‘Buy less, choose well, make it last”, the powerful words of iconic visionary Vivienne Westwood are most frequently used in conversation about fashion.  But sustainability is an important issue that we should be trying to incorporate into all aspects of our life.  Aside from bringing exponential benefits to the environment and communities around the world, it is also very freeing to make conscious decisions and minimise the clutter that fills our everyday life.

One of the most gratifying parts of using natural beauty products is knowing not only how good they are for you but also the environment.  Many natural skin, hair, body, make up and sun care brands champion sustainability by using recycled and biodegradable packaging, ethically sourced ingredients and small scale production lowering their carbon footprint. 

Like a capsule wardrobe, your skin care line up should be an edited collection of high performance products that work for you.  Here is our guide to investing in natural skincare:

THE HARD WORKERS

You want to invest in (but not blow the budget on) your rinse off products - cleaners, exfoliators and masks.  These products remove dirt, make up, oil, restore PH balance and prepare the skin to absorb your treatment products.  The most important thing to ensure when selecting a cleaner is that it is suited to your skin type and not stripping the skin of too much oil.  If you have a good night time routine and no major skin concerns you can try skipping your morning cleanse for some warm water and a konjac sponge (you can read about its benefits here http://www.konjacspongecompany.com/what-is-konjac ).  Masks have a multitude of benefits for skin and including one every week or so into your routine can help boost results.  If you have dry or dehydrated skin leave the mask on to absorb over night instead of using a moisturiser.

Cleansers:  We LOVE Indie Lee Rosehip Cleanser and ROHR Remedy Rosalina Face Cleanser (Clever Tip - ROHR Remedy suggests adding salt or a fine sugar to their cleanser to make it into a weekly exfoliator - multi tasking genius!)

Konjac Sponge:  We LOVE One Love Organics The Cleansing Sponge and KUU Konjac Sponges

Exfoliators:  We LOVE Simplicité One Step Exfoliating Cleanser

Masks: We LOVE Sukin Oil Balancing Anti-Pollution Facial Masque for oily/ combination skin and Dr Alkaitis Organic Beautifying Mask for all skin types

THE SUPER STARS

You want to spend the most on the products that absorb into your skin i.e. serum, oil, moisturiser and eye cream.  This is where you are getting the most pay off as far as ingredients penetrating into deeper levels of the dermis to provide hydration, balance oil control, encourage cell renewal, boost collagen, fight ageing, eliminate pigmentation and so on.  You can choose between serum and oil or use both depending on your skin’s needs.  You might choose to introduce an oil for the cooler months where your skin is more prone to dehydration.  Natural versions of these products contain concentrated formulations so it is important to remember that a little goes a long way.  Use sparingly and make your products last!

Serums: We LOVE NOTO Botanics Deep Serum Face + Neck and Grown Alchemist Detox Serum Antioxidant +3 Complex

Oils: We LOVE Lux Aestiva Prickly Pear Oil and Courtney & The Babes Organic Rosehip Oil

Moisturisers:  We LOVE Drunk Elephant LALA Retro Whipped Cream and May Lindstrom The Blue Cocoon

THE HOLY GRAIL

One word, sunscreen.  Apply daily, no further explanation needed.  

We LOVE COOLA Mineral Sunscreen Face SPF 30 Cucumber Matte Finish

THE NICE TO HAVES

Using toner, essence and face mists are a personal preference and while there are some incredible products on the market if you are looking to streamline your routine, these are some products you can definitely live without.