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TBF Project:Blog
Posted by Dain, Wednesday, October 03, 2007 6:36 PM (Eastern)
I seem possessed by a cantakerous streak these days, though I'm not sure why. I seem inclined to hate everything. Maybe I'm PMS-ing? Doesn't feel like it. Maybe I've been blogging overmuch? Noooo... Or, perhaps it's just hard to switch from very deep to very frivolous writing at will? Perhaps. Whatever the case may be, I will try to be better behaved.
For a little bit of spotless virtue in your life, why not consider going green? It's a small thing everyone can do, and it is better for your hair and skin.
Over the years, I have noticed that I have gravitated towards natural skincare, though not, it seems, on purpose. In my search for the perfect routine, it was often the case that I'd choose natural products because they seemed superior. For the most part, they don't claim to be instant miracle cures, which I find insulting. You drop $300 on the latest anti-aging it cream or whatever, and it stops working a week later. And you still look old. And if the active ingredients are abrasive, you can worsen your skin or build up immunities in acne bacteria. For the most part, natural skincare tends to work proactively (not treat retroactively) with your skin. Its progress is often slow, but with better longterm effects.
That is not to say that all botanicals are trustworthy. Bath and Body Works and The Body Shop, for example, mostly uses petrochemicals like any other brand on the market, with a few "extracts" thrown in for good measure. Charlatans aside, I do have a few warnings about botanicals. Their effect is hard to measure, and hard to predict, unlike something like, say, benzoyl peroxide. And you are more likely to have an allergic reaction. Natural does not necessarily mean "safe". Sometimes the formulas are less elegant, because the widespread use of oils in natural skincare can feel filmy or greasy, and can actually be occlusive, but that's the price you pay if you want to avoid silicones, sulfates, and petrochemicals. But there exist lightweight, astringent oils like sunflower/safflower, hazelnut, jojoba, and grapeseed that are somewhat less problematic for oily or acne-prone skin, and it must be noted that some natural ingredients are exceptionally good for the skin, like aloe vera or shea butter, but take some time to absorb. Another difficulty you might encounter is the short shelf life of some of these products (I found that my Dr. Hauschka Rose Day Cream went bad in a year), which can be attributed to natural ingredients and low levels of preservatives. Again, if you are concerned about parabens, it is a small price to pay. Not every brand is 100% natural, and fewer still are organic, but I don't necessarily feel this is a bad thing. Saffron Rouge is a particularly good site for all sorts of natural skincare.
But other than these negatives, I find natural products to be, on the whole, more conscientious. Not just about the environment, though some companies like Dr. Hauschka and Jurlique go so far to grow their own ingredients on their own organic farms. They also tend to follow fair labor laws, though this is not a given. This sense of social conscientiousness, I often find, is present in the products themselves—they are often very conscientiously made. Every product I have tried from Jurlique, for example, has been excellent. Primavera is very promising thus far, but I've only tried one of the products. Dr. Hauschka I've had a little more trouble with, peanut oil tends to clog my pores. Decléor was my first foray into "botanicals", but it is more a "spa" line now that I know better; I find the moisturizers occlusive, but the Baumes and Aromaessences are worth trying at least once because they are originals. Caudalíe is very hit or miss, but they have wonderful scents. Sisley is a grand rip-off. Stella McCartney CARE, while I like the packaging (I prefer utilitarian, hygenic packaging when it comes to skincare, rather than the glamorous), is ok, at least for the price. Likewise for Fresh, though it is not all-natural. Better Botanicals is a really good brand, as is Body Time. Burt's Bees has a few stellar products, and a lot of ones one would rather forget about.
I am sure I am missing some, but they escape my mind. I have yet to try many brands.
The other nice thing about natural skincare is that some products are fairly easy to replicate. Love the gentle exfoliating effect of Dr. Hauschka Cleansing Cream but find it too expensive? Buy your own almond meal and grapeseed oil (plus whatever else you'd like to add) and grind it up. Like Decléor Aromaessences? Mix some high-quality oils together with essential oils, suited to your skin type.
I know less about natural haircare. I like Nature's Gate and Aubrey Organics and PHYTO. I wonder if the Herbal Hair Conditioner will work as a CO wash? Ever since I switched to this method, I can't even imagine using shampoo any more. I've been using Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Moisturizing Conditioner on the ends, and it's really good but too thick for cleansing, it doesn't spread well. A great part of the appeal for me about cleansing with conditioner is that I only need one product, and using two conditioners seems a bit pointless. The Nature's Gate has a light, watery texture, but it has some crazy humectant properties, because the result is quite rich. Plus, it comes in a a huge gallon size, and I love the scent.
Labels: better botanicals, body time, caudalie, decleor, dr. hauschka, fresh, jurlique, sisley, stella mccartney
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