How to Shop Beauty: The Natural Way

Today, we live in a world of abundant Whole Foods and cold press juice shops; a world where vegans are Beyoncé and calorie counts are labeled next to the 20-piece chicken nugget meal you were about to order from the McDonalds menu. We’re currently in an interesting time and space where the public demand of consumed goods has shifted to a surplus of organic, natural, and clean alternatives (tangent: I just used demand, goods, and surplus in one sentence - my micro-econ professor would be so proud!). Now, my friends, it is up to us to decide what we put on and in our bodies and I’m going to teach you how to make that decision the natural way, at least when it comes to beauty. Uh-huh honey *Bound 2 voice*

Ingredients to Look Out For

These ingredients and chemicals are a big no-no in most beauty communities and personally I don’t purchase products that include these due to their links to body toxicity and the fact that I can’t pronounce them—I clearly was not a bio major.

Parabens

Phthalates

Paraffin

Mineral Oil

Petroleum

Dioxin

Propylene Glycol

Sulfates

Silicones

Animal testing - C’mon y’all, don’t let the cute bunny pay the price for your beauty needs. Also, this obviously is not an ingredient, but you know what I mean.

At this point you’re probably thinking, “Dang Sherelle, then what ingredients are left for me to use?” and to that I reply, “Plenty!”

How to Read an Ingredients Label

Read From Beginning to End - Sometimes you’ll buy a lotion that claims to be ultra moisturizing and contains shea butter in its ingredients. Low and behold, you read the ingredient list and notice that shea butter is the second to last ingredient in a list of 15 ingredients of things you can’t pronounce. Big red flag. Ingredients are listed in order from the most used ingredient to the least. In other words, put that lotion down and go on and get you some Shea Moisture.

Certified Organic - In order for a product to be considered organic, it must be certified and deemed so by an organization which is sometimes listed somewhere near the ingredients.

Occurs Naturally/**Natural - Due to requirements for brands to disclose the scientific name of ingredients, it can be off-putting to read Melaleuca Alternifolia instead of Tea Tree Oil so most brands tend to add a disclaimer in the form of an asterisk which later explains that the 18-character long word you sounded like a three-year old trying to pronounce occurs naturally or is a natural ingredient.

Look for Words You Can Pronounce - If you can’t pronounce it or don’t know what it is, why buy it?

Do Your Research - In the end, it’s your body so do you boo. But remember that your body is a temple and it’s your duty to treat it as such…starting with those products you use on a daily basis.

Suggested Products/Brands

Skincare: 

First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser

Lush Enzymion Moisturizer 

Josie Maran Argan Exfoliating Cleansing Powder

Body:

Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Soap Body Lotion

Hair: 

Shea Moisture

Camille Rose Naturals

Carmella Marie

Curls

Beauty:

Tip: Use Sephora’s ingredient preference filter on the left of the screen when choosing make-up: http://www.sephora.com/lipstick

These are just a few of my favorite natural brands and there are a bajillion other brands creeping out of the woodwork for our healthy consumption. Now that you are armed with the knowledge of a natural beauty guru, go forth and become the natural beauty junkie you always secretly wished you could be! Beyoncé and I are rooting for you.

XOXO,

Sherelle Naturelle