How To Transition To A Natural Skin Care Routine

"Going green." "Natural living." "You are what you eat."

All of these mantras sound great and make fun bumper stickers, but they never really resonated with me until I became the owner of an organic spa. Now, these statements mean more than just buying organic produce; they play a much bigger role in my life both as a business model and as a method of living.

Today, I believe strongly in organic living and taking care of your body naturally. As a spa owner, there are some key things I've learned about this kind of lifestyle that have become important to me. I hope they can inspire you as well:

1. An organic lifestyle needs to come naturally.

Born in a small German village outside of Bavaria, I grew up organic without even realizing it. My mom, a licensed naturopath, instilled a love for the earth and a passion for healing early on. My Opa took me into the forest to pick mushrooms and my Oma as always blending herbs, flowers and tonics. It was common to walk into the house and smell beautiful, natural aromas like lavender.

When I entered the spa business, it was only natural that I carry the memories of my childhood into my endeavor, forming the foundation for a completely organic spa.

The key is to find what organic means to you and incorporate it into your life. Make your transition to an organic, natural lifestyle indigenous to who you are and it won't feel like a chore to maintain.

2. Prioritize what's important to you.

As a spa owner, my first priority after eating organic is using organic skin care. After all, skin is the body's largest organ so what you put on it plays a major role in your health.

Ingredients in major skin care contain such ingredients as parabens, phthalates, petroleum and hydroquinone (which has finally been banned!). These toxic ingredients have significant links to cancer, stroke, are known endocrine disrupters and wreak havoc on your immune system.

Skin care products are meant to nourish and protect your skin, and the artificial dyes and chemicals found in many nonorganic products aren't nutritional.

3. Do your research.

When I first made the jump from massage therapist to spa owner, I spent countless hours researching products and equipment. I even looked into what laundry soap to use as I didn't want the towels I used for facials to smell like detergent chemicals.

It's so important to understand where your products come from and to trust the companies you support. Unfortunately, it's difficult to know specifics about where large, corporate manufacturers source their ingredients, so shopping locally is a good start. Go to your local farmers' market and ask questions — learn directly from the people who grow the ingredients that are going into your products.

4. Have fun!

As I researched and learned more about owning an organic spa, an interesting thing occurred: I developed a deeper appreciation for it.