The Good Trade
Professionally, 2018 has special meaning for me – it means that I have been in the beauty industry for 20 years! I cannot believe I just put that in writing! For 20 years, I have seen trends come and go, brands rise and fall, and have slathered, exfoliated, burned and soothed my own skin by testing any and all products that crossed my desk.
Since I have tested just about everything out there, a friend recently asked me to list my favorite natural skin and body care products. Over my career, I have watched the natural and organic movement in beauty grow like wildfire. Today’s consumer is smarter about ingredients and wants something that is pure and clean for their skin, not something loaded with ingredients you can’t pronounce.
But first, a lesson on what makes a product “natural” in the first place. A product is considered “natural” when it contains ingredients that are sourced from nature rather than created synthetically. Even though a product might say “natural” on the label, be sure to read the ingredient label because currently there is very little regulation by the FDA and a product can still claim to be natural even if the percentage of natural ingredients is low. Now is “natural” the same thing as “organic”? Nope. Organic products must pass more rigorous standards of purity. The ingredients must have been derived without the use of synthetic pesticides, petroleum fertilizers or sewage sludge fertilizers and must not be a genetically modified organism.
As we all get smarter about what we put in our bodies, we can’t forget what we put on our bodies! Check out my faves….
Odacite Papaya Geranium Serum Concentrate
I discovered this brand years ago and it is still one of my favorites! This concentrated serum fades brown spots and reveals an even skintone.
Tata Harper Nourishing Oil Cleanser
Powered by Sacha Inchi Oil, this cleanser totally removes makeup and leaves your skin feeling so soft and hydrated.
Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist
This is a great skin ‘pick-me-up’ to hydrate and add a dewy glow throughout the day.
Kora Organics Noni Glow Face Oil
Model Miranda Kerr’s new line is all organic and uses the power of Noni Extract to heal and rejuvenate the skin.
Little Barn Apothecary Coffee and Mint Body Scrub
This body scrub is almost good enough to eat! It exfoliates, revives and refreshes the skin leaving and soft skin.
Juara uses traditional Indonesian botanicals to power their products. This body crème has a nutty aroma and richly hydrates and firms the skin.
This product has been around forever and is still a go to for beauty industry gurus. Containing rosemary, chamomile and pansy extracts, it smooths rough skin and it great on your feet and elbows.
Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Intensive Hand Cream
Infused with pure Argan Oil, this is an intense hand cream that nourishes and soothes hands without the greasy residue.
Jenetiqa Night Beauty Plumping Dry Oil
Night beauty is a unique all natural plumping and anti-aging dry oil for face, neck and chest. It is made with a blend of innovative oils and formulated without any preservatives, water or harmful chemicals.
This is just the tip of the iceberg as more and more brands – 100% Pure, Suki, Indie Lee, to name a few – are hopping on the natural and organic trend, giving us all more options in making safe choices with our beauty. Comment below with your favorite brands!