How to Start a Clean Beauty Routine: Elevate Your Everyday

The word "clean" evokes a sense of purity, health, and harmony. It's no wonder "clean beauty" products are increasingly sought-after, promising a more conscious and mindful approach to self-care.

But navigating the world of clean beauty can feel overwhelming. With so many brands and buzzwords, it's hard to know where to begin. This guide will help you understand what truly constitutes "clean" and empower you to build a routine that nourishes both your skin and your well-being.

Ghost Democracy goes beyond simply avoiding parabens or sulfates. They meticulously scrutinize every ingredient, excluding a wide range of potentially harmful substances often overlooked by other brands.

We really do take a radically different approach to "clean." It's not just about avoiding a few common irritants; it's about a higher standard of purity while focusing equally on performance.

This includes restricting ingredients often snuck in and overlooked by clean-ish companies:

• Fragrance and Perfumes: Even "natural" fragrances can irritate sensitive skin. Ghost Democracy forgoes fragrance entirely, prioritizing purity and minimizing the risk of allergic reactions.
• Essential Oils: While natural, essential oils can be highly irritating and even cause damage to your skin when exposed to the sun or visible light. Ghost Democracy avoids them, ensuring our products are suitable for even the most sensitive skin.
• Certain Silicones: Some silicones can clog pores and disrupt the skin's natural balance. Ghost Democracy formulates products free of these potentially problematic ingredients.
• Propylene Glycol: Many conventional skincare products contain propylene glycol, a petrochemical used as a humectant and emulsifier. While effective at drawing in moisture, propylene glycol can be irritating to skin. At Ghost Democracy, we believe in prioritizing purity and utilizing nature's bounty. We meticulously avoid propylene glycol and other potentially irritating petrochemicals in all our formulations. Instead, we harness the power of plant-based alternatives that aid our high performing formulations.
• Parabens: Parabens, while effective at preserving products, have been linked to potential endocrine disruption, which can interfere with your body's natural hormonal balance. At Ghost Democracy, we prioritize your well-being. That's why we meticulously avoid parabens and other potentially harmful preservatives. Instead, we rely on naturally derived alternatives like benzyl alcohol, salicylic acid, glycerin, and sorbic acid, which are gentle on the skin and derived from plant sources like pine resin, rowan berries, and willow bark. By choosing paraben-free products, you're making a conscious choice to prioritize your health and support a more sustainable approach to beauty.
• Sulfates: Sulfates, commonly found in many foaming cleansers, can strip your skin's natural oils, leaving it feeling dry and irritated. At Ghost Democracy, we believe in gentle yet effective cleansing. That's why we carefully avoid harsh sulfates and instead utilize plant-based surfactants. These gentle alternatives derived from natural sources cleanse effectively while maintaining your skin's natural moisture barrier. By choosing sulfate-free cleansers, you're prioritizing the health of your skin and making a conscious choice for a more gentle and nourishing skincare experience.
• Mineral, Broad Spectrum Sunscreen: Traditional chemical sunscreens offer protection by absorbing UV rays, but they also penetrate the skin and enter the bloodstream. While the long-term effects of these chemicals are still under investigation, some studies have linked them to potential hormone disruption. At Ghost Democracy, we prioritize safety and choose mineral sunscreens as our preferred method of sun protection. Mineral sunscreens act as a physical barrier, reflecting UV rays away from the skin. They sit on the skin and act like a shield without absorbing chemical ingredients that cause concern.

Our commitment to uncompromising purity while providing potent formulations is what sets Ghost Democracy apart. It's about creating skincare that's not just "clean," but truly exceptional – effective, gentle, and safe for all skin types, tones and needs.

Clean(er) not Clean-ish: Why Using Pure + Potent Products Matters to YOU

"Clean beauty" should go beyond simply avoiding a few chemicals and ingredients. We take it seriously because when you realize how much the things you put in and on your body matter, you realize it’s worth the time and resource investment to care about:

• Mindful Sourcing: Choose products with ethically sourced and sustainably harvested ingredients.
• Choose Transparency: Support brands that are transparent about their ingredients and manufacturing processes.
• Be EmPOWERed: Make conscious choices that align with your values and contribute to a healthier, happier you.

