Spring is coming, even if it may not feel like it in your current climate. Before we know it temperatures and the humidity will rise, and our hair and skin will probably get pissed off and act out. And to think, we just overcame all of our winter hair problems.
To protect your hair and skin from these environmental factors, it’s important to clean up your beauty routine and ensure that you are only using products and engaging in habits that are good for you. Take this time to do some spring cleaning and create a clean beauty routine.
Clean beauty routines can maintain your skin and hair’s health by protecting it from nasty environmental factors and harsh chemicals often found in mainstream products. To establish a clean beauty routine, you’ll need to do some spring cleaning and get rid of the products and habits that may very well be wreaking havoc on your hair and skin.
At Luxy Hair, we believe in treating your hair and hair extensions with clean products that will maintain their natural shine. We’ve put together a clean beauty guide to help you spring clean your routine and make better product choices.
What You Need to Know About Clean Beauty
What is clean beauty?
Clean beauty refers to the beauty practices of utilizing clean beauty products that are free of dangerous ingredients (natural or synthetic) that can be damaging to the hair or skin. Clean beauty is often associated with natural, organic, and sustainable products.
The question, however, is if organic hair products are really worth it and if they make a difference. Clean beauty is essential to maintaining a sustainable and healthy beauty and hair routine.
According to a Harper’s Bazaar poll of 1,000 women, more than 60 percent of women would be willing to pay a higher price tag for clean beauty products, and almost 50 percent are currently splurging on clean beauty products.
Why is it beneficial?
Clean beauty is beneficial because it makes consumers more conscious of what they are putting in their hair and on their bodies. This awareness makes consumers a lot more educated on what they are buying, and also encourages them to read labels and pay attention to what is put in the products that they buy and how they are made.
Why should you make the switch?
Consider making the switch to clean beauty products — your skin will thank you. There are many benefits to making this change:
- Clean beauty products are easier on your skin
- Clean, natural ingredients boast nourishing and restorative properties
- The ingredients & production practices are more environmentally friendly
- They are non-toxic and free of harmful ingredients
- They are made sustainably and with sustainable ingredients
- Because the ingredients are so high quality, they go a long way and help you save money in the long run as you use less of the product
- They are good for your health
- Some products are even good for hair extensions
How to identify what products are not “clean”
Check the Ingredients
Clean beauty products contain mostly natural ingredients that are nourishing and all-around good for your hair and skin. To identify what products are not clean, consult the ingredients list. Avoid any items with these harmful ingredients that are commonly found in mainstream beauty and hair products:
- Phthalates
- Toluene
- Propylene Glycol
- BHA & BHT
-
Fragrance
Check the Packaging
Excessively packaged products aren’t considered clean beauty products as they utilize a lot of material that doesn’t break down effectively. The packaging of these products is wasteful and sits on landfills for a long time, sometimes even releasing harmful compounds.
The reality is that products that are not clean are often made with harmful chemicals that can release harmful compounds into the soil and air at landfills.
Understand the labels
Products are often labeled with buzz terms like “natural” and “organic” that actually don’t have any meaning (or truth) behind them. Do your research and consult a clean beauty glossary to understand the definition of these different buzz terms and what to look for to ensure that there is some truth behind these words.
10 Ways to Spring Clean Your Hair & Beauty Routine
1. Get to Know Your Skin
It is important to get to know your skin and hair type to understand the clean beauty products that will have the best results for you. If you have sensitive skin or damaged frizzy hair, it is important to buy clean products that are specially formulated to suit your specific needs. For example, it’s important to use the right shampoo for your hair type to prevent dry or, conversely, greasy hair.
2. Read the Labels
Read the labels of all of your products, or, at least the products you use every day (your shampoo, conditioner, hair spray, foundation, concealer, etc.). If you spot any of the harmful ingredients we’ve mentioned, consider tossing the product and replacing it with a clean beauty product.
3. Declutter
Reading the labels of your products will definitely help you to declutter your collection as you will be able to identify the products that you should be tossing out. While your at it, get rid of any empties and consolidate similar products that are both half full (we’ve all been there.)
After you’ve gotten rid of the products with harmful ingredients or excess packaging (double-check if you can return them back as part of a recycling program), it will be a lot easier to declutter and organize your products. This will help you to see what you have and what you’re lacking.
4. Experiment with New Products
Now that you are getting rid of products with harmful ingredients, take the time to find good replacement products! Start experimenting with new clean products to see which work best for you and are most worth your money.
A good way to experiment with products before you even use them is to do a spot check; apply a hair product to the bottom of your locks to see how your hair responds before you apply it to your whole head of hair. The same goes for skin care products as you need to test it on a spot of your hand to see if your skin will react to it.
This experimenting is a fun process and an easy way to get to know different products, including product types you’ve never tried before. Most of us shampoo and condition our hair, but this is a good chance to also experiment with hair sprays, gels, creams, mousses, natural hair oils, and other products.
5. Buy Less Packaging
Make a conscious effort to buy products with less packaging. Elaborate packaging is beautiful and intricate, but can also be extremely wasteful. Packaging materials rarely break down well in landfills and don’t contribute to the product itself. Put money towards products themselves, not their packaging
6. Do Your Research
Research for clean beauty products isn’t only about reading the labels for buzz words and ingredients, it’s also about reading reviews. By reading reviews online you can identify the products that are really clean, and will actually make a difference for your hair and skin.
Doing research will also help you to better identify brands’ production processes. The reality is that with so many social media brands online, it is easy to see their processes from their stories and other information they release on the feed.
7. Trial & Error
Experimenting is about trial and error; see what products work for you, and which don’t. This doesn’t only go for finding new products, as it is important to also try out all the products you’ve already purchased (even the ones you’ve been loyal too) to see if they still do the trick they way they used to. The reality is that your skin and hair go through a lot of changes over time, so what may have worked before may not work quite the same anymore.
8. Give Your Hair & Skin a Break
By spring cleaning your hair and beauty products, you can give your hair and skin a much-deserved break. Start removing harmful products from your routine, and incorporate cleaner products and practices while you are at it.
The spring cleaning process may even include using no products at all for a day or two a week to give yourself a break. Let your hair get rid of the built-up products like styling gel and spray to help it regain its natural glow. Give yourself a blank slate of sorts.
9. DIY Products
Spring clean your hair products and protect your wallet by trying out some DIY at-home hair products like DIY Dry Shampoo. By making these products yourself you can see exactly what goes into them, and feel at peace using household items that you already know are natural and ethically sourced.
10. Revive Your Hair
Take the right steps to restore your hair of any existing damage. Invest in clean beauty products, toss harmful products, and incorporate some good hair health habits into your day-to-day. Use less heat, eat the right foods, avoid overwashing, and start treating your hair and skin better.
Written by: Brittany Rodriguez
