People are becoming more aware of not only what they put in their bodies but also what they put on them. Detoxing your diet is one thing but clearing out the synthetic ingredients from your bathroom cabinet can be an altogether more daunting process. To help you get started we’ve put together our 5 tips to guide you on the easiest way to switch to organic skincare.
- One Item at a Time – switching to organic skincare can be expensive. The items themselves compare favourably with mainstream brands on individual price but switching every product at once can create a dent in your back account. We recommend switching to an organic beauty product each time one item runs out. This way you are replacing products one at a time rather than having a lump sum expense.
- Go Large – people often look to replace the skincare they use on their face first we recommend starting with the products you use on the largest area of skin. The products we use on our body cover a much larger surface than those we use on our face. Swapping out the body cream, lotions and oils to organic body products is a great place to start.
- Avoid Synthetic Fragrance – many people find perfumes and fragrance can exacerbate allergies and irritate skin. Check your skincare products have perfume made from natural ingredients – they generally smell better too!. Switching to organic perfume is a great way to avoid synthetic fragrances. What smells better than the scent of real rose petals, distilled jasmine or lilies?. Organic perfume is a niche product that is evolving quickly with great options now readily available. For the do-it-yourself enthusiast try mixing your favourite essential oils with a base oil to create your own perfume.
- Wash Up Last – leave switching out the products you rinse off or which only stay on your body for a few minutes until last. Some people may find switching to an organic body wash stops skin from drying out, while organic shampoo can help soothe irritated scalps. Although these are important to replace eventually if you have budget constraints prioritise leave-on products such as skin care, body care and deodorants first.
- Ingredient Know How – until you become familiar with ingredients you would like to avoid. try using the EWG Cosmetic Database. Here you can look up individual ingredients and brands to get a safety rating based on 0-10 (10 being the worst). There are many differing options on which ingredients are best to avoid so try and find a store or brand that is happy to communicate honesty. Products you buy off the shelf need to be safe first and foremost so even some organic certification bodies allow a small percentage of synthetic preservatives to ensure the product meets safety standards. Ths of course can also be done naturally. Only you should decide what you are comfortable with. You may want only 100% organic skin care products which are generally in an oil formulation or you may only like to use creams and are not bothered if they contain a small percentage of synthetic ingredients if it is the texture and scent you like. Learn which synthetic ingredients organic skin care certification bodies allow these may generally be considered safer.
Try implementing these tips over the next month. Becoming more conscious of the products you are using will mean that by month two you’ll be well on your way to switching to organic skin care with no looking back.
