Last updated on September 5th, 2022 at 03:49 pm
Most of us try to be intentional in our effort in being healthy – we avoid fast food, try our best to prioritize exercise, drink smoothies, and do all the things, but then we “unknowingly” slather some pretty toxic chemicals all over our skin and face daily (sometimes twice a day.)
Skincare and other beauty products should be good for you, right? I mean it is after all something that is supposed to enhance and support your natural skin. The thing is many products do just that but forget about the nourishment component.
In my personal experience, I have found that a lot of more “natural” brands claiming to be organic or natural (just to fall into that natural/holistic/crunchy category) just don’t perform that well. These products also seem to be completely unregulated – which means that these brands can slap on whichever label onto their product with no regulation or proven effect of safety. The other thing that has come to my attention is that a lot of “natural” brands also contain a higher level of heavy metals, which aren’t safe for humans at all.
It is extremely frustrating to me that the skincare industry in the United States is everything but regulated and therefore the ingredients in these products are not required to be tested for safety. The best example of this is lead. Lead has been removed from other products such as paint because it was deemed dangerous yet it can still be found in about 95% of lipsticks on the market today.
You may be thinking about what make-up has to do with anything because most people start with switching out deodorant and moisturizer. Sadly, powder makeup is one of the most toxic products because it is not only absorbed through the skin but also through the respiratory system, and this creates an increase in the potential for harm.
Switching our entire house over to safer products has been a journey over the last four to five years, and it has also had the biggest impact on our health. After suffering from severe fatigue, thyroid dysfunction, and hormonal imbalances I knew I had to take my health a step further by reducing the toxin load in my home and body. This transition has taken time, but my family is living proof that it is possible, and that it can truly transform your health and life.
I personally don’t really wear a lot of makeup, nor do I wear it every single day, but when I do I want to feel good about it.
I thought it would a great idea to take the time today, to share a pretty in-depth look as to why you should probably consider the ingredients in your makeup, as well as the skincare products that you love.
Why safer makeup matters.
Heavy metal toxicity
The colorants used in most cosmetics to give them that gorgeous lasting color pigments are particularly high in heavy metals – think of blush, eye shadow, lipsticks, etc.
Heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, mercury, etc are all naturally occurring substances but they are not safe for humans at any level.
Heavy metals are known to build up in the body causing toxicity to the nervous system, neurological system, as well as reproductive system in both males and females, developing fetuses, small children, and adolescents.
“Cancerous breast biopsies show higher accumulations of iron, nickel, chromium, zinc, cadmium, mercury, and lead than non-cancerous biopsies. In addition, several metals act like estrogen in the presence of some breast cancer cells.” {source}
It is important that the products you choose to use have a record of being batch tested. You might wonder why this is important – it is simply not enough to just test one ingredient and call it good. Supply chain changes, sourcing changes, where companies get their ingredients from around the world can change, and even the manufacturing process can lead to some cross-contamination or the unknown addition of dangerous by-products.
The truth is very few companies are that rigorous and vested in their testing.
Hormonal disturbances
I have said this a thousand times, and it is becoming common knowledge with scientific proof that toxins in skin care products we use daily are directly affecting hormones due to their endocrine-disrupting properties.
The National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences states, “Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that may interfere with the body’s endocrine system and produce adverse developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune effects in both humans and wildlife. A wide range of substances, both natural and man-made, are thought to cause endocrine disruption.”
So basically endocrine disruptors mimic or at least partially mimic naturally occurring hormones in the body like estrogen, androgens, and thyroid hormones. I find that this is oftentimes the root cause of a lot of hormone dysfunction.
This is just as important for teenagers (especially girls) who tend to use too many products all in one day.
“Researchers provided teen study participants with personal care products labeled free of chemicals such as phthalates, parabens, triclosan, and oxybenzone….samples before and after a three-day trial in which the participants used the lower-chemical products found significant drops in levels of these chemicals in the body.” {source}
The thing is, your makeup and skincare choices are not just affecting you, but also the generations after you.
This doesn’t mean “natural” is always better.
There has been this trend of “greenwashing” which simply means that oftentimes companies like to add natural or organic products to make them more marketable, but more often than not these products are not necessarily safer. It is important to understand and remember that the term “natural” is not regulated.
Did you know that products labeled “organic” or “natural” can contain petrochemicals, and those certified as organic can contain as little as 10 percent organic ingredients by weight or volume?
It is important to rather look at the ingredients of a product and how it interacts with your body than just look at if it was naturally sourced.
Safer makeup that actually performs.
I truly believe that women should not have to choose between feeling glamorous, fabulous, and pampered and risking their health for it. This is why I love and confidently wear and use Beautycounter makeup products.
Beautycounter make-up delivers flawless, long-lasting wear, with rich color and a smooth luscious texture. Their motto is “no secrets added.” They are extremely transparent about their products, and their never-list.
I know that one day when Hayleigh is older and not just interested in lip gloss I will happily let her use my little makeup drawer.
My favorite safer make-up products.
♦ Glow First Priming Serum
♦ Dew Skin Tinted Moisturizer (no 3)
♦ Skin Tin Featherweight Foundation (light 210)
♦ Skin Twin Creamy Concealer (light 1 +2)
♦ The Better Beauty Blender
♦ Mattifying Powder
♦ Brilliant Brow Gel (light)
♦ Lid Glow Cream Shadow (luster)
♦ Think Big All In One Mascara
♦ Cheeky Clean Blush (chai)
♦ Illuminating Cream Highlighters (bronze glow, rose glow, pearl glow)
♦ Sheer Genius Conditioning Lipstick | Petal
If you are new to cleaning up your makeup products, the Flawless in Five bundle (you save $43) is a great place to start.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
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