Day 8: The day has come. It's time to clean and green the beauty routine. Admittedly since having a new baby, there are days I go completely green by default, meaning I don't even bother with my hair or makeup. But since my little one just turned 6 months old....I think the new baby excuse no longer applies. (Darn it!)
Little by little, I am replacing standard beauty products I used to love with more natural, plant based products I actually love even more. Here are the top ten "switches" I made:
1.
Toothpaste. Ok, I know not really a beauty product per say, but you really can't be beautiful without it. Just made the switch from a very popular brand that I love but contains artificial dyes and artificial sweetener to Burt's Bees Natural Whitening Toothpaste. No dye, sweetened with Stevia, and easy to find. Even Walmart carries it. It is a little higher in price, but not much. Great product!
2.
Tea Tree Oil. This is a major multipurpose item.
I'll go into its household uses later, but for now I'm touting its benefits as a pimple killer. Instead of using the benzoyl peroxide based pimple cream, just dip a q-tip in tea tree oil and dab on the spot. Numerous studies show tea tree oil to be just as effective without the drying effects of benzoyl peroxide.
3.
Deodorant. Again, not what you think of when I say beauty product...but very important! For everyone! If you do not agree.....that's a different topic all together. Anyway. Your typical deodorant/antiperspirant contains aluminum, parabens, and triclosan- the same stuff in the anti-bacterial cleansers mentioned earlier in this blog. I was very skeptical about this Herbal Magic Deodorant, but it smells great and absolutely works. One caveat- this does not last as long as the chemical deodorants, you'll need to reapply more often if you're sweaty!
4.
Facial Cleansing Wipes. Ooh......I love these! There are quite a few different ones on the market, but these are by far my favorite. Again, those other mainstream brands have chemicals and drying agents like alcohol in them. These have extracts of Aloe, Cucumber, and Green Tea. I keep them in my gym bag (er...when I used to go the gym) and brought them to the hospital when my son was born. Great gift for moms to be!
5.
Face Wash. This is one product I didn't have to make a switch on, I've been in love with this all natural line for quite a while. Alba Botanica's Hawaiian Line, Pineapple Enzyme Cleanser. Not only does the pineapple smell great, it also contains bromelain naturally found in pineapple which works like a mild chemical exfoliant would. I just starting using this along with the next product on the list...
6.
Clarisonic Mia Brush. This is not necessarily an all natural product, but using this eliminates the need for chemical exfoliating products. I used to use an exfoliating face wash, but I just recently began using the Mia and its awesome. Yes, it is a bit pricey ($125 on Amazon although I was fortunate and received it as a gift) but it will last and last, is smaller and more compact than the original Clarisonic and delivers a deeper but gentler exfoliation. Best of all you can use it along with any cleanser and you only need a pea size amount of cleanser since the scrubbing brush distributes it evenly.
7.
Self Tanner. I think most of us have a love hate relationship with self tanner. Hate the way it smells, streaks and stains but love the pretty glow it gives us without risking sunburn and skin cancer. This Alba Botanica Self Tanner uses Dihydroxyacetone, or DHA and works by causing a chemical reaction with the amino acids on the dead layer of skins surface. It is considered non toxic and non carcinogenic. Many of the self tanners on the market also have unnecessary chemicals and dyes. The Alba Botanica is very moisturizing and doesn't smell terrible.
8.
Aloe Vera Gel. This is almost a miracle product. Not just for sunburns, I use this in place of moisturizer at times, on cuts and scrapes, even on baby. Great for sensitive skin or acne prone skin. Applying a thick layer at night will leave you with super soft skin in the morning. (I don't like to use it on my face during the day though, it dries with a sheen, not what you want for your face!)
9.
Moisturizer for Face. For day time, this oil free gentle moisturizer is perfect. Light weight, doesn't clog pores, and always good for my sensitive skin. Alba Botanica Aloe & Green Tea Oil Free Moisturizer.
10.
Moisturizer for Body. You've probably noticed a trend....I really love the Hawaiian Line by Alba Botanica. This Kukui Nut Organic Body Oil is super moisturizing, not too heavy, and smells amazing. No artificial ingredients or dyes. Smooth it on after the shower while skin is still damp.
What are some of your favorite all natural beauty products? Share them in the blog comments!
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