By Nicolle
Looking to quickly clean up your beauty act? The easiest and simplest way to get rid of (many) chemicals in your cosmetics is to start with your body lotion.
Your skin is your body’s largest organ, and it takes the brunt of the abuse we throw at it with chemically enhanced lotions, creams and self-tanners. Our skin acts like a sponge, absorbing any and everything we put on it, from good, anti-aging oils to chemically laden creams.
Knowing which chemicals to avoid is step one. Still feeling unsure about what’s clean and what’s not? Check out these recs for certifiably clean products that work.
Lotions/moisturizers:
Coconut oil: My current moisturizer of choice. I slather it all over before hitting the shower, use it as my shave gel (it gives a super close shave) and pat myself dry when I hop out. Because it’s an oil, the coconut oil doesn’t rinse all the way off, leaving me without the need to moisturize post-shower and saving me time and money.
Pure aloe vera gel: With its moisturizing and astringent properties, this is a great moisturizer for peeps who don’t like the sometimes-greasy feeling of lotion or oil. It absorbs quickly and is great for treating razor or sunburn.
Alaffia Handcrafted Shea Butter: Made from unrefined, organic, fair trade shea butter, this line of creams is indulgent (and I’m not the type of person to use the adjective “indulgent”). Its fatty acids make it great for all skin types, plus it has anti-aging benefits. I love the vanilla almond scent.
Other brands to try: J.R. Watkins, Evan Healy, Burt’s Bees and Lavera
Self-tanners:
In general, this skin-darkening category of moisturizers contains more chemicals than your average lotion. These chemicals can actually increase your risk of cancer, and can cause skin reactions like rashes and flaky, dry skin (counterintuitive, right?). Self-tanners can also make you MORE sensitive to sun exposure, which can in turn cause skin damage. Still want to give your body a little glow? Check out these clean self-tanners.
Image Courtesy of Lavera
Lavera Sunless Tanning Lotion: A great, clean choice, this moisturizer gives skin a glow without being streaky or orange (unless you layer it on – so don’t). It takes a few hours to show up completely so wait before you slather on six layers – you’ll end up looking like a pumpkin. And as with all self-tanners, be wary of ankles, elbows, wrists and around your armpits. These areas tend to absorb more tanner and can look darker than, say, your forearm. Bonus: You can get this at Target.
Chocolate Sun Cocoa Glow Sunless Tanning Cream: This moisturizer acts as much like a deep, hydrating shea butter as it does a self-tanner. Plus, IT SMELLS LIKE CHOCOLATE. You can layer this cream on a little more than the Lavera lotion, but still be careful. Bonus: It comes in three shades.
What about you, beauty readers? What’s your fave clean cream? Let me know in the comments below or shoot me an email at [email protected].
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