Chemical independency
I am steadily making my way towards a lifestyle that can be maintained with the use of fewer chemicals on my skin and in my household. There has been so much chatter lately on the chemicals in cosmetics and how they are potentially harmful to humans and/or the environment (check out this article on chemicals in beauty products), that I’ve been making conscious efforts to read labels and make safer decisions on the products I purchase.
It can be difficult, though, because it seems like choosing “natural” or “organic” products would be the safest route to go, but a lot of that is marketing hype. I did find a great article about the definitions and regulations in organic beauty product labels. Looks like this summer there is finally going to be a regulating body for products labelled “natural” so not just anyone using coconut oil as a single ingredient can tout “natural” in their product labelling unless they meet other strict requirements.
However, I’ve discovered a unique new beauty product that doesn’t actually have any chemical ingredients, so I know it’s safe for my skin and the environment. It’s the Jane Iredale Magic Mitt.
My grandmother got this for me on Mother’s Day, and I was truly intrigued. It’s a soft wash mitt that you use with only warm water to wash your face - no soap or cleanser needed. It’s supposed to be better for your skin because their are no chemicals to affect the pH balance of your skin. This is important because a normal skin pH balance is what helps block harmful bacteria from entering your pores and causing blemishes and infection.
So, does it work? I thought since I wear mineral makeup it might have a better chance of working than if I used a liquid foundation, but I was skeptical that warm water and a fancy wash rag could remove my eye makeup. But, I’ve used it for four days now, and ALL my makeup has been coming off easily (and visibly on the mitt!). It has a nice gentle exfoliating effect too. My skin feels just as clean as if I used my cleanser, but I don’t get that tight, itchy, almost-too-clean feeling either. The verdict? I will continue using the Magic Mitt.
This change means I’ve successfully cut out another 35 mostly-unpronouncable chemicals from my daily beauty routine! Since I’ve already recently switched to Avalon Organics Vitamin C Toner, my next challenge is to find a new, more natural moisturizer!
Tags: beauty, natural, organic
