Are you thinking about cleaning up your beauty routine? You’re not alone! Almost 50 percent of consumers buy natural beauty products, and 8 percent want to, according to Yes To (source).
If you’re in the 8 percent, or still unsure whether cleaner beauty is for you, I’d love to help you. By sharing my definition of cleaner beauty, I hope I can help you explore what cleaner beauty might mean to you.
I’ll be looking at the reasons why you would want to clean up your beauty routine in the first place. Then, I’ll be sharing my favourite clean beauty brands who I completely trust, and who take the guesswork out of buying natural beauty products.
I may be preaching to the converted, but if not then I really hope I can inspire you to spring clean your beauty shelves, especially if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or have children.
What is cleaner beauty?
Cleaner beauty means something different to everybody, but my broader view of it means respecting myself, other humans, and the world around me enough to make healthy informed choices about ingredients, products, brands, and shopping outlets.
For me, cleaner beauty manifests through checking each and every ingredient, and only buying from trusted brands.
For you, it might mean only using certified organic products, or buying from a natural beauty store, rather than a chemist or supermarket. It might mean only occasionally using natural products. Or it might mean swapping one or two of your basic beauty products for natural alternatives.
Nobody has a perfectly clean beauty routine, but most of us would like to improve. Even natural beauty bloggers use products that aren’t gleaming examples of naturalness, myself included.
So, cleaner beauty is really all about small everyday improvements – not about total perfection. It’s not as hard as you think! And it’s so worth it – let’s look at why.
Why clean up your beauty routine?
Your own health
It goes without saying that our health is so important. What you use on your skin, nails, and hair affects your entire body.
Weleda are encouraging us all to wake up naturally and stay that way, switching to cleaner beauty choices. They quite rightly point out how everyday, our bodies are subjected to numerous synthetic ingredients.
Even simple everyday swaps like toothpaste, deodorant, and shower gel can reap huge benefits and reduce that chemical burden.
Your children’s health
Breastfeeding and pregnancy are issues close to my heart. Not only are we affecting ourselves with the products we choose, we are also affecting our little ones, who may be more susceptible to the effects of certain ingredients.
Everybody and everything else
As consumers, we’re becoming more aware of the impact we have on the environment, and how we affect other living beings. From marine life, birds, and mammals, to the humans involved in the supply chain of the products we buy. Every purchase leaves a footprint.
Now we’ve learned what cleaner beauty means and why it’s important, let’s look at some of the ingredients I avoid, and why I avoid them.
Let’s look at some ingredients I avoid
As a breastfeeding mama, ingredients are very important to me. That’s why I read the label before I make any purchase. Initially, there was a steep learning curve, but it’s totally worth it for my family’s health.
If you decide to take the route of label checking, it can be overwhelming and confusing at first. Often, there are no black and white answers. Additionally, people react to ingredients in different ways, so what affects me might not affect you.
Looking for certification, such as NATRUE, is a simple step you can take to ensure your beauty products are clean and free from chemical nasties. That’s not to say products without certification can’t be trusted!
Read my article on how to find natural skincare which I wrote with babies and children in mind, but the advice applies to any kind of skincare or beauty.
If you want to check ingredients, there are a few groups of ingredients to watch for. They make a great starting point!
- Preservatives such as parabens, and phenoxyethanol, which affects children worse than adults.
- Synthetic fragrance, because it could be any cocktail of unknown ingredients.
- Petroleum, since it has no place in natural beauty.
- Silicones, which are bad for the environment.
I also question:
- Why was this ingredient included?
- What is its function in the product?
- Is it a cheap filler or does it benefit me?
- How does it interact with other ingredients?
- Where did it come from?
Now, what brands can you really trust?
My favourite brands and why you should trust them
Finding brands you can love and trust is vitally important. I think of it as a relationship – I support my favourite brands because they have human wellbeing top of their priorities, not just profits.
It’s not enough to offer a product I want, for me, brands must have social and ethical responsibility, too.
