If you follow me on Instagram you know that I’ve been talking about transitioning to green beauty… like a lot. Today I want to introduce a series of posts about my transition from traditional beauty products to green beauty. The logical place to start is explaining why I’m making the switch, and over the next few posts I’ll share the different things that are making the process easier, and dare I say, fun!
But don’t worry, It’s really not as hard as it seems.
My Previous Approach
I’ve shared my skincare routines before (you can find them here: AM + PM) and frankly, I am not going to bad mouth any of the products I previously used. I loved them. They worked. And as a woman who’s never had particularly sensitive skin, I didn’t experience any issues using them. But upon closer reflection, the ingredients just didn’t stand up. And the thing about knowledge is, you can’t unknow something once you know it. So while I’ll definitely be reaching out to brands and advocating for better ingredients in the products produced, I won’t be begrudging anyone who has a hard time letting go of their cult fave.
The Science
I know I’m not the only one who has noticed the alarming increase in chronic disease and illness in this country. Well, there is mounting research connecting what we put in and on our bodies to the rise in disease. And not to get super nerdy, but if you want to be terrified just give this a read- “A Consumer’s Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients…” by Ruth Winter. Long story short: There are a lot of chemicals in the products we put in our bodies and at best we don’t know what they are doing; at worst, we are beginning to have some idea and yet they are still completely legal. *gulp*
Here are just a few of the ingredients that I’m going to be saying NO to:
ETHANOLAMINES (DEA, MEA, TEA, ETA): serves as a surfactant. May form carcinogenic nitrosamines on the skin or in the body after absorption. Studies have linked the topical application to cancer in lab animals.
FORMALDEHYDE: serves as a preservative, germicide, and fungicide. Banned by the EU, this is a known carcinogenic and strong irritant.
LEAD & MERCURY: serves as a preservative. Found in a lot of makeup, there are risks of infertility as a result of toxic buildup.
PARABENS: serves as a preservative and anti-bacterial agent. This one is a Big Bad as it is a Hormone/Endocrine disruptor.
PHTHALATES: used as a solvent. Found in lotions, deodorants, nail polishes, etc. This one is another Big Bad– Hormone/Endocrine disrupter; also a suspected carcinogen.
SULFATES (SLS/SLES): used as a surfactant and the component that makes your shampoo suds. This one has been off the list for me for quite some time because I’m a Curly Girl
Are you guys noticing a trend? The endocrine system is kind of a big deal as it regulates metabolism, growth and development, tissue function, sexual function, reproduction, sleep, and mood, among other things.
What I Already Knew in My Heart
I’m a woman who knows nutrition. I research food ingredients relentlessly, serve up green smoothies and kale chips to my kids, and am constantly researching and raving about whole food supplements. Basically, I care about what goes into my body. So why had I never paid any attention to what I was putting on my body? Because the beauty industry is huge and little girls largely use what they see their mothers use. We have an emotional attachment to the time we stole our mother’s Creme De La Mer when we went off to summer camp. We will never forget what color Mac lipstick our mother’s wore to our college graduation (Ruby Woo, b/c duh). Switching our beauty products, especially if they’ve always “worked,” is a difficult task.
But it’s one that’s worth doing.
My Aha! Moment
I had been thinking about making the transition to green beauty for ages. Yet somehow it always remained on the back burner… And then I had a daughter. When Eleanor began to crawl she would buzz around at my feet while I got dressed in the bathroom and she’d swipe everything she could get her hands on. I’d look over and she’d be standing on her tippy toes and stretching for that Ruby Woo. But soon crawling turned to cruising and then one day she took the lid off. As I lunged to snatch the lipstick out of her hand as it went towards her mouth, I found myself saying, “no baby girl, we don’t know what’s in that.”
We don’t know what’s in that. Hmmm. I’m a label reading ninja, but I didn’t know what was in it.
It was in that moment that I realized I had to do better. As I said, daughters learn from their mothers. And here I was using a product that I wouldn’t dare let my daughter get into. So I thought to myself, maybe I shouldn’t be putting it on myself either. And that’s really what it boiled down to for me. It was simply just time. No more excuses.
But…
I do feel the need to mention one caveat: the research is ever changing. The science community is a long way from having a definitive answer on whether the concentrations of various chemicals or toxins in our beauty products are enough to cause real danger to humans (most tests are done on animals), but this is an area where I don’t feel a definitive answer is necessary. Reasonable doubt is all I need. And the research far exceeds that limit.
And there you have it.
It certainly takes time, money, and at least a little bit of effort to transition from conventional beauty to green beauty; but it doesn’t have to be hard. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be doing several reviews of products that I am trying and loving. It is my hope that it’ll help ease the process for you, should you choose to join me on this journey. Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss a post. And Join me over on Instagram, I share a ton of info over there. Let’s be social.
Xo, Kimberly Fe'Lix
