Ridding my beauty routine of unnecessary harmful chemicals is a new important personal initiative for me. While the chemical-free versions of your everyday products may run a little more expensive, I think the benefits are insurmountable. Also, as someone with sensitive skin it’s often better I choose the more natural versions of products because I can get adverse reactions, breakouts, and other nasty side effects from using harsh chemical-laden products. Last year I made the decision to start moving towards a paraben-free routine.
Parabens are perhaps the most notorious of the harmful and controversial of chemical filler ingredients. But, it’s also one of the easiest to avoid. While I’m no expert on subject, parabens can remain in the body, and there just hasn’t been enough research done to know the lasting effects of this estrogen-mimicing compound. I suggest you do a little reading and draw your own conclusions on the dangers of parabens. For starters, read this recent piece in FitSugar.
Many brands will now disclose the are paraben-free on packaging and nearly all of them will list if they are in their product descriptions on their sites or their partner retailer sites. Generally speaking, more high end and expensive brands offer paraben-free products, but that isn’t always true. Expensive doesn’t always mean you’re getting the purest product with the most expensive ingredients. Liquid, cream, and gel products that contain a water may contain parabens to help fight off bacteria and mold, and to extend their shelf life overall. Pro tip: if the product doesn’t explicitly say it’s paraben-free, skim the ingredients list and look for words that contain the -paraben suffix at the end of the word. That’s an quick and easy test to see if they’re in a product.
I wanted to introduce my readers to my top three favorite paraben-free cleansers I adore because I find cleansers the more important step in skin care. As someone who suffers acne with combination to oily skin, choosing the right cleanser is important and it will change how you feel about your skin. And just because they’re more natural doesn’t mean they’re less effective. Here are my three most fave:
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel, $22.99
This is the cleanser I’m using currently and it’s wonderful at keeping my acne at bay. It’s a thick gel that foams wonderfully, especially used with the Clarisonic Mia. Targeted at killing oil and sebum, this product really works well to keep my pores clean and unclogged. La Roche-Posay gives me confidence I will never need to go back to a paraben-laden face wash geared for acne-prone skin.
Juice Beauty Blemish Clearing Cleanser, $22.00
This is definitely the most fruit and plant based cleanser I’ve tried, and it works well treating my acne. This blemish fighting cleanser contains organic lemon, aloe leaf juice, sweet cherry, algae extract, and sage leaf among many other natural ingredients This cocktail packs a powerful punch, but it’s not as powerful as Effaclar. This product is also a little more runny, so I suggest just working it in with your fingers rather than with a sponge or brush. Juice Beauty products are made with certified organic ingredients and you can’t find anything more pure. They’re also vegan and cruelty-free.
Korres Milk Proteins Foaming Cream Cleanser, $21.00
For an all-around cleanser, you can’t beat this one. Like the Effaclar cleanser, this product is very gentle on the skin while still being very effective. It smells lovely and gives a nice luxurious lather, especially when used with the Clarisonic Mia! Please note, this is not meant to treat acne, so I would pair this with the Juice Beauty cleanser and use them back to back in the shower. Korres is a cruelty-free brand and has several other products I want to try.
Do you have a favorite paraben-free cleanser or other beauty product? I’m always on the hunt for the next best thing in beauty, so please leave your faves in the comments below.
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