As the founder of a natural skincare brand, I’m a huge proponent of using natural skin, beauty, and cleaning products. But I also understand that transitioning into a clean skincare regime can be a pretty daunting task. With so many brands vying for your business -- and many use fear as a marketing tactic –- it’s difficult to know where to start!
I’ve compiled some helpful tips to make the switch more approachable.
1. Don’t Throw Everything Out
Doing a complete overhaul of the products you use is overwhelming -- not to mention expensive. The easiest way to switch your skin care routine is to slowly replace products once you run out of them. Take note when a product is nearly finished and begin scoping out which natural alternative you’d like to try first!
2. Find The Right Fit
The most common opposition for natural products I hear is “they don’t work as well” which couldn't be further from the truth. It just takes time to find the right product. You probably tried 158 types of mascara before finding the right one, so it may take a few tries before finding your favorite natural version.
Thankfully, there are a lot of natural options. So if the first natural product you try doesn’t meet your expectations, don’t give up!
3. Get To Sampling
If you’re not sure which brands to start with, try stocking up on samples. It can be challenging to figure out which ingredients will suit your skin best, so sampling different products is a great way to become familiar with what works best for you.
Many clean beauty shops offer trial sizes so you’re able to test the waters before making the investment in the full sized product. At Palermo, we offer our Facial and Body Discovery Kits for that exact reason.
4. Make A Big Impact
There are some areas where you can make a big impact with just a few products, for example, shampoo. The parts of your skin that are densely concentrated with hair follicles are multiple times more absorbent than other areas of your skin. One of the first switches I made over 15 years ago was my shampoo and conditioner. I’m always on the lookout to test something new to try to rein in my unruly mane, and I switch between natural brands all the time, but having peace of mind about what my body may be absorbing from the products is totally worth it.
Soap is another great place to start because your skin is your largest organ. Bar soaps can get a bad wrap but it’s my mission to change that with Palermo’s beautiful face and body soaps. It’s actually a great way to swap out the product you use to cleanse your entire face and body with a low price commitment.
5. Makeup
Makeup was the last thing I switched over. I don’t wear makeup every day so I don’t go through products quickly. Additionally, the quality of natural makeup, in my opinion, has only recently started to rival that of conventional options. Seeing colors, textures and testing efficacy in person is paramount with makeup. So for this swap, I recommend seeking out a trusted retailer near you where you can stop in and test everything in person. Some of my go tos are Follain and Shop Good and Credo. They have lots of different options and because they only choose products that are all natural, you don’t have to worry about whether you’re choosing clean and natural options.
These little changes can make a big difference and it’s important to remember that it’s a process and not something that has to be done in a day. I’d love to connect if you have any questions, contact me here or leave a comment below, I’m happy to help!
Ciao,
Jess
