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So many of us assume that our makeup and skin care products are safe. Products you’re putting on your skin, your mouth and EYES? Should be harmless, right?
Unfortunately, that isn’t the case. The laws and regulations surrounding the beauty industry are set up in favor of the companies manufacturing and selling the products; not to protect consumers. Take fragrance, for example. Because a signature smell could be considered a “trade secret”, companies aren’t required to disclose those ingredients on the label. “Fragrance/parfum” on a label should read as a big red flag saying, “ This could be any of over 3,000 chemical compounds!”
Are you feeling lucky?
Personally, that’s a risk that I don’t want to take.
So what can you do? Just like food, read those labels! Not enough detail on the label? Do a quick search online for the ingredients. You should be able to pull up a comprehensive list for almost any product you’re thinking about buying.
In this post, I’ll list out some of the top offenders so you know what to look for, as well as share some other strategies to make sure the products you use are healthy for your body.
As mentioned above, “fragrance” in our makeup, hair products, and skin care is basically a free for all.
A list of over 3,000 substances that hide under the blanket of “fragrance” was released by The International Fragrance Association back in 2010. Three. Thousand.
And 1 in 20 received a high hazard rating from the Environmental Working Group.Many of the chemicals on the list are phthalates or octoxynols- both known hormone disruptors.
Make your nose happy with all of the beautiful scents available from essential oils instead!
**Some labels will have fragrance/parfum listed, but then specify that it’s from natural sources or that it’s phtalate and paraben free. That’s mostly reassuring (especially if the product is from a brand I trust), but I’m happier if I can find products without it at all. **
These chemicals are often used to inhibit bacteria and mold growth. Of course, that doesn’t seem so great when they’re also screwing with your endocrine system. Many parabens are xenoestrogens, meaning they mimic estrogen in our bodies. It’s no surprise then, that they’re linked to breast cancer, early puberty, and early menopause.
These are typically listed right on the label. You might see methyparaben, propylparaben, ethylparaben, and butylparaben. Just avoid all the parabens!
Pthalates were developed to make plastic soft and flexible. Seriously, the fact that a plastic additive is put in any product that is supposed to be good for your skin makes me pretty fucking angry. Like tears in my eyes as I type angry. These are carcinogens. They are endocrine disruptors (like many of the items on this list), cause skin irritation, are linked to endometriosis… it goes on and on.
I love when I pick up a bottle of lotion or conditioner and see “pthalate free” on the back. Instead of diving into each ingredient to determine WTF it is, you know you’re cool on this front.
Aliases: DBP, DEP, DEHP, BzBp, DMP. But remember, if they file it under “fragrance”, these toxic chemicals won’t be listed at all.
SLS is what causes the foaming, bubbly sensation in shampoo, face wash, etc. The thought behind their use is that people tend to think more bubbles and lather = more clean. Sodium Laurel Sulfate on it’s own may not be the worst thing in your shampoo, but the bigger issue is that SLS is frequently contaminated with 1,4 dioxane- a manufacturing byproduct that easily penetrates the skin and is a potential carcinogen.
More preservatives here- aaaand more carcinogens too. These are often found in moisturizers, as well as lipstick and other cosmetics. Vitamin E is apparently a very effective alternative. Sadly, you need to watch out for this one in food as well.
Full names: butylated hydroxyanisole, butylated hydroxytoluene
Oxybenzone is one of the most commonly used sunscreen ingredients, and also a hormone disruptor. I see you throwing your hands in the air and saying, “SUNSCREEN? That too?!?”
Yep. Sorry. Check out my post on how to find a safe sunscreen and why the one you’re using could be dangerous.
Here’s an especially nasty little nugget- children may be more vulnerable to oxybenzone’s effects, as there is a potential for higher absorption rates and accumulation in their bodies. Studies have shown a connection between oxybenzone and:
No thanks!!
I hate that I even have to put this on the list. Really? We don’t know better than this??
The majority of people would flip if they knew formeldahyde was in their nail polish. Not everybody knows that parabens or pthalates are toxic, but formeldahyde sounds pretty bad to everyone!
So of course, that’s not how it’s listed. (Major eye roll emoji here)
You can look for words like formalin, quaternium-15, and DMDM hydantoin.
Burt’s Bees: Their products are claimed to be “99% natural”, and the company promises not to use parabens, pthalates, petrolatum, or SLS. I love that they also work hard to care for the environment and our little bee friends 🙂 This is my all-time favorite lip balm in holiday flavors!
Bare Minerals: I started digging into the ingredients of the makeup I use regularly, and was SO happy to find out that my Bare Minerals foundation is all good! Bare Minerals also has stated that their products are free of all parabens, talc, SLS, fragrances, and pthalates.
W3ll People– I haven’t tried anything from this brand yet, but I love their list of what they DON’T put into their line: Everything listed for the last two brands, as well as petrochemicals, dyes, GMOs, glycols, and nanoparticles. Love it! This shadow palette looks almost identical to a drug store brand that I’ve bought in the past.