Buying from a brand who really cares makes so much difference. Such brands consider every person in their supply chain – including customers, suppliers, and resellers. They care about where ingredients come from. They consider their effect on the world.
Weleda
Disclosure: I was sent Weleda 3 Drawer Gift Set to review. My opinions are honest and my own.
Weleda are among my absolute favourite brands. I discovered them in my 20s and fell in love with their natural beauty products and philosophy of harmony with nature and the human being.
Jayn Sterland, Managing Director of Weleda UK, says:
For Weleda, cleaner beauty is about taking a complete holistic approach to your personal care routine, minimising the impact on the world around us and strengthening mind, body and spirit.
All Weleda products are NATRUE certified. My favourites include Calendula Nappy Change Cream, Calendula Body Wash and Shampoo, Skin Food, Pomegranate Body Lotion, and Pomegranate Body Wash.
Green People
Green People was founded by Charlotte Vøhtz in 1994 after she struggled to find gentle skincare for her daughter.
Charlotte says:
I realised that we all are children of the chemical age and that man-made chemicals found everywhere, combined with changing dietary habits, profoundly affect us all.
Green People products are certified organic. They spend a lot of time explaining why they use certain ingredients, just take a look at their Beauty Hub.
My Green People favourites include Gentle Cleanse and Makeup Remover, Children’s Toothpaste, and their family sun care.
Mia & Dom
Struggling to find products to care for her son’s skin, Jennifer Feltham founded the Mia & Dom brand with aromatherapy products specially for mummy and baby.
I’ve found the products to be a wonderfully simple yet effective way to improve wellbeing.
Jennifer’s aim is:
To use the very best ingredients to provide our customers with beautiful, organic, natural and safe skin care for their family.
All Mia & Dom products are organic and carefully selected. My Mia & Dom favourites include their Bath Oil and Sleep Baby Remedy.
Other brands
Some more brands to look up include Balm Balm, PHB, Ezápé Naturals, Mádara, Odylique, Lavera, and Dr. Hauschka.
And for little ones, Weleda Baby, Green People Organic Babies, Bentley Organic Baby, Essential Care Baby, and Earth Mama Angel Baby.
Learn more about Weleda’s Cleaner Beauty campaign
Weleda has led the way in cleaner beauty since 1921. Watch their video to learn more about the #CleanerBeauty campaign.
For some great tips on cleaning up your beauty routine, read this article from Jayn Sterland, Managing Director of Weleda UK – 8 simple steps to clean up your beauty routine.
Final thoughts on cleaning up your beauty routine
I hope I have inspired you to clean up your beauty routine, and given you some ideas on how to achieve it. It’s easier than you might think, and it’s so worth it! For you, your family, other people, and the environment.
What’s your idea of cleaner beauty? Can I help you clean up your beauty routine in any way? Let me know in the comments!
Until next time!
12 Comments
I’m very dedicated to natural health and natural products too and found this article so helpful! I’ve never heard of Natrue.com so will have to check it out. Thanks!
So glad you found it helpful! NATRUE is european, so if you’re in the US perhaps that’s why.
I am all about cleaner skin care! I haven’t heard of this brand, but always looking for cleaner products for my skin & also for my home!
Me too 🙂 I hope you come across them one day, as they’re gorgeous products.
Thanks for the tips and advice. There’s so much to be vigilant about when choosing products for baby and ourselves.
You are welcome, and there certainly is. There are so many natural choices available now, it’s amazing!
I’ve definitely been switching over to more natural products, and this is so helpful in me making that transition!
I’m so glad to hear that! Small changes are much more manageable.
Always looking for cleaner product, will have to check more into this brand! Thanks for sharing.
Brilliant, you are very welcome!
I’m not usually very concerned with chemicals or ingredients, but my skin can be sensitive so I do like finding new beauty faves that are gentler! Thanks for sharing!
Oh, I feel for you! Sensitivity can be down to all kinds of things. I’m glad this post helped!