The Value of Green Beauty
Like the food we eat, the most beneficial skincare is made with raw, organic, farm sourced and handcrafted ingredients which are both gentle on the earth and our skin.
Your skin is the largest organ of your body. When it comes to living a healthy and natural lifestyle, what you put on your body is just as significant as what you put inside. If the products you use contain harmful ingredients such as harsh, toxic chemicals and fragrances, those ingredients are absorbed by the skin into the body, blood and lymphatic system. Many mainstream products contain carcinogenic chemicals, allergens, and irritants, which, even if they do have short-term beauty effects, can have long-term health implications.
I started using all-natural skincare as a teenager due to my sensitive, reactive skin. I discovered a small apothecary in the Lake District making small-batch natural face creams and oils and they became part of my daily routine. Over the years I have dabbled in other products but my skin will often break out in a rash in reaction to certain chemicals. Natural skincare has also been the only lasting solution for my persistent perioral dermatitis.
Of course, not all natural products are created equally. I have made it somewhat of a personal obsession over the last decade to find the most effective, high-performance skincare made by ethical brands I trust. I believe that good beauty brands should be genuinely concerned with your overall health and wellbeing, as well as delivering potent and effective skincare benefits.
It is a common misconception that synthetic ingredients and chemicals are necessary to achieve positive results in skin care. Unrefined whole plant ingredients contain hundreds of antioxidants, vitamins, and nutrients that literally feed the skin. High quality natural skincare helps to repair damaged skin, promote cellular renewal and barrier function, calm inflammation, soothe irritation, eliminate impurities and enhance radiance.
The primary functions of an effective skincare regime are to optimize the skin’s moisture-fat balance, boost the immune defence system, maintain the pH balance and provide plenty of hydration.
It’s important to do your research as there are a lot of products on the market and a fair amount of green-washing in the cosmetic industry. It’s important to find high quality, effective products that are suitable for your skin type. I’m always happy to give recommendations on skincare that I have tried and tested.