Beauty Ingredients I avoid and why

From sensitive skin to allergies and acne, there are so many ingredients in our everyday beauty items and cosmetics that are toxic for our skin and can cause all kinds of reactions.

I was never aware of this when I was younger and would scrub my face far too much with harsh face washes that claimed to work miracles, I am now left with scarring and sensitivity that means harsh ingredients break me out a lot. A quick trip to the dermatologists office opened my eyes to what I was actually putting on my skin and I'm now a self confessed, serial ingredient counter, think calories but worse...

I've put together my list of ingredients that I personally try to avoid in my beauty collection for reasons that I have discovered through using them and experiencing a reaction, you may have no trouble with them at all. Most natural skincare and makeup items will also avoid these ingredients, hopefully I can help you to understand that label on your foundation a bit better with my guide.

1// Mineral Oil

Mineral Oils/paraffinum liquidum have broken me out countless times. They are a synthetic oil unlike essential oils and actually derive from petroleum! Have I put you off yet? Mineral oils are extracted from crude oil which contributes to making petrol so they are bad for our planet and our skin!

2// Perfume

Perfume is one of the hardest ingredients to avoid and is the first thing my dermatologist told me to steer clear of as it can sting and irritate sensitive/acne skin types. I now think if a product has to be perfumed to put it on my face, what is in it that they need to cover up with a scent? The 'ingredient' perfume/perfum can actually be made using over 3,000 chemicals but it's only ever listed as one ingredient on the label.

3// Talc

Talc is mostly used in powder products to create a mattifying affect, talcum powder was a popular product years ago for things like drying off after a shower but it does the job so well it's on my avoid list for drying out my sensitive skin.

4// SLS/SLES

SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate) is added to many beauty items like cleansers, face washes and shampoos to make them foam. It is a type of detergent also used in INDUSTRIAL CLEANERS! I personally find this ingredient dries out my skin and scalp so avoid as much as possible but cosmetic companies struggle to find anything that works as well to replace it with.

5// Soap

Soap is another ingredient that cosmetic companies now try to avoid, you may notice cleansers labeled 'soap free'. Soap strips our skin of it's natural oils and so our skin over-produces sebum/oil causing blemishes and oiliness. Take the natural route and find a cleanser that wont through your PH off balance. I love using a mix of Olive Oil and Castor Oil.

6// Parabens

Parabens are a much debated over ingredient but have you noticed that recently when you pick up a moisturiser or foundation the label on the front says if it's paraben free? Parabens come with many names and are there to stop bacteria and mould growing in our 'wet' products like moisturisers. They are rumored to sink into our skin and enter our blood stream, increasing the risk of cancer. A natural alternative to Parabens would be Lavender oil but many cosmetics don't use this for various reasons (god knows why, it's bloomin lovely) You can find my favourite moisturiser here.

Finding brands that leave out any nasty ingredients is a task but Lush and Ren are among my favorites, read my Ren cleanser review here.

If you're looking for a more natural skincare routine I highly recommend cutting out these ingredients and see if you notice a difference.

Little Lottie 

XO  

Health Haul and How I Keep Fit

I never make a New Years resolution but this year is different, after discovering more natural, organic products and starting my little corner of the internet, Little Lottie, last year made me much more conscious of what I use and consume.

I'm officially on a health kick, I want to be more toned by next year with less wobble and more ab action going on. I'm already starting to see results and I'm feeling so much more confident, I may be a size 8 but I still never felt like getting my tum out or bearing a little in crop tops so I thought I'd finally do something about it. The 'This Girl Can' campaign is such a powerful message to girls who feel unattractive but don't do anything to change it.

Exercising has always appeared like a chore before but once I started doing the Insanity workout and saw a few pounds drop to get me bikini ready for my holiday I was convinced. Now my aim isn't to loose pounds but tone what is already there, I started by just doing sit ups every night until I was able to do 50 at a time then I looked up more toning workouts and realised sit ups only work a small section of your abs, I added planking, crunches and leg raises to make the workout more intense.

