Take a good look the next time you pop open your medicine cabinet or reach inside your makeup bag. If decoding the labels on your favorite products makes you feel like you should have sprung for that degree in biochemistry, you may be slathering yourself in unwelcome ingredients linked to health hazards and allergic reactions, or containing neurotoxins and other questionable additives. The good news is there are plenty of all-natural alternatives, with simplified lists of pure ingredients, to complete your beauty routine.
Know your Products
Education is key here. The marketing machine behind the multi-billion-dollar beauty industry isn't exactly hailed for its truth in advertising, so do your homework. Parabens, the commonly-found cosmetic preservative, have been linked to cancer. Some forms, like the methyl paraben found in conventional lipsticks, have also been found to disrupt the endocrine system, says Melissa Hertzler, founder of Honeybees Gardens, Inc. Talc, in baby powders and foundations, clogs pores and has been found to be laced with arsenic, Hertzler adds. But her West Reading-based cosmetic line, which started in Hertzler's kitchen, boasts a full line of makeup, including gluten-free, balm-based lipsticks and other personal care items.
The Cleanse
About 60 percent of the stuff you regularly rub onto your skin can also be absorbed into your body, warns Kathleen Casner of Nature's Garden. Alyce Versagli, a registered nurse and esthetician who runs Skincare by Alyce in Reading and works part-time with Reading Dermatology, helps clients alleviate all kinds of skin issues. A good blend of pharmaceutical-grade antioxidants can help heal skin naturally and preserve the barrier function, Versagli says. She recommends evening primrose oil as an excellent skin soother. You've heard it before, but it bears repeating: plenty of sleep and good hydration, as well as a healthy diet full of greens and fiber go a long way, for a natural glow that no scrub can mimic. “You hydrate the skin from the inside,” Versagli says. Sorry, but there's no magic salve for healthy skin unless your lifestyle follows suit.
Direct from the Grocer
Don't discount kitchen staples, like coconut and olive oils, as moisturizers. But do some research before you raid the pantry. Versagli has seen clients ravaged by using baking soda as a facial scrub. It left the appearance of second-degree burns! Look for the natural acne fighting tea tree oil, mega-moisturizing shea butter, gently exfoliating sugar-based scrubs, and hydrating goat's milk soaps for a cleanser.
Good for Mother Earth
Natural products tend to be good for the environment, too, says Tia Mazy of Amazyng Style, an eco-conscious salon in Sinking Spring. Vivian Aron, apothecary at Kimberton Whole Foods, Douglassville, swears by the Dr. Hauschka line because of its bio-dynamic standards. “That's one step higher than organic,” Aron says, with careful consideration to proper crop rotation. “They treat their land like they treat their bodies. Everything is sacred.” The brand's moisturizers are especially good for wind-chapped skin during the cold winter months, adds Grace Galanti of Aurum Holistic Skincare, West Reading. “As part of a holistic lifestyle, natural products help reduce our exposure to toxic chemicals while offering health-promoting, plant-derived ingredients to our bodies.”
Learn more: The Environmental Working Group's guide to cosmetics and skin care rates more than 80,000 products on the market: ewg.org/skindeep or check out safecosmetics.org.
