Clean Beauty...
Nov 13, 2024
is having a moment. And boy am I happy about that! I know clean, non-toxic beauty is "in" because my twenty something daughters now ask ME for my opinion on beauty products they are using. Yep. True. It's official. Clean Beauty awareness and companies are on the rise!
I'm really excited about this because I find that most women spend a lot of time, energy, money and effort trying to be healthy. They buy supplements, gym memberships, make juice, sit in saunas, buy only organic food, and do just about anything else in the vain of good health.
Except...they buy cosmetics, shampoos, lotions and potions that are quite literally creating a toxic shower for their bodies each day. These products are unregulated by the FDA, and are filled with EDC's [Endocrine Disrupting Chemcials] that wreak havok on endocrine system.
Now, in case you don't know what the endocrine system does, you can think of it as the master control center in the body that controls very important stuff. Like mood, hormone levels, metabolism and more. And the endocrine system is a fragile system. It's often referred to as the "canary in the coal mine" because it sends the first warning alarms when imbalance is detected in our body.
Learn More About Your Endocrine System
And you may be saying to yourself right now...it's just shampoo! Just one little thing. But, you see, it's never just one little thing. Think about your soap, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, hair spray, make up, lotion, perfume, deodorant...it gets to a long list pretty quick for most women.
So, take a look at the most common chemicals lurking in many beauty products as identified by the Environmental Working Group:
- Formaldehyde, a known carcinogen.
- Paraformaldehyde, a type of formaldehyde.
- Methylene glycol, a type of formaldehyde.
- Quaternium 15, which releases formaldehyde.
- Mercury, which can damage the kidneys and nervous system.
- Dibutyl and diethylhexyl phthalates, which disrupt hormones and damage the reproductive system.
- Isobutyl and isopropyl parabens which disrupt hormones and harm the reproductive system.
- The long-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances known as PFAS, which have been linked to cancer.
- M- and o-phenylenediamine, used in hair dyes, which irritate and sensitize the skin, damage DNA and can cause cancer.
These harmful ingredients are banned by many countries including the EU, but allowed in the United States. And cosmetic companies are largely allowed self regulation. Kinda like a fox watching the hen house situation.
So, what's a girl to do? Slowly start making the switch to a cleaner product each time you make a purchase! And remember, it's impossible to be perfect. But we can be better! And when it comes to your health, a little better is a huge win!
My two daughters used to make fun of me because of the clean beauty products I used. And to be fair, at that time, there were very few brands and you had to look really hard to find clean beauty products. I used to get a lot of things from this little healthfood store! Now there are so many clean products to choose from!
Before I share my favorite clean beauty brands I'm using currently, I'm going to share two important reminders:
ONE: You will need to be a clean beauty ninja when choosing your products.
Why? Because in the world of beauty marketing, the word "clean" does not necessarily mean clean. Remember, there is little regulation and guidelines enforced. [fox watching the henhouse].
TWO: It's impossible to be perfect. Say that out loud. It's impossible to be perfect. We just need to be a little better each time. So don't get flustered and hyper focused on perfection here. Just learn and get a little better with each purchase!
There's also a really cool resource you can use to check the toxicity load of the beauty products you're using with the Skin Deep Database created by the Environmental Working Group! They also have an app for your phone!
My Favorite Beauty Brands
I would never recommend something I haven't tried so if it's on this list, I'm using it! And, I'm always open to making an even better choice so I'll update this list as I try new products!
Shampoo / Conditioner:
I love both these brands:
Acure. I love the volume shampoo + conditioner.
The Naked Bee I love the Orange Blossom & Honey shampoo & conditioner
Deordorant:
This category tends to be the most difficult in my opinion. Why? Because it's really hard to find a clean brand that works. I've tried no less than 20 brands over the years and it's tough to find a clean product that actually works.
I love using both of these products. They work!
Hume I've used a lot of the scents! My favorite is "out west".
EO. I really love this one in the summer!
Lotion:
This is a category you're going to be disappointed in because I don't really use a lotion, and I don't want to recommend something I don't use. Instead of lotion I use organic coconut oil. And I often us castor oil on my face and my chest.
Organic Castor Oil. I add a few drops of Frankinscence Essential Oil and use on my face at night! I use Doterra if you want to know the exact brand! I love all their oils and use a lot of them. My Doterra Favs
Toothpaste:
I love this brand. Best one I've used by a mile. Switching to healthy version of toothpaste takes a little time, but you will notice the chemical after taste of regular toothpaste once you use a healhty toothpaste for a little while.
Soap:
I don't use shower gel or anything fancy on my face. I use a simple clean bar of soap. The one I use is from a wonderful local company called Earthy Brown! I met them a long time ago at a farmer's market and have used the soap ever since!
Earthy Brown's Soap. I've used all the scents! But this one is my fav!
Perfume
I have both of these options and love them both.
The Burren Perfumery. I use this for special occasions. I suggest getting the fragrance sampler to see which one you love most! They all smell amazing! I use the Wild Rose scent. In fact, these scents remind of Jo Malone which I loved for years until I made the switch to clean beauty.
Doterra Rose Touch I use this for every day wear. Light and lovely.
Face:
Young Goose I LOVE this company! I use two products. The Youth Reset V2 and Youth Daily V2. They are a little pricey, but last a long time and in my opinion work very well. Also, here's a little extra hint I do with skin care.
Use code: Kimmye for 10% discount!
I mix topical estrogen creme [for vaginal use] with the Young Goose Daily V2 moisturizer. I know, sounds crazy. But our skin needs estrogen too and as we age, it declines. I learned this little trick from one of my favorite rengenerative medicine physicians, Dr. Amy B. Killen.
Here's the steps:
Day:
1: Wash face with Earthy Brown soap
2. Apply Youth Reset V2 Serum
3. Mix a little topical estrogen creme, with the Young Daily V2 Cream.
Night:
At night, I use a few drops of Doterra Frankinscense essential oil mixed with castor oil.
I also really love the One Skin products! They also target the aging cell.
Make Up:
This category is tough. I'm not sure there is a super squeaky clean brand in this category. But remember, we are shooting for better, not perfect all the time!
I like all of these brands, but I think my favorite for mature skin is Ogee. It's wonderful. Here's what I'm currently using:
Contour Collection [shade Crystal]. This is bronzer, blush and highlighter.
Complexion Protecting Tinted Serum: [shade Linden]
I've recently ordered make up from a new company in France I discovered called Typology. I love it. Wonderful option. I love the tinted lip gloss which I've used as blush and lip gloss all in one. I also LOVE the vitamin C serum. Order it! It's wonderful!
Cheers to the clean beauty comeback and the fact that ol' Mom is cool again too. Believe me, I'm mostly uncool so I'll take this one! Remember you can't be perfect all the time and it's not practical to toss out all your stuff! Just make a better choice the next time you're purchasing to a cleaner brand!
Until next time, never miss a beet!
