One of the questions I get asked the most is how did I go about making the swap to natural products from normal ones? I used to have a huge collection of makeup and beauty products, all of which I either sold, gave away or donated to charity. Swapping out beauty products in one go can be costly, and it can also play havoc with your skin in the fact that you are suddenly switching out so many products at once. I had originally decided to swap over gradually, but after I found so many gorgeous natural brands, I got a little excited and had completely made the switch within a couple of months! I’ve now been using only natural beauty products for well over a year now, and I’m so happy I made the choice to make the switch!
So how do you go about making the swap to natural products?
- I started out by swapping out all of the beauty products that came into the most contact with my skin on a daily basis – this was my body lotion, body wash, facial moisturiser, facial cleanser, makeup remover, deodorant, foundation, powder and concealer. My other priority was lip products, eyeliners and mascara as these are easily able to enter the body.
- Next I swapped out all of the products I used on a regular basis such as shampoo and conditioner, blush, bronzer, eyeshadow, brow products, highlighters etc. I also replaced my facial toners, masks, and fragrance.
- Finally I started purchasing natural versions of the products I used on a semi-regular basis such as hair dye, hair serums, nail polish remover, nail polish, makeup brush cleanser etc. I also made the choice to move to using only organic cotton sanitary items.
At the very start I only had one natural foundation, one natural blush etc, and as I started to learn more about the natural brands and ingredients, I added more and more products to my collection. In all honesty it didn’t cost me nearly as much as I thought natural products would, as many of them are similar prices to regular beauty and makeup products. I paid for most of mine by selling off my makeup that I no longer used. There are lots of pages on Facebook where you can sell used makeup (especially if it’s high end). If you’re in NZ try Walk In Wardrobe – Authentic Cosmetics on Facebook.
While I’ve made the full swap to natural beauty and makeup products now, I’m still looking for ways I can change to an even more natural lifestyle. I’ve been dabbling in swapping out my household cleaners and washing products for natural options. I also try to swap out plastic items such as toothbrushes, pegs and drink bottles for safer options. There’s so much more I want to explore!
Now I’m not silly, I know you can never really commit to an all-natural lifestyle as there are so many things that you just can’t avoid while living in modern society. However, there are a lot of ways we can incorporate natural and sustainable products into our life while still maintaining a modern and (dare I say it) glam life. I’m definitely a girly girl and I can never see this changing. But I also really enjoy discovering new ways to make my lifestyle a little more natural, and hopefully in the long run, a healthier life for myself, my partner and my family.
