10 Natural Ingredients You Need In Your Skincare Routine
Your skincare routine should be customised to your skin’s needs. Dry, acne prone, oily, sensitive skin types can all benefit from a natural routine.
Check out our list for the most effective natural ingredients to add next time you perform your skincare routine.
Rose Water
Whether you buy it in spray bottles, or use it in your oils, rose water is an important ingredient for dry skin.
Not only does it smell gorgeous, but rose water can control your skins pH levels, heal scars, reduces redness, and prevents aging!
Rose water can be bought from organic food stores, as well as in the ingredients of popular creams and oils, and let’s not forget those $10 Mario Badescu spray bottles!
Aloe Vera
Particularly for dry and sensitive skin, using aloe vera in its pure form, through a packaged gel, or incorporated into skincare products can have great antibacterial, calming effects for skin.
An obvious use for aloe vera is for any skin damage after sun exposure, however aloe can also be applied to scars, and all over the face for a gentle cream alternative.
Tea Tree
Acne sufferers unite! Tea tree is a brilliant, medicinal option for those of us with blemishes.
Apply a small amount on a pimple and wake up with it almost vanished by morning. Tea tree is a popular choice for companies looking to target acne sufferers, but be warned that it can also be very drying, so use sparingly.
Tea tree is considered a poison, so please take care when using it.
Lavender
Drink it, smell it, rub it on your skin—however you use it, lavender is a staple for sensitive, red skin.
Lavender has calming properties that when ingested, aid with stress and anxiety, and when applied to skin, calm any redness.
Incorporate lavender into your cleanser, creams or oils, it works well in all. You can also purchase lavender tea to aid with inner detox.
Green Tea
When digested, green tea has many benefits for digestion, health, and overall wellbeing. The tea has been around for centuries, and has been a tried and tested treatment for many ailments, for just as long.
When applied to skin, green tea can improve signs of aging, detox pores, and it contains Vitamin E, important to skin’s hydration.
Place green tea bags in your water to cleanse your skin with, or place cold green tea bags on eyes, to remove dark circles and under-eye bags.
Shea Butter
Shea butter is derived from the nut of the shea tree, of African origin. It has huge moisturising and antibacterial properties.
Shea butter is commonly used for curly-hair care and moisturising for skin.
Please be mindful that some specialists advise against using shea butter on the face, as it can clog pores.
Coconut Oil
Incredibly popular, inexpensive, and easily accessible; coconut oil has a variety of uses. Use it as a moisturiser, cleanser, makeup remover, lip balm, and in hair—it can even be eaten!
Often coming in solid form, coconut oil melts in warm environments, or in the palm of your hand.
When using coconut oil as moisturiser, be mindful that it can be comedogenic (will clog pores) for some skin types.
Honey
Honey is a fantastic natural moisturiser and balm for cracked, or broken skin. It does not sting or stress the skin, and is even used in baby products. Incorporated into cosmetics and moisturisers, it is a safe ingredient, perfect to add to sensitive skincare routines.
Use as a natural, delicious lip balm in the morning, and while applying makeup. No need to wash off, just lick your lips!
Oatmeal
Great for sensitive and dry skin, oats are a great option for a physical exfoliator. Oats not only cleanse skin, but can also prevent acne.
They can be found in pre-packaged moisturisers, exfoliators, or incorporated into natural skincare recipes. For example: mixing oats, honey, and milk together can create an all-natural and antibacterial mask. Great for sensitive skin!
Peppermint
Acne prone and red skin is no match for this underappreciated ingredient!
Peppermint is effective in reducing redness and healing punctured skin. When ingested in tea form, peppermint is fantastic at reducing bloating or stomach pain.
Often found in oils or cleansers, peppermint has a cooling effect, making it perfect for traumatised, red, and blemished skin.
