Intoxicating Beauty Without the Toxins

July 8, 2010 in Environment, Photography, Product Review

If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you’ve noticed that I post mostly about food and fitness. However, physical health is also affected by other important factors. What a lot of people fail to realize is that our physical health is also partly concerned with how much we expose our bodies to unnecessary toxins. Even if you already eat mostly organic foods with the least processing so that you’re avoiding a lot of toxins there, what about the personal care products you use – soap, lotion, deodorant, shaving cream, cologne/perfume, makeup, shampoo, conditioner, etc? What kinds of chemicals are used to make these products? Evidence has shown that ingredients slathered on the skin do get absorbed into the bloodstream over time (think about it: some women apply a simple patch to the skin as a birth control method!):

… substances are passively diffused across the skin and into the bloodstream over time. This means the substance must remain in contact with the skin for quite a while to be absorbed, as passive diffusion is not instantaneous. Something like a lotion, which remains in contact with the skin and is often re-applied, is probably one of the better ways to encourage active ingredients to migrate through the skin and into the bloodstream (Parramore).

Are any of these chemicals toxic, that you are applying to the largest porous organ of your body (your skin!) on a daily basis? If you don’t know, it’s probably time to find out! Take a couple of minutes to watch this short (but very informative) YouTube video before reading the rest of my post:

Done with the video? Good. Now ponder these two facts: “the cosmetics industry spent upwards of $600,000 lobbying against legislation in California that would require cosmetic companies to disclose the presence of ingredients that may cause cancer or birth defects. Proctor and Gamble alone spent $90,000 lobbying against the Safe Cosmetics Bill which wouldn’t even prohibit the use of these chemicals, but merely require disclosing that they are in the product” (Huffington Post).

I can see you getting grim. Maybe you’re saying you prefer not to hear about this, and that you’d like to just continue to live in ignorance of all these alarming facts, because frankly, you think there’s no way out. Carcinogens seem to be everywhere: If you avoid them in deodorant, then you’ll find them in cellphone radiation or food additives. So what’s the point!?

Well, the point is that you can avoid them. You can choose to purchase products that have little or no harmful chemicals. You can choose to be informed and you can take charge of your life and your body. Do not let the media dictate what you buy: just because Cover Girl airs a commercial about their “Outlast Double Lipshine” lip gloss that has 10-hours of staying power, doesn’t mean you have to buy it. Think about it: chemicals that can stay on your lips for 10 hours, that don’t wipe off easily, and that will likely be swallowed, don’t sound like a good idea to me. If you fall for Keri Russell’s sales pitch, at least look up the ingredients and check if any are really toxic before you purchase the item. A good website to check for this information is CosmeticDatabase.com, which lists the ingredients of most cosmetics, and rates them on a scale: 0-2 (low hazard), 3-6 (moderate hazard), 7-10 (high hazard). Apparently, Cover Girl lip gloss rates at 7, with a long list of health concerns…

As a woman who likes to look and feel pretty, I have invested a lot of money in all kinds of products during my teenage and young adult years. After being exposed to the shocking truths above, I made a decision to stop rubbing toxic chemicals on my face and body. In the beginning of my conversion to nontoxic products, I had no idea where to look. Television never advertises anything natural or organic, so I knew I had to rely on print and online media for information. A useful guide to green living is Green Guide for Everyday Living, an informative website sponsored by National Geographic. In addition to providing basic information, such as this article about the dirty dozen chemicals to avoid, the Green Guide features a buying guide that compares “green” products, to see how they stack up against each other!

I have to be honest: it wasn’t easy to ditch all my toxic makeup and buy all-natural brands. The biggest deterrent was the expense. I had invested in my personal care products over the years, opting to buy fancy brands from MAC, Sephora and myriad department stores because I valued the concept of “quality” products. But, since I had become convinced that my irreplaceable body was worth more than replaceable money, I made the switch. The Green Guide was integral to my search; I used their buying guides (in conjunction with other reliable websites) to figure out which products are safe to buy.

Since I love eye makeup, I decided to research that first. Shimmery eyeshadow that’s subtle enough for daily wear, as well as naturally defining and conditioning mascara and eyeliners, were on the top of my list. I read through the eye makeup buying guide, and decided on these three products, all of which I ordered through Amazon:

Nvey Eco Organic Eye Shadow

What’s going for it: In terms of its safety, Nvey eyeshadow is free of the “dirty dozen,” is certified by the Organic Food Chain, and contains only vegan ingredients. In terms of use, it provides a perfect texture that’s not too powdery, and yet it goes on and comes off with no hassle.

Now on to the “wow-factor” as I like to call it… ;-)  The color palette I ordered was perfect: bluish-gray, peachy-pink, shimmery taupe, chocolate brown, and a simple white:

I usually combine the colors to match my outfits, which typically either have a brownish hue or a grayish/bluish hue. Here’s me experimenting with both shades:

The downside: A quality product made with this level of precision is sure to be a little on the pricey side: $61 for the color palette I chose. However, I think it’s important to note that this is the only eyeshadow I currently use. I wear it during the day, opting for lighter colors when I don a sun-dress, and layering darker shades when I slip into something more elegant for a night around town. If you can manage with one toxic-free palette, why opt for anything else?

Eco Bella Brown Mascara

What’s going for it:Run-of-the-mill mascara is typically loaded with irritating synthetic fibers. Eco Bella mascara is not the most ideal choice because it contains some parabens, but all its other five ingredients are safe. It is a rarity in the cosmetic world for a product to have a mere seven ingredients. I love the way it looks and feels, and I also love the conditioning effect of the carnauba wax and the palm oil on my eyelashes…

The downside: As I mentioned, Eco Bella does contain two preservatives (parabens) that I’m not really comfortable with. However, when stacked up against other mainstream brands, Eco Bella shines, so I’m happy with it for the time being – at least until I find something even more natural. For only $13, Eco Bella is a safer choice than most mascaras out there.

Honeybee Organics JobaColors Eye Liner

What it has going for it: First of all, this eyeliner is compliant with the Compact for Safe Cosmetics and is free of the “dirty dozen” chemicals. Second of all, it’s less than $7 per eyeliner, which lasts for a very long time. Third of all, it goes on smoothly and almost has a creamy feel, thereby giving you the option of increasing the thickness and smearing it a bit with your pinky for a more smoky look. A little really does go a long way, especially for daytime wear! It comes in five colors, but I bought only two for now: Jet Set (black) and Charcoal Blue Jeans (blue) – and both have served me well!

The downside: Well, for me, there is no downside. If you prefer a sharper, more precise eyeliner, you may not like this brand, because it tends to have a creamier texture.

If you haven’t already, look up some of your personal care products on the websites I listed above and read a little bit of what ingredients you slather on your face and body everyday. Trust me, your body will thank you years down the road. :-)

Which natural and toxic-free cosmetics or personal care products do you currently use, or are there any that you’d like to try?

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