Spring Clean Your Beauty Routine

Tracy Castro of Ativo Skincare shares top picks for clean and green personal care

A groundswell of support has truly turned the spotlight on “clean and green” in the beauty space, and that focus isn’t relegated to makeup or skincare. Being wise with ingredient intelligence spills over into other product choices you may make on a daily or weekly basis, and Tracy Castro of Ativo Skincare has considerable expertise in the field.

As the owner of Ativo Skincare, Castro brought her business to life with help—and inspiration—from her daughter, Jayda. When Jayda was 11, she battled health issues that carried through into her teen years. Jayda was introduced to natural and organic skincare at that time and never looked back, formulating her first detox soap at just 13 and eventually foregoing the need for prescription products.

When it comes to formulating products, Castro steers clear of questionable ingredients and carefully considers what can be used to replace them. Parabens, phthalates, sodium laurel sulfates, propylene glycol, tridosan, DEA, MEA and TEA will not be found here. (She avoids other harmful components listed at the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database.) Castro’s family background is in pharmaceuticals and, as such, Ativo has access to pharmacists and chemists when planning and testing their products.

Here are Castro’s top product picks to help clean and green your beauty routine…

1. Makeup Brush Cleaner

Safe for natural and synthetic brushes, argan and apricot kernel oil cleanse and condition, leaving your bristles silky smooth for that next application.

2. Psoriasis and Itchy Scalp Shampoo and Conditioner

This dynamic duo is formulated to help relieve psoriasis and itchy scalp symptoms, removing sebum and leaving hair silky soft. Ingredients such as tea tree oil, neem oil, African rooibos, green tea and more are known to cleanse and hydrate.

3. Coconut Milk Bath Soak

Submerge yourself in this best seller. The bath time delight showcases organic coconut milk and the highest grade of colloidal oatmeal, making for a luxury soak for your skin. It is rich in vitamins, minerals and beta-glucan, which is known for soothing inflammation and having healing effects.

3. Black Magic Deep Facial Cleansing Soap

Activated charcoal and pink Australian clay go to work on oily and congested skin, acting like magnets to draw out impurities. Pink Australian clay does double duty in providing hydration as well.

4. Acai Berry Shampoo and Body Wash

Another multitasking product in the Ativo line, this product doubles as a shampoo and a body wash. Tsubaki and baobab oil work together with the skin, complimenting each other well. Tsubaki is rich in omegas and known for hydration, while baobab is not only rich in omegas as well, but also vitamins A, D and E. Together, they are perfect for hydrating both hair and body.

CREATED BY BC LIVING, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ATIVO SKINCARE