Green Beauty Tip #2

Going for the Green

Last week’s green beauty tip covered why going green is the healthy choice and how to find safe products. This week we’ll cover making the switch.

You’ve heard about the harmful ingredients in conventional beauty and personal care products and are ready to make the switch. But where, and how, do you begin?

If you have envisioned tossing out all of your current cosmetics and skin care and starting from scratch, think again. This will not only be a more labor-intensive swap, but expensive too.

It is much easier to start small. And with so many budget-friendly green beauty brands on the market today, the process does not have to take a huge bite out of your wallet. You might even end up saving in the long term.

The best place to start is with products that expose you to the most toxins. These are the ones that sit on the skin longest; moisturizer, body lotion, leave-in hair products, make-up. Body products are easier to replace than facial care products, so begin there. Green make- up products are now completely equal to conventional make-up in effectiveness, coverage, color and variety so this is also a fairly easy switch.

Skin care will probably be the most difficult change to make. By now you have probably found the products or line that works well with your skin and don’t relish the idea of leaving them behind. Put simply, a cleanser is a cleanser. There are different types of cleansers for different skin types and issues, but a “clean” cleanser is going to provide the same results as a chemical-laden cleanser. Just be sure you are choosing the proper cleanser for your complexion (milk or cream for dry, gel for oily…). Same with toner.

Moisturizers are another story. Most of us are fairly attached to our moisturizers and may even use several – one for daytime, one for nighttime, one for winter, one for summer, another for eyes. You may have to experiment in this area, but as long as you follow the product specs and guidelines it should not be a difficult transition. Choose for your skin type and check labels to see if there are any ingredients that may irritate your skin. Certain skin types are sensitive to particular essential oils, but usually if a product is labeled “Sensitive” it will be safe for finicky skin.

Another rule of thumb – if you found a product that you love try other products from the same brand. Many online retailers offer samples with purchase or offer trial sizes at a very affordable price. Read product/brand descriptions thoroughly and if you have further questions contact customer service.

Trading your conventional products for safe, natural products isn’t as hard as it may seem. Once you get started it can even be fun. I used to be a straight-up Cetaphil girl and wouldn’t get near anything else. Now I love to try new things and can usually tell instantly if my skin likes it or not. I have also found that skin likes to mix it up a bit and will switch my beauty products out from time to time. This seems to freshen up the complexion.

If you have any questions before or after you try a new product or are still confused as to where to begin, please contact me and I will do my best to point you in the right direction. And check out my list of trusted green beauty brands on Organic Beauty Source to get started.

Next week I plan to report on DIY green beauty for all of you who love to create or are thinking about whipping up your own. Stay tuned!

I am starting a Green Beauty Tips post that will appear each Friday. If you would like to receive these weekly tips by email, please sign up here.

Image:  Pink Sherbet Photography at Flickr.com, Creative Commons license.