I must admit I didn’t ever give too much thought about toxins in my skincare and make-up until recently. Why? I had no idea that most make-up brands and skincare products have toxic ingredients. How and why would the FDA allow products to hit the shelves if they were dangerous for us to use?
When I found out that the FDA doesn’t have strict guidelines for toxic products, I was so angry. I have purchased cosmetics the same way my entire life, and reading the labels was not part of my routine until recently. The fact that we have to do our own research about products we consume is overwhelming. Read more about the 14 toxic ingredients in Beauty Products in the United States.
There is three easy ways to break through the clutter and shop for effective, safe and clean beauty products. I will share the three steps with you below.
To save you time and effort, I am providing an easy guide to safe clean beauty products- resources for you to use so you can find out if the products you use are non-toxic and safe to use. In addition, check out the list of safe toxic-free products that I recommend based on my thorough investigation.
Women Use An Average of 12 Personal Care Products Everyday
As consumers, we trust and like the brands we have used for a long time. When we find a product we like, we stick with it. We are all creatures of habit, so we don’t want to change up our skincare and make-up routines.
Women use an average of 12 personal care products every day, exposing themselves to 168 chemicals, according to the Environmental Working Group. Men use half as many products but still come in contact with 85 chemicals daily.
Too much of the burden is on the public, and it’s unfair to expect the average person to have the time and scientific background to stay on top of this,” says Russ Hauser, chair of the department of environmental health at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. I couldn’t agree more that ‘s why I am sharing the list of 14 harmful toxins in beauty products.
What I Learned From My Gal Pal
After speaking to my pal Cynthia Besteman, (founder for the award-winning non-toxic Violet’s Are Blue Skincare), I became more diligent about researching products I use by checking credible databases and certifications.
You see, Cynthia is a cancer survivor. When she found out she had breast cancer, she dug deep into research about what causes cancer. What she discovered was that so many of our household products and personal care products contained the harmful disease, causing ingredients. I think we can all agree that we have heard about these so called toxins but it isn’t until you do your own research does it hit home. Check out her non-toxic skincare line here.
Besteman helped to open my eyes to the lack of regulations for everyday products we use all use on our skin. Based on this, I want to share with you how to shop for safe beauty products.
3 Easy Ways to Shop For Safe And Clean Beauty Products
How To Protect Yourself & Shop For Safe Beauty Products
#1 Check Reliable Databases For Product Information
A. SKIN DEEP DATABASE
One of the most popular tools for identifying safer products is the Skin Deep Cosmetics Database from the Environmental Working Group (EWG). Skin Deep provides safety ratings on personal care products and ingredients with a hazard score of 1-10 based on the known and suspected hazards of ingredients.
B. EWG’S HEALTHY LIVING APP
The Healthy Living app from the Environmental Working Group combines the data from Skin Deep, along with the EWG’s Food Scores data – to create a comprehensive healthy living app. For personal care and beauty products, click on the Cosmetics tab on the app. You can also scan the bar code on a product, which can be very helpful when you are in a store.
C. THINK DIRTY
Skin Deep is my go-to resource for understanding the safety of a product, but another popular ratings app is Think Dirty.
#2 Look For These Certifications and Seals of Approval on Beauty Products
Since you can’t rely on the FDA for guidance when buying non toxic beauty products, look for the following certifications and seals of approval that can be super helpful in selecting the safest products to use on your body.
These third party certifications are very reliable based on all my research. If you see a product with any of these certifications it means that the product has met a stringent set of requirements.
A. USDA ORGANIC
In order to make an organic claim or use the USDA Organic Seal, the final product must follow strict production, handling and labeling standards and go through the organic certification process. The standards address a variety of factors such as soil quality, animal raising practices, and pest and weed control. Synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used.
- Products must contain at least 95% organic ingredients
- Standard created for food products (USDA has no authority over the production and labeling of cosmetics and personal care products)
- Certifying agent’s name and address must appear on the label
- Example
B. EWG
The EWG VERIFIED (Environmental Working Group) mark does the work for you. When you see the EWG VERIFIED mark on a product, you can be sure it’s free from EWG’s chemicals of concern and meets our strictest standards for your health.
- Set of standards that demonstrate EWG’s strict criteria for safety.
- Products must score “green” (1 or 2) in Skin Deep database.
- All ingredients must be disclosed, including all fragrance components
- Example: Mineral Fusion
C. MADE SAFE
MADE SAFE® is America’s first nontoxic seal for products we use every day, from baby to personal care to household and beyond. Made Safe certifies products you use on your body, with your family, and in your home are made with safe ingredients not known or suspected to harm human health.
- Products are screened for against a toxicant database for known harmful chemicals such as carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, heavy metals and more.
- Supply chain and other contamination risks are considered.
- Ingredients are examined for bioaccumulation, persistence, and general and aquatic toxicity.
- Goes beyond individual ingredients to certify finished product.
- Learn more
D. The Natural Product Association
- Standard created specifically for personal care products
- Minimum 95% ingredients of natural origin
- No ingredients with any suspected human health risks
- No processes that significantly or adversely alter the natural ingredients
- Example: Badger Sunscreen
E. NSF
Manufacturers, regulators and consumers look to NSF International for the development of public health standards and certification programs that help protect the world’s food, water, consumer products and environment.
Manufacturers, regulators and consumers look to NSF International for the development of public health standards and certification programs that help protect the world’s food, water, consumer products and environment.
- Standard developed for personal care and cosmetics using organic ingredients
- Formula must contain at least 70% organic content by weight
- Example: Aubrey Organic
#3 Buy From Reputable Sources
Shopping for personal care products from unauthorized sellers on Amazon or eBay might save money, but there’s no guarantee you’re getting a safe product. A 2017 survey revealed that more than a quarter of respondents had unknowingly bought counterfeits—items that may contain dangerous ingredients such as lead—online. If you shop online, buy from a reputable site, from authorized sellers on Amazon, or from a brand’s website.
I hope this list helps you. It helped me. It’s maddening to think that we all have to dig so deep to find the truth about everyday products we use. Products that should be safe. All products sold should be 100% safe.
We need to take things into our our hands. Let’s take care of one another and share this info with friends and family.
Stay healthy and safe.
Best,
The post 3 Easy Ways To Shop For Safe Clean Beauty Products appeared first on galpal-Lifestyle Blog.
