Help for the Switch to Natural Beauty: Cleansers

Cleansers are crucial to good skin. A bad cleanser can completely mess up your skin, whereas a good cleanser can soothe, heal and rescue your skin so it is at its best. When using a cleanser we first wash our face with warm water to open the pores, so it is important to make sure you are using safe ingredients. Have you looked at the ingredients list on your cleanser recently? If not, I urge you to do so. Many cleansers out there bought from supermarkets and pharmacies are full of horrible, toxic ingredients. That's not what you're wanting to put on your skin! 

Let me explain why a more natural beauty routine is better. Lots of companies make skincare products full of stuff that is not good for your skin. Ingredient lists will be full of stuff we've never heard of, and if you researched into some of this stuff you would not be impressed (Try researching some ingredients here). You may be using non-natural products just now and think they're working, but they're not. What I've found with these kind of products is that your skin becomes dependant on them. They work against your skin rather than with it.

For example, whenever I used to wash my face I would have to moisturise quite quickly or my skin would become tight and sore. When I used the (non natural) moisturisers and felt my skin becoming soft and plump, I felt they were working. They weren't! My skin was dependant on these products: cleansers that stripped my skin of it's natural oils, moisturisers full of irritable ingredients... you get the idea. When you switch to natural products you have to give it time to adjust. I had overly oily skin for a while, a few breakouts, some redness. Now it's all calmed down and when I wash my face it feels plump and soft even before moisturising. 

So to continue with my "Help for the Switch to Natural Beauty" series I will be focusing on cleansing. I will list both branded cleansers and some of my favourite DIY cleansing ingredients.

I have made a table of cleansers from some of my favourite brands below. Highlighted areas in green show what each product is best for, using information gathered from their websites. Please note that this isn't gospel and that products work differently with different people's skin. Just because "Acne" isn't highlighted as that cleansers main benefit doesn't mean it won't help! It's always best to do your own research and try things out for yourself, but I hope this will help as a guide for where to start.

I've priced the products by average price per 100 ml/g.
£       =  £0 - £10
££     =  £10 - £20
£££   =  £20 - £30
££££ =  £30+

*I have visited the Caurnie Soaperie and have been advised that the Nettle Shower Gel is also suitable as a facial cleanser.

DIY facial cleansers are also a great alternative, especially if you're on a budget. When you DIY a product you know exactly what goes into it and you are able to personalise it exactly to your skin's needs. Here are some of my favourite ingredients for DIY cleansers.

Honey

Honey feels luxurious on skin. It is very soothing and leaves skin feeling like velvet. It is great as a cleanser or face mask even on it's own, but what I wouldn't use it for is removing make-up. Try to buy organic, as many brands add unnecessary stuff into their honey.

Oil

Yes, I never stop going on about oil. I use Olive Oil to take of my make-up and it works wonderfully. It catches on to everything and wipes it all away. It does leave skin greasy, so follow up with something else to get rid of the oil.

You can also make blends made up of oils if you want something a little more complex. Use a carrier oil like Jojoba, Olive or Castor oil and add a few drops of essential oils. For example, oils like Tea Tree and Lavender are great for acne. When working with essential oils please be careful and use the correct dilutions. I personally don't use an oil blend for cleansing make-up, as plain olive oil is cheaper. I keep my blends for moisturising.

Oats

Oats are an effective natural exfoliator. Simply take a small amount in your hand, add a little hot water, and make a paste. Massage it into dampened skin. Make sure to wait for the oats to soften before using, as the sharp edges may damage skin. Some people suggest sugar and salt for exfoliating your face. Again I prefer to avoid these for the facial area, as they are harsh and can damage skin. I do like to use them on my body, especially on rough areas like kneecaps.

Milk

Yes milk, although maybe not like this. Milk, Rice and Almond powders all work well to cleanse the face. Simply mix with some warm water (or some rose or hazel water if you're feeling fancy) and use to cleanse your face.

There are many more ingredients out there, but these are some of the simplest and best.

I hope this post helps with all of you out there who are interested in or are transitioning to a better skin care routine. Stick in there - it's for the best and your skin will thank you.

** Photos sourced from pixabay.com