My skin-care routine is something I love to do to calm myself down. Throughout the years it has gradually become one of my most beloved morning and night-time rituals. As weird as it may sound, it helps me relax and feel more in tune with my body. Our skin is the largest organ on/in our body and it absorbs everything it's given. That means that when we apply a product, the body will absorb it and take it into the bloodstream. Natural and sustainable living is something I hold very close to my heart and I will never go back to generic brands or buy products that are tested on animals. Not only do I do this for my own body's sake but also for the environment and animal welfare. If you want to start using more natural products and less animal-tested ones, or are looking for some new suggestions, I hope you can find some inspiration by reading about my current skin-care routine:

Bar soap: Olive

As said, natural living is an important aspect of my life and I'm therefore constantly trying to find new ways to live more consciously. In an effort to eliminate waste I like to use bar soap whenever I shower, and at the moment I have a little obsession with olive soaps. They always leave me feeling very fresh and clean and it reminds me of summers spent in Greece. This one in particular was gifted to me by a lovely friend, and it was bought on one of her travels. It is hand-made olive soap with cinnamon and orange, making up the perfect combination of sweet and fresh.

Spot cleanser: Grease Lightning

Grease lightning is a spot cleanser from LUSH made with tea tree, rosemary and and thyme. It took me some time to find a spot cleanser that worked for my skin type, but this is the one, hands down! I switch out my products almost every time they go empty to prevent my skin from getting addicted to any sort of product, so after having a break from this bad-boy it felt so good to be treating my skin with it again. The aloe and seaweed base makes it calming and nourishing for the skin and the result is such a wonderful and effective cleansing gel.

Perfume: Vanillary & Parvati

Vanillary solid perfume is also one of my current favorites from LUSH. With its gentle scent of vanilla and sandalwood it is always a pleasure to put some on my wrists and neck in the morning. This is the perfect every-day perfume as it does not smell too intense. Because of its size, it is also perfect for keeping in your bag throughout the day + it's zero waste <3

Parvati from The goddess line is a perfume oil which has been my go-to for years now. The scent is a bit heavier than Vanillary, so I prefer to use this one during winter or when I'm doing something special. This one is also made with vanilla and is mixed with sweet almond oil. The bottle is small with a roll-on applicator which makes it easy to take anywhere, whether you are traveling or bringing it with you in your backpack to school.

Facemask: Mask of magnaminty

I try to use the mask of magnaminty facemask once a week, as it is very cooling and calming for the skin. It can be described as a form of scrub/mask and I have fallen utterly in love with its grittiness. This mask is made with peppermint oil to stimulate, marigold oil and chlorophyllin to treat the skin and it gives a lovely cooling feeling as you wear it. It can help plumping the skin, and also giving it a healthier glow. Couldn't recommend this one highly enough!

Tip: Remember to drop your LUSH containers off at their store once you've finished using a product. That way you can make sure that they'll be recycled ;)

Lip balm: Fruu

Fruu lip balms does not only work effectively and taste amazing, but they're actually made out of food waste and are 100% bio-degradable! Their lipsticks are cute and vibrant and the lip balms does a great job at fighting and preventing chapped lips. And as if that wasn't enough I can tell you that besides being sustainable, they are also affordable!

Disclaimer: the container is made out of plastic. Fortunately, they're made of a form of recycled plastic that is less harmfull to the planet than the regular kind and I was also told by the Fruu team that they are currently working on making new tin-containers.

Day cream: Almond oil

While I've been using coconut oil as a makeup remover and moisturizer for quite some time now, I just started incorporating almond oil to my skin care routine. Almond oil is a very gentle oil that has benefits such as removing dark circles and protecting the skin from UV radiation and oxidative stress. It's naturally enriched with a high content of antioxidant vitamin and nutrients for your skin to absorb.

How to use: Start off by combining 2 parts coconut oil with 1 part almond oil. Mix those together and massage it into your skin. Ca 1 minute later, find a clean wash cloth/ towel and soak it in warm water, twist and place it on your face. This helps your skin absorbing the oil. Then, gently wipe the oil off your face. Personally, I only do this every other week but you have to find what works best for your own skin-type.

Essential: Lavender oil

What can I say? I love lavender! Like all other essential oils it has so many different uses and benefits! Personally, I use a bottle of lavender oil with a roll-on applicator on my temples and neck every night before I go to bed, but you can also rub the oil on your chest and feet. I also love to put a few drops in my diffuser after a long tiring day. Lavender oil is very grounding, refreshing and great for emotional release, and therefore often used during meditation.

Current skin care routine