For many, January is a time to detox what we eat, establish healthier habits and look after ourselves in general. But what about the other ways we expose ourselves to chemicals, through our skin?
Here are 3 ways to detox your bathroom to make your beauty routine truly clean
Simplify
The average adult uses 9 personal care products a day, exposing them to around 126 different chemicals, some potentially harmful. A simple way to reduce your exposure is to minimise the number of products you use to the ones you really need.
Clean up
We all know that fresh natural food is better for us than processed food that contains chemicals because we are what we eat. However, did you also know that you are what you put on your skin? The human skin absorbs up to 60% of what is put on it and it is estimated to take just 26 seconds for some of the chemicals in toiletries to reach our organs.
To clean up, choose products with simpler ingredient lists and fewer synthetic chemicals. You can check which chemicals are problematic at www.skindeep.org. Certain products like nail varnish, synthetic fragrances and hair dye are more likely to be packed with chemicals so avoid those if you can.
As well as what you put on your skin, think about the water you use, which often contains chlorine and sometimes heavy metals. A whole house or shower filter can work wonders if you suffer from dry or irritated skin.
Also, don’t forget the bath itself! Traditional bathroom cleaners are packed with artificial fragrance and ammonia. These not only pollute any water washed away but can also irritate sensitive skin. Switch to a greener version or try homemade cleaners or non-chemical cleaning solutions like e-cloths instead.
Go Green
Although not everything natural is good for you, our bodies have evolved over millions of years alongside natural and organic plants and so they tend to be less likely to cause problems than synthetic chemicals which the body doesn’t understand.
You can find natural and organic alternatives to most synthetic beauty products. These days there is very little need for chemicals! They are often used because they are cheaper not because they are better.
