Caring for your skin naturally - a rough guide to using natural products on your body
I remember when I first started questioning the choices I made for my body. My skin health. I was about 26, I had just transitioned through my first big life change, had survived my first experience of extreme anxiety which resulted in therapy and studying.
It was during my studies with aromatherapy that I began questioning the impact everything has on our semi permeable skin after all, the skin is our body's largest organ. I started making changes. I started looking for natural ingredients, researching and analysing ingredient labels. 20 years on, I’m so pleased I questioned my choices as more and more research and information has come to light about just how important it is to question the choices of products we use.
Whole foods, organic products, balanced diet, beauty sleep, exercise, being in nature, reducing stress levels and balancing living and working are essential and certainly the best way to start for a more healthy, natural living. Caring for your skin naturally and understanding your skin's needs is also an essential aspect to consider for living well. I thought I would share some of my favourite changes that have enabled me to feel more comfortable and safe with what my skin absorbs.
favourite lounge pants (I wear a pair nearly everyday!) - luva huva, most comfy sports top - BAM
Clothing
Some of the hardest and most expensive changes I had to make were with clothing. Being based in the Northern Hemisphere, we're talking about 10 months of the year where our entire body needs protecting in winter months. When I first started out I discovered bamboo clothing, which is not only the softest, comfiest and healthier clothing to have close to your skin, it’s also extremely sustainable, growing at what can be 1 metre a day compared to cotton which can take months to become established and it uses a lot less water.
We are now much more aware of the horrors of inhaling synthetic fibres can have on our bodies and the environment, however, having said that, I still struggle to let go of an old fleece - I just find them so good in strong winds (especially for our outdoor pursuits) and lightweight.
Recommendations
These are some of my favourites companies for basics, yoga gear, home wear and underwear.
A favourite artist of mine who prints her work on to bamboo/ organic cotton tshirts: www.saharaboston.com, I love her ethics and dedication to her beautiful work.
Nowadays there are much more financially accessible clothing companies like www.earthwardrobe.com Where you can get very comfy, sustainable, organic cotton or bamboo t-shirts for just £12
Other clothing:
www.passenger-clothing.com for some excellent recycled fleeces
For higher end, beautiful sustainable, organic dresses;
Children’s clothing:
www.kite-clothing.co.uk - firm favourite
Vinted is also an excellent source for second hand but barely worn items.
natural nail varnish for little feet
Makeup
Not that I actually wear a lot of makeup, but over the years I have when needed and I switched to natural and organic brands over 20 years ago as I kept questioning what is in these products that our skin is absorbing daily?
Even as my skin is becoming perimenopausal, I still like to avoid wearing too much makeup - it’s a personal choice. However, having very fair eyelashes, I have experimented with many mascaras over the years and my favourite is www.iliabeauty.com
An ethical, lovely, easy to apply and easily removable mascara that they also sell in a mini size - what a wonderful idea for those of us who don’t wear it daily!
Obviously, I'm a huge fan of natural skincare products, www.lilylolo.co.uk do some lovely natural and breathable mineral makeup and I’m currently using www.seamagik.com BB mineral cream, it’s a great cover up to quickly apply if I’m off out and my perimenopausal acne has arisen. Often when my skin is very dry, I put a layer of my own balm on underneath and allow that to soak in before applying the BB mineral cream.
Personally, I avoid most perfumes, have done for years, I often make a little Rose Otto spray or roll on if I fancy it back in my life. I think the more time you spend away from perfumes, the more you can recognise the artificial smell of many of them.
Another option to consider is switching to wooden, natural hairbrushes and combs and I use a lovely natural nail varnish brand for both myself and my daughter www.earthynailpolish.com
Body soaps and underarm
I remember well when I first questioned why there is aluminium (possible link to breast cancer) in our antiperspirant deodorants and I started using salt of the earth deodorants combined with a natural more fragrant one on top - honestly, they didn’t do anything for me! I’m a big sweater! I was 26 at the time, living in France as a labourer temporarily and sweating a lot. Over the following years, I once again experimented with many natural deodorants and the ONLY one that helps with sweat is www.tomsofmaine.com - it was a break through moment for me some 5 years ago, a natural, aluminium free deodorant and stops sweat!
Big fan of www.faithinnature.co.uk this company have been going strong for years, I love their rose body wash and I think it’s fantastic that you can fill up your bottle at many health shops!
favourite mouthcare products
Mouthcare
I haven’t been blessed with the best teeth (!) and I have to work hard to maintain their health as there are far too many of them, however, I’m a big fan of Aloe Dent products, toothpaste and mouthwash.
