4 Steps To Clean Natural Beauty

It’s a little known fact that the U.S. government has done little to regulate the personal care industry since the 1930s, and many of the chemical laden products that line your bathroom cupboards and makeup bag haven’t been adequately tested for safety. While the E.U. has banned over 1,300 common sundries ingredients, America deemed just 11 as cause for concern, so while you’re in a spring cleaning state of mind, don’t overlook the neglected depths of your beauty cabinet.

Start reading beauty labels

The ingredients list on your average tub of face cream, for example, is a jumble of unpronounceable, mildly scary sounding words. Most are fine, but a few—clean beauty experts believe—may be accumulatively harmful after prolonged use. By now most of us have heard that parabens, a common preservative, are to be avoided if possible (studies have found these chemicals in breast cancer biopsies) but what else should you be on the look out for?

Clean brand BeautyCounter has created The Never List—a pocket guide outlining 1,500 ingredients they count as either harmful or questionable. Print one out and use it to sort through your current products and shop for new, cleaner ones.

Beware of marketing spiel

The Environmental Working Group is starting to stamp approved products with its logo to avoid ambiguity, but It will take a while to roll out. In the meantime you can always download the app—scan barcodes and get an instant clean score on your favorite skincare and cosmetics.

Swap out the essentials

It’s important to opt for non-toxic versions of some products over others—it all depends on where and how they’re being used.

Deodorant: The fact that your lymph nodes, which play a vital role in immune function, are in your armpits has some doctors believing aluminum-based antiperspirants may play a role in breast cancer. There’s no totally conclusive evidence, but given that they work by blocking sweat glands and can cause painful cysts, natural options are a smarter way to go.

Try: Kaia Naturals Takesumi Detox Cold Pressed Rose Deodorant

Lipstick: As disgusting as it is to imagine, lipstick fans eat rather a lot of the stuff over the course of a year. Considering they’re often packed with the sorts of potentially carcinogenic preservatives and fragrances that wouldn’t be allowed in food, it would be wise to pick organic alternatives. Same goes for lip balm.
Try: Kosas Weightless Lip Color
Sunscreen: Even if you don’t live in a sunny climate you probably rely on sunscreen as a daily anti-aging measure. Given that it has a reputation as a carcinogen and endocrine (hormone) disruptor, a mineral version is a sound investment.

Try: Coola Suncare Mineral Face SPF 30 Sunscreen

Body lotion: Even sensitive formulas can contain skin irritants and unregulated chemicals, so look for a lotion that uses nourishing botanicals to soften skin instead.

Try: Dr. Bronner’s & All-One Organic Lotion for Hands & Body

Don’t forget cleaning products

Our bodies assimilate what’s on them, inside them and around them, which is why you need to be vigilant about the products you’re using to clean your home. Fragrance is the primary villain here, as it often contains chemicals that are not only harmful for your body but for the environment, too. Look out for companies that are certified organic and bio-degradable, or make your own concoctions using vinegar or lemon, which do the trick cheaply and efficiently.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.