How Clean is your beauty routine!
“Flawless is a word often described on beauty and makeup bags, but unknown to most, the cosmetic world is seriously flawed. While many beauty products may enhance your look on the outside, the chemicals found within the products could be secretly harming you on the inside. Many shampoos, conditioners, makeup items, lotions, body scrubs, and face washes contain toxic compounds linked to serious health repercussions. However, when living in a society where everyone wants to be beautiful, it can be hard to forgo your morning routine. Fortunately, there are beauty alternatives that avoid hundreds of the nasty chemicals many “reputable” and high-end cosmetics brands currently use. As a consumer, it is important to be aware of what toxic beauty is, what it could be doing to you or your family’s body, and what safer alternative options are out there for you.
What is toxic beauty?
The beauty world can be hard to navigate: products containing harmful chemicals are often labeled as “clean” or “all-natural.” So, it can be confusing to determine which cosmetic products are truly clean and which are full of toxins. Unfortunately, cosmetics are largely unregulated by the government, and it is up to the consumer to determine which products he or she should use. When browsing aisles filled with countless options, it is important to be aware of the toxins lurking in many of the products. Some of the most common dangerous chemicals include lead, mercury, parabens, formaldehyde, and phthalates-just to name a few.
It is also important to be aware that generic labels claiming a product is clean does not mean that product will not damage your health. Your skin is your body’s largest organ and frontline defense against harmful compounds in the environment. Thus, taking care of it is essential and what you put on it will affect your health. Your skin will absorb many of the chemicals you place on it, so using “clean” products with laundry list of man-made chemicals means those harmful compounds will be absorbed and enter your bloodstream. This can lead to many health complications.
How Can These Toxins Harm You?
There are many health risks that accompany using toxic beauty products. Every day, millions of people unknowingly harm their health before they even step outside their door in the morning. The effects of using toxic beauty products as a part of a daily routine can lead to terrible consequences later down the road. For example, some of the most common chemicals-lead, mercury, parabens, formaldehyde, and phthalates-are all carcinogenic. Each of these compounds is associated with many health conditions, so combining them into a single product only amplifies the risks.
Toxic beauty has been associated with reproductive issues in women, cancer, developmental problems, and hormonal imbalances. Lead is a heavy metal that is linked to problems with the nervous system, brain damage, learning disabilities, and kidney damage. Mercury is another heavy metal that is associated with issues in the digestive tract, lungs, immune system, and kidneys. Parabens are preservatives that act like estrogen in the body and can lead to the development of many cancers including breast cancer. Formaldehyde, the same chemical found in tobacco smoke, is a common beauty ingredient linked to cancer and respiratory issues. Phthalates are compounds that create imbalances of hormones like testosterone and estrogen and can cause the development of cancers.
Some chemicals, such as lead, are actually illegal in the United States due to their harmful effects. However, be aware that some products still contain these compounds under different names. Brands listing “kohl” and “tozali” as ingredients mean there is most likely a high-concentration of lead in that product.
How Can I Keep My Beauty Routine “Clean?”
Fortunately, there are beauty alternatives on the market that are safe to use; you do not have to forgo your entire skincare routine to stay healthy. The EWG(Environmental Working Group) is an organization that helps consumers find products and brands that truly have clean and all-natural ingredients. To see if the products you are currently using are safe, visit the EWG website below:
To visit the EWG website: http://www.ewg.org
Or check out the EWG app in the APP Store.
To find new, clean healthier, and safer alternatives for your skin, hair, and nails, check out one of my favorite clean beauty companies at the Beautycounter linked below! Beautycounter restricts more than 1,800 dangerous chemicals from their products to give their customers guilt-free and healthier swaps for their favorite beauty items. Not only will you look beautiful. but you will feel Great too…..cause HEALTHY is the new beautiful!!!
To visit the Beautycounter website click here
Disclaimer
The information contained in this blog and any content within therootcausewellness.com website is intended to educate, empower, and inspire readers to make positive choices for their own overall health and wellbeing. I am not a doctor, psychiatrist, or therapist and the information contained in this website is my personal opinion based on my education, real-life experience, and research unless otherwise stated. Therefore, It is in no way intended to substitute for professional medical advice from a doctor or licensed health professional. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease or medical condition. It is always recommended that you consult with a doctor or licensed medical professional before making any dietary, lifestyle, exercise, medication, or supplement changes. Kathleen Freydl, Certified Health Coach and Owner of the Root Cause Wellness, accepts no responsibility or liability whatsoever for the use or misuse of the information contained in therootcausewellness.com website.