Ever wonder what’s in your lipstick, lotion, sunscreen, shaving cream or any other product you use daily? We often forget our skin is the largest organ in the body and our first protection mechanism.
Any substance applied to the skin is absorbed in less than 26 seconds!
Since I started learning more about the personal care industry, I’ve become way more careful about the products I apply to my skin. Benzalkonium Chloride, Formaldehyde, Oxybenzone, Phthalates, Synthetic flavor, fragrance, Retinol and tons of other toxic chemicals are wildly used in the skin-care and beauty products, regardless of the serious health issues they can lead to including cancer, infertility, hormone disruption and asthma.
Sadly, the Food and Drug Administration allows companies to make their own judgments about safety and the use of chemicals known to be extremely harmful in the products we use every day.
The truth….
Only 33 toxic chemicals have been partially banned in the States versus the 1,400 in Europe!
And as if that wasn’t shocking enough…the last legislation passed in the United States to regulate the safety of ingredients used in personal care products was in 1938!
As a health advocate, all these facts made me wonder about all those products labeled “organic,” “paraben-free,” “all natural,” “dermatologist-approved.” – Are they really as safe as their labels show? The reality is those labels DON’T MEAN SQUAT!
I found several ingredients from “The Never List” used in what I thought were safe products.
If you’re wondering how safe your products are…
here are a couple of tools you’ll find helpful:
- Download the “Healthy Living” app or check EWG’s Skin Deep Database. Type the name of your product or scan the bar code and it’ll rate it from 1-10 depending on the quality of the ingredients. The lower the number the safer the product.
- Check The Never List and save it in your phone. These are a list of ingredients you should do your best to avoid at all cost.
>> Join my safer beauty newsletter to learn more about safer products and how to minimize you’re exposure to harmful chemicals. <<
In my hunt for safer beauty…
I came across Beautycounter, a socially-mission based company located in Santa Monica, CA. I fell in love with their transparency and mission: To bring safer products to the hands of everyone.
- Beautycounter has banned 1,500 questionable and harmful chemicals from all their products. Going above and beyond the FDA requirements.
- They advocate for legislative change in the skin care and beauty industry.
- Every potential ingredient is screened for safety.
- They have stellar ratings on EWG.
- And although Beautycounter products are safe, they perform and are as indulgent as any other luxe shampoo, lipstick, or oil in the market.
Toxins are all over the place and it’s impossible to avoid them all together, but here’s the thing: What we out ON and IN our bodies is something we can take control of. Always stay informed and invest on what’s important, so you can protect yourself and the ones you love.
“Healthy Beauty is possible!”
Learn how your beauty products rate click HERE
Switch to safer products click HERE
And if you have questions, feel free to reach out either in the comments below or shoot me an email to [email protected]
With so much love and gratitude,
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