Natural Skincare 101

I made the switch to healthier beauty products a few years ago, when I was pregnant with my daughter. Before then, I had no clue how toxic everyday skincare products were. Even the products I thought were healthy, weren’t. I figured the FDA regulated everything, so what I was using must have been safe. But, unfortunately, I was wrong. The FDA allows companies to use harmful chemicals in our everyday. The United States has not passed a major federal law to regulate the safety of ingredients used in personal care products since 1938, and there are more than 80,000 chemicals on the market today. Many don’t have any safety data.

Several studies over the past two decades indicate that serious health issues are on the rise and are due in some part to our ongoing exposure to toxic chemicals — from our skincare routine, household cleaners, pesticides in our food, and pollution in the air we breathe and water we drink. Asthma, cancer, infertility, autoimmune disorders, allergies and many more illnesses are on the rise due, in part, to these chemicals we are exposed to. Over the past two decades, the European Union has banned more than 1,300 chemicals in the product formulas of personal care products and restricted the levels of over 250 more in such products and Canada has banned 500. The United States has only partially banned 30 to date. The average woman wears hundreds of chemicals per day.

I decided that I wanted a healthier skincare regimen (along with household products, food and water) that was safe for me and for the baby in my tummy. After all, the skin is the largest organ, and anything we put on it gets absorbed directly into our bloodstream where they are filtered by your liver and kidneys. Yes, they may be small amounts in on dose, but with continual use, day after day, the chemical exposure accumulates.  So, I started looking at my products and other products to see what might be safe to use.

One of the easiest ways to evaluate a product you are using is to look for a seal(s) on the label, like the USDA Organic seal. Second is to read the ingredient list. I have listed things to avoid in detail below, but basically if I can’t pronounce the ingredient I usually avoid it. I also like products with minimal ingredients, preferably 10 or less ingredients. Be cautious of greenwashing… Many companies may appear to be healthy by using vague descriptive words like natural, botanical, pure, mineral, etc., but this doesn’t necessary mean anything. If you ever question a product you are using, look it up on the EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database or on their app as well as the Think Dirty phone app.

Diet also plays a major roll on how our skin looks on the outside. Here are a few key elements in keeping skin healthy and looking good.

• Eat a variety of real food and a variety of color
• Balance blood sugar
• Support your gut and digestive health
• Reduce inflammation
• Balance Hormones

Below are some DIY recipes for easy and organic skincare. If you prefer not to make your own skincare but would still like a safer option, check out my beautycounter page.

DIY Skincare Recipes

Skincare products are very easy to make, I have found that they also work very well. I also like the sense of security I have in making my own products, and knowing with certainty, what is in the products I am using on myself and on my children.  Below are a few of my favorite recipes for DIY skincare. Most of these ingredients I already have in my house.

 

Hydrating Face Serum

2 TBSP Jojoba Oil

1 TBSP Tamanu Oil

1 TBSP Argan Oil

2 tsp Rosehip Seed Oil

¼ tsp Vitamin E

8 Drops Geranium Essential Oil

4 Drops Carrot Seed Essential Oil

4 Drops Frankincense Essential Oil

Dry Shampoo

2 TBSP Arrowroot Powder

2 TBSP Kaolin Clay

2 TBSP GMO Free Cornstarch

6 Drops Desired Essential Oil Scent

 

Cleansing Clay Mask

1 TBSP Raw Honey

1 tsp Bentonite Clay

2 Capsules Activated Charcoal

2 Drops Melaleuca/Tea Tree Oil

 

Honey Face Wash

2 TBSP Raw Honey

¼ Cup Castile Soap

15 Drops Lavender

10 Drops Rosemary

10 Drops Melaleuca/Tea Tree Oil

 

Basic Body Scrub

1 ½  Cup Sugar or Salt

¾ Cup Coconut oil

20 Drops Essential Oil

 

Lip Balm

2 TBSP Grated and Packed Coco Butter

2 TBSP Grated and Packed Beeswax

1 TBSP Jojoba Oil

1 tsp Coconut Oil

1/8 tsp Vitamin E

20 Drops Essential Oil (peppermint or orange)

Melt coco butter and beeswax over a double boiler and remove from heat. Add remaining ingredients and pour in container. Let cool and harden.

