Be a natural beauty, inside and out

As consumers become more concerned about minimising the use of chemicals in their lives, skincare and make-up ingredients are coming under the spotlight. Nowadays informed customers are not ready to take unnecessary health risks and are increasingly questioning if what they are putting on their skin poses any long-term risks. As a result, several niche cosmetic brands that have opted to go natural or organic are booming. Not only do they promise better overall health, but they also mean you are doing your bit for the environment because of their eco-friendly production practices. So if you're thinking of going green here's our definitive guide to becoming a natural beauty... Why go green? The growing consensus among experts is that what you put on your skin doesn't merely go skin deep but enters your entire system too. Some ingredients soaked up by our skin from our cosmetics are carcinogenic. Although the body has a mechanism to flush out toxins from its system, traces of some tough-to-dislodge chemicals can accumulate over the years and gradually affect our overall health. Experts agree that top of the list to avoid are: parabens, mercury, lead, phthalates, petroleum-based products, xanthene and zinc chloride (a skin and eye irritant mainly found in shampoos, conditioners and cleansers). Natural skincare and make-up products are made with few, if any, synthetic chemicals and use a wide range of plant or fruit extracts, minerals and vitamins as their ingredients. Organic cosmetics are more evolved and guarantee (through certification) that all the natural ingredients used haven't been treated with chemicals. But if you're looking for something 100 per cent organic, make sure that it says so specifically on the label. If the label says it is ‘100 per cent organic' then you know these products are made entirely from certified organic ingredients. If it states that it's ‘organic' the products contain at least 95 per cent organic ingredients, a figure that reduces to 75 per cent if the label says ‘made with organic ingredients'.  It's not practical for everyone to switch to an entirely natural beauty regime in one go. Doing it in small, gradual steps can be a better option. A good place to start in make-up could be a natural lipstick. Look for the labels that say lead-or phthalate-free. In skincare, it's easy going natural with a chemical-free face wash or cleanser, and gradually work up to the entire natural beauty set. Here's our pick of the best green brands. L'Occitane French skincare, haircare and fragrance brand L'Occitane makes use of the best natural and organic essential oils in its products. Plus it supports the community by sourcing its ingredients from local farmers. Available at L'Occitane, The Dubai Mall. Best buy: L'Occitane Ultra Gentle Moisturizer, Dh179 Sodashi Founded by a naturopath, this Australian brand is free of parabens and uses natural essential oils and plant extracts in its range of women's and men's skincare. Available at Talise Spa, Madinat Jumeirah. Best buy: Sodashi Calm Gentle Repair White Clay Mask, Dh444 Cowshed With beginnings at a former countryside cowshed in England, the unusual name has stuck. Products are made from natural plant extracts and are free from parabens, sulphates, fragrances and animal ingredients. Available at Harvey Nichols. Best buy: Cowshed Wild Cow Invigorating Bath & Massage Oil, Dh188 Shiffa This home-grown brand puts a luxurious spin on natural skincare. The range includes some great body and hair oils, moisturisers, scrubs and cleansers. Available at Sephora. Best buy: Shiffa Rose Bliss Balm, Dh1,500 Neom UK label Neom has handmade natural products that contain the finest organic ingredients. It includes the most luxurious bath and body products in its range. Available at Bloomingdale's. Best buy: Neom Organic Hand Lotion, Dh130 What's the fuss over paraben-free cosmetics? Commonly found in many cosmetics - shampoo, moisturiser and make-up - parabens are used as preservatives to prevent the growth of bacteria and mould in beauty products. But they've come under scrutiny since studies by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) identified them as hormone disrupters. The FDA study found that parabens imitate the functioning of oestrogen. Although oestrogen is an important hormone needed by the body, high levels of this hormone have been linked to breast cancer. Although the FDA hasn't banned it, citing low levels in the system as the reason, the findings have inspired a lot of brands to go totally paraben-free. Many consumers are also not ready to take chances with it. "The worrying fact about parabens is that they don't leave your system for years," says Megan Larsen, founder of Sodashi, a natural (paraben-free) skincare label. If you want to avoid this ingredient, you can easily spot it in your cosmetics as all the different kinds end with the word ‘parabens'. Eat up, it’s good for you! It isn't just what jars you open that determine your skin and hair health. What you throw in your shopping trolley at the supermarket every week can also dramatically affect how you look. Here are the top skin and hair foods that you should stock up on: Water Beauty benefit: Water is rightly referred to as a beauty tonic on tap. After all, one of the signs of a youthful complexion is supple, well-hydrated skin. Not having enough water in the day shows instantly in the form of dry and shrivelled skin. Green tip: Have a minimum of two to three litres of water a day and you're guaranteed supple skin. Green tea Beauty benefit: For the same reason that you love water, you should love green tea too. It's great for hydration when you're looking for something other than water, plus it contains antioxidants that offer great anti-ageing benefits. Green tip: Replace your cups of regular tea or coffee with green tea. This cuts down on caffeine and helps you stock up on antioxidants instead. Blueberries Beauty benefit: Blueberries may be small in size but they are one of the richest natural sources of powerful antioxidants, and protect our skin from premature ageing, especially if you have concerns about blotchy, dull or sun-damaged skin. Green tip: A good way to include it in your daily diet is to add half a cup of blueberries to your morning cereal or yogurt. Spinach Beauty benefit: Dark leafy vegetables like spinach are loaded with vitamin A and minerals. The vitamin A in spinach boosts new cell production and reduces skin dryness. Green tip: Trade your lettuce for raw spinach in salads or sauté it with nuts for a healthy veggie dish. Lemons Beauty benefit: A prime skincare ingredient in tons of anti-ageing creams, vitamin C is a great antioxidant and helps flush out toxins from the skin. So go for that glass of fresh lemonade as often as you can. It's a great way to raise your daily water intake. Green tip: Having lemonade with a teaspoon of honey early in the morning works as a great skin detox. Nuts and seeds Beauty benefit: When it comes to nuts and seeds, Brazil nuts, walnuts and flaxseeds pack a punch. The high selenium content of Brazil nuts is good for getting shiny hair and walnuts are high in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E, which are great for skin health. Among seeds, flaxseeds (also called linseeds) win hands down as their high fibre and healthy fat content is great for skin. Green tip: You can include nuts and seeds in your diet by tossing a few into your salad, pasta, or dessert. Tomatoes Beauty benefit: The lycopene in tomatoes is great to boost your skin's defences against environmental damage, especially against the ageing effects of the sun's rays. Green tip: It's easier for the body to absorb lycopene when the tomatoes are cooked, so load up on the tomato sauce with your pasta. Salmon Beauty benefit: A fish with one of the richest concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids, the healthy fats in salmon nourish the skin by reducing the body's production of inflammatory substances, decreasing clogged pores, and preventing fine lines and wrinkles. Green tip: Have at least two servings of fish a week to reap its skincare benefits.