Hello there all you lovely ladies! This is the last blog post of a three part series on finding cruelty-free beauty products that are void of dangerous ingredients. Check out Part 1 and Part 2 if you haven’t already. And if you want to know more about going cruelty free, I wrote this article about picking humane beauty products that describes why it’s important.

Okay, let’s get started! Here’s why it’s so important to actually read the ingredients lists before buying beauty products (or any product for that matter):

Moisturizer – Since skin is the biggest organ, it’s sort of a big deal what we put on it because it absorbs everything and enters our bloodstream – and eventually – our body tissues. If we’re using moisturizers with harmful chemicals in it, those chemicals essentially become a part of us. Yikes! Look for organic products, and definitely stay away from the 4 P’s: parabens (they mimic estrogen and disrupt hormonal processes, and have been linked to cancer), propylene glycol (causes skin irritation and kidney/liver abnormalities), phenol carbolic acid (suspected to cause respiratory failure and circulatory collapse), and petroleum products such as mineral oil, paraffin and petrolatum (they create a plastic coating over the skin that clogs pores and allows for the build up of toxins, and can result in early aging signs and cancer). Also be aware of acrylamide (linked to mammary tumors), dioxane (carcinogenic), sodium laurel sulfates (also called SLS or SLES, it breaks down the moisture barrier of the skin with possible cause of hair loss. Will sometimes be sneakily described on the label as “coconut derived” or “comes from coconut.” Don’t be fooled!)

Instead of using products with these ingredients, here are some suggestions. You’re best bet is to use organic oils that are safe for the skin. I personally use oil of oregano (mixed with a little organic sunflower oil) because it’s moisturizing but also helps with acne and dermatitis. I buy it off Etsy.com from Hippiecrap (technically it’s called Hippieshit but gotta keep it PG for Etsy lol); it’s handmade by a lovely woman who grows her own oregano. You can find oil of oregano in most health and natural food stores, just make sure it’s not 100% oil of oregano, it’s too potent to be put on the skin that way. It should be infused with another oil like sunflower or olive. If the directions specifically tell you how to use it externally, then you’re probably good. You can also use other oils as moisturizers, such as coconut oil or argan oil. Sea buckthorn berry is great for the face and chock full of anti-oxidants. Oils can be used in moderation, just a few drops is usually good.

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