Whether or not to choose their fluoride or non fluoride option has always been a tricky subject for me. Whilst dentists always tell you to use fluoride as it’s excellent at preventing cavities, strengthens tooth enamel etc, there is concern that we have a lot of fluoride in our water already, which over time can cause bone disease, thyroid and neurological problems. However, I think this has to be a high amount of fluoride. We switch between the two types of toothpastes, just to keep my unspoken and unapproved conspiracy theories antenna some reassurance!
I still use basic dental floss and the tepe brushes, not keen on the plastic side of this however, I have tried natural flossing string and it’s either too harsh or breaks in between my crowded teeth - so any recommendations are welcome.
I bought a new electric toothbrush last year as the old one finally died. This time I chose www.trysuri.com as their heads are biodegradable - what a fab idea! So far so good, battery isn’t quite as long as the oral b but I feel it makes up for it with the biodegradable heads.
best natural feminine hygiene products
Female hygiene
This was one of my first changes. The continual waste of tampons (4.8 pieces of single use period protection were found on every 100 metres of uk coastline during beach cleanups!) but also, what was in them?
Lately in the news, they are now questioning the very high and rather shocking levels of pesticides in tampons - tampons in one box contained Glyphosate (identified as a probable carcinogen by the WHO) at 40 x the level allowed in drinking water - what is this doing to us? What are we absorbing directly into our bloodstreams!?
So for years I used natural sponges - yes they were wonderful! I loved the name of them too - jam sponges ! But just look for unbleached natural environmentally friendly sponges for periods. In later years now, post child birth and for convenience I have once again resorted back to the tampon but I use a natural, organic cotton option from www.totm.com they are affordable, ethical, organic and not toxic. Planning to revisit sponges this month now I am not continually sleep deprived and surviving young children demands.
I am also a big fan of using reusable bamboo pads and period underwear such as www.modibodi.co.uk provide, lots of different options for your flow.
I switched to a old style metal razor where you replace just the blade but to be honest, my partner ended up giving me his old razor where you just change the head, as I was useless at changing the blades and if I didn’t change them regularly enough, would scrape my leg.
our skin balm
Skin care
Natural skin care has developed expansively over the last 20 years. We are seeing much more helpful information nowadays about how to avoid harsh chemicals, more natural and organic ingredients being used in skin care and beauty products which is good news as it's allowed us to really think about our own skincare routine
I have enjoyed using www.seamagik.com products for years. I use their pink salt shampoo, conditioner and after trying many, many face creams, I always end up resorting back to their 97% natural rich moisturiser. It’s full of minerals and vitamins and very affordable and works well on my sensitive facial skin. Honestly, I have tried so many face creams over the years! From very expensive brands to spa brands to various natural brands and always resorted back to the Sea Magik rich moisturiser. It just works for my skin! I’ve made my own face cream too which was a beautiful consistency, smelt divine and worked well on my sensitive skin, but have misplaced the recipe, I intend to find time to rediscover this as it was a lovely texture.
Obviously, if you, like me, get particularly dry skin some days, then a good layer of my own balm helps enormously with restoring some hydration back to the skin. Also, I would like to add that I tend to use my own home blend oil as a cleanser, my skin is very sensitive and using an oil rather than harsh cleansers is definitely a better way to take care of your skin.
For years and years, I have used Aloe Vera suncream on mine and my family’s skin, a lovely natural sun cream. However, in recent months, I’ve had to make a switch as my skin is changing. As Salma Hayek said earlier this month ‘You have to change your makeup and beauty routine as you get older. What worked before is not working now’.
So, you have to experiment to find the right product for you, I am currently using www.greenpeople.co.uk children’s suncream 30 along with my daughter - it’s not causing any adverse reactions and it’s lovely on the skin.
Massage oil
LOVE to give and receive a massage with my partner to reconnect whilst our daughter is at preschool - very rare to find the time. It’s honestly so simple to just grab some sweet almond oil from your local health shop - this is such a lovely, easy oil to use on the skin. If you suffer with back pain, adding a few drops of essential oils like lavender, chamomile to the carrier can help ease any discomfort.
I really hope this post has been a rough guide for finding more natural products to use on your body. Perhaps somewhere in my ramblings, you have found a small spark of an idea to help you on your journey towards living more naturally for your body. The most important thing, which is something I'm forever learning, is to love yourself.
Love Gem x