Earth Day is a great to time to take stock, especially when it comes to your beauty routine. The average women puts on between five and nine personal care products a day, that amounts to a lot of chemicals, about 175 in some cases.
The best way to start the detox is a visit to your pantry. Here are a few easy things you can do to help improve your skin, without using any products.
Rose Hip Oil
If you are over 35 years old, this is a secret weapon. This oil is filled with tons of nutrients, like essential fatty acids, linoleic acid or omega-6, and linolenic acid or omega-3, all with the amazing ability to keep your skin soft and supple. It's also really good for stretchmarks and scars. It's grown in abundance in South Africa, I like to make sure it's ethically sourced too.
Hello Sage and Coffee... Goodbye Cellulite!
Eat sage everyday, it improves digestion and breaks down fatty deposits that cause cellulite.
Enjoy a cup of coffee, but keep the left over grounds. They are a great natural cellulite treatment. Simply rub them on the problem area, rinse and apply your moisturizer.
Natural Bubble Bath
Mix 1/2 a cup of Epson salts with a 1/4 cup baking soda, add relaxing essential oils like lavender or marjoram and sit back and relax. Great for tension and stress relief.
Super Antioxidant Duo
Avocado and kiwi are two incredible foods that can be used on almost all skin types. Avocado helps to moisturize the skin and keep it soft and supple. It also reduces inflammation and is filled with Vitamin A, which helps to slow down the aging process. Avocado is known to be an antioxidant power house with Vitamin A and C, both help to fight off damage from the sun. Kiwi are super cool too, they also contain high amounts of Vitamin C, E and A, all of which enhance collagen and replenish the skin. Even the seeds have antioxidants Omega 3 oils. Use 1 kiki and 1 avocado, mix them together to form a paste, apply to the face for 20 mins, rinse with warm water and see how you feel. This powerhouse duo does wonders for the skin.
Other things to keep in mind:
Go local and handmade
There is good news on the horizon, there are more small manufacturers popping up using mainly natural and organic ingredients. There is more transparency with their ingredients and because its made locally there is less of an impact on the environment, when it comes to carbon emissions caused by the transportation required to get the product to you.
Plants not chemicals
Plant-based ingredients are key. The skin, being the largest organ on the body, it absorbs 60 per cent of everything we put on it. Pure essential oils can have strong therapeutic effects when they are absorbed into the skin. If you are pregnant check with your doctor. It's important to note that even natural ingredients can cause an allergic reaction.
Make scents when it comes to fragrance
Companies do not have to disclose certain ingredients if they use the words "fragrance", "perfume" or "parfum". Under this umbrella falls almost three thousand synthetic ingredients, so when you see those three words you really don't know what you are getting. Synthetic ingredients are much cheaper than essential oils and are now widely used in all personal care products. Look for fragrance from herbal infusions, essential oils herbs and flowers.
No SLS please!
SLS or sodium laurel sulphates are foaming agents found in many personal care products, these are harmful toxins to us and the planet. Look for coconut oil or decyl glucoside, made from corn and plant based.
Remember, less is more when it comes to ingredients
The best beauty products in the eco market place are those that have the least ingredients. We simply don't need all that extra stuff. Many of the toxins that are used in our favourite products act as preservatives and fillers. The fact is, products, like food, should "go off" after six months.
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