For years I was very loyal to a high-end beauty brand. I loved their concept, their clean look and of course, their skin and make up products. A big incentive for me was to get their free toiletry bags and samples that came with your purchase. I didn’t know much about the way this and other beauty brands sourced their products or that they tested on animals. This was a deal breaker for me.

Knowing the facts was important to me, but it left me with a void for a while as I didn’t know what products I should use instead. It was then that by talking with friends and doing research that I came across simple solutions made with only one ingredient!

In this week’s blog post I will talk about three different one-ingredient chemical-free solutions that help keep my skin and hair moisturized and healthy. Ready? Let’s dive in.

1.Almond Oil

Almond oil is made from a variety of almonds called Prunus dulcis, widely known as sweet almonds. Aside from its health benefits when eaten (believed to help lower cholesterol, protect against diabetes and reduce risk of heart disease), sweet almond oil is safe to use on all skin types, including those that are sensitive. When you shop for almond oil, make sure you buy brands that contain only that ingredient. This is the purest form of commercially available almond oil.

Another benefit of using sweet almond oil is that it is odorless, smooth and gentle on the skin and that it has vitamin E, which not only moisturizes but also helps restore skin cells. Read more about the benefits of almond oil on WebMD.com

Skin Solutions

• Perfect to remove eye make-up

• Can be used instead of eye cream to reduce dark circles*

• Mixed with essential oils, it acts as your daily body moisturizer

• Rehydrates chapped lips

• Believed to help reduce acne scars (Check Dr. Axe’s DIY acne scar face mask here)

Hair Solutions

• Use it as a leave-in conditioner to soften hair

• Helps detangle hair when applied after the shower

• Reduces split ends as it strengthens damaged hair

• Promotes natural hair shimmer and shine

• Warm sweet almond oil to help get rid of dandruff (Read HealthLine’s article here)

There are tons of brands out there; however I have only tried this one by Viva Naturals and I haven’t found any reason to change it. I love it. The only ingredient is sweet almond oil. Nothing else.

*Note: I tried this last night as I wanted to report it on the blog but I didn’t see any significant changes. My guess is that you need to try it for an extended period of time to notice a difference.

2. Jojoba Oil

The first time I heard about Jojoba oil, I wasn’t even sure how to pronounce it. My Korean friend recommended that I use it for moisturizing my skin. Koreans are known for their glowing skin and their impeccable daily beauty routines, so I knew I could fully trust my friend with her recommendation.

My friend also explained - and I later corroborated - that jojoba oil’s component is close to our skin’s natural oils (sebum); therefore absorption is easily done by our bodies. Jojoba oil is also believed to be good for preventing breakouts and acne. It’s also antimicrobial and hypoallergenic.

Skin Solutions

• Easily removes eye and face make up

• Moisturizes skin after shower

• Softens skin on hands

• Soothes skin after a razor burn

• Can be combined with your regular body lotion to hydrate skin even more

Hair Solutions

• Use for hydrating hair by leaving it for 30 min before washing it

• Acts as a simple natural serum to reduce frizz

• By massaging it onto the scalp, it soothes and aids in getting rid of dandruff

• Reduces split ends as it strengthens damaged hair

• When added to your conditioner, it helps against breakage and dryness

The Jojoba oil brand that I have used is called Leven Rose. It has been great on my skin; therefore I have not had to look for another option elsewhere. It’s organic, cold pressed (meaning that during its processing it retains all its nutrients) and unrefined. The only ingredient used in this product is jojoba oil. Nothing added.

3. Coconut Oil

This oil might not come as a surprise to you, dear readers as many of you I’m sure have used it in either cooking or in your beauty routines. Considered also a helpful agent in oral health, unrefined coconut oil is believed to help fight gingivitis and cavities and even help whiten your teeth. (The toothpaste I use contains coconut oil and my teeth look less stained than before)

There are many studies on the health benefits of coconut oil as well. You might find this article helpful, written by the well respected Dr. Axe, a natural medicine doctor.

Skin Solutions

• Depending on your skin type, it can be used daily as a facial cleanser

• Acts as an all-natural make up remover*

• When mixed with other oils (like almond oil and essential oils), it can be used as your regular body lotion. I love this body butter recipe.

• Use it instead of your shaving gel or cream

• Apply it regularly as a skin moisturizer*

Notes: *What I have found with coconut oil is that it is too think for me to remove my eye make up. I prefer jojoba or almond oil for this purpose, but other friends have reported that coconut oil works well for them.

** Another thing I have noticed about coconut oil is that it is best used after I shower at night and before going to bed or during the days that I don’t have anything planned. The reason being is that it leaves a kind of greasy layer on my skin that can stain your clothes.

If you’d like to know more about what to expect when you transition to use coconut oil as your primary facial cleanser, watch this video by Registered Dietitian, Sadia Badiei.

Hair Solutions

• Use it as a hair mask before swimming

• Leave it as a hair treatment after swimming or color treating your hair

• Apply it on your scalp to moisturize the skin and prevent dandruff

• Perfect to detangle and straighten hair

• Promotes natural hair shine when used once a week

I have long dyed (ombré) hair and I swim regularly, so it is very important to me to keep my hair moisturized and healthy. Coconut oil has been my go-to hair solution for this.

The coconut oil I use for cooking (organic, cold pressed, unrefined) is the same one I apply on my skin at home. When I go to the gym, I take Trader Joe’s individual packages that use on my hair after I swim. On the other days I work out, I use this great product called 2Chic Repairing Hair Serum by Giovanni. I like it because it is made with blackberries and coconut oil. It honestly leaves my hair silky, shiny and super soft. It is great for color treated hair and it is of course vegan and cruelty-free.

There you have it, my one-ingredient chemical-free solutions that help me keep skin and hair moisturized and healthy.

After having that awareness it would take me a while (years actually) to find simple natural products and brands that were not only vegan + cruelty free, but that also delivered good results. I am happy I got to share this with you and to hopefully help you simplify your vegan + cruelty free journey.

Have you found other one-ingredient products for your skin and hair? If so, which ones would you recommend? Leave your comments in the section below.

Thank you for being here.

Namaste.

Diana

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