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How I choose beauty products

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Beauty products

Check-list, check-in, check-out

When I’m looking for a beauty product, I have a check-list I go through in my head. It not only helps me to figure out if the product will meet my needs, but it also ensures that I honour my personal values and my professional opinions.

I have five categories on my check-list. All the categories are based on the latin maxim Primum non nocere which means ‘first, do no harm.’ This is a primary principle of my profession.

Because the skin is the body’s largest organ, whenever you apply something topically, it gets absorbed into your body. There is growing evidence of the harmful cumulative effect of synthetic ingredients and preservatives on our health (many of these chemicals are irritants, toxins, endocrine disruptors, and potential carcinogens). It is important therefore, to only use healthy, safe skincare.

Lisa’s Beauty Product Check-list

I require any beauty products I use to:

  1. Be cruelty free and vegetarian approved

  2. Be environmentally friendly

    sustainable, recycle-able, and have a light carbon-footprint

  3. Be scientifically validated or dermatologically approved

  4. use 100% natural ingredients

  5. use organic ingredients where possible

 

If the product fulfills the five points, I patch test it.  If I don’t get a bad reaction, I buy it.

Beauty products
Patch test all beauty products

Lisa’s Beauty Product Check-in

After I’ve bought the product, I ask myself this question: Even though this product met the conditions of my check-list, how well does it react with my skin? Essentially I ‘check-in’ a number of times during the product’s usage:

  1. During the first few days of its use

    Is my skin irritated by this product, or is it just adjusting to it?1,2

  2. Throughout its usage

    Is my skin still responding well to this product, or is my skin now becoming irritated by continued use?3,4

Lisa’s Beauty Product Check-out

When I have finished the product I ask myself this question: Even though this product reacts well with my skin, has it met my needs?5,6

  1. Approximately 6-8 weeks into its usage

    Has this product improved the appearance and feel of my skin?

Beauty products

Make an appointment with Lisa

Lisa Fitzgibbon is a degree qualified (2006), experienced and registered Naturopath & Medical Herbalist. She runs her own private practice – OOMPH in Grey Lynn, Auckland, New Zealand.

Lisa has been involved in the Natural Health industry for 16 years. She draws on her professional training and experience, as well as her own personal experience to bring you realistic, holistic health advice.

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