pure beauty

My bathroom cabinet has had a makeover. I've been slowly getting rid of all the chemical-laden beauty products and turned to (what else?) natural alternatives. The best bit? They're gentler on the skin, there are no synthetic ingredients, and they work.

It's no secret that I have a slight obsession with coconuts. You're probably already sick of me rambling on about them (heads up: it ain't stopping anytime soon). We've all heard about the many benefits of including coconut oil in our diet, so why stop there? It is hands-down the best skin moisturiser, hair treatment and make-up remover.

This is my oil of choice. I put it in my hair the night before a wash and let it work its magic. Olive oil works well too, but doesn't smell nearly as divine (although a lot less like a Piña Colada).


For the face it's all about Organic Rosehip Oil. I thought this would make me breakout as my skin is naturally an oil-slick but it actually had the opposite effect. Bonus. I use it every night.

A great all-rounder is Egyptian Magic. Made with olive oil, beeswax and honey bee pollen, it's an age-old formula used by the Ancient Egyptians. Hey, if it was good enough for Queen Cleopatra, then it's good enough for me! I like to think of it as the Elizabeth Arden Eight-Hour Cream of the natural world.

Other brands that rock my socks off are Sukin, bod (love their face wash), Vanessa Megan and Butter Nail Polish. Make-up-wise I've swapped my Chanel foundation for Lavera, which gives great coverage - I was pleasantly surprised. Mascara is by Ere Perez, which has an almond oil base, and lip balm by Shizen. I've found most of these brands in my local health food store.

At first I was slightly devastated when I started throwing out all of my beautifully-packaged bottles of perfection (I even held on to a few of my favourites so I can still get my toxin-load on for a special occasion).  But for everyday use I remind myself of the golden rule: if you can't eat it, then you most definitely shouldn't put it on your skin.