Tag Archives: clean beauty products

What’s in your beauty products?

This blog post started as a comparison article on two brands of skin care cleanser and moisturizer (which I still may do). However, something else was weighing heavy on my chest… during my research, I realized that not every product (in what I thought was the cleaner skin care brand) was actually not free of harmful chemicals. There was still a chemical or two that got into the formula! You may think, “eh, just one harmful ingredient? Not a big deal.” What if I said that this one ingredient in the face cleanser “some studies indicate toxic effects on blood and liver. It is also suspected to have effects on hormones and fertility.” Let me repeat that, A FACE CLEANSER! The most mind blowing thing about this is why is a face cleanser affecting fertility and other organs in your body?!? How is an ingredient like this even allowed in the products we use on our skin?? And what other products do we have to worry about??

I know that many products nowadays are filled with toxins and so sometimes certain warnings on products don’t really concern you because “it’s just another one added to the list,” but please know that every effort you take to reduce and minimize the amount of toxins you are exposed to on a daily basis will make a difference. Don’t be okay with another toxic product being added to your list, take control of your life and be mindful of the products you and your family are using. There are safe products out there, you just gotta find them. (But don’t worry, that’s one of the reasons that I created this blog in the first place, to spread this awareness!)

When I started this clean beauty journey I was aware of harmful chemicals in beauty and wellness products, I just didn’t know what the chemicals were, what they actually caused, or what products they were in. That’s when I made the decision to search for healthier clean products for myself and my family. I took matters into my own hands and I stopped allowing advertisements and influencers to persuade me to buy certain things without first doing my research.

It started with hair care. Then moved on to skin care. By this time I’m fed up with the amount of carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, and other irritants in my hair and skin care products, but then my eyes OPENED. What other things in my home have these harmful chemicals?!?! The laundry detergent, dish soap, house cleaning supplies, body soap, and other cosmetics like lash extension glue, acrylic nails, hair dye, and most concerning: FOOD, the list goes on!!!! My goodness, how is this even allowed!? There are many ingredients in beauty products and food products that are banned in other countries but are being served to Americans on a daily basis. Why aren’t more people talking about this?! Why is nothing being done to make our beauty and food products safer? Our literal health is at risk, but our ‘leaders’ don’t care because they don’t pay for our health care. They make money off us buying these products and they make money from us getting sick. How do we win?! By taking control of what you consume and allow into your home!

If you want to completely swap out your beauty and food products for healthier cleaner options, the price can be much higher. I try my very best to find the best deal for certain products and other cleaner alternatives, but for the things I cannot replace I just remove them completely from my life. 

For instance, I’ve swapped out my body lotion for organic unrefined coconut oil from the grocery store. However, I stopped my bc completely because I could not find something better for my body and the symptoms were undesirable. It did not feel right that I was stopping my body from doing what it naturally does (even if I wasn’t TTC, processes still happen that bc stops). I don’t recommend this for everyone but praying, monthly tracking, and condoms are alternative options. It’s important to keep in mind that not everyone’s alternatives will look the same or work the same.

Finally, whether you are new to this or are already working on living a cleaner, chemical free lifestyle, I’m glad you’re here. This journey won’t be easy, but community will make it better. I’ve created this blog to be that place where you will find safer products for yourself and share your thoughts and questions. I also write a lot about self-care and self-love because if you don’t incorporate either of those in your life, then you won’t have the motivation or drive to make the necessary changes in your life. It’s more than just swapping out products, you’re choosing your health and future!

Follow along for more content like this 🤍 StrengthScripted.com

xo, J

Let’s break down your skin care routine! Giving you my best skin care products recommendations.

When it comes to skin care products, there are shelves upon shelves and pages upon pages online of skin care products. It’s a lot being thrown at you and it may be hard to choose which products are right for you and what products will help with what. There is only so much I can fit in one post and I will try to touch on the most common situation. However, if you need more 1-on-1 help please email me and we can connect more! For now, start with this post because no matter your skin situation, you can still benefit from this post.

Shall we begin?

Step 1: CLEANSE

First things first you need a good cleanser. If you wear a full face of makeup you will need to double cleanse. Yes, this may mean two different cleansers or cleansing twice with one cleanser. The reason being is that many times you will have a residue of makeup left behind on your skin still so the rest of your routine isn’t going to do much to protect against the damage of the makeup sitting in your pores. You want your face completely clean and clear before moving on to the next step.

Some great cleansers that I recommend:

CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser (for normal to dry skin)- CeraVe has many options for your skin so be sure to read the bottles and choose the right one for you whether you have dry, oily, combination or normal skin. Either way, you cannot go wrong with this cleanser. Amazon has a bundle with this cleanser plus a moisturizer for a steal!

CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser

Charcoal & Tea Tree Face bar soap from PackageFreeShop – One of my fav clean beauty products! If you can’t find that specific kind on the website then definitely check out the other face bar soaps offered. You cannot go wrong with PackageFree Shop products!

Step 2: TREATMENT

This step isn’t necessary for all skin types. If you have no major skin issues that aren’t solved with a cleanse and moisturizer then you can skip this step. However, some people deal with breakouts, redness, blackheads, acne, etc. and that is where the treatment step will come into play. This is when it really depends on your problem area (again, you can email me for more help!).

Here are some products I recommend:

Niacinamide 10% from The Ordinary -for redness, blotchiness, hyperpigmentation, protects against sun damage (you should still apply sunscreen though), minimizes wrinkles and fine lines and creates a sort of skin barrier for protection. Honestly, this can be used by many people because of all of its benefits!!! I would say to ease into this product. Some people may experience a sensitivity like a burning sensation. I experienced this so now I use one drop (literally! You don’t need much!) and apply it to my face once a day or every other day to start. The burning sensation goes away after a minute and any redness it creates will subside as well and leaves your skin glowing. However, if it is burning a lot and it doesn’t subside after a minute even after using less of the product then I would discontinue use. Currently I only use niacinamide under my eyes (for fine lines) and around my nose and mouth area (for redness/blotchiness)

Niacinamide

Hyaluronic Acid from The Ordinary– The perfect addition to your routine if you need a little extra moisture and love for your skin. Everyone can benefit from a little extra hyaluronic acid to keep their skin looking hydrated and plump. Some even reported having younger looking skin after consistently using it for a month.

Hyaluronic Acid

Salicylic Acid for imperfections and blemishes from Sephora – for breakouts, blemishes and pimples. This comes in different treatment forms, but the one I use is from Sephora. It’s more of a spot treatment, so when I’m breaking out, noticing some blackheads or to get rid of the sun spots on my nose I will use this product. Some people may need to use salicylic acid more often to treat more severe breakouts and control acne. They even make cleansers with this ingredient already in there so if you struggle with breakouts on your face definitely look into a cleanser with salicylic acid (not for daily use, can be harsh) and/or a salicylic acid treatment product to include in your routine. Unfortunately this one isn’t on Amazon so you’ll have to check Sephora directly.

Salicylic Acid from Sephora (spot treatments)

Organic Jojoba Oil- this one is my little secret. I add this after my treatment and before my moisturizer. I used to just use this oil as a moisturizer, but I found that the moisturizer applied after the jojoba oil really sealed in the moisture. There are a number of benefits for using jojoba oil such as reducing wrinkles, preventing acne, healing, anti-inflammatory properties and of course extra moisture without the excess oily skin look. It is safe to use daily but if your skin is on the oily side I would use it every other day.

STEP 3: MOISTURIZE

This step is so important!!!! No matter how soft or moisturized your skin seems, never skip this step! This is where everything you just did to your skin gets locked in and absorbed into your skin and pores. There are soooo many options for moisturizers, but it’s best to keep it simple and focus on what your skin needs.

If you have no clue what to use here are some suggestions to start with…

CeraVe moisturizing Cream– At first sight this cream seemed super thick but a little goes a long way (so if you get the tub, it will last you a long time).

CeraVe Face Moisturizer

Organic Jojoba oil- Yupp I’m mentioning this liquid gold again. Some say you can’t use an oil as a moisturizer, but I beg to differ because I did it for two years before I started using the CeraVe moisturizer and my skin cleared up so nicely!! Although I didn’t have many skin issues besides some redness and occasional breakouts.

STEP 4: SPF/SUNSCREEN

A routine is not complete without some sunscreen! I guess on rainy days you can skip this step, but overall sunscreen is an absolute must if you want to protect your skin from sun damage, sun spots, sunburns, early signs of aging, the list goes on. Do yourself a favor and get a good sunscreen for your face. The sunblocks you get for your body probably won’t be the best for your face because of how heavy and greasy they tend to be. The ones made for your face tend to have a lighter application.

The one and only sunscreen I use on my face:

Bliss sunscreen tinted SPF 30. Maybe even a stronger SPF – I loveeeeee this sunscreen for my face. It’s tinted and leaves my skin with a smooth matte finish. I’ve never had any breakouts or sensitivity (I have sensitive skin), it doesn’t feel heavy on my skin, and it comes in a small travel size to try it out before committing! Although you’ll probably love it anyway. If needed, get a higher SPF!

Bliss Sunscreen 30 SPF

So how are you feeling about creating your skin care routine?! If you benefited from this blog post please let me know in the comments or share it with a friend! However, if you are still lost on where to start or whether or not a product is right for you, I’d love to chat and try to help you out! Just shoot me a message or email!

Now go be great!

xo, J 

*This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra but it helps support a family behind this business as well as you. I do not recommend anything I don’t truly believe in!