My holistic beauty philosophy emphasises that vibrant health which includes glowing skin, strong nails, and lush hair always starts from the inside-out. A nutrient-dense diet, quality sleep, movement, and a loving mindset (towards yourself and others) with a little TLC can address the health of your skin, nails, and hair and extend that beautiful glow from the inside to the outside.
Growing up in a world that constantly feeds us with beauty industry-manipulated messages of being inadequate as a woman unless we wear make-up and live up to their airbrushed standard of beauty, can leave us caught up in the glamour trap.
Around 8 years ago when I realised that all the nasties (aka processed food and sugar) were not good for my inside, it also dawned on me that all the toxic products I was putting on my skin were not good for my outside either. Ditching all synthetic perfumes, as well as hair, skincare and toxic make-up products was a bit of a challenge but the need to support my health and take care of Mother Earth was stronger. What made the swap to nontoxic products possible was my DIY experimentation. Experimenting from ingredients in my pantry and the willingness to become my own guinea pig made the whole process fun! Saying ‘no’ to chemicals that over-promise and pollute my body and the environment felt and still feels liberating and I have no desire to go back. I hope that this article will help you transition to more natural cosmetics without too much hassle.
These are my go-to faves:
MOISTURISER
I replaced my daily moisturiser with Rosehip Oil mixed with Copaiba essential oil - it’s like a multivitamin for my skin. Not only does the mixture absorb beautifully into the skin but it also leaves it feeling soft and hydrated.
For the night, I use a mix of unrefined Shea Butter, jojoba oil, and a few drops of Roman Chamomile Essential oil.
PERFUME
I use only natural oils as perfumes. My favourite is Soft Talk or a mixture of Wild Orange & Peppermint.
MOSQUITO REPELLENT
Watch out mozzies! Instead of conventional bug repellent, I use TerraShield spray from doTerra, an effective and natural replacement for scaring the bugs away. Lemongrass essential oil is effective too.
BODY SCRUB
I swapped my regular body scrub for a homemade sugar scrub. All you need is sugar and avocado oil (or whatever oil you prefer). Mix it well and store in an air-tight container.
SKIN ClEANSING & MAKE-UP REMOVER
Coconut oil works well for removing mascara without irritating my eyes.
Pure jojoba oil works great for removing makeup and impurities without drying the skin. First, massage the oil on your face and then remove it using a warm cloth.
DEODORANT
Baking soda mixed with raw shea butter, coconut oil, and Tea Tree Essential oil is the best natural deodorant I have tried. It's 100% effective and it will keep you smelling fresh throughout the day. Simply mix together baking soda, shea butter, coconut oil, and then add a few drops of any doTerra EOs.
HOMEMADE TOOTHPASTE
Coconut oil, bentonite clay powder, baking soda, real unrefined salt are my favourite ingredients when making a toothpaste. Mix 5 tbs of coconut oil with 3 tbs of clay powder, 3 tbs baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon of real salt, and add 5 drops of clove essential oil, 5 drops of cinnamon essential oil and 10 drops of peppermint essential oil. Store your homemade toothpaste in an airtight glass jar. It’s fluoride-free and it tastes great.
HAIR
I have never coloured my hair as I have yet to find any toxic-free products to use (I might use henna in the future). I let my hair dry naturally. I use Lalu and Acure’s hair products as they work and smell delicious. I also use Rosemary Essential oil as it stimulates growth and lushness.
NATURAL BRONZER
Mix arrowroot powder with cocoa powder and finely ground cinnamon. For a pink tone just mix arrowroot powder with some organic dried beetroot powder. Use a brush to apply.
MOISTURISING PERFUME BODY SPRAY
This is my favourite perfume method because, well, it’s easy to make, it makes my skin feel silky and it leaves me smelling super yummy. Pour almond oil or jojoba oil into a spray bottle. For every tablespoon of your carrier oil, add 10 drops of essential oil of your choice. I love geranium, ylang ylang, jasmine, grapefruit, sandalwood, rose and bergamot. Shake together and spray it all over your legs and arms. Trust me this body spray is a powerful aphrodisiac and it will make any man weak in the knees!
If you’re ready to get your hands on some doTERRA EOs, then grab one of their starter kits (http://doterra.cn/first-order.html ) and sign up with my Sponsor ID, 237125, to get doTERRA products at wholesale prices (35-40% below retail). DoTERRA Kits are amazing as they include free oils and your enrollment fee is included in the price. Once you try doTERRA EOs I’m sure you’ll love them as much as I do! If you have any questions reach out to me or leave a comment below.
MASCARA AND LIPSTICK
I don’t wear much makeup at all, just mascara and my homemade lipstick. Sadly, I still haven’t found a 100% natural mascara I could recommend. I have found a delish natural Hurraw tinted lip balm on iherb (https://cn.iherb.com/). You can use my reward code TCQ200 to receive a discount on your order.
