Skincare from the Soil

Today’s society is increasingly concerned with being eco-friendly and more and more people are “going-green”. We worry about the effects of chemicals on the earth, debris in our oceans, and fuel emissions depleting the ozone layer. However, what about the atmosphere of our own bodies and the most personal terrain of all - our face? Certainly, while I am suggesting we do our part, one person may not be able to change the course of the planet. We can, however, have an immediate, long-lasting impact on our own person. Everyone wants to be healthy, feel satisfied, live a full life, and look good doing it. The timeless phrase, “you are what you eat” has finally sunk in and, while we are all guilty of sometimes choosing a French fry over fiber, we realize the value pure, natural, organic food has our nutrition. Follow a similar path and learn the impact organic skincare can have on our skin’s beauty and overall health and wellness.

Organic foods taste better because they’re picked when actually ripe and are better for you and the environment because they don’t have to travel as far to reach you (reducing fuel emissions). The same applies to natural skincare because going organic is also better for your skin. Shashi Srikantan, owner of the 100% natural Quench Bath and Body line summarizes, “Unprocessed foods allow the natural properties of the food to be retained and allow you to get the most nutritional value out of it – likewise, keep the ingredients of your products as natural as you can and let them do their thing.”

Today’s consumer is fortunate to have real, raw, natural alternatives when choosing a skincare product. We can even find formulas that contain certified organic ingredients that are grown by biodynamic farmers which, for those of you that are concerned about mother earth, is considered the “original organic” method. This super-natural process is not just great for growing healthy foods but the beauty business is also benefiting from it, yielding uber-ingredients to natural skincare formulations. If you commit to organic skincare and body care, you can help keep toxic chemicals out of our soil and water as well as off of your skin.

Those of us with sensitive skin realize what a threat mainstream skincare products can be to our beauty. Anyone that’s had an allergic reaction to an ingredient looks hard to identify and avoid it. What we aren’t certain of are the effect some skincare ingredients, like parabens and sulfates , can have on our health. The good news is we can find natural skincare products that are free of ingredients like GMOs, parabens, detergents, sulfates, artificial colors, perfumes and are cruelty-free. As a nod to our planet, you can also find packages that are recyclable, hand-washable, composed of recycled materials and reusable. Select products are also available with naturally grown berries, leaves, flowers, seeds, or plants that are gathered from where they naturally grow called, wild-harvested or wild-crafted. Such harvesting is done to preserve the habitat of flora and fauna but can also produce skincare products with powerful antioxidant properties and revitalizing aromatherapy. Green Beauty and organic skincare alternatives are even available for Vegans, looking to protect animals and the environment, with formulations that use no animal-derived ingredients. So practicing vegans can be true to their philosophy, honor their life-choice, and still face the world with beautiful skin.

Being good to the environment is important and so is being good to ourselves. Remember that your body is a natural, organic living entity and it’s only logical that your health and appearance would benefit from eating organic foods and choosing natural skincare products. With the growing awareness of the importance of organic skincare, it’s easier than ever to make eco-friendly choices that your skin will celebrate. Let nature nourish us and pay attention to what’s put in our bodies and what’s put on them.