Myth Busters Part 2: The Real Truth about Clean Beauty
How do clean, natural beauty products work without added chemicals?
In part 1 of this series, we talked about breaking down the barriers and old thought patterns surrounding natural personal care products. We dispelled some myths surrounding the expectations that Big Beauty convinced us to believe. If you haven’t read part 1, it’s a quick read.
In this post, I’ll talk about what makes natural soap and moisturizers effective. If the power of soap or cleanser doesn’t come from having big, frothy lather and antibacterial and other agents, then what makes it work? If a moisturizer isn’t a thick, creamy, pearlescent emulsion, how do I know it’s effective?
So how does soap clean? A soap molecule is comprised of two ends; one end is attracted to oil and the other attracted to water. Soap cleans when its oil-loving end attaches itself to grease, dirt and grime and the water loving end binds with water and it all gets washed away. Soap lather suspends dirt by creating greater surface tension in water and that is what traps grime for rinsing. A ton of lather is not required to do the job.
This may come as a surprise but it only takes THREE ingredients to make soap. Yes, you heard right. THREE ingredients. Oil (fat), alkali, and water. That’s it. So what about all those other ingredients? The foam enhancers, hardening agents, antibacterial agents, thickeners and the like. Don’t be fooled into believing the stories you’ve been lead to believe about what personal care products should look and feel like. Flip the script. Poke holes in those expectations and open up to what real clean is.
What about moisturizers? Several years ago I made a shift from lotion as a moisturizer to body oil. When you strip it down to the basics, what is lotion comprised of anyway? In its most basic form lotion contains water, oil, emulsifier and preservative. Of these ingredients which are effective at moisturizing? It’s the oil right? Enough said. If you want to read more about why I made the shift to body oil then check THIS out.
I hope that in this short explanation I’ve convinced you to at least look into natural products further. Keep learning and don’t let yourself be limited by the things we’ve been led to believe.
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