Your clean beauty routine: An easy guide to making the switch

The urge to detox your beauty regimen at this time of year is strong. Bettina Tyrrell helps you navigate your way to a cleaner, healthier, more sustainable routine.

The clean beauty movement is a rapidly growing offshoot of the global wellness phenomenon. More than ever, we’re conscious of what we’re putting on our skin, into our bodies and down our drains. And more than ever, beauty brands are delivering via trimmed-down ingredient lists, sustainable packaging and innovative formulations that give the same beauty benefits as their synthetic counterparts. With this is mind, there are very few reasons why you wouldn’t make the switch to a cleaner routine. But perhaps you just don’t know where to begin. Let this guide to clean beauty be your starting point.

What is clean beauty?

Unlike certified beauty categories such as ‘organic’ or ‘vegan’, ‘clean’ isn’t regulated and as a result is left wide open for interpretation. However, commonly, clean means safe for people and the planet and relates to products containing as few toxins or potentially harmful ingredients as possible. Clean beauty harnesses the power of plant-based ingredients to drive active results and limits the use of common additives such as parabens, synthetic fragrance and sodium lauryl sulphate (to list just a few).  

The clean beauty myth

There are plenty of misconceptions floating around about clean beauty, with the main one suggesting that without synthetic ingredients, beauty products aren’t as effective. Natural ingredients are packed with skin-loving goodness such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fatty acids. The myth that they aren’t as effective as synthetic ingredients was debunked long ago. Similarly, clean formulations can be (and often are) just as potent, scientific, evidence-based and high-tech as traditional ones. There are plenty of brands on the market that mix planet-friendly production with supercharged formulas, so you don’t need to worry about foregoing your actives.

So, you’re ready to clean up your beauty routine? These tips will help you to ease into a cleaner regimen.

1.     Start slow and you’ll go a long way

While it might be tempting, don’t go diving head-first into a Marie Kondo-style purge of your bathroom cabinet. For one, it’s wasteful – you spent good money on those products. And two, introducing a full routine of new beauty or unfamiliar ingredients all at once can put your skin at risk of a total freak out. Take it slow and begin by de-cluttering your regimen. Look at the products at the back of your vanity that you haven’t reached for in a while (we all have them). If you haven’t touched them in four months, let them go. A simple, pared-back routine is one you’re more likely to stick to.

2.     Sub in clean beauty products as you finish your other ones

It’s as easy as, out with the old and in with the new. As you’re nearing the bottom of a jar, tube or bottle, start researching clean beauty brands and alternatives. The textures and consistencies of clean beauty products can be different to what you’re used to. Introducing new items slowly will help you understand what you like, and ultimately land on a routine consisting of the best products for you.  

3.     Swapping frequently used products will make the most impact  

So maybe you’re finding it hard to part with your favourite concealer. I get it. It’s okay to pick your battles. If you’re not ready to give up some of your favourite products, look to swapping the items you have on high rotation instead. Products like body washes, cleansers, lotions, hand soaps, toothpaste and lip balms make contact with the skin every day, often multiple times a day, and will be most effective in reducing the potentially toxic load on the body.

Next time you notice your everyday essentials running low, trade them for these clean beauty buys: 

Dr Alkaitis Organic Body Wash

This moisture-restoring plant-based cleanser strengthens and balances the skin with vitamins, pure essential oils and organic medicinal herbs in a castile soap base.