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Why clean beauty is here to stay

It is said women eat away over seven pounds of lipstick in a lifetime. Here's how you can make sure it is free from toxins

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Healthy living has been a major talking point over the past few years. We pick "organic" foods over regular, chemical-laden options, squeeze in yoga sessions during the week and also throw in more elaborate supplements in the mix to support this regime. Until recently, the beauty market had been crowded with labels such as "organic" and "natural", and most of us took them for granted and assumed that these products are the obvious choice. But one look at the ingredients' label on the back of the bottle could make your head spin.
Enter, clean beauty. The alternative market of skincare and makeup that comes minus the frou frou of additives you can't even pronounce. Clean or non-toxic products made with environment-friendly components assure your skin's exposure to all-natural goodness instead of the complex cocktail of chemicals that are known to compromise your health, and not just your skin.
We have Hollywood actress Gwyneth Paltrow to thank for her insight and vision for the future, picking up on the rising trend back in 2008. In her latest book, Goop Clean Beauty, the founder of the eponymous wellness lifestyle empire talks candidly about the clean revolution and why it needs to be taken seriously. She delves deep into the "you are what you eat" concept, correlating the direct effect of everyday food and products on our skin. She advocates clean and non-toxic beauty products created "loaded with organic, naturally occurring ingredients that are actually good for you" and that are "safe enough for our daughters and powerful enough for those of us who have spent too much time in the sun".
She says, "It is completely legal to use known carcinogens and endocrine disruptors in the products we use every day - the latter are most potent in teeny-tiny doses because they mimic the way our hormones naturally behave. So many of us eat well, exercise and then unknowingly slather ourselves with hundreds of toxins before we even leave the house in the morning." Fairly so, studies confirm that chemicals, such as parabens, can lead to ageing and trigger reproductive issues, thyroid problems and even cancer.
Here are some tips to help you detox your skincare and beauty regime today:
1.Always read the labels
It never hurts to read the small print. The top ingredients on the list are often used in the highest concentration, in descending order. Plant-based products, preferably organic, are ideal. Also, it's important to note that water-based products contain the most preservatives to avoid mould growth; so, if possible, choose oil-based products, to get the maximum benefits.
2.Educate yourself
Mobile apps like Think Dirty, EWG and CodeCheck scan products and give you toxicity ratings, telling you exactly what not to use. Websites such as SafeCosmetics.com give you more scientific details on "what's in your beauty products" and what to choose from.
3. DIY solutions
Beauty products have long made their way into our lives through our kitchens. Instead of picking store-bought, metal-heavy moisturisers, opt for organic coconut oil or yoghurt, like the good, old days!
4.Baby steps
Remember that the toxins that end up on your skin also get flushed out in the environment. Clean beauty can only do so much if your surroundings are toxic. It is a great step towards clean living to gradually free your household of toxins and opt for metal-free floor cleaners, fragrance-free tissues and so on!
Champions of Clean Beauty
1. RMS Beauty
2. ILIA Beauty
3. Beau & Eve
4. Shiffa Cosmetics
5. Grown Alchemist
6. Lush Cosmetics
7. Rahua (available at Harvey Nichols, Dubai)
8. Reine Michi Beauty
9. Mr. Fox
10. Juice Beauty
wknd@khaleejtimes.com