Heard about the dirty dozen? If you’re like us and are mad about all things wellness related, then you’ll know it refers to a list of twelve fruits and vegetables that are essential to buy organic because they, out of all of the hundreds of fruits and vegetables out there, contain the highest amounts of pesticide residue.
Wondering where we’re going with this?! Well, the same pretty much applies to beauty products. There are some that are ‘okay’ to use if they are not completely ‘clean’, and others not so much, so let’s break it down for you.
DEODORANT:
Unless you’ve been in hibernation for the past year, you’ve probably heard some buzz around anti perspirants and deodorants and the harmful ingredients a lot of them contain. This one is particularly important because one of the most vital areas of detoxification on your body happens in your underarms.
Antiperspirants block your sweat ducts and prevent you from sweating and it’s the aluminium that does this, which has proven to be harmful to your health in the long run.
Regular shaving and the fact that your skin is very thin in that area, makes it more susceptible to absorb any toxic ingredients.
Our advice? Find a few of the most natural deodorants you can find and test them out to find which one works best (and hardest) for you.
MASCARA:
Here’s the thing with mascara, whilst it seems like it wouldn’t be a big deal which one you use because it is applied to such a tiny part of you, it is! The particles are most likely to end up in your eyes on a regular basis, and when the mascara contains a petroleum-combustion by-product called coal tar, you will definitely want to go looking for something cleaner.
SERUMS:
Whilst it’s important to have a non-toxic serum, it’s also REALLY important that you pay attention to the quality of the ingredients too. These badboys should be loaded with incredible active ingredients, as they are deemed to the be the number one product in your skincare routine that should be working the hardest and doing the upmost for your skin.
However, when you don’t go for ones with high quality and natural ingredients, you’re compromising your skin with synthetics that are not only unkind to your skin, but they are also doing nothing to feed and nourish it. Silicones are known to be a popular culprit ingredient, and whilst they give serums that smooth texture, they are not actually being helpful.
SUNSCREEN:
We all know how too much sun exposure can be incredibly aging on your skin, so choosing the right sunblock is essential. Sunscreen containing nasty chemicals is known to be one of the worst products to irritate your skin, as well as not doing its job of protecting you properly.
Ingredients such as parabens and phthalates are known to be hormone disruptors, so go out of your way to avoid these. So what should you be looking for in a sunscreen? Go for a mineral based sunscreen. Not only will it protect you from the sun, it will also be kind to your skin and save you from any irritation.
LIPSTICK
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that whatever is applied to your lips, be it lipstick or lip gloss, you will be eating the stuff aswell! If it’s made with natural ingredients, then brilliant! Made with harmful preservatives, petroleum and plasticizers? We’ll give it a miss thanks! There are so many amazing clean lipsticks on the market now that are not only kind to your body, but they are also long lasting with rich colours that will leave you wondering why you ever chose anything else!
SELF-TAN
Let’s face it, even though we live in a sunny climate, sometimes it’s just too sunny and hot to sit outside and get your tan on. The next best thing? Self tan! Your everyday self tanning lotion is rife with toxic ingredients, mostly because of the colour additives used to change the colour of your skin and also the perfumes used to cover up that stinky smell! Go for plant based ingredients that are unlikely to irritate your skin and will still give you a natural glow.
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