Tips and Tricks to Improve Your Routine and Choices:

• Plant-Based Yet Potent: Opt for products formulated with naturally potent ingredients so you can meet your skincare/self care #goals while caring for your skin regardless of any sensitivities or specific needs like skin of color.
• Embrace Minimalism: Choose products with short, easy-to-understand ingredient lists. Avoid unnecessary additives like artificial fragrances and dyes.
• Consciously Wellness Inspired: Find companies who match your values by not just creating another product to sell, but that care to contribute uniquely excellent products and services that actually care to be better and different from the rest!
• Avoid Harmful Chemicals: Choose products that exclude ingredients with potential negative impacts on human health and wellbeing. This includes:
• Sulfates (SLS/SLES): Harsh surfactants that strip natural oils from the skin.
• Parabens: These preservatives have been linked to potential endocrine disruption, affecting hormone function.
• Phthalates: Often found in fragrances, phthalates are endocrine disruptors with potential health implications.
• Synthetic Fragrances: Often irritates skin and may contain undisclosed chemicals.
• Silicones: Can clog pores and may disrupt hormone function.
• Microbeads: Tiny plastic particles that are harmful to marine life.
• Mindful Sourcing: Support brands that prioritize ethically sourced and sustainably harvested ingredients.
• Transparency: Choose brands that are transparent about their ingredients and manufacturing processes.
• Cruelty-Free Practices: Select products that are not tested on animals.
• Go Independent: Forget (continuing) to support the big beauty conglomerates, consider prioritizing truly indie brands that invest their time and effort into supporting their community by choosing to stay away from the harmful, dilutive practices that even the most popular, greenwashed, “clean” beauty brands currently live by! 

Why You Should Make The Effort To Invest in Your Skin and Self Care

Despite all the confusion, going "clean" can be worth it, since what you put on your skin gets into your bloodstream and affects your hormones and physiology. Plus, the wrong beauty products can cause a lot of damage over time. Many traditional products can include ingredients thought to be endocrine disruptors, carcinogens or skin irritants. Even scarier: Some of these ingredients are even banned in other countries, but still under review in the United States.

Endocrine disruptors, for instance, can mimic the way our natural hormones work, tricking our body into thinking that they are hormones, while others block natural hormones from functioning properly. They have been suspected to be associated with interfering with the female and male reproductive systems and conditions such as infertility, as well as obesity, diabetes and even cancer. Other ingredients can mess with your skin’s barrier and cause irritation, especially if you have sensitive skin or a skin condition such as eczema.

EmPOWERing Your Journey

Choosing clean(er) products is an emPOWERing act. By making informed choices and prioritizing your skin's health, you're investing in your overall well-being.

Build Your Clean(er) Beauty Routine:

1. Start Small: Begin by replacing one or two products you use most frequently, such as your daily moisturizer or cleanser.
2. Read Labels: Familiarize yourself with common ingredients to avoid. Utilize online resources and apps that can scan product barcodes and provide ingredient information.
3. Prioritize Your Concerns: Consider your specific skin concerns (e.g., acne, dryness, sensitivity) and choose products that address those needs with clean ingredients.
4. Embrace Experimentation: Discover what works best for your unique skin and preferences. Be patient, as it may take time to find the perfect products.
5. Support Ethical Brands: Choose brands that align with your values and prioritize transparency, sustainability, and ethical practices.

Focus on Powerful Ingredients (and Pairings) for Results That Matter:

• Active Ingredients: Focus on adding products with potent antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, and other skin benefits such as intense hydration (i.e. probiotics, ceramides, green tea, etc.).
• Hyaluronic Acid: A powerful humectant that draws moisture to the skin. Ours has many molecular weights to ensure it penetrates more than skin deep and has other ahh-mazing properties and ingredients to help you look and feel your best!
• Vitamin C: Often thought of as our holy grail for emPOWERing your skin! This powerful vitamin (along with vitamin E, ferulic acid, and bakuchiol) brightens your skin and protects against environmental damage.
• Niacinamide: Vitamin B3 is a skin star for many. It’s known for reducing redness and inflammation.
• Plant-Based Oils and Peptides: Exceptionally rich in antioxidants Vitamin A, C, E, and omega-3 & omega-6 fatty acids, plant-based oils and peptides give skin a plumper, firmer, and more even-toned appearance while hydrating for healthier-looking dewy skin.

Beyond Skincare, Think Self Care!

Clean(er) beauty should extend beyond skincare to include all aspects of what helps you to have a healthier and happier life. Consider these holistic self care tips:

• Prioritize Healthy Nutrition: A balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein provides essential nutrients for healthy skin.
• Hydration is Key: Drink plenty of water throughout the day to keep your skin hydrated.
• Prioritize Sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night. Sleep allows your skin to repair itself and regenerate.
• Manage Stress: Chronic stress can negatively impact skin health. Incorporate stress-reducing activities like yoga, meditation, or spending time in nature.
• Regular Exercise: Physical activity increases blood circulation, delivering vital nutrients to the skin.

Remember:

This journey is about self-care and empowerment. It's about making conscious choices that align with your values and contribute to a healthier you and a healthier planet. Embrace the process, experiment, and enjoy the journey of discovering products that nourish your skin and wellbeing.