Your guide to anti-inflammatory, natural beauty rituals!

 

I’m going to assume that you want to feel your best…inside AND out! There’s no doubt that your daily beauty and personal care rituals are a part of that.

 

Have you ever peeked at what’s in your regularly used products, and where those ingredients come from?

 

An ingredient list is everything, as what’s applied to the skin, alongside what we ingest and inhale, can be absorbed into our bloodstream.

 

In acting preventively, or in response to active, chronic inflammation bringing about current, uncomfortable symptoms, becoming a detective with our personal care products is crucial. This includes face, body and hair care, cosmetics, dental care, menstrual care, and ambiance-related home accessories.

 

The overall toxic load our liver (and overall body) bears plays a prevalent role in how we feel every day, including the state of our overall physiological functioning. Understanding the ingredients in our personal care products of choice, including how they interact with our body over time, helps curb our cumulative exposure. As a result, we can better circumvent future health challenges.

 

Conventional personal care products can be laden with hormone-disruptors and other inflammation-inducing ingredients. 

 

When we tap into more naturally composed alternatives, we start significantly reducing our toxic load, bodily congestion and overall degree of inflammation. As a result, uncomfortable symptoms can begin to dissipate, providing you relief!

 

WHERE TO START?

 

Making health-building swaps is a gradual process, in taking a sustainable approach.

 

STEP 1: Assess the overall number of products that form your daily personal care routines. Are all of the products necessary? How might the volume of products be paired down?

 

STEP 2: Evaluate the products you move through most frequently – choose 1-3 of them as a starting point.

 

STEP 3: Take a close look at the ingredients in each of their ingredient lists. Are they recognizable? Pronounceable? What do they do?

 

This is where the empowerment starts to grow!

 

With practice and experience, we begin to grow more aware of the ingredient names and terms used in such products, more deeply understanding whether they support, or hinder, our health.

 

APPROACHING PRODUCTS & THEIR INGREDIENTS

 

To start fast-tracking you through the multitude of ingredients out there, ingredients to bypass include:

(*Each item below is hyperlinked to a research study.)

 

• Formaldehyde & Formaldehyde Releasing Agents
• Oxybenzone
• N–methyl–2–pyrrolidone (NMP) & N–ethyl–2–pyrrolidone (NEP)
• Parabens
• Petrolatum
• Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
• Phthalates
• Toluene
• Triclosan
• Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) & Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
• Siloxanes

 

INGREDIENTS TO SEEK OUT INCLUDE:

 

• Plant-based sourcing
  • From flowers, leaves, roots, stems, seeds, bark, fruit…
• Essential oils
  • Eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint, tea tree…
• Natural carrier oils
  • Argan, coconut, jojoba, sweet almond…
• Food-based colourings/dyes
  • Beet, berry, paprika, turmeric…
• Mineral-based, active ingredients
  • Zinc oxide, titanium dioxide…

 

DIGGING DEEPER WITH OUR LEARNING & AWARENESS

 

Consider:

 

Where are the ingredients sourced from? What are the values driving the brand? (These often go hand-in-hand!)

 

Are there any third-party certifications the brand has sought out (given how unregulated terms have become in the industry)?

These include:

• Leaping Bunny Program
  • Cruelty-free
• V-Label International
  • Vegan/vegetarian
• Ecocert®/COSMOS
  • Eco-friendly practices
• MADE SAFE®
  • Ingredient safety/ecosystem-focused
• CertClean
  • Evidence-based safety standards
• B Corp
  • Verified standards of environmental performance, accountability and transparency

 

Is there any third-party testing done on the product? This is indicated by a logo on a package, and proves the product contains what it claims to contain and does what it claims to do.

 

Is there any clinical research supporting its proposed benefits? This is typically found on the brand’s website.

 

ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP (EWG)

 

Online tools, like the Environmental Working Group’s (EWGs) Skin Deep® database, provide an indication of ‘hazard’ level based on a product’s ingredient composition. 

 

Enter the name of a specific product to discover its safety rating on a scale of 1-10 (where 1 = high safety/low-toxicity and 10 = low safety/high toxicity). Opt for products scoring 1-3 on the 10-point scale. 

 

The EWG VERIFIED™ logo indicates that the product aligns with the EWG’s strictest criteria.

 

Community Natural Foods, my favourite local health food store here in Calgary, carefully screens all products on its shelves, to safeguard your health and the well-being of our planet. Stringent standards and ingredient review fast-track you to brands and products worth exploring! 

View their MyCNF Verified standards HERE.

 

MY TOP TIPS!

 

Face & Body Care

The ingredient lists of natural products reflect a commitment to hydrating, nourishing and moisturizing the skin.

For example:

• Antioxidant-rich nutrients
  • Vitamins C, E, zinc and fruit extracts like acai, baobab and papaya) can protect against free radicals, defending aging skin cells
• Natural oils
  • Argan, coconut, jojoba, olive, shea…) and hyaluronic acid act as hydrators, sealing in moisture
• Aloe vera
  • Reduces inflammation, including overexposure to the sun
• Bakuchiol
  • A natural alternative to retinol
• Kaolin clay
  •  E.g. in face masks
  • Can help absorb impurities and support natural detoxification.
• Willow bark
  • A natural alternative to salicylic acid.
• Sunscreen
  • Mineral-based active ingredients (zinc oxide, titanium dioxide) are ideal!

