Switching to clean beauty products is a great place to start if you want to improve your skin, get rid of potentially harmful chemicals, and be more mindful of the environmental impact some of the waste from these products contributes to.
Clean beauty products are made with natural and non-toxic ingredients, but with so many options available, it can be overwhelming to know where to start.
In this post, we’ll walk you through the steps to transition to clean beauty products for the face. The first step in transitioning to clean beauty products is understanding the ingredients to avoid. Look for products free of parabens, phthalates, sulfates, and synthetic fragrances.
These ingredients have been linked to cancer, hormone disruption, and other health concerns. Instead, choose products made with natural and organic ingredients known for their soothing and healing properties. You can also look for certified organic or vegan products, ensuring they are free of harmful chemicals and animal testing.
In the beauty community, you will increasingly see words like clean, green, natural, or sustainable. To read more on that, have a look at this post!
Why Transition To A Clean Beauty Routine?
There are many reasons to transition to a more natural approach to beauty and wellness, but it doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing.
Many people do it for their health or have had a baby and are suspicious of smothering them in unknown chemicals. For others, it’s a general lifestyle choice concerned with food safety and sustainability. If you are concerned with what you eat, it isn’t long before you become more careful about the products you apply to your body topically.
How to do it and what products to choose from can seem daunting at first, but it is easy, fun, and opens up a whole new world of connecting you to the wonders of nature.
There isn’t a right or wrong way to do this, and it is neither expensive nor complicated. Yes, there are many unique products to want to try (guilty!), but it is an effortless, natural way to take care of yourself at its core.
Need help making a switch to clean beauty? Read this!
How To Have A Simple Clean Beauty Routine?
Simplicity is, in my opinion, the most valuable part of having a Clean Green Beauty routine. Choosing the purest natural ingredients frees you from really looking at or deciding upon the vast array of beauty products that bombard us with their endless promises to transform and improve us.
Green beauty is about being our best, most healthy, radiant selves, using nature’s bounty.
Begin with natural ingredients, and splurge on what you already know and love.
What stays on your skin all day should be the first product to consider and needs to be the healthiest.
Start with the Basics
When transitioning to clean beauty products, it’s best to start with the basics, like cleanser, toner, and moisturizer. These products are essential for any skincare routine and are easy to swap out for cleaner alternatives.
Look for a gentle cleanser that removes dirt and makeup without stripping your skin of its natural oils. Toner helps to balance your skin’s pH and prep your skin for the next steps in your routine. Finally, moisturizer helps to hydrate and protect your skin.
Look for Multi-Tasking Products.
To simplify your routine and save money, look for multi-tasking products that do more than one thing.
Sunscreens.
For example, a tinted moisturizer with SPF will provide hydration, sun protection, and coverage all in one product. The SPF isn’t as accurate on moisturizers as on sunscreens.
Look for a natural mineral broad-spectrum sunscreen free from harmful chemicals like oxybenzone and octinoxate. Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are two natural ingredients that provide adequate sun protection without causing harm to your skin.
Oils.
Oils are your best friend, even if you have oily skin. Switching to oils to cleanse and moisturize is simple, effective, and nourishing for skin health.
Oils are soothing and protective, rich in fatty acids, and many replicate the skin’s serum. Antioxidant-rich and with antibacterial properties, they are a must-have for transitioning to natural skincare.
If you are new to using oils for your face, try these first;
You can use any natural plant oil to cleanse the skin, but choose a soothing, inexpensive oil, such as coconut oil, which has many beauty uses, as you will wash it off. Save the more expensive oils for moisturizers that stay on the skin for an extended period. You can make glowing skin serums easily with DIY recipes!
Cleansing the face with oils is known as a double cleanse, as you first use oil to remove all the dirt, grime, and makeup of the day, followed by rinsing in a gentle natural cleanser and toner.
Face Toners.
You can use natural ingredients to tone the face and eliminate the last bit of oil, dirt, or soap residue. They are easy to make using DIY recipes once you know the best natural ingredients to use or start with;
- Apple Cider Vinegar.
Fruit acids in apple cider vinegar, such as malic and acetic acid, are natural alpha-hydroxy acids that work as natural exfoliators, sweeping away dead skin cells. Its antibacterial, antifungal, and antimicrobial properties help combat acne and balance the skin’s PH.
Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar With the Mother– USDA Certified Organic – Raw, Unfiltered All Natural Ingredients.
- Hydrosols.
Hydrosols are the water left over after the process of making essential oils. They are gentler and kinder to the skin than the more potent extract and are widely used in skincare formulations as they retain the plants’ therapeutic properties.
These beautiful, refreshing waters make excellent skin toners. Some of the most popular hydrosols are;
- Rose
USDA Certified Organic Rose Water Facial Toner – 100% Pure Natural, Unrefined by SVA Organics| Aromatherapy Reduce Dark Circles, Pores, Wrinkle, Moisturizer, Skin Care.
