3 Steps to Clean Up Your Beauty Routine

Beauty, Skincare

October 20th, 2015

3 Steps to Clean Up Your Beauty Routine

I was out for lunch with a good friend yesterday. She’s a vibrant and health conscious mom to a beautiful 2 year-old girl. She eats well, buys organic when possible and often seeks my opinion on various nutrition issues. Yesterday, our conversation switched from food to skincare and I was beyond thrilled!

I’m excited to see that personal care products are starting to receive more attention.

Awareness is building that what we put on our bodies is just as important as what goes inside. Skin is our largest organ and it’s about time we give it the attention and respect it deserves.

My friend was eager to make some changes for the health of her family (especially her daughter) but clueless where to begin.  As a busy mom, she doesn’t have hours to spend researching ingredients on the Environmental Working Group (EWG) website or browsing aisles at her local natural health shop. 

Does this sound familiar? Have you been toying with the idea of switching your beauty products to cleaner options, but don’t know where to start?  Have you found the EWG database overwhelming? Don’t worry; I’ve got your back.

First of all, don’t feel like you need to run home and toss the entire contents of your bathroom in the trash. While some people prefer to change their products all at once, that can be a pricy endeavor. I prefer to make changes gradually, one product at a time.

Here are 3 simple recommendations to get you started on the right path to a clean beauty routine:

Love your lips

The most important place to start when transitioning your beauty routine is your mouth. The skin on your lips is much thinner (3-5 layers) than the skin on your body (up to 16 layers). The lips also have a high number of nerve endings; one of the reasons that kissing feels so nice.

Any product you use on your lips, such as lipstick or lip balm, gets ingested. Eating, drinking and licking your lips throughout the day all cause you to swallow your lip products. That’s why it’s so important to choose lip products that are safe and clean. My personal favorite lip balm is Hurraw in cinnamon or lemon. In terms of lipstick there are many good choices on the market, but a few of my faves are Jane Iredale, 100% Pure and Ilia.

Moisturizer makeover

Next step is moisturizer – the kind you slather all over your body. This one is important because it covers such a large surface area of your skin. The larger the surface area, the more opportunity there is to penetrate into your blood stream making it essential that you choose wisely.

Most people aren’t too attached to their body cream, so this should be an easy change to make. Coconut oil is a simple option, as are various oils like sweet almond oil or jojoba oil. You can even add a few drops of your favourite essential oil (mine is lavender) and treat yourself to a bit of aromatherapy while you massage your skin. 

Deodorant Detox

Okay I’ll admit this one is a toughie. Finding an effective natural deodorant can be challenging, but it’s worth the effort. Because it’s so important, I’ll cover this topic in more detail in an upcoming post.

For now, I want you to know that your body may take some time to adapt when you switch to a natural deodorant. You may need to experiment until you find a product you like that also works with your own unique body chemistry. Please don’t give up just because one product doesn’t work! Also keep in mind that your diet can affect your body odour.

During the transition, I suggest you carry deodorant in your purse in case you need to reapply during the day. Also try wearing breathable clothing with natural fibres like 100% cotton, pima cotton or linen.

Here are a few natural deodorant brands that really work:

Schmidt’s Natural Deodorant

Meow Meow Tweet Deodorant Cream

Soapwalla Deodorant Cream

So there you go. Start your product transition with these 3 steps and you’ll be well on your way to a cleaner beauty routine.

If you want extra help making the switch, I’d love to help. I’ve been in your shoes and I know that sifting through bogus product claims can be overwhelming. My product purge package is designed to help you overhaul your beauty routine and find clean, effective products you love.

Click here for a FREE 15 minute consultation to discuss your needs and learn more about how I can help!