Accessory tools, like a dry skin brush, exfoliation mitt and pumice stone can support the riddance of dry, dead skin cells and de-clog pores, rejuvenating skin’s texture and appearance. Dry skin brushing also has the added benefit of supporting lymphatic drainage.

 

Hair Care 

Such products should support your scalp, follicles and hair, contributing to volume, shine, and better maintenance of its natural pH and oil content.

Look for ingredients like natural carrier oils (e.g. almond, argan, coconut, jojoba, olive, shea), natural clarifiers (e.g. apple cider vinegar) and botanical extracts (e.g. amla, grapefruit, lavender, neem, tea tree).

 

Make-Up

Natural make-up remains focused on supporting and nourishing the skin, commonly relying on mineral-based pigments (e.g. zinc/iron oxide, titanium dioxide), botanical extracts (e.g. aloe vera, tea tree, fruits), carrier oils (e.g. aloe, jojoba) thickeners (e.g. arrowroot starch), and plant-sourced butters and waxes.

 

Deodorants & Antiperspirants

Historically, deodorants and antiperspirants contain problematic ingredients, including alcohol, aluminum, parabens, phthalates, propylene glycol, silicones, triclosan, and (often undisclosed) artificial fragrance/parfum.

Our skin is our largest organ, and one of 6 natural detoxification pathways in the body. Any opportunity to sweat and release toxins through the skin is highly beneficial! Sweating is crucial for regulating our core body temperature, as the thermoregulation system of our body! 

Deodorants help combat body odour; conventional options typically rely on antibacterial ingredients/synthetic scents to do so. Antiperspirants help block sweating, where ingredients like aluminum (pore-blocking properties) enter the picture.

 

Dental Care

The bacterial balance and health of your oral microbiome has a direct connection to both gut microbiome health and liver health.

Conventional oral hygiene products often contain Sodium Lauryl Sulfate/SLS (surfactant and foaming agent), harsh alcohols, triclosan (hormone-disrupting antibacterial), and other abrasive ingredients.

More natural formulations include (but are not limited to):

• Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda)
  • Less abrasive whitening agent
• Nano-hydroxyapatite
  • Fluoride alternative - supports re-mineralization and strengthening of enamel
• Xylitol
  • Natural sugar alcohol that helps reduce poor bacterial species
  • A complementary ingredient to fluoride or nano-hydroxyapatite

• Tea Tree Oil
  • Natural antimicrobial properties

Amplify your daily dental hygiene by complementing your brushing with a comfortable floss and a tongue scraper!

 

Menstrual Care

Mainstream options can be heavy on the plastic (e.g. polyethylene, polypropylene), chlorine (bleach agent), fragrance/perfume and artificial colouring pigments…not so earth-friendly either! 

Pivoting to more sustainably made, low-toxin/toxin-free alternatives is important to consider when these items are up close and personal with our reproductive parts! 

Alternative options are reliant on natural fibers (e.g. 100% certified organic cotton), typically free of fragrances, dyes and bleach. The rely on plant-based applicators and are commonly biodegradable, compostable, and/or unscented.

 

Bath Soaks

Hormone-disrupting ingredients, artificial dyes and overpowering synthetic scents can lend to skin irritation, sensitivity and discomfort with the vaginal microbiome. Let’s keep things simple!

Epsom salts (a natural magnesium sulfate compound) are stress-relieving and muscle-relaxing.

Beyond Epsom salts, look for dead sea salt, sea minerals and/or essential oils, paving the way for less skin irritation and sensitivity as a result!

 

Essential Oils & Perfume

Mainstream fragrances/perfumes can contain petrochemical-based alcohols and synthetic ingredients (e.g. aldehydes, fixatives/stabilizers). This can result in a heavy-duty load!

Look for purity-tested lines of essential oils that are also quality assured. 

Have some fun mixing and matching essential oils to create custom blends and scents, with the use of a carrier oil and roll-on bottle for application!

 

Home Accessories

Creating a relaxing, cozy ambiance at home can stem from health-promoting sources!

Bypass conventional candles containing paraffin wax and synthetic fragrances, in favour of 100% beeswax candles that release a naturally sweet aroma, instead!

A natural fiber reed diffuser diffuses essential oils instead of synthetic solutions. Ceramic stone diffusers rely on electrical vibrations to produce a fine, essential oil-based mist!

A Himalayan salt crystal lamp emits a warm, soothing, amber glow.

 

ENJOY THE JOURNEY!

 

Upleveling your beauty/personal care products is an exciting process, especially when you start feeling the benefits! The process introduces you to a wealth of new brand possibilities you may not have discovered otherwise! Experimenting with different options helps you discover the perfect fit for your personal, unique needs and lifestyle.