The best natural skincare products!
If I’m being really honest, I was a pretty late adopter to the whole natural skincare thing. I started to become really interested in the food I put into my body and how it made me feel when I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease (Adult-Onset Still’s Disease) at 18 years old. Up until that time I had no idea that food really made a difference in how I felt and functioned aside from making me gain or lose weight. Really.
It wasn’t until many years later that I began to get curious about the products I was putting on my skin as well. I remember working as a RN and applying Fentanyl pain-killer patches to patient’s skin to ease pain from various ailments. I was always so amazed that a topical application of a drug onto the skin made such a big impact. It took this example for me to think, huh, I bet that the products I’m putting on my skin through makeup, face wash, lotions and serums are having an impact on me as well.
And the truth is they are. The average woman puts 515 synthetic chemicals on her body every single day without even knowing. That’s quite a bit considering the chemicals we get from our environment and food as well! There are more than 80,000 chemicals on the market today and many don't have any safety data. This is particularly true of those used in the skin care and beauty industry. Many of these chemicals are linked to cancers, asthma, endocrine disruption, autoimmunity and more [1].
If you’re thinking what I did back in the day, “Well this product can’t be that bad if it’s made it to the general public!” you’re unfortunately wrong. There is surprisingly very little Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation for beauty products. The FDA has no authority to require companies to test cosmetics products for safety and the agency does not review or approve the vast majority of products or ingredients before they go on the market. Additionally, there are no legal standards for personal care products labeled as “pure,” “natural” or “organic,” so we really have to look beyond marketing and become conscious consumers to know what we are putting on our bodies.
We are exposed to so many chemicals and toxins in our world today, and our amazing bodies can process and handle a lot! The things that make the biggest impact, however, are those chemicals we put on our bodies every single day. That’s why switching to products that don’t contain harmful chemicals can take the toxin burden off of your body. If your body is already dealing with a poor diet, underlying infections, autoimmunity, stress, and gut health issues those small, cumulative toxic exposures overtime cause build up and cause downstream issues. So let’s help our bodies out!
No need to go throw out all of your products immediately, ok? The main message here is just to become a conscious, informed consumer like we do with food, and work towards using more toxin-free products. I recommend just swapping one thing out at a time so it doesn’t feel overwhelming. My #1 recommendation is to start with deodorant as that’s a product that can contain a lot of unnecessary, harmful chemicals and is that you use daily in a very absorbable part of the body!
Here are a few of my favorites to get you started:
Natural Body Care
Primally Pure Deodorant. The best natural deodorant on the market. Hands down. I’ve successfully converted all of my girlfriends (and fiance and male friends as well!) to this deodorant. When transitioning to natural skincare, deodorant is one of the easiest and most important steps we can make because it’s something we use every day in our highly absorbable lymph area! Read more here about why you want to make the switch and trust me, this is the best I’ve found (and I’ve tried them all!). For all Primally Pure products use the code “LIVEWELL” to get 10% off your first order!
Dr. Bronner’s Body Wash. This has been a go-to of mine for years as a good, toxin-free body wash. I’m partial to the peppermint one but they have tons of lovely, natural scents!
Lavender & Eucalyptus Body Butter from Primally Pure. This stuff smells amazing and leaves your body feeling so buttery soft. I use it after showers and it keeps my skin soft and moisturized for the entire day!
Flower Bath Soak from Primally Pure. This bath soak is pure heaven. This mix of relaxing epsom salts, coconut milk powder, organic flower petals and essential oils of lavender and geranium leaves your skin feeling insanely soft. For me it transforms a bath into a spa-like experience and makes me feel very cared for. I’ve yet to try the Sea Soak but that’s next on my list!
Dry Brush. Ok so this isn’t really a “skincare product” but it’s part of my bodycare routine so I thought I’d share. Dry brushing helps to exfoliate skin and to promote lymph flow and drainage. I usually dry brush before I take a shower (using small, light strokes in an upward motion towards the center of my body) and then moisturize after. It has made my skin so soft and feels so invigorating that I actually crave the process!
