Natural Alternatives 🍃 | Body Care

First of all, can I just say, life is so much better when you're officially on Uni holidays! Secondly, this week's post is all about natural alternatives in the body department. During my efforts to enter the "green" side when it comes to beauty I've also had to consider fake tan, exfoliators, moisturisers, perfume and of course, deodorant.

Making the switch to natural alternatives can be a little overwhelming, I mean you may not expect to see as many options as there are on the market. With the help of my blogpost, guides and your own research I am sure you will find the perfect product for you, without having to compromise on what "mainstream" products offer.

Fake Tan
Whether you prefer a gradual natural glow or the intense "I've been out in the sun/on vacation" bronze there are various organic options. My personal favourite and one I have a review on is the Uni Organics Forever Tan (gradual). This is perfect for anyone at any age, however, I do think it would suit pale, light-medium complexions best.

In terms of instant or fake tan that is ideal for a night out here are a two options that I am planning on trying myself:

• Eco Tan Cacao Firming Mousse - this one has amazing reviews and has won awards!
• Uni Organics Ultimate Tan Self Tanning Cream - unlike the gradual one I have tried this one develops over night. If you aren't a fan of a mousse I'd recommend this as a cream would be more hydrating on the skin.

NourishedLife offer a guide to the perfect organic tan on their site here. They mention other products that I did not include above.

Exfoliators

I'm not that into body exfoliators as I'd prefer a creamy cleanser paired with a sponge or dry brush. But there is one I have and currently use that works well. It is by Kopari Beauty, all their products are coconut oil based which is awesome! Since coconut oil is the main ingredient it really helps to hydrate the body while removing dead skin or old tan. The product I am talking about is their Coconut Crush Scrub, and yes I have the old packaging because it takes me a while to use body care up.

There is one other scrub I know of (thanks to Shaaanxo) and would like to try next. It is another sugar based scrub by the brand Soda & Co. Shannon constantly raves about it and based off reviews I have read others seem to say good things. With either option I am sure you can't go wrong, although this one is cheaper!

Moisturiser

Like I said above, I take forever to use up body care so I am still going through my Body Shop Almond, Milk & Honey body lotion. After a lot of research I've decided not to include the Body Shop in this as they are not as "clean" as some other options. In saying this if you are starting out and wanted to purchase something in store, The Body Shop could be a good place to start.

Now onto the actual natural/organic options:

• Soda & Co. have made the cut again. This time with their Pink Lemonade natural Body Lotion, solely because it sounds like it smells AMAZING!
• 100% Pure Vanilla Nourishing Body Cream - this comes in other scents as well (blood orange or lavender)
• Something different to a cream or lotion is a body oil. I know everyone is crazy about bio oil but that actually isn't as good as you think. It has preservatives so I discovered a much more cleaner alternative that will still help with stretch marks and scars. The Uspa Revitalising Dry Body Oil.

You have probably noticed that I have linked NourishedLife quite a bit throughout this post, that is because it is one of my favourite sites when I am buying anything natural or organic. They have such a wide range of brands and products and most of them are reviewed so its super helpful.

Perfume

I have decided to include this because it is the hardest category for me while I make the switch. For some reason I find it difficult to come across natural/organic perfume options. I challenged myself to research because there are options out there, I just have a specific scent I like so I haven't tried any. Here are links to multiple options for you to browse, especially because perfume is so personal and everyone has their own preferences.

• Nourished Life perfumes - endless options + reviews
• One Seed - when reading other blogger's reviews this was one brand that constantly came up. Their perfume bottles look elegant and they even have men fragrance options which is great!

Deodorant

One category that may be forgotten when making the switch but very necessary. I have used natural deodorants my whole life so I personally can't compare a "mainstream" option with a natural one but the fact that I've never felt the need to use one is a good sign.

First things first, antiperspirant and deodorant are not the same. Antiperspirants cause inflammatory reactions around the sweat ducts which cause them to expand and then shrink. This results in reducing sweat as it cannot get to the surface. You can conduct your own further research on why antiperspirants are bad for you as I just want to focus on alternative.

In contrast to antiperspirant there is deodorants which neutralise body odour and allows the skin to breathe.

My personal favourite deodorant that I have tried is actually a paste by Woohoo Body. I can use it on a hot day and not worry about my sweat smelling at all, plus I actually enjoy the application. I understand a paste may not be for everyone, especially if you're used to a roll on or spray so I will include a guide for your own reference. The Best Natural Deodorant (2017) guide offers a range of brands and reviews. It goes into detail about key ingredients, their top picks as well as a transfer test to see if the mentioned deodorants left residue on clothes. By reading through this guide you will be able to pick out the best deodorant for you or least have a few options to try and see how they work.

Like perfume, deodorant is based off preferences plus trial and error.

Hopefully my natural alternatives post was helpful. If so, please let me know because I'd love to do more. I'm working on beauty ones (makeup/skincare) but if there is any specific products you like me to discuss then comment below or on my Instagram.