A green lifestyle

From eco-friendly fashion to sustainable grocery shopping, green living techniques are infiltrating every corner of our daily lives. But, even if you’re already toting canvas bags and driving a gas-saving set of wheels, chances are you might’ve not considered the possibilities of a green skin care regimen.

Top reasons to go green

1. Keep your skin safe. Take a look at the ingredients listed on the back of your favorite skin care product. It’s likely that you’ll find various tongue-twisting terms that represent a concoction of chemicals that may or may not be healthy for your skin. That’s because the FDA doesn’t require safety tests before beauty and personal care products enter the market. Importantly, though, whether a product is green or not, always research the company and ingredients.
2. Keep the earth clean. Unfortunately, beauty products that contain certain chemicals can harm the environment once they go down the drain. If mercury, lead acetate, toluene or petroleum catches your eye, you might want to opt for another skin care product that’s safe once it hits the septic system.
3. Support a sustainable economy. This represents an economy that promotes products and services that are healthy for you and the planet. By purchasing from companies committed to organic or all-natural ingredients and practices, you’re contributing to an economic effort that will better the planet and the global economy.

Sustainable skin-safe options

So where can you go to find skin-safe and environmentally sustainable products? Here are several strategies that won’t compromise your health or the planet’s.

1. Opt for organic products. The next time you’re in the beauty aisle, choose products that feature the official Eco-Cert label or the USDA Organic seal. According to these labels, ingredients have been produced without harmful pesticides and unnatural chemical residues that might irritate your skin.
2. Avoid the three P’s: petroleum, phthalates and parabens.
   • With petroleum, there’s more to worry about than rising gas prices. Believe it or not, petroleum by-products, including mineral oil, paraffin and propylene glycol, are a common ingredient in many cosmetics. According to The Environmental Working Group, petroleum products not only take hundreds of years to biodegrade, but they might be linked to skin irritation, allergies and cancer.
   • Some research has linked phthalates, often found in nail polish and deodorant, to birth defects.
   • Parabens — including methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben and butylparaben — might be associated with skin problems like irritations, dermatitis and allergic reactions.
3. Choose fragrance-free products. The sweet-smelling fragrance of your favorite skin care product might not be as sweet as you think. Companies aren’t required to list these fragrant chemicals on product labels or to test them for human toxicity. Also, in addition to causing allergies and difficulty breathing, many can be toxic to the environment.

Green products

Here’s a selection of eco-friendly products you can include in your green routine.

• Respected for both eco-friendly formulas and top of the line skin care, Pevonia Botanica offers all-natural products for every step of your skin care routine. Pevonia Hydrating Sunscreen is the perfect place to start.
• Where to find a moisturizer that won’t harm Mother Earth? Try Juara Skincare Sweet Black Tea and Rice Facial Moisturizer, a product made with all-natural botanicals from the Indonesian archipelago.
• When it’s time to tone, revive or hydrate the skin, apply Caudalie Grape Water Harvest — 100 percent plant-based soothing water that will satisfy your skin without unnatural additives.

Learn everything you need to know about a natural skincare and beauty routine in our Natural Beauty Handbook.