Green Skin Care – Natural Beauty Ingredients

PERKS OF GOING GREEN

Lindsay Coulter, green living expert as David Suzuki’s Queen of Green for over a decade, who continues to share her insights through @saneaction, says there are other benefits to going green in the beauty aisle.

For one, natural products are pure, and often multipurpose. For instance, you can use rosehip oil to moisturize and cleanse, for osteoarthritis relief, and as aromatherapy for stress reduction. The ingredients also won’t strain the environment when you wash them off.

Natural beauty ingredients

Many natural products have shown effectiveness through clinical research. Antioxidants—such as herbal extracts, coenzyme Q10, and green tea—are now used for high quality natural skin care.

What’s more: Some new products, including shampoo and conditioning bars, dispense with the packaging altogether. Going green for your beauty and skin doesn’t have to be an expensive endeavour either, says Coulter. DIY options could help keep your costs down.

Lane Edwards, founder of Edmonton-based Pura Botanicals, also advocates for the benefits of going green and natural.

INFUSED WITH EMPOWERMENT AND SELF-LOVE

Edwards was inspired to found Pura when, while pregnant with her first child, she became sensitive to conventional beauty products. She created her own line of plant-based, eco-friendly, nontoxic, and synthetic-free products, infused with a strong culture of empowerment and self-love. Edwards uses essential oils in many of her products. “They really amplify a formula if done in a conscious way and in small doses,” explains Edwards. Essential oils are often used to uplift mind, body, and spirit. Although research is not definitive on its role in some areas of health and well-being, some studies show that aromatherapy may help improve mood, decrease anxiety, assist with sleep, and ease pain. Edwards, who views Health Canada certification as an intense process, but essential, also certifies her products through Leaping Bunny, PETA, and CertClean.

STAYING SAFE IN THE SUN

When you’re choosing a sunscreen, scan the active ingredients on the label. Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are considered safe and natural sunscreen ingredients. One caveat, though: even if these natural ingredients are the only ones listed, the nonactive ingredients could be synthetic and potentially harmful to your health or the health of the environment.