FIVE MUST HAVE CLEAN BEAUTY SWAPS!

I thought about this for a while and what would make a great first post. One that would help you get to know me better and what I’m about, while also helping you along your journey to find effective, clean skincare & makeup! I thought back to what this journey looked like for me when I was attempting to swap out my products for cleaner alternatives. The process was extremely overwhelming and frustrating when products didn’t meet my expectations or deliver as promised. I’m sure you’ve asked yourself many times, “Where do I even begin?” or “Which products should I swap out first?” There is no magic answer to that. Start with the products you use the most and slowly go from there. To make this process a little easier for you, I have compiled a list of my absolute favorite, can’t live without products! Well, I can live without them, I just don’t want to. These are my tried and true products that you will ALWAYS find in my bathroom and I will always come back to. Lets begin…

PRIMALLY PURE DEODORANT

Deodorant was #1 on my list of items to swap and by far the most challenging swap. Let’s be real, no one wants to stink and smelling fresh throughout the day is a high priority for most.  I knew it was important for me to make the switch from aluminum containing antiperspirant to deodorant, but finding a clean alternative was NOT easy! I will admit, there were times I was ready to give up the good fight and return to my favorite conventional brand. I’m so glad I didn’t!

I discovered Primally Pure in 2019. Primally Pure deodorants are made with simple, clean ingredients that are sustainably sourced. They will also give you a refund if you are not 100% satisfied with their products. Now this is a company I can stand behind! I chose the charcoal deodorant as I was intrigued by the detoxifying benefits of activated coconut charcoal. Formulated with tallow from grass-fed cows, organic arrowroot powder, baking soda and non-nano zinc oxide to help soothe irritation. This specific formula contains eucalyptus and peppermint essential oils. If essential oils are a no-no for you, I would give the unscented version a try!

What can I say, I still sweat (which is a plus for me) but I smell fresh throughout the entire day. I’ve also noticed that the longer I have detoxed from conventional antiperspirants/deodorants, the less I stink and actually need to use deodorant. Who would have known?!?! I should also mention, it’ll last you forever! The 2.5 oz lasts me at least 8 months. If you decide to give it a try, please let me know your thoughts! I’d also love to hear if there are any clean deodorants you have been loving!

Fitglow Beauty Lip Color Serum & Night Serum

I have never really been a lipstick kinda gal. I do have a few that you will see me use once or twice a year, but you’ll always find a lip gloss in my purse. They are easy, low maintenance and don’t require a mirror to apply. When I discovered Fitglow Beauty’s Lip Color Serums, I instantly knew we would never part ways. I love everything about these serums, between the many color options, their gorgeous texture that glides on smooth and doesn’t feel tacky and their ability to hydrate and plump your lips.

One of the key ingredients, Pomegranate Sterol, holds double its weight in water and helps to increase hydration and improve moisture barrier function.  These are more than just lip gloss, they are skincare for your lips with beautiful color payoff. Did I also mention that they smell AMAZING! When I tell you the OBSESSION IS REAL, I have them in 7 colors…Bare, Be, Gleam, Go, Kind, Nudie & Rosé. These are all beautiful neutral shades that range from sheer, hint of shimmer to creamy & opaque. Be, Gleam and Go are my most used colors, but if I had to pick a fave it’s definitely Be. All you pinky nude lip fans – this is your color! I always have a backup so I never have to be without it, and I’ll cry for days if its ever discontinued. 

Night Serum

I can’t move on without mentioning Fitglow Beauty’s Night Lip Serum. Midwest winters do a number on my lips. Red, dry & painfully chapped lips were my norm December through February. A few years ago, I decided to try Fitglow’s Night Lip Serum. I was intrigued by all the positive reviews and wanted to see if the hype was real. Well, let me tell you…they weren’t lying!

This is truly one of those special products you never want to be without. Formulated with unique Plant Ceramides, which help to lock in moisture, you will wake up with incredibly soft and deeply moisturized lips. I tell everyone who will listen to buy one, and when they do, they always come back to thank me. I use this product every single night and can honestly say I haven’t had dry, chapped lips in years. Don’t let the name fool you though, you can absolutely use this during the day as well.

