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Detox Your Beauty Bag
Have you ever given thought to whats inside of your cosmetics and personal care products? It's not something most of us do when we are browsing the shelves of our stores in the pursuit of the perfect shade of lipstick or a new foundation that will take 10 years off the clock. Truth be told we often don't want to know...for ignorance is bliss, right? True....but we know knowledge is power! When we apply that very knowledge into practice it is empowering and we are making decisions that over time will make a larger impact than that perfect shade of red will.
Did you know your skin is your largest organ making up 15% of your body weight? Through our skin we have the ability to detoxify our body but we also absorb everything as well. Lotions, sprays, beauty products, deodorant and creams. It is said that the average woman uses 12 beauty products daily and that number is a little less for men. According to EWG.ORG "one of every 13 women and one of every 23 men – are exposed to ingredients that are known or probable human carcinogens every day through their use of personal care products." All of these ingredients are being absorbed into our bodies and enter into our bloodstream in 26 seconds time! What are some of these toxic ingredients? The list includes carcinogenic substances such as hydroquinone, ethylene dioxide, 1,4-dioxane, formaldehyde, nitrosamines , PAHs, and acrylamide. I don't know about you but I think I'll pass and opt for something much safer!
Many people are chemically sensitive (myself included). The toxins absorbed into your skin daily remain in your body and over time create a toxic overload which can negatively affect your health and cause symptoms such as fatigue, weight gain, muscle aches and more...not to mention what these toxins actually do to our skin!! We may not be able avoid the toxins we encounter when we are out and about in our environments but we can control and lessen our toxic load with the products we choose to put on and in so doing reducing our toxic load, This aids in keeping our immune systems from being overburdened and helping them to do what they should be doing...keeping us healthy and strong.
I'll be the first to admit that it's hard to find toxic free beauty products for a cleaner beauty routine. The cosmetic industry produces massive amounts of products every year with the bottom line as their goal rather then your individual health. This is why it's so important to arm yourself with knowledge and to be aware of ways to make easy and healthy decisions (all while looking fabulous of course!). Along my own journey and my battle with my health I've learned some helpful tips and tricks that have made a impact and I'd love to share with you!
Sometimes less is more.....you probably would do better to buy that nontoxic lipstick or lotion that may cost a little more rather than 5 different shades or scented lotions that have toxins that will eventually make it's way into your body. A great resource to know what is lurking in your products is to go to https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ or to download the "Think Dirty" app on your phone where you can look up or even scan your personal care products and see where they rank. These resources will empower you with the knowledge to see what ingredients you are exposing yourself to and where they rank on a scale from 1 -10. I've been surprised to see some of my cosmetic products rank fairy low while others were sent straight to the garbage can! Not only can you look up all your current products but you can use this as tool while shopping to help you make better informed decisions.
Look for certain brands that use quality products minus the harmful ingredients such as EO, Tarte Cosmetics, Beautycounter, Weleda, Jane Iredale, Burt's Bees, J.R. Watkins, Colorescience and many more. These companies can be found in most health food stores or online and are natural, organic, and safe products. The have your best interest in mind by creating products that have nourishing and natural ingredients in them. I've also had success buying some of those expensive name brand all natural products at discount stores such as Home Goods, TJ Maxx and Marshall's. Beauty products you can feel good about using with ingredients from nature! Usually you can find a natural health food section in any grocery store....this is your isle! Become familiar with it and make it your regular routine to always browse these isles every time you shop to snag up the deals and steals that come once in awhile. Because not only are you smart about your skin care but you are also smart about your money. Stock up on products (but be aware of expiration dates) when they are on sale. Remember....what you put on top of your body will eventually be what is inside your body. Your body does an amazing job of taking care of you so take care of it with your daily beauty habits.
Since our skin is our largest organ (and the one we see the most of!) lets give it a less toxins a lot more love! Be healthy! Let your skin Glow!