Keeping your skin healthy is important. There are many products out there for the skin, it can be difficult to figure out which ones to use. However, paying attention to the ingredients in skin care products can help you avoid toxins, chemicals, and other harmful ingredients.
Unless you’re intentional about searching for natural, toxin-free products, most of what you find at the store is going to be filled with various unhealthy, and often damaging, preservatives, fragrances, and stabilizers. Using skincare products that contain these ingredients can be harmful, as they can actually cause negative health effects by seeping into the pores of the skin.
The dangerous, synthetic ingredients that common skincare products are filled with are able to make your skin look nice while getting into the pores and causing long-term damage. The good news is that you can learn what to look for and what to avoid so that you don’t have to be confused when you’re shopping down the skincare aisle.
Here are the 13 best ingredients to include in a natural skin care routine:
Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil is also called Melaleuca. Hailing from over 230 plant species in Australia, tea tree oil is very effective for healing inflammation, various breakouts, and redness. Most acne treatments are filled with unhealthy chemicals, and can cause more issues than the ones it helps. On the other hand, tea tree oil is safe and effective, with few to no side effects as long as it is used properly with a carrier oil such as coconut oil.
Tea tree has a number of healing properties. It is an anti-inflammatory oil, as well as antifungal, anti-bacterial, and antimicrobial. When the properties of the oil enter the pores, it provides healing effects on the skin.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is used for both topical and internal health. It is versatile and can be used in a number of ways with multiple health benefits.
As a topical solution, coconut oil works as skin protection from the sun, defense against chronic skin issues, strengthens epidermal tissue, removes dead skin cells, and has all of the anti-properties that tea tree oil contains. It can also be used as a moisturizer and has proven effective in reducing scars. The versatility of coconut oil and its relative success in multiple areas makes it a top ingredient in skin care.
Honey
Raw honey is unprocessed and unpasteurized, making it the healthiest option for honey. It is chock full of vitamins and nutrients that aid in the skin in a number of ways. It has antimicrobial properties and has been said to be effective in moisturizing the skin, reducing acne, fighting rashes, and even reducing scars.
Combined with other treatments, raw honey is useful in healing a number of skin conditions, such as psoriasis, dandruff, diaper rash, and more.
Apple Cider Vinegar
You may have heard it said that apple cider vinegar is good for everything. For the most part, this is totally accurate. Apple cider vinegar contains acetic acid and vitamins that are used to detox the body. As a topical solution, apple cider vinegar cleans the skin, prevents acne, and kills pathogens.
Sea Salt
Sea salt, whether Himalayan or Celtic, is filled with nutrients and minerals that can be used to smooth skin and prevent breakouts. Many of the minerals found in sea salt are also found within the body itself, providing balance and protection for the skin.
Avocado
Avocados are full of vitamins A, D, and E, which get into the pores, providing moisture and healing. Avocado increases the production of collagen, reduces age spots, and heals burnt skin. Both topical and internal use of avocado can help to reduce inflammation, due to its anti-inflammatory properties.
Argan Oil
Moroccan Argan oil is full of antioxidants, omega-6 fatty acids, vitamins A and E, as well as linoleic acid. These healing ingredients help with bug bites and acne. They also provide relief and healing to skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema, which can be painful and devastating for sufferers. Argan oil is said to be a fountain of youth, leaving skin healthy and natural.
Lemon Essential Oil
Lemon essential oil has antibacterial properties that can reduce acne breakouts, heal scars, reduce oils and wrinkles, and moisturize. As an essential oil, lemon is filled with many different benefits, making it an important oil to keep on hand. When combined with a carrier oil like coconut or jojoba, lemon essential oil can be rubbed on the skin for deep healing.
Jojoba Oil
Typically used as a carrier oil for other natural skincare ingredients such as lemon or tea tree oil, jojoba plays an important role in the healing of scars, acne, psoriasis, eczema, burns, wrinkles, and more.
Jojoba oil comes from Mexico and the southern United States, and has been used as a natural skin treatment for centuries. Jojoba is a polyunsaturated wax, which makes it a healing, moisturizing, natural skincare product.
Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera is best known as a natural treatment for sunburns. While the effectiveness of Aloe Vera on a sunburn is true, there are also many other benefits of the gel and the latex from the plants’ cells. These parts of the Aloe Vera plant work well as a healing treatment for psoriasis, cold sores, frostbite, and of course, sunburns.
It is thought that Aloe Vera contains more than 75 active ingredients that make the plant a top treatment for a number of skin conditions. The active ingredients are anti-inflammatories, fatty acids, minerals, vitamins, enzymes, amino acids, and more. With so many beneficial ingredients making up Aloe Vera, it is a top contender for the most essential natural skin care product.
Castor Oil
Many people think of consuming castor oil, however, it works wonderfully as a topical addition to your skin care routine. Known as a drying oil, castor oil is used to clean the skin when combined with coconut or almond oil.
Shea Butter
A traditional African skin care treatment, Shea butter is a high-quality skin moisturizer that is perfect for people with dry skin. Shea butter naturally heals peeling, flaking, redness, as well as the pain and discomfort that often accompanies those conditions.
Almond Oil
Another carrier oil, almond oil has anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antibacterial, and antiviral properties. When used with healing essential oils, almond oil is effective in healing dry skin, rashes, and acne.
In Conclusion
Taking care of your skin is important. Unfortunately, most people are unaware that the products they’re buying in the stores are filled with harmful chemicals that can actually be damaging for their skin.
The good news is, there are many natural ingredients that you can use in your skin care routine. Purchase these ingredients separately or look for them as main ingredients in skin care products.