My Journey to a Natural Skincare Routine.

Natural skincare is one of those areas of beauty that can feel, well, daunting to say the least. The skincare market is a total minefield as it is, so ensuring your skincare is natural and actually works for your skin can feel like mission impossible. Well, our community member Maryam knows exactly what that feels like. She is here to tell all about her journey to a fully natural skincare routine- and what she learned along the way.

My journey

2020 was a hard year for most of us, but for some it was a time to reinvent ourselves, finish that DIY project we had been putting off for the last few years, or even venture into the complete unknown of starting a small business from home. 

Since around fourteen years old, I became more interested in natural skincare, mostly because I had sensitive skin. Unfortunately, I never committed to a natural skincare routine back then because there wasn’t much available apart from creating your own DIYs in the kitchen. I must confess, I made some terrible mistakes- from using coconut oil as a first cleanse to those harsh apricot scrubs that we’re all guilty trying! The thing is, if you have good genetics you can pretty much get away with not doing much to your skin, which is what I did for years. Before the pandemic, my skincare routine was non-existent since I had stopped wearing makeup in recent years.

When I hit my mid twenties, I started thinking about investing in a skincare routine. I experimented with a few brands, and, to be honest, I just hated everything I tried. My skin was very sensitive to most drug store and even high end products, which was extremely frustrating. I started to wonder what I would do in my thirties, when I would actually need products to prevent those signs of ageing. I spent hours researching natural products and I came across a skincare community that taught me so much- I wish I knew this stuff in my teenage years. I wish I knew that coconut oil could clog your pores. I wish I knew of some of the harsh chemicals used in your common skincare products that can irritate sensitive skin. Any guesses how I decided to spend my lockdown days?

As self-indulgent as it may sound I decided to finally take care of my skin and give it that time and love it will one day need. The best part was, I could experiment and not have to worry about having a reaction, because I didn’t have to go out the next day. I committed to a natural skincare routine and started purchasing from small businesses. 

What was I looking for? 

It was important that I found a gentle face wash that didn’t make my skin as dry as the Sahara Desert, whilst  also looking for a face moisturiser that kept my skin hydrated all day. I am going to be honest with you- it has taken me almost a year to get to where I am. I finally have an all-natural skincare routine that works for me and I am in love with it- and the best part is, I look forward to it.

It did take some time getting used to natural products. I found they were much more indulgent, since they were not watered down and I had to get used to using much less product. The downsides about natural skincare are the rustic smells. They do take some getting used to but they generally disappear from your skin within a few minutes. You will have to find what is right for you. I tend to love anything with a sweet orange scent and it has a real calming effect after a long day. 

It took me a while to find a natural cleanser that didn’t dry my skin out and I have found at least three brands that I love now, one of them being nuddy. I found the best moisturiser was anything Shea butter based. When I first started using a Shea butter cream on my face I found it quite thick and I thought how could this not break me out? It didn’t at all and my face stays hydrated and moisturised all day. My skin did purge a lot in the beginning but now it’s smoother than ever before. 

What I learnt about going natural.

Just because a product is all natural, it does not mean you won’t be sensitive to it. I had to learn that the hard way. You may be allergic to an essential oil or a product may just not be right for you. As much as I wanted to love rosewater, unfortunately I learnt that it broke me out, although I know some girls who swear by it. To figure out what works for you, you need to be consistent and introduce products slowly, otherwise you won’t know what is causing sensitivity or skin problems. I started off by introducing a Shea butter cream into my routine. Once I knew that I had no issues with that product, I moved on to finding a cleanser, a mask, a serum and so forth.  

I want to be straightforward with you. Your skin will purge. Your skin will be sensitive to certain oils, especially essential ones. Your skin will go through hard times before you come out on the other side with the freshest and most glowing skin. I would definitely recommend an all-natural skincare routine. Why? Honestly, my skin has never looked and felt better. 

One thing that stuck with me was that a lot of women tend to invest more into natural skincare when they get pregnant. Doesn’t that make you wonder? I mean, if you wouldn’t use a certain product when carrying a child, should you be using it on yourself anyway?

What products I love to use.

Has this inspired you to change up your skincare routine? Are you not sure where to start or what products to buy? Well don’t go anywhere just yet, because I am going to let you in on some of my must have products that completely transformed my skin for the better.

Zi Beauty 

Zi Beauty was one of the first natural skincare products I tried and I fell in love with her soaps instantly. They didn’t leave my skin feeling dry as most soap bars do. My favourite out of her range is the sweet orange soap bar.

Zoe Bee Beauty

Zoe Bee has a cream for almost every skin issue and her formulas are absolutely amazing. I have tried a few of them and my favourite so far is the avocado and aloe cream.

Be Mine

BeMine Glow Serum is something I introduced into my routine in 2021 and I am so glad that I did. It is one of the few natural serums that I love because it doesn’t leave you sticky and it sinks in straight away. The best part is, you see results after only a few uses.

Ellology

Ellology has one of my favourite pink clay masks. It is definitely one of a kind. Unlike a lot of clay masks, it doesn’t dry out your skin but it leaves it so smooth and glowing. There are a lot of pink clay masks out there that are great, but what drew me to this one? The fact that it was an AHA Pink Clay Mask-nat the moment, I love any skincare product with AHAs because they have done wonders for my skin.

Scrubbee

Scrubbee taught me that it’s possible to use a physical exfoliating scrub without damaging your skin. I know physical exfoliating scrubs are controversial in the skincare community, but that’s just because most are not as moisturising and luxurious as Scrubbee’s coffee face scrub. You don’t want to miss out on this one. 

I want to give a huge amount of appreciation to all of these brands and more that I haven’t mentioned yet, but hope to in the future. They taught me how amazing natural skincare can be and, most importantly, to not be afraid of changing up your routine and taking care of yourself.