Pixabay – CC0 Licence

 

There is an old saying that goes along the lines of “beauty is pain”. The meaning of this statement is that if you want to look your best, you’re going to have to go through a little suffering to get there. Now, while this is probably uncontroversial to those of us who have squeezed into shoes half a size too small, or tied back our hair in a tight ponytail, there are ways in which the saying can be a bit less helpful.

 

While there is a strong emphasis on a “less is more” approach to beauty products, the truth of the matter is that it doesn’t matter a great deal how something is constituted or what it contains – there will be a human being who uses it and finds that it has negative effects for them. Perhaps it triggers a breakout of rosacea, maybe it causes an unpleasant tingling feeling, or it might cause an allergic reaction. Either way, beauty should not be painful in this way, and especially not when the side effects can end up showing in a physical sense too.

 

Does your makeup make you breakout?

 

While the fashion for “no makeup selfies” has been adopted far and wide, it’s also a quite obvious fact that it takes a lot of cosmetics to achieve the “bare skin” look so often complimented by so many. The truth is, makeup has become an essential for most of us – but it doesn’t come without a risk. If you find yourself applying foundation or blemish cream and notice that it is causing discomfort, then you have an intolerance for the product and it’s not worth persisting with it. Check the list of ingredients and search online to see what could be the culprit – because there is sure to be an alternative out there that does less harm. Don’t forget to take your skin type and conditions into consideration too. For example, the best cream for perioral dermatitis might be the perfect answer for one person, whereas someone suffering from regular acne may require a different course of action. Do your research and it will pay off.

 

Skincare shouldn’t be stressful

 

Enough money is spent on skincare products worldwide every year to make your eyes water. This is why your skincare products should not make your eyes water – but all too often, products have this and other negative effects on the user. The truth is that your skin doesn’t need too many complex compounds, whoever you are. Simpler is better, and if you can follow the advice of the School of Natural Skincare, you can find or even make products that have a positive effect and keep your skin feeling radiant.

 

Finding the right shampoo takes trial and error

 

We’ve had natural shampoo alternatives, we’ve had the “no-poo” movement, we’ve had shampoos and conditioners that cost more per bottle than a decent champagne, and for some of us, all of these options have brought little respite from issues such as scalp tenderness, frizz and worse. The truth is that while we can blame SLSs, parabens and other compounds in our shampoo, in reality the problem might be us. Or, to put it a more agreeable way, we just might not be compatible with our chosen shampoo. The only real answer to this is to try different options and find the one that works for us. When you find it, stock up on it, because you can’t buy comfort.

If your current beauty, skincare and hair regime is working for you, cherish it. If it’s not, it may be time to consider why not, and work on finding the products that allow you to look and feel good.