But if you fancy making your own then all you need is 1 tablespoon coconut oil, 1 tablespoon raw Shea Butter, 1 tablespoon beeswax pastilles, 1/2 tsp mica powder (I use a mix of pink & red) and a few drops of essential oils (my fave is cinnamon and peppermint). Add all the ingredients to a small pan and simmer until melted. Remove from the stove and pour into an empty container.
As an advocate for living a life free of toxins I have been enjoying creating my own natural products. I hope to inspire the Thrive in Shanghai Tribe to join me on this journey! Now I want to hear from you beautiful people! What are your fave toxic free beauty products? Share them in the comments below. I can’t wait to check out your suggestions (who doesn’t love a good beauty recommendation, right?!).
Ah and before I forget, I have one main rule when it comes to choosing my beauty products, “if it’s not edible, don’t put it on your skin!” Now do yourself a favour - if you still have conventional make-up, perfumes, lotions, and other toxic products (with ingredients you can't pronounce) in your bathroom - throw it out!
For your information these are the most common toxins in skincare and hair products:
Phalates – hiding under the name Fragrance and Parfum, this is linked to weight gain, thyroid dysfunction, hormone disruption, diabetes, and obesity.
Parabens – this hormone-disruptor shows up in the vast majority of breast cancer tumors.
Oxybenzone – a chemical sunscreen that doesn’t reduce the risk of melanoma. Instead, the body perceives it as estrogen and it is associated with endometriosis.
Formaldehyde- hiding in ingredients like Fragrance, Parfum, and DMDM hydantoin
Silicone - creates a plastic residue on the hair and scalp
Toxic cosmetics means a toxic body. When you put these chemicals on your skin, they are absorbed straight into your bloodstream without filtering of any kind which means your body can’t keep up with flushing out toxins that you apply daily. Fortunately, as soon as you switch to natural products or DIY products your body will notice the difference, and thank you for it with an extra glow ;-)
If you don’t have time to do your skin and hair care products perhaps you can try Lalu, a Shanghai-based company that provides safe and ethical products. I love the shampoo and face masks the company provides. Here is the message from the founder and 50RMB off (code: THRIVE) for my Thrive In Shanghai Tribe. As always, it is my strict policy to only recommend companies and products that reflect my genuine experience and that meet my high standards for integrity.
Hi everyone,
I’m Adja, Founder of Lalu Raw Beauty. The story of Lalu begins many years ago, but officially it’s been nearly two years that I’ve been growing my ‘baby.’ With Lalu, we use plant-based and rich minerals ingredients that heal and protect our skin. We get down to the basics and use botanical ingredients with purpose and science to create advanced, lush formulas that empower your skin.
I started Lalu by necessity. First, I was going through a rough time and struggling to find a steady job. I could not afford great, natural products or find them while living in China a few years back.
I realized that I was not the only one struggling with the harsh environment and the language barrier. Many of my expats' friends' felt the same way; we would all stock up when going back home. Moreover, I could not find products for my skin type/ tone, they were all whitening basically, which you can imagine isn't my thing, I adore my skin color :)
From that frustration, Lalu was born, and I started to make my creams, lotions. I had a little knowledge about Skincare DIY; my first Lalu products were created in my friend's kitchen with natural oils, fresh fruits, and essential oils. Weekdays, I would work at my first job, in the evening, I would make some Body Scrubs; and on weekends, I would sell in pop-ups and markets.
I imagined vegan, plant-based products that would benefit all skin types and tones using superfoods that we could identify with, using ingredients with a purpose to protect us and nourish us from within, and reveal our healthier, most radiant skin. All I wanted was to make myself, and everyone else feel good and comfortable in their skin. I wanted to use our senses; I played with scents, textures, and colors to bring mindfulness to Lalu while using it, adding that At- Home spa feeling, a moment of self-care to our Beauty routine, stop, relax and breathe while using Lalu.
Here I am today, happy that I found my passion and feeling independent.
Code: THRIVE
Valid for 2 months until the 10/ 20/ 2020
I WISH YOU ALL A HAPPY AND TOXIC-FREE LIFE!
P.S. Due to the big success of the 21 days ‘Fall in Love with Yourself Challenge’, we are re-launching it with some changes based on the feedback we received from our first cohort. The new course starts 18 September. I hope to see you there.
And here is some feedback from the August participants:
As cliche as it sounds, love truly does heal everything. And it starts within... and Jelen and I are here to help with our 21 days fall in love with yourself challenge. If this course speaks to your heart, then make sure to PM me to sign up.
That’s all from me.
With love,
Iza
Coaching Psychologist and Relationship Coach
selfgrowthcourses.com thriveinshanghai.com
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Izabela