- Lavender
Alteya Organics Lavender Water USDA Certified Organic Facial Toner – Pure Bulgarian Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Water, Award-Winning Moisturizer BPA-Free Bottle.
- Orange Blossom
Organic Moroccan Orange Blossom (Neroli) Water – Imported From Morocco – Packed With Natural Antioxidants – Perfect for Hydrating and Rejuvenating Your Face and Neck.
- Cucumber
Cucumber Water Facial Toner – All Natural Hydrating Spray Mist for Face and Hair.
- Witch Hazel.
Witch Hazel is a commonly used toner made from the Winter flowering shrub Hamamelis Virginiana, native to North America’s eastern half. Native Americans widely used it in herbal medicine, a practice then adopted by early settlers. Witch Hazel comes in different formulations, such as;
- Witch Hazel Water and Alcohol
- Witch Hazel Natural Extracts
- Distilled Witch Hazel
- Organic Witch Hazel Hydrosol
Many commercial Witch hazels are extractions in alcohol, which can dry the skin. True hydrosols distill the whole plant without alcohol or other substances. The distillates without alcohol are astringent yet soothing and carry the whole-plant benefits.
Witch Hazel Toner by Leven Rose, 100% Pure Organic Facial Rose Water with Rose Petals, Calendula, Cucumber, and Chamomile Flower.
If alcohol is a concern for you, look for the many versions without it, it is an excellent toner for irritated skin, soothing acne, and can tone, tighten, and refine the skin. It tends to have a PH of 3-5, restoring balance to the skin after cleansing.
- Rice Water.
Rice water has been a beauty staple in Asian countries for centuries. Studies show Rice Water is biocompatible with the skin and an excellent anti-aging skincare product. Rich in B vitamins such as inositol and rice water, it helps encourage cell renewal and stimulate blood flow to give a brighter, more toned complexion.
Nourishing Rice Water Toner With Rose Hydrosol, Aloe Vera Face and Scalp Essence, Rice Extract, Pro-Vitamin B5, Oily Skin, Alcohol-Free.
Rice water is also an excellent ingredient for hair growth; find the best type of rice for your hair needs; this is another great multipurpose clean beauty ingredient!
Essential Oils.
Essential oils are potent plant oils with excellent botanical properties. They have to be diluted into carrier oils for safe use, but they are essential to clean beauty, not just for fragrance.
Some of the best essential oils for skincare can be seen in this post; one of the best multipurpose oils is Tea tree oil, for the many ways you can use it, from acne to skin irritations to hair!
Experiment With Natural Makeup.
If you wear makeup, consider experimenting with natural options. Look for brands that use natural, plant-derived ingredients in their makeup products. These products work to enhance your natural beauty without causing harm to your skin.
Be Patient.
It’s essential to be patient when transitioning to clean beauty products. Your skin may take time to adjust to the new products, so don’t be discouraged if you don’t see immediate results. Stick with it and give your skin time to adapt to the new ingredients.
Overall, transitioning to clean beauty products for your face is a great way to protect and nourish your skin. By doing your research, starting with a clean slate, moisturizing with natural ingredients, using a natural sunscreen, experimenting with natural makeup, and being patient, you can easily switch to clean beauty products!
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Clay.
A great way to incorporate green beauty products into your routine is to use the earth as clays and mud face treatments. Clays have been used for centuries to improve and enhance the skin and internal and external detoxing.
Naturally occurring and formed from silt, volcanic ash, and soil, they are rich in minerals, including magnesium, calcium, silica, potassium, and iron. Their mineral compositions form different colors.
Mix clays with distilled water or aloe vera juice, oils, and hydrosols to make masks that absorb excess oils, draw out toxins and bacteria, refine the pores, and tighten the skin.
Bentonite clay for a great all-rounder; it works well for normal skin to draw out impurities and tighten and tone.
French Green Clay is fantastic for sensitive, irritated skin. It is gentle, versatile, and rich in magnesium, sodium, potassium, and calcium.
Rhassoul Clay is excellent for its aging skin, as are white clays like White Kaolin Clay.
Green clays and Moroccan Red Clay can unclog pores, absorb oils, and benefit acne-prone or irritated skin.
Don’t go wild with the clay masks; while they are healing and beneficial to the skin, they can dry as they absorb oils. Use once or twice a month, and mix in more hydrating liquids if you have dry skin.
If you want a more hydrating mask, look at the mud masks available. They are water-based and work well for dry skin, with their hydrating, healing benefits.
Switching to clean beauty opens up a world of connecting to natural ingredients. Once you understand how simple, rich, and nourishing the ingredients are, it is easy and fun to start whipping up DIY concoctions for yourself, friends, and family.
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