The beauty industry tends to focus on the external and often sells images that have little to do with health.
The basics of beauty are it starts within and is about our most true and authentic self. If we can find harmony, integrity and peace in our innermost relationship with ourselves this shows externally to the outer world. Beauty is an inside job that reflects in how we show up to our outer world - it is not about the surface and is more about how we feel.
Ensuring you are well hydrated, having enough sleep and making healthy lifestyle and food choices will all contribute to your beauty wellbeing. Your skin is the largest detox organ of the body and it is very important to take good care of your mind, body and spirit - sometimes in spite of all of this we may be lumbered with things that were not by choice such as scars and different appearances to the conventional ideas on beauty portrayed in the media.
“If a person has ugly thoughts, it begins to show on the face. And when that person has ugly thoughts every day, every week, every year, the face gets uglier and uglier until you can hardly bear to look at it. A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts it will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.” - Roald Dahl
Some basics for your skincare regime at home can be to go through your make up and skincare products.
What’s an easy first step for you to take in detoxing your personal care routine?Check your ingredients. In the UK we are fairly fortunate in that our legislation here means that all ingredients have to be listed plus many that are allowed in the USA are banned here due to safety concerns and quite rightly so. Look for brands that are not green washed and do not have dubious big corporations owning them when possible.
Choose simple products that have a minimum list of ingredients. Remember that fresher and natural products may not have as many ingredients such as preservatives, however, they may be likely to go off faster so make sure you do not save them for a rainy day and instead use them within date.
For body creams look for natural carrier oils, shea butter and so on and avoid artificial fragrances and lots of preservatives. Keep them in the fridge in hot weather as carrier oils can go rancid and essential oil aromas can also oxidise.
For underarm deodorants consider going without for days off or choose low/non toxic ingredient ones as these are applied at the axillary lymph nodes.
For sunscreens try ones which are mineral based and preferably if you swim or paddle in the ocean use choose those which are reef/aquatic life friendly.
For haircare choose products that are simple, without harmful sulphates and if you need to use a lot of product in your hair try to find brands which have low toxicity as what is on your hair can go into your scalp.
For lipcare use plant-based butters and oils like shea, coconut, jojoba rather than paraffin. Paraffin often feels amazing at first and it does have its uses on occasion. Howwever, longterm it tends to dry out your skin and can be quite addictive too.
It is easy to make some of your own products too for example salt and sugar scrubs. Would you like to learn more about doing this? Then please contact me as I am an aromatherapist and trained in home DIY product making.