These days I go for a run a few times a week (usually at the weekend) and do a 5-10 minute cardio or ab workout every night. I use a free app or a YouTube tutorial. I find the most effective moves are squats and spiderman planks. My abs and legs always ache after so I know it's working.

I got some new gear from Primark to help me workout more comfortably.

This armband is so helpful when I go out for a run and was only £2.50!

The perfect time to pick up some health goods is when Holland and Barrett have their penny sale on. I have recently been researching into Omega fatty acids and how they are a miracle worker for clear skin and long, silky hair. I've looked into various supplements like Omega 3 6 9, Cod liver oil, Flaxseed oil and many more. I went for fish oil in the end as it contains EPA & DHA which are anti-inflammatory. This tub was £12.99 and I am taking 1,000 mg a day.

The best way of pumping some Omega into the body is through food, these Omega Sprinkle bags were 2 for £3 and don't taste amazing but a pinch on top of my cereal is barely noticeable.
£2.99 each or 2 for £3 in the penny sale. My daily breakfast is a bowl of cereal topped with omega sprinkles and a banana with plenty of almond milk, delicious!

Who doesn't use coconut oil these days? I've just finished my tub and had to pick up another asap. I use it as a hair oil, body moisturiser, eye cream, lip balm, frying oil, baking ingredient and for shaving sometimes. It's a wonder product! The jar is £14.99.

Last year I became a Love Your Body member, it's a great initiative for Body Shop fans and means you get 10% off every purchase as well as gifts every now and then. The latest gift was a free Body Butter worth £13 and I went for the cocoa butter because it reminds me of chocolate!

I also drink two liters of water a day and at least one cup of green tea, usually lemon flavour. It was really hard to drink water at first but I've replaced my usual drinking bottle with a liter bottle and I only need to fill up once which encourages me to drink up more. 

I'm no nutritionist or gym addict but I'm feeling more confident and healthy as well as seeing a difference on the outside. If I'm ever stuck for motivation or ideas I look on Pintrest and sometimes save a fitness pic as my screensaver to remind me to workout.

If you have any tips or tricks leave them in the comments and help motivate each other.

Little Lottie XO

Wondrous oils!

On my discovery of natural skincare oils seemed to pop up everywhere, after years of brands selling OIL FREE everything they are now including nut and other oils in as many products as they can. I like to go straight to the source and have experimented with a lot of different types but found a use for all of them.

If you want a bargain multi tasker oils are the best thing for it and here are a few of my favourites...

Coconut oil - Holland and Barrett

The most recent beauty oil craze has of course been Coconut oil, you can truly use this for anything from a healthier frying option to a teeth whitener. I personally find coconut oil to heavy for my hair so often do an overnight treatment and wash out with plenty of shampoo for an intense conditioning treatment. My favourite use for the oil is as a body moisturiser, it feels amazing and nourishes skin for days. A big jar has lasted me a year and it's definitely a purse friendly product. Ensure your coconut oil is cold pressed as heat destroys the beneficial properties. 

Castor Oil - Holland and Barrett 

Next in popularity has to be castor oil, famous for being a great massage oil and a key member in the oil cleansing method castor oil has made a pretty big impact on acne sufferers. The oil actually dries the skin so mixing it with other cleansing oils is the best option to help heal any blemishes. I use castor oil in face masks with an ultra moisturising oil like coconut to nourish the skin.

Jojaba Oil - eBay

Jojaba oil has been reported to help problematic skin as it has the same sebum type oil that out skin naturally produces however it can sometimes have the opposite affect and cause brekouts which is what I suffered with after prolonged use so jojaba oil is now my everyday hair conditioner. Every night I run some of this luxurious oil through my tips for an overnight hair fix.

Organic Pumpkin seed oil - eBay 

This is an odd one and is only really popular for cooking with however this rich green oil is my favourite cleanser to date! It contains so many vitamins that my skin is drinking up and I use it morning and night for a one step cleanse! Easy peasy. I use a Muslim cloth or hot flannel to remove any residue.

I hope I've inspired you to consider oil and a friend not a foe with my extensive collection.

Leave a comment of your favourite oil or natural beauty product! 

Little Lottie xo