Natural Skin Care

Sick and tired of skin care products, that claim to do more than they actually do? Most of the high-ticket cosmetics available in the market have chemicals in them that might harm an individual by causing cancer, birth defects or reproductive complications. Well, to be fair, no one has really dropped dead by putting on lipstick or applying mascara! However considering that an average woman ingests four pounds of lipstick in her lifetime, the harm that these chemicals might cause in the long term can hardly be ascertained. Cosmetic advertising seems to draw consumers to invest in myriad creams, lotions and other cosmetics available in a drugstore without even understanding the fact that these toxic synthetic materials are the worst thing that can happen to your skin. So the obvious question that would come to mind is, what to choose in the overwhelming array of products up for sale? The answer might lie in natural skin care or the use of naturally derived elements such as roots, flowers, herbs and essential oils.

The skin is a porous membrane through which toxins are eliminated in the form of sweat and absorbed through the body's circulation system. Although manufactures are not supposed to claim that their products can penetrate the skin (it would then be called a drug and be subject to stricter regulations), the fact is that the skin does absorb the chemicals present in the cosmetics. However, by using natural and organic products, the skin can truly glow with health and radiance.

Rulebook for Natural Skin Care

Remember the soft, supple skin that you had as a kid? As we grow older our body changes with the ever changing hormones and the active sebaceous glands. Exposure to the sun, environmental pollution and an unbalanced diet contribute to the woes. So what can we do to achieve the beautiful skin that everyone craves for? The answer is to establish certain rules, which would incorporate nature in your skin care regime.

Rule No. 1: The first rule for natural facial skin care is to keep it simple, so instead of using hundreds of products might as well just use a cleanser, toner, moisturizer and a sunscreen. This satisfies your basic needs and cuts out the fancy stuffs that are forcing your skin to absorb toxic chemicals. Select a product which appeals to your skin type, be it dry, oily or normal. The process could also be preceded with an exfoliant which helps remove the dead cells, helping it get moisturized better.

Rule No. 2: Use only natural skin care elements like jojoba, shea butter, cocoa butter, aloe vera, tea tree oil, honey and many others. Depending on your skin type you can choose any of these or a combination. Remember that the best way to know what is in your product, is to make it yourself. So try some homemade facials like a tomato and yogurt cleanser or a green tree acne fighting cleanser, instead of spending a fortune on an exotic trend.

Rule No. 3: Beauty is as much what you are inside as you are outside, so instead of following obsessive beauty treatments, just eat healthy, drink lots of water and have a regular exercise regime. The diet should include plenty of proteins, healthy fats, complex carbohydrates and fruits along with six to eight glasses of water to flush out the toxins.

Rule No. 4: Say no to petroleum-based products, like petroleum, mineral oil and paraffin which are contaminated with cancer-causing impurities. Artificial fragrance in products contain toxic phthalates, which cause allergic reactions. Reading product ingredients label would tell you what is good for the skin and what to avoid.

Rule No. 5: Organic beauty and grooming products which are grown using biodynamic farming methods are not only healthy for the skin but also for the environment.

The cosmetic industry today is a multi-billion industry, having capitalized on people's need to look younger and beautiful. Caught up in all the hype, we fail to realize that these ingredients are actually bad for the skin. By rejecting all those synthetic materials and using certified natural products along with a healthy lifestyle, we can actually look healthier and better without any side effects.