Ditch The Chemicals: Natural Alternatives for Skincare

By Desiree Lozano

As sustainability continues to be a central theme in 2022, many can agree that less is more when it comes to our lifestyle choices. Skincare is no exception: it’s time to ditch the chemicals and opt for natural ingredients!

Laura Dominguez, Licensed esthetician and manager of Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics, states: ‘Having worked with both natural and not-so-natural products, it’s nice to get that instant gratification and results with chemically packed products, but the effects of natural ingredients on the skin bring long-term benefits.’

Understanding how our skin functions is the basis for meeting our needs, and there are many natural ingredients that can be incorporated into a skincare routine. Exfoliation and antioxidants are two main components of aiding our skin’s natural structure.

Exfoliation helps with cell turnover by loosening up the very top layer of the skin, revealing smooth, radiant skin underneath. This function also stimulates blood circulation, which can help reduce puffiness and promote elasticity.

There are two categories of exfoliants: physical and chemical. Many physical exfoliants contain microbeads or microplastics, which can be damaging to our planet and are typically too small to be filtered by water treatment systems and so end up in our lakes and oceans. They are also not biodegradable, acting as sponges that soak up tons of toxic chemicals. These toxins are then passed into the tissues of marine animals and eventually make their way back into our food chain.

That’s why opting for a natural alternative to exfoliate with goes so much further than scrubbing your skin.

All of these natural ingredients for exfoliation range in texture from gentle and pillowy or coarse and invigorating. Some natural alternatives for physical exfoliation include ground almonds and ground almond shells, fine sea salt and coarse sea salt, powdered charcoal, cornmeal and cinnamon.

Dominguez adds: ‘These exfoliants offer a variety of texture. Ground almonds are packed with vitamin E, so it offers a gentler scrub and is great for people with dry skin, whereas something like charcoal and sea salt offers a more concentrated, invigorating scrub. Plus, they have detoxing and anti-inflammatory properties.’

The other type of exfoliants are chemical exfoliants. Although the word chemical goes against this whole piece, it actually refers to the use of chemical components found in natural ingredients, such as citrus juices.

Unlike the gritty textures of physical exfoliants, chemical exfoliants have zero texture and penetrate the skin by breaking the bonds between skin cells, loosening up dead skin and making it easier to whisk away.

Chemical exfoliants carry many benefits for all skin types, from diminishing fine lines and wrinkles to improving skin firmness, texture and tone. Chemical exfoliants can be used all throughout the skincare routine. They can be used in cleansers, masks and even moisturisers, where they can be left to do their work for an extended period – let’s not get overzealous, though, as many have high acidity levels.

Citrus fruits contain many natural alpha-hydroxy acids, enzymes and antioxidants that work to dissolve protein bonds between dead skin cells so they can be washed away, leaving soft and radiant skin. They also contain citric acid, which attracts particles that might disturb or irritate the skin, such as dirt, make-up and excess oil. Natural alternatives for chemical exfoliation include grapes, pineapple, papaya, berries, lemons and tomatoes.

When it comes to the overall health of our skin, antioxidants play a huge role in ensuring our skin’s balance is maintained for consistently radiant skin. Our skin contains molecules. Sometimes they get split up, causing them to have an unpaired electron called free radicals, and these free radicals then cause imbalances in the skin by attacking healthy molecules. The beauty of antioxidants is that they lend an electron to free radicals to neutralise them, preventing further cell damage for healthy looking skin.

Antioxidants can be found in many ingredients we use every day. Vitamin A can be found in sweet potatoes, argan oil, papaya and seaweed. Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits, blackcurrants, kiwi, mango and berries. Vitamin E is found in vegetable oils, jojoba oil, avocado, and whole grains.

Making the decision to ditch the chemicals can be as easy as starting with your exfoliant choices or incorporating more antioxidant-rich foods into your diet, as the benefits reach far beyond your skin’s health.

With so many additional factors that go into maintaining healthy, radiant skin, one thing is for sure – the ‘less is more’ trend is here to stay.