Did you know that on average, women use around 12 personal care products a day? What’s scarier is that studies reveal this accounts for over 168 chemicals. Every. Day. It is no wonder that the organic, natural and chemical-free beauty industry is booming. So, how is ‘clean beauty’ made and will it deliver the same results?

NATURAL INGREDIENTS WITHOUT THE AD-ONS

True ‘clean beauty’ products are made from natural ingredients with healing and non-toxic nutrients and minerals. They do not contain any harmful ingredients, chemicals or synthetics.

Ingredients often include essential oils, extracted from plants. They work to hydrate and nurture your skin and result in a glowing, smooth complexion. Because essential oils are taken directly from natural sources, they have far less risks of irritation or inflammation. In fact, essential oils can fight puffiness, skin irritation, lock in moisture and hydration for the skin. Plus they smell delicious!

Other popular ingredients include coconut oil, jojoba seed oil, cacao butter, vitamins, minerals and various natural waxes to create your makeup and skincare.

WHAT BRANDS SHOULD I TRUST?

This is the tricky part. Some brands can be super sneaky, greenwashing their products with one or two natural ad-on’s and claiming that they are ‘clean’ whilst still being filled with nasty ingredients. New, natural Aussie brands are popping up all the time and my best tip is to shop on ‘clean websites’. This way, you know everything you’re looking at is organic, natural and good for you! Plus, there’s no need to spend time filtering through products.  My two go-to’s are Biome and Ziani Beauty.

If you do find a brand elsewhere, look at the ingredients list. Is the list is long and filled with words you can’t pronounce? Chances are they not good for you. If they’re filled with natural oils, vitamins and natural extracts then you’re good to go!

BIOME

Biome is an amazing one-stop-shop for zero waste, toxin free, ethical choices for personal care and your entire home. It’s like a K-mart for every earth loving, organic eating, ethical living individual, holding an array of products for your kitchen, your wardrobe, your home and even your baby.

Their skincare and beauty collection is unparalleled and their stock is carefully selected and highly scrutinised to avoid any green-washing, hidden toxins or dubious ingredients. I also love their reusable beauty products like the Swag Beauty Face Wipes – perfect for cleansers and toners! These pads are extremely soft and don’t absorb your products. Instead you can apply them on your face without feeling guilty about using one time face wipes!

In addition, Biome have just released their own skin loving,  palm oil free makeup range which features the highest standard of cruelty-free cosmetics on the market.

The toxin free, vegan and palm oil free range features lipsticks, lip glosses, liquid foundation, illuminator, mineral powder, concealer, liquid eyeliner and mascara with prices ranging from $18.00 to $39.00.

So, what’s so bad about palm oil? Well, every hour, 300 football fields of forest is cleared in South East Asia for palm oil plantations. This leads to deaths of over 6,000 orangutans every year. Palm oil is used extensively in the personal care industry to make hundreds of ingredients. These are used in 70 per cent of personal care products like shampoo, cleansers, moisturisers, toothpaste and makeup. 

So, if you’re ready to start cutting down on your consumption of palm oil, here are some of my favourite makeup products:

BIOME LIQUID MINERAL FOUNDATION – NUDE

A gorgeous formula that will smooth out your pores and even out complexion while providing your skin with hydration! A beautiful medium coverage that’s buildable.

BIOME LIP GLOSS – NUDE WITH ATTITUDE

This is such a perfect nude colour that makes my whole makeup look come to life! I love the pigment of this gloss and the non-sticky, long lasting effect.

BIOME ILLUMINISER – CHAMPAGNE

A beautiful and toxin free crème highlighter for lifting the high points on your face. I love adding this one to my cupids bow, nose bridge and tops of cheekbones.

ZIANI BEAUTY

My other go-to for organic, cruelty free and clean beauty is Aussie store Ziani Beauty. This site is created to provide a one stop shop for non-toxic health, skincare, hair and personal care products. All products are hand picked by a Dietitian and Naturopath due to their non-toxic beneficial ingredients. They also recently branched out into health and home products and stock teas, non-toxic cleaning solutions and feminine hygiene products.

All products are tried and tested by Ziani Beauty’s staff, friends and family members to ensure they deliver what they promise. They stock some amazing brands which I’ve talked about before including Zuii Organics, Lip Heroes and esmi Skin Minerals to name a few. It’s definitely a site I trust when it comes to clean beauty and personal care.

So, will you be making the switch? If you want to know more about natural makeup, read my review on Scout Cosmetics.

Natalia x