Hey friends, Gubba here.
The school year is here again—fresh notebooks, sharpened pencils, packed lunches, and… skin struggles?
Between early mornings, cafeteria food, late-night homework, and hours under harsh fluorescent lights, your skin is about to be tested.
But here’s the thing: what you put on your skin during this busy season matters more than ever. While you’re focused on grades, sports, and schedules, your skincare products could quietly be introducing toxins into your body—disrupting hormones, clogging pores, and dulling your natural glow.
My glow stays consistent day to day because I have learned how to nourish my skin, something I wish I knew about sooner.
This year, why not make a smart swap? Clean, natural skincare isn’t just a trend—it’s a long-term investment in your health, confidence, and future.
Why “Back-to-School” Is the Perfect Time to Rethink Your Skincare
Summer skin is different from school-year skin. During the summer, we’re outside more, getting natural vitamin D, moving our bodies, and sweating out toxins. Makeup routines are lighter, and skin has time to recuperate.
Once the school bell rings, everything changes. You’re suddenly spending most of your day indoors, breathing stale air, sitting under blue-light-emitting screens, and dealing with the stress of tests, practices, and late nights. Add cafeteria food and less sleep into the mix, and you have the perfect recipe for breakouts, dryness, and irritation.
This goes for adults in school along with adults in year around jobs who don’t get a break!
Here’s the kicker: conventional skincare can make these problems worse. Many popular drugstore and department store products are loaded with ingredients that strip your skin’s natural barrier, inflame the skin, and disrupt hormones. The result? More breakouts, more dryness, and more frustration.
Switching to clean, non-toxic skincare now gives your skin a fighting chance to stay balanced and healthy all semester and year long.
Skincare Ingredients to Avoid (And Why They’re in Almost Everything)
If you take away one thing from this homestead blog of mine, let it be this: you cannot trust a product just because it’s on the shelf. Food or beauty! The beauty industry isn’t as tightly regulated as most people think. Many ingredients that are banned in other countries are still allowed in the U.S., and companies often choose the cheapest, longest-lasting fillers—regardless of the health risks.
Here’s what to watch for and why it matters.
Parabens
Parabens are synthetic preservatives found in lotions, makeup, cleansers, and hair products.
Their job is to prevent mold and bacteria growth—but they come at a cost. Parabens are endocrine disruptors, meaning they mimic estrogen in your body. Over time, this can throw off your hormonal balance, affecting mood, weight, menstrual cycles, and even fertility.
The problem is, teenagers and young adults are still in key stages of hormonal development. Constant exposure to parabens could mean more intense PMS symptoms, irregular cycles, and other long-term effects.
They’re sneaky, too. You’ll see them listed as methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, or butylparaben. If it ends in “-paraben,” your safest bet is to skip it.
Phthalates
Phthalates are another class of hormone disruptors, often used to make fragrances last longer or to make plastics more flexible. In skincare and cosmetics, they’re most commonly found hidden under the word “fragrance” on an ingredient label.
Phthalates have been linked to developmental problems, reproductive issues, and even early puberty in children. The fact that they’re rarely disclosed makes them even more dangerous—you often won’t see the word “phthalate” on a label, but if you see “fragrance” with no source, you can assume it contains them.
For students, this exposure is especially concerning because hormones are still stabilizing during adolescence and early adulthood.
Mineral Oil
Mineral oil is a petroleum byproduct used in everything from moisturizers to baby oil. At first, it feels silky and moisturizing, but in reality, it creates a barrier that traps bacteria, toxins, and sweat underneath the skin. This can clog pores, cause breakouts, and block your skin’s natural detoxification process.
It’s a cheap filler, which is why many big brands use it—it gives the illusion of hydration without actually nourishing the skin. Clean moisturizers avoid mineral oil in favor of nutrient-rich natural oils that hydrate while allowing the skin to breathe.
Synthetic Fragrance
Synthetic fragrance might smell nice, but it’s one of the most toxic additions to personal care products. This single word can hide hundreds of undisclosed chemicals, many of which are allergens, hormone disruptors, or irritants.
Common side effects of synthetic fragrance include headaches, migraines, rashes, and respiratory irritation. For students already dealing with stress acne or eczema, fragrance can make these conditions much worse.
