It has become a bit of a hobby of mine to research the products I’m using and the ingredients that go into them. For many years, I’ve been choosing cruelty-free products and those without parabens, phthalates and other chemicals. But since receiving some new additions to my makeup bag this Christmas, I’ve gone further with my research and have switched over to some wonderful natural skincare and cosmetics products…
I figured that if I’ve been so fascinated by discovering new natural products, you might be interested to find out more too, which is why I’m sharing some of my favourites today. I’ll definitely write another update post when I upgrade more of my essentials in the future too.
You may remember my search for a natural, non-toxic, biodegradable yoga mat earlier this year – well, that was part of my hunt for chemical free products too. Let’s face it – if I don’t want to be putting chemicals on my skin, I probably don’t want to be lying my body on a toxic yoga mat either! Here are some of the products I’ve chosen as part of my new skincare and make-up routine:
SKINCARE
Even though I was already using a rather lovely vitamin-enriched cream on my skin, it wasn’t completely natural so I was sure I could do better. So when I discovered Wheesht Masks and started browsing their website, I was very impressed that I could upgrade my skincare to a natural vegan product without spending a fortune. The products are handmade and come in recyclable packaging, including glass and biodegradable materials. The cleansing balm won a best buy award in the 2020 Green Parent Natural Beauty awards so I was keen to try that out. Just look at that colour – the mango butter helps to keep combination/oily skin nourished while other natural ingredients like Sea buckthorn oil and Jojoba oil unclogs pores, reduces inflammation and removes make-up.
As a thrifty girl I’m always keen to find multi-use products so their Soothing Oil is a handy, hardworking addition to my routine. This isn’t just a facial oil to reduce dryness and skin inflammation, it can also be used as a hair treatment to calm the scalp and smooth the hair. I’m so pleased to have found a cruelty-free and socially responsible brand who, for every sale, donate to provide clean water and education to girls in Cambodia. Plus the lavender and sage in the oil smells really lush.
SUNCARE
I’ve been using kids suncare for a few years now, simply because it was easier to get the high SPF30 and SPF50 that I need for my extra-pale skin in a formula for children. However, this didn’t always mean that the products were always natural, which is why I’ve switched over to Child’s Farm suncare this year. Their sun cream is unfragranced and water resistant, and is Dermatologist-approved as suitable for newborns upwards, and even for eczema-prone skin. My skin isn’t that sensitive but I certainly appreciate the moisturising properties and UVA + UVB protection nonetheless.
For sun protection or my lips, I picked up the All-Weather SPF 15 lip balm from Burt’s Bees on Amazon. And while I was at it, I looked for some tinted lip balms to replace lipstick for the summer, opting for Burt’s Bees in Pink Blossom, which has a visible amount of pinkness and is 100% natural with responsibly sourced beeswax. I also bought Hurraw! in Black Cherry, which is more of a light wash of sheer colour but smells lovely (if you like Dr Pepper, it’s a bit like that) is vegan and contains organic ingredients.
MAKE-UP
It was my old concealer that first triggered my interest in researching natural products because I had a reaction to some of the chemicals in the product. I’ve since discovered that it’s an ingredient commonly found in many cosmetics products so I decided to find an alternative in the hope that my skin will clear up for good! I therefore spent a long time looking for a natural foundation and concealer, as I wanted a cream formula rather than a powdery mineral foundation. After watching many reviews and hours of browsing on natural cosmetics websites I plumped for the Ere Perez Oat Milk Foundation.
Its a very sheer foundation but you can build up the layers and it still gives you a rather dewy finish. I light how lightweight it is – it doesn’t feel like you’re wearing make-up at all. I’m very pale so I needed colour ‘Latte’ and it blends into my skin perfectly. The ingredients are natural and suitable for sensitive skin with anti-inflammatory oat milk and repairing peach extract. So, having spent more than I usually would on this foundation, I decided to make savings on buying a concealer. I opted for the Lavera Natural Cover & Care Stick, which is vegan and organic. I was pleased with the 100% natural credentials of the brand however, the lightest 01 Ivory shade is still too dark for me so I’m going to have to find an alternative – but the formula is fab if you have skin that isn’t extra-pale like me.
EYES AND CHEEKS
Finally, I needed some eye make-up so I turned to my old favourite Lily Lolo brand for their Big Lash mascara, which I bought in a flash sale – the brand’s newsletter often sends out deals that are worth snapping up. The mascara is suitable for sensitive eyes, is fragrance and silicone-free and vegan-friendly. I find that I spend half my time when shopping for cosmetics simply searching for the ingredients list for a product (often hidden underneath a plus+ button) but on Lily Lolo all the ingredients are clearly laid out on the product page – simple.
One final purchase I made (without really thinking about the price – which was a bit ouchy!) is the Madara Guilty Shades in colour ‘Seduction’. Again, it’s a handy multi-purpose product, which I initially bought as a cream blusher and later realised was a multi-shadow that could be used on the eyelids too. I love the pink shade and it’s not as highlighter-y as the photos looked online, which I am pleased about. Instead, it’s an organic, vegan blush with vitamins C and E, that lasts a really long time – when I first tried the product on my arm, I could still see the tester-patch at the end of the day. It also smells a bit like chocolate to me!
I hope that by sharing my new natural skincare and cosmetics purchases it has given you some ideas for updating your own make-up bag. Please recommend any of your favourite organic, vegan and chemical-free products and brands in the comments below, I’d love to discover more. And I need a concealer so any help with that would be especially welcome. And I will be back soon with more natural products including haircare, bath-time goodies and even hair colours!
Some items in this blog post have been gifted to me and the pink links indicate a gifted product, affiliate link or information source. All thoughts and opinions in this post are based on my own experience and I am not responsible for your experience 🙂
