I’ve received a few queries recently about what natural skin care and makeup products I use so I thought I’d share some of my favourite products here.
We hear a lot about detoxing our bodies through our diet, but we can also support our health and well-being by looking at what we put on our skin. We’re becoming more aware of environmental toxins, and pesticides used to grow the food we eat and the chemicals used to preserve food, but what about the chemicals found in our skincare?
Skin is the largest organ of the body, it plays a key role in our well-being by helping us to maintain a stable body temperature and providing a protective barrier from the outside world. What we put on our skin can be absorbed by the body and enter our bloodstream. Our skin can absorb up to 60% of what we put onto it and the sensitive areas around our faces and armpits can absorb two to six times as much as other areas of the body.
If you’re wanting to reduce your exposure to chemicals start by looking for Paraben, sulfate and formaldehyde-free products from shampoos to body creams to facial creams, nail polish and make-up.
It has been a very gradual process of moving to natural skin care and makeup over the years. I’ve wasted money on products that don’t work, I hope my sharing some of my favourite natural products will mean you don’t have to.
Skin care:
Face cream: For a couple of years all I used on my face was coconut oil. It’s a brilliant makeup remover but isn’t a great base for makeup so I’ve been on the search for a moisturiser that brightens and lifts, my tired, dull skin and is a good base for makeup.
Fleuresse skin care range is amazing, plant-based and promotes cell regeneration, it’s the only product range that’s had a noticeable impact on how my skin looks. Within a few days my skin is glowing, firmer and definitely brighter. I find a little goes a long way and it tends to last 10-12 weeks. If you wanted to try just one product in the range, I’d recommend the serum, I couldn’t be without it. It comes in a handy sample kit so you can try before you decide to invest.
I find I need a little more moisture in the winter months and still use coconut oil at night with a drop of Frankincense and Lavender from DoTerra on top of the Fleuresse night cream. (If your skin is more oily apply the oil first then your moisturiser).
Facial Wash: Neals Yard Orange Facial Wash smells amazing and leaves my face feeling really clean, without drying my skin out.
Deodorant: This has been the hardest natural product to find that works well. I like Weleda rose deodorant (smells lovely and comes in a handy travel size too). My everyday favourite is Neals Yard Rose and Geranium Deodorant. A heavier duty deodorant is Burt’s Bees Sage deodorant which is great for warmer days, when you’re exercising or when you’re on the go all day long. This one is a little trickier to track down.
Hand Cream: Since becoming a Mum I’m always washing up, so a good hand cream has become a necessity. Melissa Hand cream and Bee Lovely Hand cream by Neals Yard are always in my house, handbag and car.
Shower gel: Rose and Geranium Shower Gel and Geranium and Orange by Neals Yard are firm favourites.
Body lotion: I love, love, love Neals Yard Aromatic Body Butter, so nourishing, my dry skin soaks it up. I also love Rose and Geranium body lotion from Neals Yard for a quick moisturise after the shower, it smells amazing.
Toothpaste: I’ve been using Greenpeople toothpaste that is fluoride free for years, more recently I’ve started using Onguard toothpaste by DoTerra, a lovely mild taste and it’s had a slight whitening effect.
Shampoo & Conditioner: I’ve been using Faith in Nature Lavender & Geranium Shampoo and Conditioner for years, They have just a few ingredients and leave my dry hair feeling soft and glossy. I’ve recently started using Neals Yard Nurturing Rose Shampoo and Conditioner they smell amazing and my hair feels very soft and shiny. For an intensive treatment, I use coconut oil with some DoTerra aromatherapy oils and this already made up for when I’m feeling lazy.
There isn’t a better product to invest in, coconut oil has so many uses, from body lotion, face cream, makeup remover, hair conditioner, cooking oil, even teeth cleaning! I use it multiple times a day.
Makeup:
I still haven’t mastered how to apply makeup well so I keep it very simple and natural.
My favourite brand is RMS Beauty I use their Eye polish, Lip shine, Living Luminizer to give a healthy glow and Master Mixer which can be mixed with other products to give a more golden glow. I love everything I’ve tried so far. A little goes a long way, and they’re very moisturising unlike like a lot of products that can dry the skin out.
My other essentials are concealer by RMS again, Ere Perez bronzer, Neals Yard mineral blusher to lift a tired pale face and lengthening mascara. I also carry with me White Tea Facial Mist for a spritz of moisture during the day.
I hope that’s helpful, I’d love to hear your recommendations too.
These products quickly add up so I’m always apprehensive about by new makeup and testing out new skin creams, especially as my skin can be quite sensitive so please share your ‘tried and tested’, ‘stood the test of time’ favourites in the comments below.
As a consumer, I’m becoming more conscious of what I’m choosing to support, Neals Yard, DoTerra, Kyani are all companies that care about natural plant-based health and wellbeing, they produce natural products that cause no harm either to the user, the environment, the people that work to bring these products to us and all support philanthropic causes.