INIKA ORGANIC BB CREAM

I’m already smiling from ear to ear just thinking about this product! Let’s start with a little bit about me. I am not a huge fan of full coverage foundations. Even when I was in my 20s and didn’t have to worry about things like makeup settling into fine lines and wrinkles, I still preferred a tinted moisturizer or BB cream. I told you, as much as I LOVE makeup, I think less is more when it comes to it. That’s just my personal preference. If you are a full coverage gal, I would love to hear in the comments below your FAVES! If you prefer lighter coverage or just looking for a product to use on days where you want to look put together, but don’t have time for a full face of makeup, keep reading.

Inika’s BB cream contains 80% organic ingredients, such as Prickly Pear Seed Oil, which is extremely hydrating and helps to calm inflammation. It works beautifully to even your skin tone and gives you that “your skin but better” look! Now if you have any major blemishes that you are looking to conceal, you will likely need to use a concealer with this. Again, think of this as a product to enhance your skin, not cover it. The only drawback is it only comes in 8 shades. I usually rotate between shades Nude & Beige. I can go as dark as Honey during summer months where I have seen a lot of sun. Despite having a limited number of color options, I feel the color is forgiving and most will be able to find a shade that works for them. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions!

ALEAVIA BODY CLEANSE

I have always preferred a body wash to bar soap. If I can’t use it with a loofah, then I don’t want to use it. On my search for finding the perfect body wash, I had a list of criteria that needed to be met.

• Clean ingredients
• No SLS/SLES – for those who aren’t familiar with Sodium Lauryl Sulfate/Sodium Laureth Sulfate, these are surfactants used in personal care products as a foaming agent. They can cause skin, lung & eye irritation. I prefer to avoid them.
• Needs to lather – Seems impossible right, especially considering I am looking for one without any foaming agents
• Smells great, but no artificial fragrances please
• Kid friendly

I discovered Aleavia in the winter of 2020. A friend of mine had been using it and she loved it, so I thought I would give it a try. In typical fashion, I stocked up during their Black Friday sale! Who doesn’t love a good sale?! Luckily for me, my friend was spot on with her recommendation and I now have my absolute favorite MUST-HAVE body wash, with about a years worth of back-up in my linen closet.

Aleavia is truly unique in that it is prebiotic skincare. The skin is our largest organ, so we gotta take care of it! Formulated with Dead Sea Salt and Acadian Sea Kelp, Aleavia’s products focus on putting the healthy bacteria back on our skin, all while diminishing harmful bacteria. They also help to balance the pH of our skin. End result – soft & nourished skin! I have been using the Cranberry Cleanse, which initially was a limited edition holiday scent, however I see it was brought back! What can I say, it smells AMAZING and I will continue to buy a years worth at a time so I never have to be without it. I should mention, these body cleanses don’t produce an enormous amount of suds. If you do use a loofah with it though, you will get some suds and that’s good enough for me.

If you have tried any of their other scents, would love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

MAYA CHIA THE STRAIGHT A

This post wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the ONE AND ONLY, The Straight A Gentle Retinol Treatment by Maya Chia. I’m sure if you are on this page and reading about skincare, you have at one point heard about retinoids and retinol. Here is an article from Harvard Health, to help you understand some of the benefits of using retinoids or retinol and why this magic ingredient should be a part of our skincare routine.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/do-retinoids-really-reduce-wrinkles

Maya Chia’s Straight A uses Encapsulated Retinol, which is a derivative of Vitamin A without the BHT. This is a gentle retinol, combined with Bakuchiol and Moth Bean Extract, to help minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. This formulation also includes Vitamin C to help brighten the skin. This gentle formula won’t cause skin irritation or dryness like prescription strength retinoids. If you are still hesitant though, start slowly. Everyone’s skin is different, but I can tell you that I use The Straight A every single night and haven’t had any issues with dryness or irritation. I absolutely love what this product has done for my skin, and that’s why it has been a staple in my nighttime routine since its release.

I hope this post was helpful to you! Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions!