Beautycounter Spring Sale // 15% OFF SITEWIDE
With it being Spring and all, we tend to use this season to “clean up” our life is some way or another. Often we think about incorporating more fresh foods, increasing our amount of movement outdoors, and purging our closets. But what about our personal care products? It seems to me like this area of our lives is often forgotten. When you actually stop and read the ingredient labels on your products (yep, they have labels like food), you will probably be quite shocked by what’s lurking in your daily go-tos. Due to the lack of regulation in the beauty industry, toxic and potentially harmful chemicals are allowed in your products without a bat of an eye. The words “natural” and “organic” don’t carry much significance when it comes to the safety of personal care products.
So what can you do? Download the EWG’s Healthy Living App or use their Skin Deep Database to research the safety of your cosmetic and personal care products.
This is one of my all-time favorite resources for helping to select products, especially when the ingredient labels are difficult to dissect. You can scan the product directly on your phone and it will rate its safety based on the ingredients. Keep in mind that not all products are listed in the app because companies are not required to disclose their ingredients (really, the lack of regulation in the 62 billion dollar beauty industry is unreal!).
Here are 5 ingredients to watch out for when reading ingredient labels on your skincare products:
1. Parabens
Parabens are a preservatives commonly used to prevent the growth of bacteria and mold. Parabens are endocrine (hormone) disruptors, which may alter important hormone mechanisms in our bodies. Methylparaben, isobutylparaben, propylparaben are the most common in personal care products and are concerning as they have estrogen-mimicking properties that may play a role in triggering certain cancers.
2. Phthalates
Phthalates (pronounced THAL-lates) make plastic more pliable (think shower curtains). In cosmetics, phthalates are used to make fragrances stick to skin, styling products malleable, and nail polish bend and stick to the curve of your nail.
Phthalates are highly suspected endocrine (hormone) disruptors with some reports of fetal birth defects.
Phthalates are not always labeled as they are likely considered by the producing company as an ingredient in their signature fragrance, whose lists are protected as “trade secret.”
3. Fragrance
“Fragrance” is considered a trade secret, so companies don’t have to disclose what it is. Hundreds of chemicals can hide under the word “fragrance.” It is usually a synthetic concoction that includes phthalates and synthetic musks, which are hormone disruptors, as well as chemicals that are allergens and neurotoxins.
4. Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde is used in cosmetic products as a preservative and to prevent bacterial growth. This chemical was deemed as a human carcinogen by The International Agency for Research on Carcinogens and has also been linked to asthma, neurotoxicity, and developmental toxicity.
5. Oxybenzone
Oxybenzone is a chemical sunscreen agent and ultraviolet light absorber which was added to nearly 65 percent of the non-mineral sunscreens in EWG’s 2018 sunscreen database. Oxybenzone may cause allergic skin reactions and possible hormone disruption. Hawaii just passed a bill banning sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate because studies have shown they have been linked to the bleaching of coral reefs.
All in all, I think it’s just a matter of picking your battles and finding out what changes make sense for you. A whole lifestyle change can be overwhelming, but making little changes one at a time adds up in the long run. For example, switch out your body moisturizer and body wash first (those that you use on your entire body) and then, as your products run out, try a new shampoo, cleanser, moisturizer, etc. Any change you can make is a positive one.
Safer Option: Beautycounter
Beautycounter is committed to a health and safety standard that goes well beyond what is legally required in the United States. Beautycounter excludes more than 1,500 questionable or harmful ingredients. Their high-performing, indulgent products are made mostly from responsibly sourced, plant-based ingredients and are rigorously screened to avoid potentially health disruptive ingredients on The Never List™. This list includes the five ingredients above along with thousands of other ingredients that have been associated with a variety of health disturbances.
Beautycounter Spring Sale // 15% OFF SITEWIDE
My Spring Must-Haves:
Overnight Resurfacing Peel – a.k.a. the miracle worker! The texture of my skin has improved so much since using this peel 3-4x a week. It’s gentle, but high-performing with 15 botanically-derived acids that both exfoliate and sooth the skin.
Dew Skin Tinted Moisturizer – I am obsessed with the sheer, dewy, lightweight coverage of this tinted moisturizer with SPF 20. This is my daily face sunscreen/makeup that also provides moisture and a bit of color.
Satin Powder Blush in Nectar – I have been loving this peachy blush to add a pop of color to my minimalist makeup routine. I plan to wear it all spring and summer with my favorite Luminous Powder Highlighter in Halo.
Questions?
If you’re not sure what products would be best for your skin type, fill out this quick questionnaire and I’ll send you an email with personalized recommendations.
Keep in mind that Beautycounter has a 60 day return policy. I have confidence you will love what you get, but if you don’t for any reason, you can return products for a full refund.
Cheers to spring cleaning & safer skincare!
Disclosure: Please keep in mind that I’m not an esthetician. This information is based on my own research, personal experiences and training as a Beautycounter Consultant.
