Here's a bit of beauty history: thousands of years ago, women used cosmetics. If you don't believe me, I have one name for you: Cleopatra. The beauty of 30 B.C. is depicted as a cosmetic-wearing Egyptian Pharaoh with close ties to Rome, especially with Julius Caesar. However, even in that time it is said that the men were into heavy mascara and altering their appearance with cosmetics that distinguished them from those they ruled over.
If you think that is a neat little tidbit, here is another one for you to consider: Ancient Romans used Defrutum, a lead-containing reduction that was used in Roman cuisine, but also used in cosmetics. This resulted in illness that was later called "lead poisoning." This snippet of history shows that beauty was a very important thing as far back as history can recall. It also shows that using dangerous products on the skin can have dire consequences to a person's life (I've highlighted the 'evil toxic 8′ common cosmetics ingredients in my previous post here).
So this brings me to a question: why use harsh chemicals on your skin when your skin wasn't designed to be treated in such a way? There are still many mysteries regarding what some ingredients in cosmetics can do to a person in the long-term. The fact is that our generation could be like that of the Ancient Romans when they did not know that Defrutum contained a substance that was making them sick. What is in our cosmetics of today has consequences that we won't be aware of until it's too late. That's where natural beauty resolutions for the New Year come into play so you can make changes right now. Here, I'm sharing my beauty resolutions for 2015 to inspire you to do the same:
1. Study commonly used ingredients in personal care products and their effects on our bodies
Although cosmetics companies may not be putting the information out there freely, grab a makeup bottle and go to Google or EWG website (aka my natural beauty bible). You can find the results of studies on certain ingredients. You may be surprised that some ingredients may show evidence of being potentially carcinogenic. That means they can contribute to the development of cancer, but the evidence may not be solid enough to take them off the market in some areas of the world.
2. Check expiry dates on all cosmetics and personal care items and do a clean up
They may seem okay, but the truth is that they may not be. Ingredients in cosmetics do break down and they could break down into something unpleasant and harmful. Why won't eat any food that has gone off and mouldy so why feed your skin with those? Yikes!
3. Only use non-toxic nail polish.
This one is a given since anything toxic has been declared harmful to the human body. Toxic is a major NO NO when it comes to anything in your life. Go for those polishes that are either 5 free, 3 free or water-based (the most natural choice) so you know you're not poisoning yourself. Check out some toxin-free nail polish brands we've reviewed here.
4. Sleep on a silk pillowcase and wear an eye mask for better hair and skin
Silk is a natural material and it feels luxurious on our skin. However, there are also health benefits to sleeping on silk. Firstly, silk pillowcases are great for slowing the aging process. There is research proving this, as silk contains 18 essential amino acids and natural proteins. Silk is also hypoallergenic, less absorbent than cotton so that sweat is not so easily absorbed, eliminates friction between your hair and the pillowcase, and temperature is regulated so you don't sweat as much. So now you can give yourself permission to splurge on a silk pillow and not feel guilty about it. #Winning.
5. Wash makeup brush weekly
Think about what comes off of your skin onto your makeup brush. A simple wash can eliminate oils, old makeup, dead skin, and bacteria that can clog your pores. Basically, makeup brushes can be rather disgusting even if they don't seem like it!
6. Smile more
This has to be the most natural beauty remedy of them all. Apart from being highly contagious, do you know that smiling also helps your body release endorphins to help manage stress and anxiety as well as strengthen your immune system?
7. Wear my Invisalign everyday for straighter teeth
This is an affordable dental device that straightens your teeth like braces, but without actually having to have those unsightly metals in your mouth. Invisalign is clear, customized and also removable so you don't have to deal with the annoyances that come with traditional braces when you eat. I just need to stick to it and remind myself to wear it every day!
8. Tell yourself you're beautiful everyday
Mindset should be an essential part of your beauty regime. When you tell yourself that you are as beautiful as you are, trust me you'll start to see it in the mirror. Remember that the only standard that you need to live up to are your own. When you tell yourself you're beautiful and you believe it, the rest of the world will know it. Need some inspirations? Print and pin these cutest self love quotes we wrapped up for you (in a pretty bow) here.
So now that I gave you a little history talk and some ways for you to integrate a little natural into your beauty routine, I need you to do something for me. I need you to follow the eight beauty resolutions above. Go ahead and go clean your makeup brushes so they are ready for tomorrow, throw out those old makeup bottles, research ingredients so you can replace with more natural cosmetics, go non-toxic because doing so rules for your body, smile a bit more, and tell yourself before you go to bed tonight and when you wake up in the morning that you're beautiful.
So tell me dear readers, what are some natural beauty tips that you would like to share with the rest of the world? Do you have natural cosmetics that you swear by? How about natural cleansers? We all want to be healthier beauties, so go ahead and share what works for you because sharing is caring and that is something that goes a long way.
Until next time, stay gorgeous.
