Since the skin is the largest human organ, it deserves careful and dignified treatment, including care with products that are free from harmful components.
How many beauty products do we, especially women, use on a daily basis? Creams, soaps, lotions, shampoos, shower gels, tonics, scrubs… This is just an incomplete list of what the beauty industry offers us to use on a regular basis. Are we sure that all these “potions” are good for our skin? Despite the myriad of remedies on offer, the number of people with sensitive skin and conditions like acne, eczema, psoriasis, and so on has skyrocketed in recent decades. In fact, a recent European report revealed that 52% of Britons have sensitive skin. Could it be that dozens of cosmetic jars in our baths not only do not solve the problem, but also exacerbate it? Nutritionist Charlotte Willis shares her experience:
“My alarm rings at 6:30. I start the day by exercising and showering, continuing with beauty treatments, hair styling and make-up before heading out to face the day. Thus, different areas of my skin were exposed to 19 beauty products in the first 2 hours of the day! Like most of the world’s population, I used products purchased in stores. Promising to rejuvenate, moisturize, tighten and give radiance – all these products present the buyer in the most positive light that prophesies health and youth. But what marketing slogans and promises are silent about is a long list of chemical ingredients that can make up an entire laboratory.
As a nutritionist and ardent supporter of a healthy lifestyle, I have developed a health formula for myself: do not eat anything that contains an unspoken ingredient or is an animal source.
Take a look at the label of your most used beauty product, be it shampoo, deodorant or body lotion – how many ingredients do you see and how many of them are familiar to you? The cosmetics and beauty industry has a huge number of different substances and additives that are used to give the desired color, texture, aroma, and so on. These chemical agents are often petroleum derivatives, inorganic preservatives, mineral oxides, and ores that harm the body, along with various types of plastics, alcohols, and sulfates.
is a term that reflects the amount of accumulated toxins in the body through cosmetics or the environment. Of course, our body has a self-cleansing mechanism that removes unwanted substances accumulated during the day. However, by overloading the system with toxic substances, we endanger the body. A Canadian study by the David Suzuki Foundation (an ethical organization) in 2010 found that about 80% of randomly selected everyday beauty products contain at least one toxic substance scientifically proven to be hazardous to health. Even more striking is the fact that manufacturers and cosmetic companies, aware of the dangers of these substances, refuse to remove ingredients from their list.
However, there is good news in this whole story. The concern about the safety of cosmetics has led to the creation of natural skin care products! By making your own plant-based “potions”, you ensure that no unnecessary chemicals from cosmetics come in.
75 ml jojoba oil 75 ml rosehip oil
You can add 10-12 drops of lavender, rose, frankincense or geranium essential oil for sensitive skin; tea tree oil or neroli for clogged pores.
1 tsp turmeric 1 tbsp flour 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 2 crushed activated charcoal tablets
Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl, apply to the skin and leave to set. Wash off after 10 minutes.
75 ml liquid coconut oil A few drops of peppermint oil
Rinse your mouth with this mixture for 5-10 minutes to naturally cleanse your teeth of plaque.