Hey friends. Lately, I have been asked a lot of questions about why I started my natural skincare journey and where did I start. It definitely can be overwhelming and I don't know that it's a right or wrong way to start. However, I'll tell you my story and hopefully it will inspire someone else to get going.
Years back I was diagnosed with an auto-immune disease, Sjogrens. Sjogrens dries up the mucus producing glands, causing heightened inflammation and pain in the muscles and joints. There were days that I could not get out of bed and do simple things. There is no cure for Sjogrens so I had to figure out how to live with it. I started out taking medication but my body was reacting worse to some of the medication than it did to the disease itself. Moving the story along, I did a lot of research and consulting with doctors and found out that if I eliminated as many chemicals on my skin through cosmetics (lotion, soap, deodorant, etc) that I might begin to feel better over time. Reason being, many skincare products that we use on a daily basis has so many chemicals in them that affect our bodies (inside and out) and they can, in turn, affect the way we feel.
I begin to look for natural skincare products that I could buy but I realized that everything that said natural, was not. Many of these "natural claiming products" had sulfate, parabens, aluminum, and other toxic chemicals. Soon I begin making products in my kitchen, one by one, and after sharing with family and friends, it became a business. I have not used anything but natural and organic skincare products for over three years and my skin definitely knows the difference. Not only is my skin healthier, I have less inflammation in my body and therefore, have a tremendous decrease in pain. I have my life back.
So where do you start? #1 Read labels. Learn which chemicals are bad for you and their side effects. A few to research are Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), Methylparaben, Triclosan, Aluminum, and Silicone. There are thousands more but these are widely used and can be found in almost every product in your bathroom or kitchen right now. These products cause skin reactions, allergic reactions, and in worst cases cancer and birth defects. #2 Understand that natural body care products will cost more but it's worth your health #3 You may have to test a few brands to see what you like #4 You can start by testing one or more Harper's Naturals products
If you have any questions, shoot them to me below. STAY NATURAL!!