This is such an incredible resource! Here’s the details:
“EWG’s Skin Deep® cosmetic database gives people practical solutions to protect themselves and their families from everyday exposures to potentially toxic chemicals in personal care and beauty products. Skin Deep®, launched in 2004, lists easy-to-navigate hazard ratings for nearly 70,000 products and 9,000 ingredients on the market. The U.S. government doesn’t review the toxicity of products before they’re sold. Companies are allowed to use almost any ingredient they wish without regard for how safe they are. The aim of Skin Deep® is to fill in where industry and government leave off.”
-www.ewg.org
Basically, just type any product name in the search bar, and if it’s been evaluated, you’ll get an overall rating, full ingredient list, and a breakdown of what the concerns are for each potentially harmful ingredient. Simple and effective! Thank you EWG for making it that easy.
Similar to the EWG database, this app allows you to search for products and get detailed ingredient lists, ratings of each ingredient, and an overall product rating. You can search by barcode too! It’s a useful tool to have handy when you’re shopping, so you can double check before you buy.
Are you a label reader like me? Do you want to go investigate your entire stash right now to find out what’s lurking?
In all honesty, I don’t expect you to do that. I get it- change isn’t easy. Add in the fact that products that are safer for you typically come with a larger price tag as well, and overhauling your entire personal care regimen is a bit overwhelming.
Just start small! Little changes build up to big ones over time. Maybe you toss one or two products that have long, scary ingredient lists…maybe you make sure that next time you run out of shampoo, you buy one that’s paraben, phtalate, and SLS free…maybe you can’t handle having to give up your favorite eyeliner, so you write a strongly worded letter to the company demanding they remove toxic ingredients from their products.
Put your money where your mouth is. My hope is that over time, beauty and personal care companies will realize they need to give customers what they want. You are more powerful than you think!
I’d love to hear what products you’re ditching after reading this, or which natural brands you already use and love! Let me know down below in the comments.
-Jacki
Imagine a birth control option with no side effects. Like ZERO. That means no weight changes, no mood swings, no skin problems. No decrease in sex drive, no digestive issues, no horrendous heavy periods. Also– no risk of blood clots, uterine perforation, or ovarian cysts. …
Use these tips to knock out your biggest obstacle to getting that self-care in- “No time!” Got 5 minutes? Scroll down and then get to it! We all know how important self care is, right? “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” “Love yourself so …
Try as we may, even the healthiest person will probably get taken down by a nasty cold bug once or twice this year. If you have little kids in school, it’s practically unavoidable. So what can you do?
You could suffer through it for a week…you could ingest some strange chemical cocktail from the drugstore…OR you could use some of the tips I’m about to share with you to kick your cold fast AND feel better while your body is healing!
I am fighting a cold as I write this post, which means I’m actively using these techniques myself. Many of the options below are safe for kids and pregnant or nursing women. In fact, it was during my first pregnancy that I really started to learn about and utilize natural cold relief methods. As any mama or mama to be knows, you pretty much can’t take ANYTHING when you’re pregnant! Not even ibuprofen. I had to find other methods. Fortunately, there are tons of easy, natural, safe ways to feel better fast.
ACV is my old standard for getting over a cold fast and knocking out congestion, too. All I do is mix 1-2 tablespoons of ACV with some warm water and honey, and throw it back! If the taste is too much, try adding more water, or even mixing in a little juice to mask it. Typically, I try to do this every 4 hours or so. Try this and see how fast your nasal congestion improves! Have tissues close- sometimes when I use this remedy my nose starts running like a faucet (nice image, I know).
For my kids, I use less vinegar, more apple juice. I was unable to find any clear info on how old a child needs to be before using this method, so if you have a baby or young toddler, you may want to consult with their doctor first. I’d be comfortable with giving it to a child 2 or older, but that’s just my opinion.
**IMPORTANT: Make sure that you get apple cider vinegar that says “with the mother” on the label. I’m usually fine with generic versions, but for ACV I only buy
Oh, let me sing a song of praise for this MAGICAL plant! Not only does it aid in recovery from colds and flu, it helps prevent them too! In my house, we take our elderberry syrup every morning. We always have a jar or two in the fridge. I don’t let us run out, because if I do? That’s when both kids get sick and I won’t have my magic bullet to help them feel better.
I recommend either buying local, or making your own. The biggest reason for this is that then you can reap the benefits of local honey as well! Don’t know where to find it in your area? Check out your local buy/sell Facebook pages, or area parenting groups.
Here is a recipe for the DIY folks (Link), and here’s the Amazon option if you’re short on time.
We use elderberry syrup that’s made locally. I have made it myself before, but hers tastes better! My method is not at all precise- I take a big spoonful and I give the kids ( 3 and 5) a little spoonful each morning. If someone is sick, we all ramp it up and take that dose multiple times a day.
Note- elderberry syrup is safe for babies, but check your ingredients! Honey is a common ingredient, and babes under 1 year aren’t supposed to have it at all. If you’re making your own, just sub another sweetener (like maple syrup). Buying local? Ask the person making it if they can do a different blend for you. My elderberry source is more than happy to alter her recipe to make the syrup safe for babies.
