2017 was all about self-care. An ideology that’s smoothly rolling into 2018 as well (and rightfully so). When we think about being our healthiest selves, we usually all consider diet and exercise. But, what we put on our body is just as important as what we put in our body.
Our skin is our largest organ. That’s why we’ve taken the vow to show it some love with a skincare regimen that only helps it and doesn’t hurt it. Translation: no harsh chemicals.
Kicking harsh chemicals to the curb is actually easier than you think. And, to give you a helping hand, we put together a guide on how to revamp your skincare lineup in the new year.
Revamp Your Skincare Lineup
Moisturizer is your skin’s best friend
Particularly if you live in a dryer climate, chances are that your skin’s not getting enough moisture. Moisturizer is crucial in helping our skin maintain balance. It helps against problems like dryness and oiliness. Not to mention, assists in fighting off blemishes and acne flare ups.
It’s a common misconception that you shouldn’t moisturize oily skin. Applying a daily moisturizer actually helps keep your skin’s oil levels in check. That being said, different types of moisturizers work best for different types of skin. If you typically struggle with dry skin, look for a cream based one. And for oily skin, try to find a water based moisturizer that you like.
But, not all moisturizers are created equal. It’s important to be aware of just what exactly is going into each of your products.
No more alcohols, aluminums, or parabens
While the right moisturizer helps our skin maintain balance, harsh chemicals throw this off. That’s why when you’re picking a new product, there are three things you should always steer clear of: alcohols, aluminums, and parabens.
Alcohols usually hide away in fragranced products, meant to mask smells. But what alcohol actually does to your skin is severely dries it out. If you’re looking for a fragranced product that won’t sacrifice your skin’s integrity, choose one that utilizes plant extracts and essential oils instead.
Like alcohols that hide away in our skin products, aluminum salts are a common ingredient that take their toll on our skin, too. You’ll mostly see this ingredient in deodorants and antiperspirants, used as an agent to clog your pores in an effort to stop sweat. But clogged pores hardly sound healthy. And, the more you apply products containing aluminum salts to your skin, the less effective they become.
Your body’s not too keen on harsh chemicals, so in order to defend against them, skin builds up a tolerance. Meaning all that harm you’re doing to your skin is ultimately in vein, since your body’s working to counteract those chemicals anyways.
This year, rather than having a New Year’s Resolution, we’ve simply set an intention. And we intend to have smarter skincare, in order to treat our body right, inside and out.