Natural skincare uses essential oils or botanical extracts for scent—or leaves products fragrance-free altogether—to keep skin calm and healthy.
Harsh Alcohols
Not all alcohol in skincare is bad—fatty alcohols like cetyl alcohol or stearyl alcohol can be hydrating. But harsh, drying alcohols like denatured alcohol or isopropyl alcohol strip the skin’s natural oils. This not only causes irritation and redness but can also speed up the aging process by weakening the skin barrier.
In cleansers and toners, these alcohols create that “tight” feeling people mistake for cleanliness—but it’s actually a sign your skin’s protective barrier has been compromised.
Clean Skincare Swaps That Actually Work
Knowing what to avoid is half the battle—now let’s look at what to use instead. You don’t need a 10-step routine. In fact, a few high-quality, multi-purpose products can outperform a drawer full of chemical-laden options.
Switch to a Truly Non-Toxic Moisturizer
Most store-bought moisturizers are mostly water, preservatives, and fillers. My Tallow Balm is different—it’s crafted with pure, skin-loving ingredients your body recognizes. No hormone disruptors, no synthetic fragrances, no unnecessary junk.
The texture is rich and luxurious but melts effortlessly into the skin, leaving you hydrated all day without feeling greasy. Because it’s so concentrated, a little goes a long way—meaning one jar can outlast most store-bought lotions.
Why it’s perfect for back-to-school:
• Protects against dry classroom air and seasonal changes.
• Safe for all ages—kids, teens, and adults.
• Works as a face cream, hand balm, and even a lip moisturizer.
Ditch Chemical-Filled Cleansers
Many cleansers strip the skin, triggering your body to overproduce oil, which leads to more breakouts. A gentle oil cleanser dissolves dirt and makeup without damaging your skin barrier.
Look for formulas with jojoba oil or castor oil—oils that cleanse while delivering nutrients. Your skin stays balanced, calm, and hydrated.
Protect Your Skin from Blue and Fluorescent Light Damage
We think about sunscreen for UV rays, but classroom and library lighting emits blue light that can contribute to premature aging and pigmentation over time.
You can help counteract this by using antioxidant-rich skincare with vitamin E, sea buckthorn, and chamomile. These ingredients help repair and protect the skin from oxidative stress.
Simplify Your Routine
Between classes, practices, and social events, no one has time for a complicated routine. A multi-use product like my Tallow Balm keeps your skin happy without cluttering your backpack. One jar can replace your face cream, hand cream, and body lotion.
Why Natural Options Are Better for Hormone Health
Your skin is your largest organ—and it’s absorbent. What you put on it doesn’t just stay there; it makes its way into your bloodstream. This means every paraben, phthalate, and synthetic chemical in conventional skincare isn’t just sitting on the surface—it’s traveling through your body, affecting your hormones and overall health.
Clean skincare works with your body, not against it, letting your natural systems function without chemical interference.
Making the Switch: A Simple Back-to-School Plan
- Audit your current products. Check the labels for the ingredients listed above. Throw them in the trash—that’s where they belong in my opinion.
- Replace your moisturizer first. It’s the product you use most and the one that absorbs deepest.
- Add a clean cleanser. Ab oil-based daily use cleanser make a huge difference.
- Stick to your routine. Healthy skin loves consistency.
- Educate yourself. The more you know, the easier it is to avoid harmful products. Read the ingredient labels!
Back-to-school isn’t just about new pens and notebooks—it’s the perfect time to refresh your skincare, too. With clean, natural options like those from Gubba Homestead Skincare, you can protect your skin, support your hormones, and simplify your routine.
Why settle for products that might be harming you when you can choose ones that truly nourish and protect?
My skin feels the difference and looks the part. I wish I knew about clean skincare when I was younger and just getting started in it.
FAQs
1. Can teens use Tallow Balm?
Absolutely—it’s gentle enough for all ages and safe for sensitive skin.
2. Will it clog pores?
No—my formula is non-comedogenic and absorbs beautifully.
3. How long does one jar last?
Because it’s concentrated, most customers find one jar lasts several months.
4. Can it be used on the body and face?
Yes, it’s an all-over moisturizer for face, hands, and body.
5. What makes it different from drugstore lotions?
No fillers, no synthetic fragrance, no hormone disruptors—just pure, nourishing ingredients your skin will love.
