While skin-friendly hygiene might seem like it’s a pretty straightforward thing to master (turn on the shower, grab a bar of soap, apply something that says “moisturizer” afterwards), there’s a whole lot more to it than just that. Getting great skin from hygiene habits (and keeping it) has a lot to do with the ingredients you're using. Just because your face wash and exfoliant say things like “hydrating,” “nourishing,” and “healthy,” that doesn’t necessarily mean they actually are all those things.
When I started living a clean lifestyle, I found many of the beauty problems I had cleared up all on their own. Taking daily steps for better skin came down to drinking more water and getting more sleep, but the toxic-free things I applied topically to my skin definitely made a difference, too. While you've likely been taught to fear bacteria and oil, the lubricants and flora that are naturally created by our skin are there for a reason — to heal, protect, and hydrate.
By using soaps and washes that strip your skin of everything, you’re not doing yourself any favors. Here are a few of my favorite and most natural ways to clear up skin and cleanse my body, all of which have made a huge difference when it comes to the quality of my skin.
Invigorate And Exfoliate Skin With Organic Coffee
Premium Nature Natural Arabica Coffee Scrub , $15, Amazon
This all-natural exfoliant not only gently buffs away old skin, but it nourishes the new layer underneath it, making skin look vibrant, healthy, and glowing. Premium Nature's coffee scrub contains nothing but pronounceable, natural ingredients: dead sea salt, organic olive oil, organic sweet almond oil, organic grape seed oil, coffee seed oil, and organic shea butter, but the best ingredient? Organic Kona coffee, which not only invigorates skin with a burst of caffeine to firm and tone, but gently exfoliates with healing antioxidants. It’s a must for all coffee lovers, as the scent is wonderfully fresh and potent, and even people who have skin issues after using most products are entirely in love with this one.
Always Remove Your Makeup, But Do It Naturally
100% Natural Makeup Remover & Facial Oil , $16, Amazon
When makeup is left on your face (even trace amounts), it can settle into pores, clog them, and stretch them out. This natural makeup remover and oil removes even the most stubborn makeup, but it does so with healing natural ingredients instead of harsh and dehydrating synthetic ones. It’s got moisturizing oils like avocado, grape seed, macadamia, and jojoba, so you can effortlessly wipe away eye and face makeup without any issues at all. It nourishes and moisturizes while it cleanses, and even reviewers with dry and sensitive skin say that this remover is effective, non-irritating, and won’t make you break out.
Moisturize Every Day With Nourishing Coconut Oil
Viva Labs Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, $11, Amazon
If you haven’t yet jumped on the coconut oil bandwagon, you’re missing out. Not only is it a great ingredient to keep in your pantry, but when it comes to skin, it’s awesome for every problem from keratosis pilaris, cracked feet, and eczema, to dry hands, painful cuticles, and sunburn. Viva Labs has an organic formula that's the No. 1 best-selling coconut oil out there, because it’s GMO-free, unrefined, extra virgin, and cold-pressed, which means that all of the oil’s natural fatty acids and vitamins are still entirely intact. It’s sourced from areas rich in volcanic soils, which means that the coconuts are grown in the most nourishing environments. While people use it for everything from a dietary supplement to a hair mask, it’s one of the absolute best solutions for dry skin, as it absorbs deeply into your skin tissue to heal from the inside out. One reviewer called this “a staple in [her] beauty regiment,” and I’d have to agree with her.
Filter Your Shower Water For Soft, Moisturized Skin
Culligan Wall-Mount Filtered Shower Head , $30, Amazon
Perhaps the easiest way to get better skin is to install a filtered shower head because after that one installation, you don’t even have to think about it. Chlorine, fluoride, and harsh metals in tap water dry out skin by stripping away oils, but this Culligan filtered shower head is a No. 1 seller because it removes up to 99 percent of impurities, creating softer, gentler water for better skin and hair. It’s also got five different spray settings, and pressure isn’t affected by the filtering, so you don’t have to settle for poor shower pressure. It’s also got an easy, tool-free installation, and reviewers say that while they never thought to blame the water for their skin problems, it’s never felt softer.
