How to Transition To A Natural Skincare Routine in 30 Days
How to Transition To A Natural Skincare Routine in 30 Days

Switching to a natural skincare routine is one of the best things you can do for your skin, health, and the planet.

But change can be intimidating, especially if you’re new to natural skin care or have used the same products for months or years.

Plus, with so many brands now touting “natural”, “clean”, “organic”, “green”, and “eco-friendly” labels, sorting through it all can become a full-time job.

The good news is you landed on one of the original (over 20 years and going strong) clean, natural, and eco-friendly skincare sites, and we’re here to help!

Here, you’ll learn everything you need to know to switch to a natural skincare routine in 30 days or less with efficiency, confidence, and ease.

Ready to get your natural glow on? Let’s get started.

Why Take 30 Days to Transition To A Natural Skincare Routine?

Discovering the insane amount of toxic ingredients in skincare products and how poorly the industry is regulated can be enough to make you want to throw everything out and start afresh immediately.

We’ve been there, and we get it.

However, acting too quickly often results in one or more of the following blunders:

  1. You wind up with a bunch of products that don’t work for your skin. This is also known as post-purchase remorse, or PPR.
  2. Upon further research, you discover the products you bought to replace your old ones contain harmful chemicals disguised under the labels “clean,” “green,” “vegan,” or “made with essential oils.”
  3. You spend way too much on designer brands when more affordable and often high-quality products are available at a better price.

Instead, take a deep breath and know there is a better way.

Taking 30 days to transition gives you time to use up or discard your old products, pare down your skincare routine, research the best brands and ingredients (or DIY options), and rebuild your new natural skincare routine on solid ground.

Can you do it in less than 30 days? Heck yes.

This process was designed for busy people who don’t have a lot of spare time.

However, if you’re in a season of life when you have more time, you can knock this out more quickly.

Week 1: Sort Through All Skincare Products & Toss What You No Longer Need

This week focuses on two objectives:

  1. Figuring out which products you want to replace with comparable natural alternatives,
  2. And paring down your skincare routine.

Why pare down? Chances are, you’re spending way too much on your skincare needs.

According to a recent survey commissioned by the Environmental Working Group, the average person uses between 9 and 12 personal care products (skin, hair, beauty) per day, with a combined 126 individual chemical ingredients.

That’s a lot of synthetic chemical exposure just from your daily skincare routine!

The truth is, most of us can benefit from simplifying, and experts agree that less is often more when it comes to sustainable, effective skincare. 

Think cleanser, toner, and moisturizer as your base products, adding spot treatments like blemish sticks, facial masks, or anti-aging serums or creams as needed.

Week 1 Action Steps:

  • Go through all your skincare products (lotions, cleansers, toners, facial masks, night creams, lip balms, peels, serums, eye creams and gels, peptides, make-up removers, etc.) and place them in one spot.
  • Next, sort them into three piles:
    • 1: The keep pile: Products you use daily that you intend to replace with natural alternatives
    • 2: The maybe keep pile: Products you use occasionally and may wish to replace
    • 3: The toss pile: Products you hardly ever use and/or don’t like and/or are expired, missing lids, etc.
  • Third, ask yourself which of the products you use occasionally are essential. Put the rest in the toss pile
  • Toss or give away* the products you no longer want/need, and recycle the packaging
  • Commit to using up the products you like but intend to replace with more natural alternatives

*Feeling guilty about throwing away good products? 

It’s hard. Unfortunately, sharing or donating skincare products isn’t always sanitary. However, if you have a product with a pump that’s otherwise good, you could offer it to a friend or family member who’s not concerned about synthetic chemical ingredients.

If you have unopened products, you may be able to donate them to a local charity.

Do your best, knowing you’re making room for healthier products on your shelf.

That’s it for week one. Well done!

Week 2: Reassess Your Skincare Needs And Type

Transitioning to natural skincare is a great time to reassess your skincare needs, which have likely changed throughout the years.

Week 2 Action Steps:

  • Reconsider your skin type. Is it still oily and blemish-prone, for example, or have you “graduated” to combination skin, or are you starting to notice signs of mature skin?

Is your skin more sensitive than it was the last time you adjusted your skincare routine?

Have you moved to a more humid, hot, or dry and cold climate?

Has your skin changed texture? 

What about sun damage? Brown spots? Scarring? Or other concerns?

Take just a few minutes to examine your skin in the mirror, visit your esthetician or dermatologist, and come to a conclusion.

  • Decide how you want to cleanse, tone, and moisturize your skin. If you’re happy with your current routine, you can find natural products that work the same way.

However, if you want better results, spend some time looking into different methods of cleansing, toning, and moisturizing for your skin type.

