I’ve been on a natural beauty product kick after attending a non-toxic skincare event last month, where I learned that many of the products I own and use on a regular basis are loaded with synthetics. Now, I’m not trying to overhaul my entire beauty collection at once and immediately toss the hundreds of dollars I’ve already spent, but since I’m committed to making smarter purchases for my body, this is one area of wellness that I really just can’t ignore any longer. Did you know cosmetic manufacturers have no legal obligation to report health problems for their products to the FDA? Scary to think, especially because the skin is the largest organ of our body and much of what we place on top gets absorbed into our bloodstream… but I digress.
On a recent trip to New York City, I stopped into CAP Beauty, which prides itself on carrying only natural and synthetic-free products. It’s a perfectly curated collection of clean and natural products, and I completely fell in love. Last weekend I posted my purchases from CAP and Whole Foods on Instagram stories and received so many DM’s, questions, and comments that I decided to dedicate this post to the products I’m using.
featured image via new darlings
This products received the most questions: “What is that? How do I use it? Does it hurt?” Friends, I can’t believe I waited so long to try this. I first heard about dry brushing about 10 years ago when I lived in LA and started to experiment with an Ayuverdic lifestyle. Many raved about its benefits, including improving lymphatic circulation which helps remove waste from our cells, and promoting detoxification and reducing dryness. I purchased out of curiosity more than anything, and I’m so happy I did. I’ve been using this everyday for one week and already, aside from the physical difference of my smooth skin texture, I have more energy immediately after. Here’s how to use it: Stand in the shower or over a towel (prepare for dead skin to flake) and starting with your feet, use firm small strokes upwards towards your heart. This article was super helpful as a 101 to dry brushing. I purchased my dry brush from Whole Foods, and it’s also available here.
I’ve always been obsessed with oral hygiene, but even more so recently as I’m currently using Invisalign. Because I sit in my trays all day, I’m extra sensitive about flossing, brushing, and good breath. Tongue scraping helps remove toxic residue from the body and heightens your ability to taste. When done daily, it improves digestion and clarity of mind. After using two times a day for two weeks, I’ve noticed my tongue looks and feels cleaner and tastes do not linger in my mouth.
To be honest, I didn’t know natural floss existed before I found this at Whole Foods. In this formula, Tom’s uses bees wax and jojoba wax, as well as natural spearmint for flavor. This anti-plaque floss is not for the faint of heart — it’s pretty thick and doesn’t glide easily between gums, but I love how much it gets in between my teeth and feels like a deep clean after.
By far my favorite thing about this is that it’s a hands-free deodorant. All other natural deodorants I’ve tried have come in a pot that I have to warm in my hand first, leaving it to be a bit messy. Agent Nateur is aluminum-free, glides on easily thanks to the coconut oil and avocado butter, and smells so great with the lavender and eucalyptus essential oils. I haven’t given it a shot yet to see how it stands the test of a workout, but for everyday use, it’s good.
I’ve been breaking out quite a bit on my face over the past month and I’m not sure if I can blame it on hormones, poor diet, sugar, stress, or a combination of everything. In an effort to find a natural spot treatment, I came across CocoKind’s tumeric spot treatment to help with breakouts and skin brightening (goodbye, dark spots!). Whole Foods had the CocoKind trio, including MyMatcha, which I’ve been using as a lip balm and an under eye dark circle treatment, and MacaBeet, an organic beet root lip and cheek stain. I can’t say my blemishes have cleared up, but I absolutely love taking solace in using a natural products to help.
You may recall, I wrote about my first experience with matcha in 2015 during a trip to NYC. I was on the hunt for a coffee substitute after a bout of really bad headaches and read matcha was loaded with antioxidants, fiber, and chlorophyll. I loved it, but coffee slowly made it’s way back into my life. A few years later, my headaches are back and I’m trying to get to the root of the cause. It could be my diet, my period, or too much coffee, so I’m kicking caffeine first. I picked up these sticks as a substitute for traveling or tossing in my almond milk in the morning and so far, so good.
Ashwagandha is one of the most popular Ayuverdic antioxidants and is known for it’s ability to reduce stress and anxiety, reduce pain and swelling, and help with alertness and brain function. I like to take it in the morning, adding it to my matcha or lemon water. It comes in a powder form and a little goes a long way. Ashwagandha is an adaptogen, which enhances the body’s adaptive response to physical and emotional stress.
I’ve been on the Coconut Cult train since earlier this summer during a trip to Erewhon in LA, and now that it’s made its way to Austin, it’s becoming a fridge staple. So many of you asked what it was and why you should try it, so here’s the dish: Coconut Cult is a non-dairy yogurt made with coconuts and probiotics — roughly 25 million probiotics per serving. The taste is similar to a tart Greek yogurt. While only consistently using for two weeks, I like that I’m getting a daily probiotic in a fun way. The more I learn about gut health and our microbiome, the more I fall in love with this product. My favorite way to enjoy it is with two heaping spoonfuls in the morning, or an after dinner snack with a drizzle of almond butter. It’s a bit pricey at $25 a jar, but a little goes a long way.
Of course I would love to eat healthy and feel amazing every day, but I also love French fries and wine. I would also love to go 100% au natural with my beauty products, but I’m also curious about botox. I’m not striving for perfection with my choices, and neither should you. After all, perfection is an illusion and living kindly is enjoying the balance. If you use or try any of these products (or have your own go-to favorites), let us know below! It’s always fun to hear your recommendations.
