Hiya Gorgeous!

Today, I’m super excited to show you how to make some of your own personal care products.

While you’re whipping up that morning smoothie or healthy dinner, why not add some skin and haircare to the menu?

Which is why I reached out to my friend, the lovely Danielle Shine, a Natural Foods Chef and Health Coach who specializes in making DIY beauty recipes.

Like many of us, Danielle had a serious wake-up call that lead to changing what she ate and the products she put on her body. Her story is so inspiring and thought-provoking, which is why I want you to meet this wonderful woman.

As you probably already know, what you put on your skin is just as important as what you put in your stomach. With so many different products on the market, it can be confusing to find the right beauty regimen that works for you.

But knowledge is power—so let’s learn how to choose wisely and how to make our own potions from the ever-glowing, Chef Shine…

Kris: You’ve had an incredible journey! How did a near-death experience lead you into natural beauty?

Chef Shine: My love of all-things-natural stemmed from pure desperation to heal my body in the cleanest, most natural way possible after spending almost three years feeling sick, tired and wired. My lightbulb moment arrived after I almost died during a routine medical procedure prescribed to figure out what was wrong with my frail, malnourished body.

After adjusting my diet and beginning herbal supplementation to support the repair of my hormones, bones and gut garden, something still wasn’t right. Luckily, I began working with a holistic doctor (with a background in skincare). I learned that the contents of my beauty cabinet housed ingredients that were causing toxic pressure on my body—negating all the good stuff I was doing.

Kris: From everything you’ve learned, what’s your #1 rule of thumb when it comes to beauty products?

Chef Shine: I’ve learnt over the years that Mother Nature knows best. When it comes to keeping your insides and outsides in tip-top shape, there’s a great mantra to repeat daily: Keep it simple, sweetheart! Whether you’re feeding your body with food or looking after it with creams, lotions, and potions, your best bet is to stick to real ingredients. This way, you know for certain you’re supporting your body to feel and look its best because don’t forget: your skin is your largest organ. What you put on it is effectively eaten, absorbed and dealt with by your internal organs and immune system.

Kris: What are some of the ingredients to look out for?

Chef Shine: Unfortunately, this is a long-winded answer. Here’s a list of some of the nasty ingredients to look for in your beauty products. Use this to do a beauty cabinet sweep:

Parabens – used to extend shelf-life of your cosmetics. Look out for ‘butylparaben’, ‘isobutylparaben’, ‘propylparaben’, ‘isopropylparaben’ which may be endocrine disruptors (due to estrogen-mimicking preservatives) and environmental contaminants.

Nanoparticles – incredibly common, super tiny particles found in most sprays, powders and sun blocks. Nanoparticles are small enough to penetrate your lungs and enter your bloodstream and may cause all kinds of health problems. Right now, cosmetic companies do not have to list nanoparticles in their list of ingredients.

Formaldehyde – found in shampoo, conditioner, other hair products, skin moisturisers and most commonly, in nail polish. Formaldehyde is a carcinogen, irritant and allergen that is best left to its main function: to embalm dead bodies.

Siloxanes – often used in skincare to give a smooth, velvety feel. Also used in windshield coatings for cars and anti-scalants for buildings. This ingredient may cause serious hormone issues.

Petroleum and petroleum by-products – found in a LOT of skincare, lip glosses, mascaras, etc. The ingredients may interfere with your skin’s natural functions and clog your pores causing acne and in some cases, contact dermatitis.

Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) – these are preservatives and antioxidants that are carcinogenic, still used in cosmetics and some foods. Both may mess with your endocrine system.

Diethanolamine (DEA) and Triethanolamine (TEA) – both create that satisfying lather we’ve been conditioned to expect when cleaning our skin and hair. When DEA and TEA come into contact with other chemicals in cosmetics, they can create carcinogenic compounds called ‘nitrosamines’ which have been linked to esophageal, stomach, liver and bladder cancer.

