Tips for updating your beauty regime

Many people are opting to switch their beauty products to natural and organic versions. With so many brands available and products to update this can be a long and daunting process. Having helped many people make the switch we have created a guide to help prioritise the products you update first.

1) Lose the Lipstick - you are eating it every day so there is no better place to start your update. Think about how much mineral oil and synthetic colour there is in each tube, how long it lasts you, and how much you have eaten over your lifetime. Switch to an organic lipstick from brands such as Inika Cosmetics, W3LL People, rms beauty. These contain plant oils and mineral colour.

2) Switch Scents - most people use perfume once a day, others much more often. Switching to an organic perfume from a brand such as Strange Invisible Perfumes, Tsi La or Tallulah Jane is a great way to avoid spraying fixatives and synthetic fragrance on yourself every day. Organic perfumes use a mixture of essential oils to create base notes that last and should be made from organic alcohol as a base.

3) Get sun shade - switch your synthetic sunscreen for a natural one. Using titanium dioxide and zinc oxide the natural sunscreens reflect rays away to protect it. The trick is in the application - make sure it is regular and that you are using a generous amount for maximum protection - rub well to avoid a white residue on the skin. For face we love the John Masters SPF 30, Oy! Face the Sun SPF15 and Lavera Anti-Age Sun Cream SPF15. For body both Green People and Lavera do great sunscreens.

4) Deodorant - keep it fresh with organic alcohol, essential oils and mineral salts. Leave the parabens, fragrance and aluminium on the shelf and make sure what you are using comes from a reputable organic skincare brand such as Weleda, Lavera or Green People. These brands all have great deodorants that work well. If you are finding it difficult to make the switch carry one of the small hand bag size Weleda deodorants for use throughout the day.

5) Body Lotion - often used once or twice a day this is the product that that covers the majority of your skin, the body's largest organ. Ditch the synthetic versions and go for an organic skin care product instead. This will cancel out the use of the synthetic ingredients over the majority of your skin. For dry skin we love the Pai Comfrey and Calendula Organic Body Cream and the Barefoot Botanicals SOS Daily Rich Body Lotion. For a lighter lotion go for the wonderful Weleda Sea Buckthorn Body Lotion or the Le Soin Du Corps Organic Body Milk from French brand Absolution.

PRIORITISE

Get started with these five tips over the next few months and replace a product at a time with a natural and organic version. If you need to prioritise products we recommend leaving the wash off products to last - they are only in contact with the skin for a short time so less of a priority to begin with - although we recommend definitely switching them out when you can.

When choosing products, find a retailer who is happy to discuss ingredients and help you discover products you love. In the absence of a retailer you trust, look out for certification stamps to be sure of your purchase.

Imelda Burke is the founder of Content, which specialises in emerging results-driven natural & organic beauty brands. Content incorporates a wellbeing and beauty clinic and is regarded as London's leading organic and natural apothecary.

www.beingcontent.com; 020 3075 1006

16th May 2011