What the heck is in my lotion, and what can I use instead?
Conventional Skincare is a Scam. There, I said it.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to cause you fear and anxiety over your skincare products. Instead, it is meant to FREE YOU by informing you of what you are consuming on a daily basis-specifically through your skincare.
These realizations are what freed myself from overconsuming all of the latest skincare products. I hope that after reading this article, you will also not be vulnerable to companies that want to capitalize on your impulsivity!
So I’ve got a hot take: Using Conventional Skincare is kinda gross.
When I broke down the ingredients of my favorite lotion, I was disappointed to see what I was paying for.
In any regular bottle of lotion, the ingredients list is usually composed of these categories:
~75% Water
~10% Preservatives & Shelf Stabilizing Ingredients
~15% Fat Substances
In order for a product to be considered a lotion, it needs to contain water. This is what makes lotions different from body butters.
But because water is a breeding ground for bacteria and mold, Preservatives & Shelf Stabilizing ingredients are necessary.
The ingredients that make up the Preservatives are typically considered carcinogenic and potentially irritating to the skin.
The ingredients that make up the Shelf Stabilizing ingredients are necessary because the lotions contain water. An emulsifier is essential to keep the water & fats from separating over time. A chelating agent is necessary to protect against heavy metal contamination. And all of these ingredients throw off the pH, so a buffer like citric acid is also thrown into the mix.
The ingredients that make up the Fat content of conventional lotions are usually derivatives of silicones, petroleum, and plant waxes. And these ingredients provide no nutritional benefits to the skin!
If you’re wondering why they don't just use natural butters and oils like shea butter and jojoba oil, let me explain. If you grew up in the early 2000s, you may recall skincare commercials touting “oil free” skincare products. Big brands targeted young people with oily-acne prone skin, and gaslit them into being afraid of putting more oil on their face! It's kind of ironic though, since silicones and petroleum would be even more comedogenic than natural butters and oils which have closer chemical composition to our skin. (Sounds like a conspiracy for oil companies to make money off of the byproduct residue on their oil farm equipment to me, but you can decide if you want to believe that!)
Nowadays, some skincare products do claim to have a natural ingredient like shea butter in it, however usually there is not a high enough concentration of shea butter for you to actually reap any of the benefits.
Since most skincare brands provide you a concoction of water, silicones, and toxic preservatives and call it lotion, they double down and try to sell you a separate serum with artificially derived vitamins to “make your skin glow”.
But WHAT IF I told you there's another simpler, healthier, and more affordable way to nourish & moisturize your skin?
When I was fed up with conventional skincare, I turned to natural butters and oils. Mango Butter & Jojoba Oil being my favorite.
Mango Butter is my favorite ingredient to use because it's the fastest absorbing butter I have ever tried.
I love to use this combination all over my body and face! I tend to have dry skin, and I spend a lot of time swimming in the ocean or a chlorinated pool. And there's nothing my skin loves more than locking in moisture with nutrient rich butters.
You can make your own natural moisturizers with any ingredients you like! Mango Butter, Shea Butter, & Cocoa Butter are three of the standard butters to reach for. And a carrier oil like Jojoba Oil never lets me down!
If you’re a little too busy to DIY your skincare, then you should check out my RAPHA SKINCARE line! The ethos of my company is to provide skincare that heals. And nothing heals your skin better than the lovely ingredients God already has provided for us!
I created Mango Balm, which is the ultimate replacement to my face & body lotion. It's simply a formulation of Mango Butter, Jojoba Oil, and an extra kick of Vitamin E! Mango Butter and Jojoba Oil are naturally rich in the vitamins and minerals that help your skin stay healthy and radiant! No water necessary, and that means that RAPHA skincare products are free from all those toxic preservatives and filler ingredients.
Ever since I started relying on natural, unprocessed skincare, I stopped wasting money on the next new promising skincare products on the market. I used to have a cabinet full of different lotions and serums, but knowing what I know now about how conventional skincare is formulated I have been able to simplify my routine!
My goal in sharing this is to educate you! I hope that this information helps you become more aware about what skincare products you choose. I plan on writing more articles that will teach you how to break down the ingredients lists of some famous skincare products soon, so stay tuned for that!
Till next time!
-Laura