Use Soap That Heals Your Skin Instead Of Stripping It
Lavender Goats Milk Soap Bar , $9, Amazon
When your soap strips your skin’s oils and army of beneficial microbes, it can cause an overproduction of oil in order to compensate, leading to — you guessed it — breakouts. The Lavender Goats Milk Soap is a gentle and natural formula that contains supportive ingredients like shea butter, palm oil, coconut oil, olive oil, goat milk, and kaolin clay, all of which gently cleanse away dirt and impurities while adding moisture back into your skin. Reviewers love the milk and honey aroma, and because it won’t leave you feeling dry and itchy, as other soaps will do, it can be used on all kinds of skin from head to toe.
Be Environmentally-Friendly With A Sponge That Pulls Out Impurities
Deneve Konjac Natural Sponge , $9, Amazon
Not only do konjac sponges gently exfoliate skin, but they’re all-natural, environmentally friendly, and actually pull impurities out from the skin using activated charcoal. This Deneve Konjac sponge is entirely organic, and it's absolutely wonderful when it comes to cleansing pores, gently buffing away old skin, eliminating blackheads, and keeping oil production under control. It’s made with zero additives or chemicals, unlike some other brands, and because it’s made from the konjac root (which is environmentally friendly and has antibacterial properties), it’s a great replacement for your synthetic sponge. It’s also got an easy-hang string attachment, and reviewers say it’s a must-have for anyone with particularly sensitive or temperamental skin.
Clean Your Brushes Without Damaging Them
Benjabelle Organic Brush Shampoo , $14, Amazon
Makeup brushes are a storehouse for germs and harmful bacteria, but a harsh wash can cause the bristles to break down and clog your pores. The solution? An organic brush wash like Benjabelle's shampoo formula. With no artificial colors, fragrances, or preservatives, this one instead cleanses with natural oils and extracts (like coconut, jojoba, olive, aloe, and rosemary). Reviewers say that this solution cleans their brushes perfectly, as even the most stubborn, caked-on makeup is no match, and a little goes a very long way. They’ll feel soft, clean, and like new, all without the damaging chemicals.
Ditch Your Caustic Cleanser For Something Gentle
Flora Castile Liquid Organic Soap , $7, Amazon
Skin isn’t as tough as you give it credit for. Actually, it’s pretty easy to damage, and when you’re throwing off the balance with something harsh and chemical-laden, that’s when things like cracking, dryness, breakouts, rashes, and excess sebum-production begin. Regular hand-washing with Flora Castile's soap is a crucial hygiene habit — it's made without any petroleum products, dyes, or perfumes, and it’s so gentle and natural, some people even use it as an environmentally-friendly soap while camping. It has soothing and cleansing ingredients like coconut oils, olive and jojoba, lavender essential oils, aloe vera, and rosemary, and every single one of them is USDA-certified organic. Both dryness and oil cease to be a problem anymore, as this soap helps to balance your skin’s natural functions without any harsh chemicals, and the light and pleasant lavender scent is a definite pick-me-up.
Reform Your Laundry Detergent For Better Skin
NaturOli Organic Soap Nuts , $19, Amazon
Think your detergent doesn’t affect your skin? The chemicals from your detergents never thoroughly wash out, and can end up soaking into your skin through clothes and towels — causing dry, itchy, irritable skin, as well as an overload of toxins. Soap nuts recently gained popularity on the show Shark Tank, and now they’re all the rage in the clean-living world. NaturOli Organic soap nuts uses only USDA-certified soap nuts, which, when combined with water, release an all-natural solution that effectively cleans your clothes and removes stains. They’re also hypoallergenic and can be reused up to ten times, and because this set comes with a bonus wash bag and drawstring tote to store your soap nuts, reviewers say it’s both an awesome value and easy on the environment. Best of all, skin will no longer suffer when kept in contact with chemical-laden sheets, clothes, or towels.
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Images: lightstargod/Pixabay; Amazon (9)