Everyone Natural Hand Sanitizer. As a RN I’ve used my fair share of harsh handwashes and sanitizers loaded with chemicals. This hand sanitizer spray is 99.9% effective against most common germs, thanks to alcohol derived from non-GMO sugar cane. It’s also got aloe and vegetable glycerin to keep your hands from drying out. It’s EWG verified meaning it’s met rigorous standard for safety. I have it with me in my purse to use when traveling!
Natural Skincare
Organic Cleansing Oil from Primally Pure. If the thought of rubbing oil on your face to cleanse it sounds totally counterintuitive, I get it. I used to blast my face with harsh cleansers to try and clear up my acne, and I always just made it worse. I started using this oil cleanser and was so in love with how it gently cleansed without over drying or irritating my face that I haven’t looked back! Oil cleansing works for all skin types when the correct oil ratios/types of oils are being used. Here is a guide for how to properly use an oil cleanser for maximum effect. Hint: you need a warm washcloth!
Blue Tansy Beauty Cream from Primally Pure. I use this beauty cream at night for serious hydration. I’ve used it for about 6 months now and It’s made my face so soft and hydrated and has really changed the texture of my skin! Love it.
Heritage Store Rosewater Facial Mist. You guys, I go through bottles of this stuff. It’s a beautifully smelling and refreshing facial mist made of rose flower oil and water (specifically “Vor-mag Water or water that has been vortexed and magnetized to raise the energy to a higher vibration) so, hey, there’s that too! I use this as a refreshing facial spray anytime throughout the day when I need a little pick me up. It works wonders!
Everything Spray from Primally Pure. I use this as a toner after I wash my face (instead of spraying it I pour some onto a cotton pad). It’s a combination of organic lavender hydrosol which soothes and calms irritated skin. Organic witch hazel which tones the skin and reduces inflammation. Organic raw and unfiltered apple cider vinegar (antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral) which balances pH levels and contains powerful healing enzymes. Organic tea tree essential oil which acts as a disinfectant and organic lavender essential oil to heal and regenerate.
ProSkin Eczema from Mama Nature. A few years ago I dealt with perioral dermatitis on my face (so frustrating and awful!) and in addition to a lot of gut healing and inside work, this lotion was the only thing I could use on my face that didn’t irritate it further. I don’t use it daily anymore, but highly recommend trying it out if you’ve ever had issues like this! It’s a little bit pricey (so tell me if you have a similar version!) but to me it was so worth it and the best lotion I found.
Balancing Charcoal Facial Mask from Beauty Counter. I use this mask about once per week to absorb excess oil and draw out impurities. The activated charcoal in the mask minimizes the appearance of pores and makes my skin feel really smooth and exfoliated. Overall it has help my complexion immensely. It can be a little drying so I only leave it on for about 10 minutes max and that seems to do the trick!
Natural Beauty
RMS “Un” Cover Up. To be honest I’m still working on compiling my favorite non-toxic makeup products. I’ve been using this concealer for about a year now and it’s stuck with me! I use it to cover up blemishes and as an under-eye concealer. It rates a 1 on the EWG Skin Deep Cosmetic Database which means the natural ingredients present a low-level risk.
Dew Skin Moisturizing Cover (with SPF 20) from Beauty Counter. This has become my favorite tinted moisturizer that I use every morning. It’s light weight, goes on smoothly and gives a nice, subtle tint to cover any sort of redness or uneven skintone. It also has this nice “dew-like” quality to it and makes my skin look like it’s glowing!
Love and Salt Beach Hair and Body Mist from Olivine Atelier. I use this spray in my hair after showing to get some nice, beachy waves! It smells so good and gives hair a nice, messy texture without being crunchy or sticky.
*Some of the products in this post contain affiliate links meaning I get a small commission if you purchase them through my website. The commission I earn helps me keep my small business, Live Well, up and running. Thanks for your support!