scents made with essential oils which is great, however; I still like to keep unscented on hand at all times. For body uses (home will be in another post) I use it as liquid hand soap and if I were to run out of bar soap or shampoo it could work in a pinch. Also if you have a skin infection or wound, eczema patch, or new tattoo and want a gentle and clean soap for the area, this works great. You can also mix castile soap with other oils to make a DIY body wash or bubble bath!

There’s some things in my body care routine such as deodorant, face lotion, and chapstick that I haven’t included because I like to try different products after each runs out. I usually post these on my Instagram as I buy them. These body care staples remain through it all because of their simplicity, versatility, and effectiveness. I can use them in their original form or transform them into a luxurious product of my own and I’ll be sure to share those along the way!

(Article as seen in “Wicked Pretty” Magazine)

“Green Beauty”, it’s a phrase many of us have heard being thrown around on YouTube, Pinterest and most of all, packaging labels; filled with the words, “Natural”, “Non-toxic” and many more. But why the hype? What should you know? And what are my faves?!

More and more women everyday are looking for better and healthier options for their food, household products and yes, beauty. Many brands are filled with harsh chemicals and toxic ingredients that have no place on or in our bodies. Did you know that about 60% of everything we put on our skin is absorbed into our blood stream within seconds? That means we might as well fill an IV bag with every detergent, lotion, and makeup product we use.

Companies are catching on to the shift in the market, and while some are rising to the occasion, others are taking advantage of the demand and inexperienced green beauty gurus. While many companies plaster the word “Natural” all over the fronts of their boxes and bottles, there’s no regulations for using the word “Natural” in marketing. So how can you tell if a product is actually green? Well, these answers you’ll find on the back of the packaging; in the ingredients. You might be thinking, “I can’t even pronounce half of those ingredients!” That’s where apps like “Think Dirty” and databases like EWG.com’s “Skin Deep” come in. You can search specific products and get an analysis and toxicity rating from 1-10 before making your purchase. Another important piece of information is that “fragrance” or “parfum” unless stated to be made from essential oil blends can be made up of 100 different chemicals. This means even if a product has relatively natural ingredients, if it contains fragrance, it may not be as clean as you’d like. A great example of this is epsom salt. Many companies add “aromatherapy” fragrances such as lavender for a relaxing bath. However, there’s no actual health benefit to the scent because they aren’t made from essential oils which give your body the desired reaction, so instead you’re soaking in a warm chemical bath.

So now you might be thinking, “Well now where do I start?! Everything I use seems off limits and do these other products even work?!” I can assure you that natural products are just like normal products; there’s good and there’s bad. So to get you started I’ve listed 5 of my favorite beauty swaps that you’ll love!

 

 

 

 

Jane Iredale Glow Time Full Coverage BB Cream $48
This “BB Cream” beats any foundation I’ve used and is most similar to my past favorite Makeup Forever HD Mat Velvet +

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ecobrow $26
Dramatic eyebrow lovers rejoice! The perfect replacement for the Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Hauschka Volume Mascara $26       This mascara leaves your lashes long and full without clumping.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Silk Natural  Tahiti Sweetie Matte Bronzer $6.50
This loose powder bronzer is an amazing dupe for Benefits Hoola and check out that        price tag!

 

 

 

 

Silk Naturals HD Cream Highlighter in Limelight or Lemoncello $4.50
Wether you like a pinky hue or golden glow these cream highlights will have you ready to shine!