Our bodies acquire nutrients in two ways: through our mouths and through our skin, so much so that 60% of the substances we put on our skin are eventually absorbed into our bloodstream. Currently, beauty brands are allowed to use known toxins in their product ingredients which have been linked to cancer, reproductive issues, hormone disrupters and so on, without informing customers of the health risks.
The average woman uses 12 beauty products in the morning alone, which adds up to hundreds of chemicals every single day, many of which are harmful. In the past two decades, the EU has banned or restricted more than 1,300 ingredients where the US has only banned 11.
And it’s not just us humans affected, the plethora of nasty unnatural ingredients we welcome into our homes can’t be filtered out by the current wastewater treatment plants and they end up in our waterways, rivers and oceans. Once there, they are absorbed by the wildlife who dwell there, causing them health issues and in some cases, death.
I’ve been slowly searching out brands to review which fit my 10 requirements:
1. made with organic & natural ingredients
2. ethically and sustainably sourced
3. palm-oil free
4. not tested on animals
5. cruelty-free
6. safe ingredients which check out on EWG
7. sharable with my husfriend
8. philanthropic
9. responsibly packaged in glass, tin or paper
10. works well on my skin.
Holistic skincare line PARA APOTHECARY is one of the few brands I’ve discovered who meet all the eco and ethical stipulations I’ve developed, with their collection of handcrafted conscious concoctions made from sustainably sourced bioactive botanicals, gracious gifts from mama earth’s madicinal flora.
Each item is safe for you, the planet and its inhabitants, and with every purchase, a percentage of the sales are offered to horse rescue and recovery.
I tested the entire range for just over a month so I could properly review each one and put together a little blog and vlog with my opinions and discoveries.
KOMALA Facial Cleanser
raw honey, alma + aloe
I used this each evening for a month and a bit, it is a super gentle cleanser and I noticed I had zero problems with my eczema while I used it. It left my skin feeling hydrated and balanced while clearing it of the dirt and grit my face picked up throughout the day. It’s free of any chemicals and hormone disruptors found in most conventional soaps (you can read about the issues with conventional soap HERE).
HIBISCUS AMLA Facial Exfoliator
geranium + chamomile
Ever since I learned about the issues with microbeads (you can read about them HERE) I’ve been looking for an exfoliatir that does zero harm to the planet and her inhabitants but works wonders onf the skin. This exfoliator, for me, is it. I used it every morning for a month and it genuinely brightens up my skin, plus I love that there is shea buter mixed in as it keeps my skin feeling moisturised rather than stripped post wash.
IMMORTAL Facial Oil
CoQ10, hibiscus + immortelle
I only discovered facial oil a year or so ago and it has changed my skin for the better so drastically that I’ve stopped wearing powders and concealers entirely. It hydrates and gives your skin a dewy glow while reducing fine lines and wrinkles. I swear by facial oil and use it every morning post-scrub.
IMMORTAL Facial Serum
hyaluronic acid + resveratrol
This serum is meant to increase collagen production and even out skin tone. After about a month of use each morning with or after applying the facial oil and noticed my sun spots reduced along with my fine lines.
JASMINE SANDALWOOD Tonic Mist
silver hydrosol + ylang-ylang
I love putting a spritz of this on post moisturising session, and I used it when travelling as well. It totally refreshes me and has anti-bacterial abilities which keep breakouts at bay. Vanilla, jasmine and ylang-ylang are well known as aphrodisiacs and also act as antidepressants so on top of soothing the skin this spray soothes the soul.
CHAYA Beauty Balm
supercritical tumeric + chamomile
This balm quickly became my night time moisturizer which I’d apply after using the KOMALA Facial Cleanser each evening. I noticed that my eyes were less puffy when I woke up and my skin still had a radience to it (normally when I wake up it looks dull, puffy and discoloured).
SOMA Raw Honey Mask
royal jelly + propolis
I was having a bit of an eczema outbreak on my chin before I started using this mask and it completely seemed to reverse whatever was causing the outbreak to occur. It is also meant to boost collagen and I definitely noticed when I was using it that my skin felt more radiant, especially when I slept with the mask on overnight.
NENEKTI Purifying Mask
zinc, tumeric + cocoa
There’s something really lovely about mixing your own beauty products rather than just pumping, spraying or slapping it on. Over the month and a bit that I tested these products, I used the masks once a week, going back and forth between the raw honey mask and this purifying mask and even mixing the two together. My face really felt fresh, as if it had undergone a deep pore cleansing when I used it which is a nice thing to do on your Sunday to clear the slate before you start your week.
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