TOP 6 PRODUCTS TO SWITCH NATURAL ASAP

words by holistic skin guru and natural make up artist Monique Peters.

If you've been thinking about or have started swapping your personal care to cleaner options, firstly, well done! It can feel overwhelming and somewhat impossible to swap your entire collection at once, but the truth is, you don't have to! Swapping your products as you run out is a realistic way to make the switch to clean beauty. To help make the switch easier, I have compiled a list below of the most important items to swap our first. Prioritising products that are used on highly absorbent areas, larger surface areas (e.g body cream) and products that are designed to penetrate deep into the skin are most important!

1. perfume

Swapping synthetic fragrance out for a natural one will do your health and your hormones a huge favour! When you see the listing "parfum" or "fragrance" this can mean up to 200 hidden chemicals. Mainstream perfume formulations are deemed intellectual property and are protected from being copied. So, you never actually know what harmful things are lingering on your skin for hours upon hours.

My pick - AYU ode

A beautifully feminine scent made from natural ingredients and essential oil, you will wonder why you didn’t make the switch sooner!

2. deodorant

Ingredients like talc, aluminium, parabens, propylene glycol and triclosan should not be anywhere near your pits! Over time, exposure to these chemicals can wreak havoc on our lymphatic and endocrine system by interfering with our body's detoxification systems.

My Pick - Black chicken Axilla Deo

A high performing deodorant paste that contains only natural and certified organic ingredients!

3. body lotion

Body lotions cover the largest surface area on the body and are usually packed with synthetic fragrance. By opting for more nourishing plant-based oils or organic butter-based moisturisers, you will largely reduce the synthetic ingredients used on your skin.

My pick - Mukti Kakadu Plum Body lotion

A beautifully lightweight, hydrating formula that delivers an instant surge of moisture, without greasy residue, leaving skin soft, dewy and glowing.

4. TOOTHPASTE

Your mouth is the most absorbent place on your body and you use this product twice per day. Conventional toothpaste is jam-packed with nasty foaming agents that you don't want to be using anywhere near your mouth.

My pick - Love by T Peppermint toothpaste

Game changer! This toothpaste cleans so thoroughly without the nasties, the intense minty flavour leaves your mouth feeling fresher than ever!

5. sunscreen

Many mainstream (chemical) sunscreens are made with ingredients such as Octocrylene, Homosalate, Oxyenzone, and Octyl Methoxycinnamate. Not only do these ingredients have the potential to disrupt hormones they are also destroying our coral reefs! Natural sunscreen (also referred to as blockers or mineral sunscreens) are great because they use mineral ingredients such as titanium and zinc to deflect the sun’s rays. They are also toxic free!

My pick - Simple as that SPF 30 +

A beautifully lightweight coverage this sunscreen leaves no oily residue or whist cast. It absorbs easily and sits beautifully under makeup.

6. LIP PRODUCTS

Natural lipsticks and glosses are usually jam-packed with nourishing plant-based oils as opposed to mineral oils and polymers. The majority of the lip products you wear you end up ingesting, so it makes sense for it to be one of the first things you switch over!

My pick - Ere Perez Mango lip honey gloss

A nourishing, non sticky lip gloss formula that hydrates whilst giving the lips a tint of colour. A handbag must have!

SHOP MONIQUES EDIT:

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