This crew makes all of their own products (soaps, facial oils, shampoos and deodorants, as well as stuff for pets) sans chemical nasties. After a week’s use our skin feels like a baby’s bum.
A hardcore beauty regime feels like an efficient way to keep your skin in good nick, but when you can find some of the same ingredients in manufacturing processes – it can’t be good, right? Richie Angelo, an experienced beauty therapist and natural skincare expert, says no.
Richie’s passion for natural and organic skin care coincided with her first pregnancy. First, she became more interested in what she was ingesting and later curious about what she was absorbing through her skin. Her journey led her to become an advocate for natural skin care – skin care made from naturally occurring ingredients as opposed to compounds made in a lab.
Richie primarily uses Sodashi and MV Organic products, both of which are high performance Aussie brands that use only plant-derived ingredients and no synthetic chemicals – no parabens, petrochemicals, preservatives or fragrances. Richie shares some of her skin care wisdom with us.
Tip #1: Your nan was right
You’ve gotta be regular. “You need to poo daily,” Richie says. “A lot of skin issues, especially acne, happen because your body is not eliminating as it should. If you’re not having a daily poo, toxins get reabsorbed and expelled through the skin.”
Tip #2: Don’t strip your skin
It’s oddly satisfying to wash your face until it squeaks, but don’t do it. “If you use skin care that over-strips your skin you remove the natural oils that your skin is supposed to have and it creates a pretty chaotic chain reaction,” Richie explains. “A cleanser should be food for the skin – it shouldn’t change how your skin feels. Your skin should feel soft and healthy after cleansing.”
Tip #3: Less is best
If you can bear the thought, don’t go the whole hog when it comes to applying foundation. “Don’t use a full-face foundation – it’s more trouble than it’s worth. Your skin is a living, breathing organ, so the more you pile on the less it breathes. If you need to put on a base, have a go at spot treating: put on concealer under the eye and spots, rather than going for a full face. Keep it natural and keep it simple.”
Visit Richie D'Angelo at Made By Self in Hawthorn.
