Is your skincare doing you more harm than good?
We live in a society that is obsessed with the way we look, now I'm not saying that's a bad thing but with all the different skincare products marketed to us, especially women, it’s hard to keep up. We are made to feel like if we don’t have the newest cream, serum, face and body wash or whatever else there is then we won’t achieve the skin we want.
Now you would hope that the companies making them have our best interests are heart but unfortunately that isn’t the case. I mean have you ever read the ingredients list on the back? probably not, I know I never used to, until I started to become aware of how much harm certain chemicals used in them could really cause us.
Some effects can be instant like skin irritation or rashes but it’s the longer term effects of exposure, the sort of things you don’t outwardly see that are the most concerning. Some of the chemicals used can mess with your hormones, leading to fertility struggles (both men and women), periods in young women starting earlier even as young as nine years old. Others have been linked to increased cancer risk and respiratory conditions. Did you also know that when you see the word ‘fragrance’ on a product it’s a blanket word companies are allowed to use to hide what exactly they used and it can be any of around 3000 different things! and hardly ever natural.
Probably one of the most shocking things for me was that not even baby products are free from harmful chemicals. I mean as mums you want to do your best to protect your babies delicate skin and body, so again you trust that the companies making these products would make sure they were safe.
Our skin is our biggest organ, it absorbs pretty much everything you put on it, wouldn’t you want to make sure it’s only getting pure natural products?
So what should you be looking to avoid?
This is just a small list but there are many more.
• Triclosan - Found in antibacterial products
• Aluminium - Most often found in deodorants
• Petroleum - Found in things like vapour rubs and Vaseline
• Phthalates - Normally used in plastic products but can be found in beauty products also
• Fragrance - Especially if it doesn’t specify that it’s from essential oils
• Parabens - Used as a preservative Alcohol - Not the worst but if you can avoid it, do
The good news is that you have the power to change what you use and it doesn’t have to be complicated or overwhelming.
There are many companies out there producing clean, non-toxic/ low-toxic skincare or if you feel like it you can make your own with a few simple ingredients. You can just use single oils like castor, jojoba or rosehip. You can meltdown and whip up a shea and cocoa butter body moisturiser, Tallow cream is also amazing for your skin if you aren’t vegan or vegetarian. Rose water and/or witch hazel works wonders as a toner and coconut oil is great for removing make-up. If you really want a little fragrance in your homemade products look for high quality, pure essential oils.
We don’t need a whole load of different products that contain harmful chemicals to get that glowing, clean skin. Simple is always best. One last thing to remember glowing healthy skin starts from within so make sure you are drinking plenty of water that mineralised and filtered, and eating a healthy diet that contains whole foods.
I encourage you to do your own research and come to your own conclusions but I will warn you it’s a very deep rabbit hole to go down. One thing I know for sure though is once you know it’s very hard to continue the way you are.
Recommendations on where to buy:
For high quality essential oils I recommend Doterra, follow the link to purchase your own. I recommend the family essentials kit. It contains everything you need to get started.
https://www.mydoterra.com/nadineterry
The skincare oils I personally use and find to be great quality are from Fushi. The link will take you straight to the website, you can also get £10 off your first order with my link! (£15 min spend)
Or this one for 10% off your order when you enter code A_LITTLE_WILD_AND_FERAL at the checkout.
fushiwellbeing.com/A_LITTLE_WILD_AND_FERAL
To buy organic butters like cocoa and shea I like to use The Soapery, they are good quality and great prices. They also have loads of other bits and bobs for making skincare.
Natural Ingredients for Cosmetics & Candles | TheSoapery
You can also check out the following websites that stock a whole range of made for you skincare and beauty items that are good for your skin and body.
Plastic Freedom | Your One Stop Eco Shop
