Does your favorite serum leave your skin red, dry, and irritated? Do trendy clear-skin products just make your breakouts worse?
If so, then you may need to switch to non-toxic skincare. Read on as we break down what this means and provide some suggestions on how to get started.
What Is Non-Toxic Skincare?
Non-toxic skincare often uses skin-friendly alternatives to ingredients known to sensitize the skin and lead to reactions. These are toxic ingredients such as phthalate preservatives, parabens, and hydroquinone, a skin brightener that has been linked to serious health effects.
Unfortunately, the designation of “non-toxic” is not heavily regulated – although the EWG does try to provide accurate information – so many skincare brands can claim to be non-toxic while still including potentially harmful ingredients in their formulas.
That’s why we here at True Botanicals are on a mission to deliver clean and sustainable products that are clinically proven to work at the highest standards.
We ethically source vegan ingredients from the vibrant intelligence of nature, without any toxins or fillers, ever. Each product delivers potent concentrations of plant actives that are known for their nourishing vitamins, essential fatty acids, and antioxidant properties. Every scoop, spritz and slather is a sensorial, indulgent experience that can make an extraordinary difference for your skin, as well as the planet.
Before we take a deeper dive into our world of non-toxic skincare, let’s clear up a few other labels in the beauty industry that may be a bit confusing.
Natural Skincare
Beauty brands are beginning to market their products as “all-natural,” but what does that even mean? Unfortunately, not much.
This term is unregulated and is more of a marketing grab than a standard of health. However, many products use this term and others like “clean beauty,” “clean skincare,” and “natural beauty.”
This is where it’s important to know your skincare ingredients. Beauty companies often use formal Latin names in their ingredients lists. So, for instance, Vitamin C becomes L-Ascorbic Acid, and Vitamin E becomes Tocopherol.
While these ingredients might be hard to pronounce, they are likely all-natural and can benefit your skin.
Organic Skincare
If you see a product labeled as “certified organic,” it is full of great ingredients! The term “organic” is highly regulated, and a certified product should always carry a special seal from the USDA.
Certified organic skincare brands are held to organic farming practices and are not permitted to use GMOs or damaging pesticides in their products. These products are often high-quality and will likely have great effects on your skin.
It’s important to note that even if a product is non-toxic, natural, or organic, that doesn’t always make it cruelty-free, fair-trade, recyclable, eco-friendly, or sustainability-conscious.
However, at True Botanicals, we strive for the best in everything we do. Wherever we can, the ingredients in our essential oils, face masks, and skincare lines are certified organic, sustainably sourced, and cruelty-free. All of our products are carried in recyclable glass and paper packaging.
What Are Some Natural Skincare Products?
If you’re ready to switch to truly natural skincare, we’re here to help. Here are some of our favorite non-toxic products full of beautifying natural ingredients for every skin type.
Cleansers
Cleansers are the important first step in every skincare routine. However, these can be filled with sensitizing BHAs like Salicylic Acid and AHAs like Citric Acid, which can irritate sensitive skin and damage your skin barrier.
That’s why we recommend our Ginger Turmeric Cleansing Balm. Our dream cleansing balm effectively removes makeup, sunscreen, and dirt – not moisture!
With makeup-melting Yucca Extract and gentle, plant-based ingredients like Turmeric and Ginger Root Oil to help soothe your skin, Ginger Turmeric Cleansing Balm will give your skin the gentle exfoliation it needs with Azelaic Acid and Lactic Acid — without side effects. It uses Oat and Argan Oils to help restore moisture to help your skin glow and Mango and Avocado Butters to help lock in moisture so that your skin feels silky.
We also recommend our Clear Nourishing Cleanser, which is perfect if you’re experiencing breakouts.
The majority of cleansers marketed to oily and breakout-prone use synthetic ingredients and harsh surfactants that disrupt the skin barrier, which means your skin barrier can’t do its job. This means that your skin can’t keep moisture in or blemish-causing bacteria out. This can lead to breakouts and irritated skin.
That’s why ourClear Nourishing Cleanser was specifically formulated to cleanse oily skin while nourishing and supporting the skin barrier. Black Willow Bark Extract helps clear away dead surface skin cells while Helichrysum cleanses away blemish-causing bacteria and Aloe Vera leaves skin balanced and hydrated. Our formula is also naturally scented with Lavender and Carrot Seed Oil to invigorate the senses.
Toners
Toners are an optional product in many skincare routines, but they can work wonders for your skin if you give them a chance. The ideal toner helps remove any excess dirt and buildup, hydrate your skin, and prepare it for what comes next.
