I posted last fall about transitioning to natural skincare products. (You can read more about why I started making the switch in that post.) Four months later and I am still going pretty strong. I have stuck with some stuff, fallen in love with some stuff and added some new products to the mix. I thought it was time to share an update.
I am still a big fan of my non-chemical mascara and everything Pangea Organics, including face & body lotion, mask & toner. I apply the face lotion every morning and night and if I miss it for a day (like when it's lost in my suitcase) and substitute with a different lotion, I can tell a difference in the softness of my skin. When I am consistent with it, I don't have visible white pores around my nose which was a chronic problem before.
Somewhat related : my skin has been rebelling a bit the past few months, especially up by my hairline. The placement and on and off frequency that it appears means its probably hormonal (perhaps TMI, but I am no longer regulating my hormones with a daily pill). I am going without harsh topical medication and am trying to just wait it out. I did a google search for natural remedies and it said you can take a daily zinc supplement to help with acne, so I have been trying that. Things are better than they were in November and December, but I am not sure if that is due to the zinc or just my body mellowing.
The big thing that I was on the hunt for last fall was natural nail polish & sunscreen. The hunt for a great liquid facial sunscreen continues, but I did receive a SPF mineral powder from Mineral Fusion that I love. It's free of oxybenzone and other toxins, offers SPF, evens out my skin tone & is easy to use because it's a powder in brush all in one. I will want a good fuller coverage sunscreen for spring and summer, but right now when I am not usually outside for extended periods of time (I wear a sunlight blocking hat to run) it's working great. I also use the Mineral Fusion lip gloss and love it. It's perfectly clear and gives just the right amount of shine without being sticky.
Nail polish wise, I am in love with a clear base coat from No Miss that I picked up at Whole Foods. Over the past few years, my nails have been a peeling, week mess. Since I started using this stuff, they don't break and are visibly stronger. I can't 100% say this is due to the polish because around the same time I started taking pre-natal vitamins and using Burt's Bees cuticle cream. 😉 (EDIT : I could not be less pregnant. The vitamins are just advance prep. I promise I wouldn't sneak a baby announcement into a 700 word post about skincare.)
I am still absolutely looking for good non-toxic (or less toxic) color polishes so I was excited to hear about Priti Polish from The Green Life. My friend Jessica (whose husband runs The Green Life) sent me some of their tester bottles. I tried both the metallic and the red and was super impressed with how smooth the color went on (one coat was enough!) and how long it lasted.
And finally, soap related. I tried Dr. Bronners bar soap and it was fine. But I also tried their big bottle of liquid soap as my hand-wash in the kitchen and that made my hands red, itchy and dry. Not great. It might have been due to excessive washing (this is when I first moved and was painting and cleaning and making up a storm) but still, ugh.
This has been quite an adventure! I was so thankful for all of your suggestions and ideas last time I posted about this. I still carry that little piece of paper about the bad chemicals (you can see it in this post) in my wallet and stand in the aisle and read the tiny-print on the back of products before purchasing anything. It's good times.
heads up : some of the products I mentioned here I received for free. I was not paid to mention them and I wouldn't endorse them if I wasn't a true fan.
enJOY it 
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