Let's Talk Slow Beauty

You’ve probably heard of the term ‘slow fashion’, but have you heard of ‘slow beauty’?

Slow fashion is the production of a garment, made by people who are paid fairly, made in a way that has minimal impact on the planet, and made to last. We know how detrimental fast fashion can be for our planet, as well as our wallets and the same is true for your beauty and skincare routine. Fortunately, over the last few years there have been lots of sustainable brands popping up which are gaining traction across social media, slowly spreading the message that ‘slow fashion’ can indeed be the answer.

But what about 'slow beauty'?

The way we see it, ‘slow beauty’ allows you to take time to appreciate your skin again, and more importantly give it the love and care it really deserves. We live in a world where the amount of time we allow ourselves to get ready in the morning is slowly diminishing, which means that we're in desperate need of products that do a good job. The majority of mainstream skincare is not what we'd consider 'slow beauty'. Products contain big long lists of harsh synthetic ingredients which often includes plastic molecules such as polypropylene (also known as opaque plastic), as well as being packaged in plastic. This type of plastic can rarely be recycled and will take hundreds of years to biodegrade in landfill.

Raw, natural and organic ingredients are sourced to make better, more sustainable beauty products. Natural alternatives to all of your daily skincare and makeup products can be achieved to the same, or an even better standard by using our planet's very own ingredients. Our favourite naturals include things like shea nuts, mango, coconuts, aloe vera, orange and raw cane sugar. These natural ingredients can be used to make wholesome, organic skincare; the majority of which will have naturally-derived ingredients. A naturally-derived ingredient being a material that is extracted directly from the raw plant source. For example, chia seeds, or coconuts are cold-pressed to extract the oils you can use.

Taking Shea butter for example, in Ghana it is also known as ‘women’s gold’. This is due to the large amount women who are employed under Fairtrade standards within the 19 African nations. It is known that their incredible harvesting skills are passed down from generation to generation. These women harvest the shea nuts, which are then boiled to soften the shell. The extracting process is then done by hand. Even in these under-priviledged communities, people manage to live sustainably as the leftover shells are used for cooking fuel.

As you can see, ‘slow beauty’ can be an easy option. The natural ingredients available for use in cosmetics, or simply as cosmetics on their own, can have amazing benefits for the skin and the environment. Small steps are better than none, just by trying a few natural alternatives and slowly building up your knowledge of slow beauty brands will do wonders for your skin, and keep our planet happy.