This is another method that will blow your mind with its effectiveness! Zinc is a mineral that our bodies need in order for the immune system to function properly. It also prevents rhinovirus (a cold) from reproducing and spreading in your body.
Zinc lozenges or chewable tablets are available at any drugstore or grocery store, and you can grab them here (link) too. I’ve knocked out so many colds with these babies, love them! I’m avoiding them this time because I’m concerned about the zinc/ copper interaction as I detox from 3 years of copper IUD nonsense, but otherwise I’d be all over it.
These work best when you start taking them at the *very first* sign of a cold (for me, it’s that tickle in my throat). Take note- zinc cold therapy isn’t recommended for kids under 12. I was comfortable using it while pregnant and breastfeeding, but never did get a solid “okay” from my OB’s office or a pharmacist. Always ask your doc if you’re concerned.
I have only been desperate enough to try this once, but people swear by it! Garlic has all kinds of good stuff going on for it- antibacterial, antiviral, antimicrobial, provides congestion relief… It also contains a compound called Allicin, which has been known to boost the disease-fighting response of white blood cells. However-allicin is only present shortly after garlic is crushed/chopped and before it is heated, so cooking with garlic doesn’t really do the trick in this case.
A few ways you can try to get it down:
*If you’re a tough guy, just chew on that sucker for a few minutes! I can’t even imagine
*Chop it up into several small pieces and swallow them like pills.
*Put the raw, chopped garlic on top of toast or crackers.
*Mix it with honey and/or olive oil
Elderberry, ACV, and zinc tablets are absolutely my favorite ways to kick a cold FAST. Everyone in my house knows that when they start to get a sore throat or a stuffy nose, mama’s gonna be there with the goods. There have been times that I swear, colds were gone before they even really got started! It’s crazy how well these methods work. Aaaand no crazy side effects (like that time I was practically hallucinating from a standard dose of cold medicine). Just to give you the quick and dirty DL on what you can find in something like Day-Quil:
That’s just the extraneous inactive ingredients. Why mess around with all that when Mama Nature’s got all you need?
Have you tried these cold-busters? What else do you do for natural relief this time of year? Let me know in the comments!
When you start collecting crystals, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the sparkly shiny goodness! As a beginner, you might not remember each stone’s properties, or just not feel a connection to them. Which can make you wonder, “ Are they even working? Am …
Welcome to the fourth and last installment in the Seasons of Your Cycle series. We’ve gone through fall, winter, spring, and now finally, we get to talk about the inner SUMMER! Have you started to notice the vibes of each season as you’re going through …
This is part 3 in my Seasons of Your Cycle series- check out Part 1: Inner Autumn and Part 2: Inner Winter if you want to catch up!
You know the feeling on that first day of spring, when you can take your coat off and let the sun kiss your skin for the first time all year?
BLISS!
That’s how we can feel rolling into our inner spring, aka the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. This is the beauty of fully immersing yourself into each season: it allows their individual strengths to shine.
Ready to find out what you can expect to enjoy?
The phase immediately following menstruation is referred to as the follicular phase. The pituitary gland releases Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), which causes follicles (containing eggs) in your ovaries to mature. Following this, Luteinizing Hormone is released, which is responsible for the process of ovulation.
In addition, estrogen and testosterone levels begin to rise. Now you’ll FINALLY feel the boost of energy you’ve been wating for. You’ll likely feel more confident and ready to take risks at this time.
Increased estrogen is also known to improve the appearance of your skin, and suppress your appetite. This could result in a lighter feeling overall, which is a welcome change from the bloating many women experience during PMS and menstruation.
Inner spring is all about growth, renewal, rebirth! Think of the waxing moon, changing from a tiny crescent and moving toward fullness each night. We’ve made it through the winter and are ready for sunshine and flowers blooming. It’s a time for new beginnings!
This is a great time to initiate new projects and try new things! I’m writing this in my inner spring, and I embraced it by taking a hoop dance lesson last night. It wasn’t my first time hooping, but I’m a beginner and she is an EXPERT. Like 50K people on instagram watching her hoop videos. So it was a little nerve wracking to walk in the room and awkwardly attempt new tricks, but you know what? I reminded myself that if there was ever a time for it, it’s now!
Tapping into my inner spring vibes helped me remember that growth isn’t meant to be easy, but it is SO worth it.
Your body now has the energy to handle more strenuous exercise (as compared to the pre/menstrual phases), so go out and try that boot camp class, challenge yourself to a longer run, whatever gets you excited! Embracing the naturally higher energy levels we have during this half of our cycle lessens the feelings of guilt and laziness that creep up when we try to slow down during inner winter. There’s a season for everything!
Work-wise, inner spring can be a super productive time. Brainstorming and problem solving come easier as we’re able to look at the big picture goals and plan our next steps. Let the momentum of spring keep you focused and moving forward each day.
Go out there and live the spirit of the season, whatever season you’re in!
Subscribe to catch the next installment of this series (Inner SUMMER so you know it’s gonna be good!) and more tips on how to live life naturally 🙂
Thanks for checking out the second segment of this series, created to help you understand and embrace the changing phases of your menstrual cycle. Need to catch up? You can read about inner autumn here and find out why connecting to the seasons of your …