Why I choose natural beauty products

BEAUTY THERAPIST MARNIE COOK ADVOCATES FOR CLEAN BEAUTY PRODUCTS.  

Discovering that I had gestational diabetes was a huge shock for me, and prompted me to turn to a clean-eating diet.  The change had such a significant positive effect on my body that I became a lot more conscious not only of what I was putting in my body, but also the products I was using on my body – after all, our skin is our largest organ.  I’d never consider putting anything that contained ‘nasties’ on my precious newborn baby, so it followed that I’d show my own skin the same respect.

I now consciously check all the ingredients of products before I buy them, and, where possible, choose products that are organic and natural. The one ingredient I make sure to avoid is parabens. These are a commonly used preservative in beauty products, and are believed to disrupt the hormone function by mimicking oestrogen. Too much oestrogen can trigger breast cell division and lead to the growth of tumours. 

My skin has loved the change to more natural products just as my body has loved the change to clean eating. I’ve added some natural products to my professional kit for those clients who have sensitive skin or are also on a ‘clean’ journey and they’ve been really well-received.

Aleph Concealer/Foundation RRP$60 from selected retailers and alephbeauty.com; Nude By Nature Mineral Finishing Powder, RRP$49.95, nudebynature.co.nz; Eco By Sonya Driver Glory Oil 100ml, RRP$125, ecotan.com.au; Blac Cosmetics Organic Lipgloss cacao butter, RRP$39, blaccosmetics.com; Ilia Limitless Lash Mascara, RRP$49, meccabeauty.co.nz; The Gel Bottle nail gel, available in selected salons only, prices vary per salon; Kester Black Nail Polish in petal, RRP$22, kesterblack.com; Blac Cosmetics Organic Foundation, RRP$79;  Weleda Skin Food 75ml, RRP$22.90, selected online retailers, Farmers, health stores, pharmacies and weleda.com; Aether summer solstice palette, RRP$99, cleanbeautycollective.co.nz.

Marnie Cook is a beauty therapist who offers makeup for weddings and other special occasions. A mother of three children, Marnie is enjoying her journey of discovery in clean eating, living and natural beauty products. Find her @marniejademakeupartist.