For example:

  • Oil cleansing is a hot trend for soap-free facial cleansing and works great for oily, blemish-prone, or dry skin, and can also be used to remove makeup
  • Some people swear by moisturizing with facial oils versus creams
  • Moisture layering with oils, creams, or serums is worth considering for dry, dehydrated, or mature skin
  • Ceramide lotions and cleansers are popular natural options for sensitive and mature skin
  • Essential oils can provide additional toning, cleansing, blemish-fighting, and age-defying benefits for different skin types

This process should be fun! So enjoy reading up on the latest natural skincare techniques to see what may fit into your new routine.

Related reading:

Week 3: Research & Purchase Replacement Products

It’s time for the best part: replacing your synthetic skincare products with natural alternatives.

Fortunately, you’ve already done the legwork!

Just take what you’ve learned from the previous weeks about your minimum essential products (cleanse, tone, moisturize, nighttime care and repair, spot treatments), your skin type, and the techniques you want to use, and start shopping.

Unsure which brands live up to their clean, natural, and eco-friendly claims?

There are a few ways to vet brands.

First, look for certifications like:

  • USDA certified organic (grown without pesticides)
  • Non-GMO (grown with genetically modified seed)
  • Leaping Bunny (cruelty-free)
  • B-Corp (high standards of public transparency, legal accountability, and social/environmental performance)
  • 100% RSPO-Certified Sustainable Certified Palm Oil (Assures suppliers follow a strict, comprehensive set of ethical standards around how they treat the environment, wildlife, and workers)
  • No artificial dyes or fragrances (this helps you avoid endocrine disruptors and known or suspected carcinogens)
  • Vegan (no animal products used)
  • Gluten-free (safe for people with celiac or gluten intolerance/sensitivity)

You can also use consumer advocacy sites and apps like EWG SkinDeep to rate products.

Simply type in the brand name or scan the code and choose those rated 1-3.

We also recommend checking out Desert Essence’s simple line of natural skincare products, including:

All our products are vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO, free from artificial dyes and fragrances, made with organic and/or sustainably sourced ingredients, and rated low (1-3) on EWG SkinDeep.

Action Steps for Week 3:

  • Research clean brands based on your skin type and needs
  • Familiarize yourself with certifications to avoid greenwashing or pseudo-natural products
  • Try out consumer advocacy apps like EWG SkinDeep to vet different brands and products
  • Interested in DIY skincare? Look up some recipes and research suppliers

Check out the following articles for more information and starting points:

Week 4: Begin Transitioning to New Products One at a Time

It’s go-time (and you already started, that’s OK)! Time to start trying on your new natural skincare routine and products.

Although trying them all at once may be tempting, we recommend starting one at a time, then waiting two days before starting another.

This will help ease your skin into its new products and avoid or minimize any skin detox reactions that may occur when you quit your old products cold turkey.

Yep, that’s a thing! Just like switching your diet from processed foods to healthy foods can take some getting used to, the same goes for your skin.

So, try starting with your new cleanser or blemish treatment. Use that for two days, then move onto your toner, which you should use for two days, then your moisturizer. After that, you should be home free to go hog wild.

If you notice a skin reaction at any time, stop using the product. 

If it’s a mild reaction, it could just be your skin adjusting. You may be able to try again in a couple of days or reduce the amount you’re using. 

However, any severe reactions warrant discontinuation of the product.

Hopefully, by doing your due diligence, you’ve picked just the right products to create an ideal new natural skincare routine.

As with all products, results will likely be enhanced with time, so be patient and enjoy the process.

Week 4 Action Steps:

  • Start using your new products one at a time, introducing a new one every two days
  • Pay attention to how your skin feels (positive or negative)
  • Remember, it can take some time for skin to adjust to natural products, so your results will likely get better over time
  • If you have a reaction, stop using the product. If it’s a mild reaction, try again in a few days, cutting back the amount you use. If it’s severe, discontinue product use
    • Note: Even natural ingredients can cause reactions in some people, especially those with sensitive skin. Try to pinpoint the ingredient so you can find a more suitable natural product in the future

There You Have It! From Synthetic To Au Naturale In 30 Days

Change can be hard, but switching to a natural skincare routine doesn’t have to be.

By following the tips in this article, you can easily transition from any skincare routine to a clean, natural, and eco-friendly version in 30 days or less, minus the skin stress, second-guessing, and post-purchase remorse.

Cheers to change, transformation, and naturally beautiful skin!

Shop Desert Essence Skincare, Oral Care, Hair Care, and Body Care for a healthier, more natural you.

References Mentioned in This Article:

  • “Endocrine Disruptors in Cosmetic Products and the Regulatory Framework: Public Health Implications”. Cosmetics.
  • “Impact of Skin Care Products on Phthalates and Phthalate Replacements in Children: the ECHO-FGS”. EHP Publishing.
  • “The Toxic Twelve Chemicals and Contaminants in Cosmetics”. The Environmental Working Group.
  • “Potential Carcinogens in Makeup Cosmetics”. Int J Environ Res Public Health.
  • “Survey finds use of personal care products up since 2004 – what that means for your health”. Environmental Working Group.
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