 

Sea Salt Spray for Hair

1 TBSP Celtic Sea Salt or Hawaiian Lava Salt

1 Cup Hot Distilled Water

1 tsp Aloe Vera Gel

1 TBSP Fractionated Coconut Oil

Ingredients To Avoid:

Benzalkonium chloride: a disinfectant used as a preservative and surfactant associated with severe skin, eye, and respiratory irritation and allergies. Found in: sunscreens, moisturizers.

BHA and BHT: synthetic antioxidants used to extend shelf life. They are likely carcinogens and hormone disruptors and may cause liver damage. Found in: lipsticks, moisturizers, diaper creams, and other cosmetics.

Coal tar hair dyes and other coal tar ingredients: a byproduct of coal processing that is a known carcinogen. It is used as a colorant and an anti-dandruff agent. Found in: hair dye, shampoo.

Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA): a chelating (binding) agent added to cosmetics to improve stability. May be toxic to organs. Found in: hair color, moisturizers.

Ethanolamines (MEA/DEA/TEA): surfactants and pH adjuster linked to allergies, skin toxicity, hormone disruption, and inhibited fetal brain development. Found in: hair dyes, mascara, foundation, fragrances, sunscreens, dry cleaning solvents, paint, pharmaceuticals.

Formaldehyde: used as a preservative in cosmetics. A known carcinogen that is also linked to asthma, neurotoxicity, and developmental toxicity. Present where quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, diazolidinyl urea, sodium hydroxymethylglycinate, 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3 diol (Bronopol), and several other preservatives are listed. Found in: shampoo, body wash, bubble bath.

Hydroquinone: a skin-lightening chemical that inhibits the production of melanin and is linked to cancer, organ toxicity, and skin irritation. Found in: skin-lightening creams.

Methylisothiazolinone and methylchloroisothiazolinone: chemical preservatives that are among the most common irritants, sensitizers, and causes of contact skin allergies. Found in: shampoo, conditioner, body wash.

Oxybenzone: sunscreen agent and ultraviolet light absorber linked to irritation, sensitization and allergies, and possible hormone disruption. Found in: sunscreen, moisturizer.

Parabens  (methyl-, isobutyl-, propyl- and others): a class of preservatives commonly used to prevent the growth of bacteria and mold. Parabens are endocrine (or hormone) disruptors, which may alter important hormone mechanisms in our bodies. Found in: shampoo, face cleanser, body wash, body lotion, foundation.

Phthalates  (DBP, DEHP, DEP and others): a class of plasticizing chemicals used to make products more pliable or to make fragrances stick to skin. Phthalates disrupt the endocrine system and may cause birth defects. Found in: synthetic fragrance, nail polish, hairspray, and plastic materials.

Polyethylene glycol (PEG compounds): PEGs are widely used in cosmetics as thickeners, solvents, softeners, and moisture-carriers. Depending on manufacturing processes, PEGs may be contaminated with measurable amounts of ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane, which are both carcinogens. Found in: creams, sunscreen, shampoo.

Retinyl palmitate and Retinol (Vitamin A): a nutrient that may damage DNA and speed the growth of skin tumors when used topically. Found in: moisturizer, anti-aging skincare.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLS and SLES): SLS and SLES are surfactants that can cause skin irritation or trigger allergies. SLES is often contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, a byproduct of a petrochemical process called ethoxylation, which is used to process other chemicals in order to make them less harsh. Found in: shampoo, body wash, bubble bath.

Synthetic flavor or fragrance: an engineered scent or flavoring agent that may contain any combination of 3,000-plus stock chemical ingredients, including hormone disruptors and allergens. Fragrance formulas are protected under federal law’s classification of trade secrets and therefore can remain undisclosed. Found in: all types of cosmetics.

Toluene: a volatile petrochemical solvent that is toxic to the immune system and can cause birth defects. Found in: nail polish.

Triclosan and Triclocarban: antimicrobial pesticides toxic to the aquatic environment; may also impact human reproductive systems. Found in: liquid soap, soap bars, toothpaste.

Sources: National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences, CosIng, Health Canada, The Endocrine Disruption Exchange, EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database