As you can see, these ingredients (and many, many more) may actually damage your skin, lower your immunity, and disrupt your brain, reproductive, microbiome and endocrine functions. Some may also cause more serious illnesses, including cancer.

Kris: What can we do to support our health and avoid toxins in our beauty products?

Chef Shine: Bin the baddies and begin again! In a lot of cases, people with clean diets who still experience internal or external problems often discover the underlying cause of their ill health is hidden in their chemical-laden beauty, skincare, and hygiene products. One glance at the ingredients list on the back of one of these popular, conventional products will display a laundry list of things known to negatively impact our endocrine system and overall immunity. Thankfully, my toxic load lightened up after I began making and using my own natural beauty products—which is why I’m passionate about sharing my natural beauty recipes!

Kris: Thank you Chef Shine!

I hope you learned a little more about the importance of organic beauty. Now let’s move on to a few of Chef Shine’s favorite DIY beauty recipes—a DIY Shampoo and Makeup Remover.

No Poo Herbal Shampoo

By Chef Shine

Make this basic recipe to support your glorious locks. Remember: you aren’t adding any (nasty) preservatives, so this shampoo’s shelf life will be much shorter—and that’s a good thing!

A few things to note: the ends of your hair (the quickest to become dry, brittle and split) actually don’t need shampoo. They’ll be cleansed enough as you rinse this shampoo from your hair. Also, it’s not necessary for shampoo to create lather to work—there are a LOT of chemicals at play in over-the-counter shampoos to create lather! The dirtier your hair, the less lather there should be when using natural ingredients like the ones below.

• • • ¼ cup Liquid Castille Soap (Dr Bronner’s works well)
    • ¼ cup organic, full-fat coconut cream (from a BPA-free can made with just coconut and water)
    • 1 tablespoon fresh herbal tea  (choose from: chamomile, rosemary or calendula)
    • 10-20 drops of your favorite organic essential oil/s. (Chef Shine loves orange oil, but she’s also used chamomile and rosemary oil which work well too. You choose!)
    • OPTIONAL: If you have dry or damaged hair, add 2 teaspoons olive, jojoba or grapeseed oil

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on medium-high speed for a few seconds.
2. Pour into a BPA-free plastic bottle and shake well before use. Apply a small palm’s-worth size, but you can use more if you like. Use within 1-2 days and store it out of direct sunlight.

Moisture-Boost Makeup Remover

By Chef Shine

This luxurious recipe contains shea butter, a nourishing oil for all skin types, vitamins A and E which feed your skin in so many ways, and fatty acids that help restore damaged skin.

• • • 1 tablespoon unrefined shea butter
    • 30ml extra virgin coconut oil
    • 1 tablespoon sweet almond oil (sub with grapeseed oil if allergic to almonds)
    • 1 teaspoon Vitamin E oil
    • OPTIONAL: 2-4 drops of your favorite skin-friendly essential oil

1. Combine all ingredients together, whisk and stir vigorously.
2. Pour into a dark glass jar (best for freshness) or small BPA-free plastic container with an air-tight lid.
3. Store in the fridge for freshness. Keep in mind that this oil will become hard in the fridge, and soft out of the fridge – either way, it’s fine.
4. To use, take 1 teaspoon of oil and massage it all over your face and wherever you have makeup applied. Hold a warm, wet facecloth over your face for a few seconds before gently wiping your makeup away from all parts of your face.
5. Follow with your usual skincare routine, however, you should find you don’t need to add more moisturizer afterward, as these oils are deeply nourishing and supportive for your skin.

Both of recipes contain real, natural and organic-where-possible ingredients that aren’t hard to find (Amazon and online stores are great resources!).

Thanks again to Chef Shine for designing these recipes to feed your beautiful body and help you shine, too!

Your turn: Do you have any DIY beauty recipes to share? Or any natural, organic shampoo or makeup remover brands you love? Let us know in the comments below!

Peace & beauty,