Although we’ve come a long way from using lead and mercury products on our skin, even today’s strictly regulated commercial beauty products tend to contain certain questionable ingredients. If you want to keep your bathroom free of skincare and hair care products that could potentially be harmful to your health, you need to do some personal research and reevaluation first. Here is how you can detox your beauty routine in 5 simple steps:
1. Determine your personal needs
From beauty junkies who spend hours pampering themselves every day to busy working moms who enjoy a simple two-product routine, everyone has different needs and personal preferences. However, when it comes to detoxifying our beauty routines, everyone could benefit from using fewer products and putting fewer ingredients on their skin and hair on a daily basis. But in order to make your beauty regimen simpler and more minimalistic, you first need to determine what exactly it is that you need. The best advice would be to start with the basics everyone can find helpful, such as a cleanser for your skin type and a rich moisturizer, and then incorporate other products according to your needs, whether it’s a chemical exfoliant or a brightening vitamin C serum.
2. Learn how to read ingredients
Considering the fact that not all of us are scientists, reading and completely understanding the ingredient lists can be quite a difficult task. But in order to detox your beauty routine, you need to know what your everyday products actually consist of. So, start by learning how to recognize the main ingredients that could potentially be damaging to the health of your skin and hair, such as parabens, phthalates and formaldehyde, among others. Another important thing to remember is that the ingredients on a label are placed in order of concentration, meaning that the most concentrated ones are always on top, so if you ever see any of these harmful chemicals near the top of the list, it’s best to skip that product altogether.
3. Opt for natural and organic products
If you truly want to detox your beauty routine completely, the best idea would be to only use products that have more plant extracts and naturally derived ingredients. Although products like these can be beneficial for the skin, they are especially important when it comes to constructing a good hair care routine, as traditional shampoos and conditioners tend to be filled with unfavorable ingredients that only weigh your hair down and lead to build-up on your scalp. If you are prone to sebum and grease, it might be a good idea to consider using a natural oily hair shampoo filled with plant-based ingredients, such as eucalyptus, aloe vera and avocado oil. Both environmentally friendly and allergy certified, a shampoo like this will clean and nourish your scalp, leaving your hair shiny, luscious and moisturized.
4. Avoid synthetic perfumes and fragrances
Even though synthetic fragrances are a part of almost every commercially available beauty product, their only goal is to mask the scent of harsher chemicals in the ingredient list and provide you with a more pleasant experience while you’re doing your skincare routine. However, the ubiquitous “parfum” can also conceal numerous toxins and harmful chemicals, as beauty brands are allowed to hide certain ingredients under this term in order to protect the secrecy of their formula. What’s more, these fragrances can also be irritating to some people, or even cause allergic reactions, especially if you have sensitive skin. So if you want to detox your beauty routine, it might be best to use completely fragrance-free skincare products.
5. Reassess your makeup collection
Similar to skincare and hair care products, your makeup collection could also be filled with harmful ingredients. Although these chemicals are mainly used to preserve the makeup and prevent mold and bacteria from growing on it, they can still pose some health concerns, such as irritation, inflammation and certain skin conditions. Some of the most problematic chemicals to look out for in your daily makeup products are parabens, carbon black, polyethylene and phenylenediamine, which should be avoided at all costs. While you’re going through your makeup bag, it would also be wise to throw out any products that have passed their expiration date.
Although steering clear of harsh chemicals might seem like a difficult task at first, detoxifying your beauty routine will help you avoid potential harm, and preserve the health and beauty of your skin and hair.