10 Natural Skincare Ingredients You Need

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We put so many products on our body; deodorant, body wash, soaps, perfumes, makeup, hair spray. All those products have the potential of containing ingredients that can harm our bodies.

Switching to natural skincare products can dramatically decrease our toxin exposure.

You can buy already made natural skincare products but the truth is natural skincare products can be really very simple. In fact, odds are you already have most of the ingredients you need to make your own skincare and beauty products!

There are hundreds of ingredients that you could use in natural skincare recipes but when it comes down to it, you really only need a few.

Here are 10 natural skincare ingredients that you need.

If I was to be honest, you could probably get away with just 3-5 of these but having all 10 is a great way to make sure that you will have all the basics for all your natural skincare needs!

10 Natural Skincare Ingredients You Need

1. Coconut Oil

If you were going to have just one natural skincare ingredient, coconut oil would be it! This is an amazing ingredient to have on hand. Not only is it a great healthy fat to cook and bake with but coconut oil is an amazing moisturizer.

Since it’s a solid oil at cooler temperatures it lends itself to being a versatile ingredient in many skincare recipes ranging from deodorant, to diaper cream, to toothpaste!

2. Baking Soda

Yet another very versatile ingredient for natural skincare enthusiast; baking soda is a great item to pull out of the kitchen and bring into the bathroom!

It’s a wonderful cleanser and gentle exfoliator. You can use it with just water for a no ‘poo shampoo or a nice facial exfoliator. It is also a favorite in deodorant and toothpaste recipes.

3. Apple Cider Vinegar

If you are looking for a great ph balancer than apple cider vinegar is your ingredient! It makes a wonderful hair conditioner that leaves hair smooth and full of healthy shine. Since it helps balance ph levels apple cider vinegar is also a nice face toner.

4. Sugar

This sweetener might seem like a slightly odd ingredient for natural skincare but it’s quite handy to have sugar in your skincare arsenal. Sugar it a prime ingredient for sugar scrubs… naturally!

The sugar is strong enough to be an exfoliator but it dissolves faster than say salt so it is a bit more gentle on your skin. Sugar isn’t just for scrubbing though! Sugar also makes an amazing hairspray!

5. Bentonite Clay

Ready for another amazing multitasking natural skincare ingredient? Bentonite clay! This clay is a healing and detoxing clay. It’s a favorite for face masks but it can be used in so many more natural skincare recipes! Try it in toothpaste or toothpowder, as a hair mask, or in mascara!

6. Arrowroot Powder/Cornstarch

Often times you just need a thickener of sorts for your natural skincare recipes. That’s where arrowroot powder or cornstarch comes in! Arrowroot powder is a starch that is very similar to cornstarch.

When making up my recipes (be they to eat or put on my body) I prefer to use arrowroot powder because cornstarch is often full of GMOs and corn is growing as an allergen. You can use this thickener in deodorant, face powder, and even as a dry shampoo!

7. Honey

Honey is a fun ingredient to play around with although be forewarned that it can also be a sticky ingredient depending on how you are using it. It’s a gentle cleanser but it’s also very moisturizing.

It seems counterproductive but honey is a pretty amazing shampoo alternative and no, it will not leave your hair sticky. It is also a great face wash/mask which will leave your face nice and moisturized.

8. Activated Charcoal

This is likely the most unique and entertaining ingredient in natural skincare recipes. Activated charcoal is pitch black and will turn any recipe the same color!

It can be messy but it’s great detoxifying properties make it wonderful in face masks. It’s ability to whiten teeth make it a favorite for getting a radiant smile, and naturally it’s color makes it the number one choice in mascara or eyeliner recipes.

9. Castile Soap

Sometimes you just need good old plain soap in your natural skincare routine. You can add ingredients like sugar or baking soda to castile soap to make a full of suds scrub. You can use castile soap as an alternative to body wash or even shaving cream.

10. Essential Oils

Yes, essential oils are on this list of must have natural skincare ingredients. Technically, you can ditch essential oils in any skincare recipe. They aren’t really necessary.

However, they are a powerful way to take natural skincare to another level. Lavender is great for calming, tea tree oil is amazing for acne, rosemary is a favorite for hair care, and there are hundreds of other essential oils all with their own unique benefits.

So while not an absolute necessary ingredient to have around, it makes the list because if you have essential oils they greatly improve your natural skincare recipes!