by Gabé Hirschowitz

“Essence” by Nia Winslow (mixed media, paper collage, 2021). Image courtesy of Galerie Perrie.

Recently, I’ve been switching to clean beauty products thanks to Living with Bianca’s Bianca Kamhi and LiveNatur’s Ashley Perkins. Both are amazing health and well-being experts, taking a holistic, organic approach to everyday living. They’ve shown me that, despite my best efforts at being health conscious, many of the items I’d been using for years were actually toxic. This was obviously disconcerting, so I quickly decided it was time I upgrade to an all-natural beauty regime.

Probably, the most important things I learned from Bianca and Ashley had to do with skincare. As Ashley put it, “Our skin is our biggest organ. Everything we apply to it is absorbed into our internal systems. You can’t just exercise and eat healthy and then apply toxic products to your skin. That’s counterproductive. The hidden synthetic chemicals in everything from perfume to foundation, to concealer, eyeliner and lipgloss  can be very detrimental to long-term health.”

Well, suffice it to say, I didn’t need more convincing than that, and after a few visits to WholeFoods, Detox Market and Credo Beauty on the advice of my very own clean-beauty experts, I’ve now replaced nearly all the items I use every day with non-toxic alternatives. I could almost immediately feel and see the difference. My new soaps, shampoos, moisturizers, face serums and makeup (all listed below) not only keep my skin radiant as I meet with art collectors, visit studios and gallery hop, but also make me feel and perform my best throughout the day:

Body

1. David’s Toothpaste
2. Dr. Bronner’s unscented bar soap
3. LiveNatur’s clarifying shampoo bar and deep moisture conditioner bar for hair
4. Ursamajor unscented deodorant 
5. Drybrush for lymphatic drainage and blood circulation
6. Alba unscented body moisturizer
7. Credo Beauty has the best natural, non-toxic perfume selection
8. Tata Harper Revitalizing Body Oil (Tip: mix the oil with Alba’s unscented lotion for an extra hydration boost)
9. Osea Malibu anti aging body balm (great for evenings)
10. Babo SPF 30 Sheer Zinc Sunscreen

Face

1. RMS Coconut Oil Makeup Remover Wipes
2. Tata Harper’s Regenerating Cleanser, Daily Exfoliating Treatment  
3. Tata Harper’s Resurfacing Serum
4. Josh Rosebrook Nutrient Day Cream with SPF 30
5. Suntegrity tinted moisturizer sunscreen (I apply this after the Josh Rosebrook moisturizer for a little extra coverage during the daytime)
6. Tata Harper Illuminating eye cream
7. Tata Harper Repairative Moisturizer, Anti-Aging & Ultra-Hydrating (evening cream)
8. Osea Hyaluronic Acid Sea Serum (evening serum)
9. RMS Beauty under eye “un” cover-up
10. ILIA Natural Clean Line Gel Liner 
11. Westman Atelier Eye Love You Mascara, Clean Black
12. RMS Beauty magic luminizer
13. Westman Atelier Super Loaded Tinted Highlight Peau de Peche
14. Westman Atelier lip suede palette les rouges
15. Kjaer Weis Matte, Naturally Liquid Lipstick (Honor)