If you’re looking for a breakout-busting toner, our Clear Nutrient Tonerhas what oily, blemish-prone skin needs to glow. It’s a great complement to your skincare routine if you’re looking into AHAs and BHAs to fight breakouts! While many conventional toners strip the skin of good bacteria and oils to “clean” your skin, our formulation does the opposite!
Our Clear Nutrient Toner uses a nutrient-dense ingredient cocktail that’s carefully formulated with everything breakout-prone skin needs to thrive — including Black Willow Bark Extract, which has all the benefits of a BHA with none of the irritation.
If your skin tends to be sensitive to products marketed toward breakouts, try ourRenew Nutrient Mist.
Just like a sponge, your skin soaks up all of your oils and serums best when it’s moist. That’s why you should prep your skin with our ultra-nourishing face mist that hydrates, soothes, calms, and protects your skin.
While other mists are mostly water and fragrance, our Renew Nutrient Mist is packed with Green and White Tea’s potent antioxidants that help protect your skin against environmental stressors. Ultra–nourishing Algae Extract helps deliver vitamins and protect the skin while Kombucha is known to help detoxify your skin and maintain a healthy pH.
Serums
Serums are the holy grail in skincare. They offer a way for highly concentrated formulas to absorb into your skin quickly. Because they are so powerful, serums often yield effects sooner than other products.
To anyone looking to dip their toes into non-toxic serums, we recommend ourChebula Active Serum.This anti-aging serum will dramatically change how your skin looks today, tomorrow, and years from now with the most potent, multi-targeting, breakthrough antioxidant in skincare: Chebula.
Chebula is a special cascading antioxidant, which means once it’s done fighting a free radical, it reacts by taking on a new form that can fight the next free radical, and the next, and the next without losing the ability to defend and protect against environmental stressors.
This is the last anti-aging serum you’ll ever need because it fights five signs of aging AND helps prevent future damage. And did we mention that it’s clinically proven to outperform two leading anti-aging serums in reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles?*
If Retinol is your bestie, you don’t have to give up its benefits. Plant-based Retinol can provide the same benefits without sensitizing your skin.
For instance, our Phyto-Retinol Vitamin A Booster is a smarter way to retinol. Our microbiome-minded Phyto-Retinol Vitamin A Booster harnesses the innate intelligence of your skin to deliver powerful anti-aging benefits without sensitizing side effects.
Perfectly dosed vegan capsules deliver Provitamin A Carotenoids that your skin transforms into its own potent retinoic acid – one of the most biocompatible kinds of retinoic acids – and uses to fight signs of aging like wrinkles, dark spots, and uneven skin tone, delivering your most youthful-looking glow.
Plus, you can use it during the day and alongside other products that you typically have to avoid while using Synthetic Retinol, such as Vitamin C and exfoliators!
Moisturizers
Moisturizers are the last step of your routine — and one of the most important steps. The right moisturizer can set your skin up for success, so we want to share our favorites with you.
Our new Chebula Extreme Cream is an anti-aging moisturizer that 100% of subjects agreed made their skin look and feel smoother, softer, more glowy and deeply hydrated.
Our formula also features an exclusive Hydra-Cocktail of protein rejuvenators, humectants, emollients, and breathable occlusives to lock moisture in and support the skin barrier. And the best part? We use zero pore-clogging waxes, which is a top ingredient in practically every other moisturizer on the face of the planet.
We recommend following this cream moisturizer with a moisturizing face oil such as our Clear Pure Radiance Oil, formulated to help prevent breakouts, combat signs of aging, balance oiliness, and deliver a youthful-looking glow.
With Helichrysum to clear away impurities, Hemp, Pumpkin, and Grape Seed Oils to maintain optimal sebum levels and pH balance, and Algae Extract and Astaxanthin to deliver Fatty Acids that nourish the skin — all while keeping breakouts at bay.
Alternatively, our Renew Pure Radiance Oilfeatures Chia and Kiwi Seed Oils to nourish and protect your skin, Passion Fruit Oil and Papaya Seed Oil to condition your skin and clear impurities, and Algae Extract and Astaxanthin support your skin barrier. Renew Pure Radiance Oil works to target key signs of skin aging while also delivering radiant hydration.
Final Thoughts
Just because a problem bears the label “all-natural” or “non-toxic,” it isn’t automatically good for your skin. We’ve shared our list of go-to products that actually fit all the labels, but it’s important to know your ingredients so that you can see for yourself whether or not a skincare product is actually skin-friendly.
*Based on a 6-week single-blind comparative clinical study of 30 women aged 35-65 with twice-daily use.
Sources:
EWG VERIFIED™: A New Standard for Your Health | EWG
Is ‘Natural’ Skincare Really Natural? | The Dermatology Review