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I already wrote a post all about the top ingredients of concern in our beauty/personal care products. You can read that here. Be sure to read to the bottom of that post and grab my cheat sheet.
Now that we know what to avoid, let’s look at some of my favorite healthy beauty swaps. I recently did a Facebook Live on my favorite non-toxic body lotions and oils, check that out here.
It’s so important to reduce the chemicals that we put on our bodies, here’s a reminder of why:
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26 seconds is all that it takes for the chemicals in your personal care products to enter your bloodstream.
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More than 85,000 chemicals have been introduced since the early 1940’s and almost 90% of those haven’t been tested for human safety.
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Even if you are a super label checker, federal law allows companies to leave some chemical ingredients off their product labels, including those considered to be trade secrets, components of fragrance and nanomaterials. Let me repeat: Companies aren’t required to disclose all their ingredients! This is why it is important to avoid products that have fragrance or parfum listed on their ingredient list as this is where some of the worst ingredients hide.
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Beware of greenwashing. The FDA does not regulate the use of words like “hypoallergenic”, “natural”, or “organic” to name a few. Some companies use these terms to market their products because they know that the eco movement is the fastest growing segment of the cosmetics industry.
I hope that inspires you to make some changes. Here are my Top 10 Healthy Beauty Swaps
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Body Wash: I LOVE Dr. Bronner’s all-purpose pure castile soap. This is an all-purpose soap with many uses. Here is a cheat sheet listing the uses and dilutions. I personally use it for a body wash, in my foaming hand soap recipe (sign up for my newsletter to get this), in my All-Purpose Cleaner recipe, for shaving and in the bathtub with my kiddos.
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Body Lotion: Beautycounter Citrus Mimosa Body Butter-This is a thick, luxurious lotion. It is my favorite to use after a shower or bath when I really want to be well moisturized.
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Deodorant: I finally found 2 natural deodorants that work!!
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My #1-never-thought-I would-find-a-natural-deodorant-that-works is: PiperWai. They just improved their formula to spread more easily. It’s awesome. It doesn’t stain clothing, has a nice clean scent and it works!! Use this link to get 15% off.
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American Provenance-I love the lemongrass scent. My husband loves Firepits & Flannels. I just used this for 2 weeks while being very active in CO, and I didn’t stink! It goes on easily. It is a little softer than a traditional deodorant, so I swipe it on, then spread it around with my fingers.
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Nail Polish: Mineral Fusion– This is free of: formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate, and camphor. I have many different colors. They stay on well for several days, but last longer if you get their gel top coat.
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Sunless Tanner: Beauty by Earth Self Tanner, rated 1 on EWG*. It is rated 4.5/5 on Amazon with 1,437 reviews. I’m a redhead, so I need some help in the tanning department. I have been using this for several weeks. My mom even asked me how I got so tan. It’s a thick white lotion. It rubs in well. It does have that sunless tanner smell, but that goes away after the first day. After I apply it, I use an old towel and lightly wipe down my ankles and knees, any areas that are drier or could possibly be streaky, so that I get a smooth, even application.
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Sunscreen: Beautycounter sunscreens, rated 1 on EWG*. I LOVE their body stick. My kids put it on themselves and it’s not white and streaky. They also have a face stick and a lotion. The lotion rubs in really easily. It’s so easy to use and non-toxic, this one’s a no-brainer.
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Feminine Products: Natracare– This is the brand I use and have been very happy with. They are chlorine-free, plastic-free and biodegradable. They have tampons and pads.
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Hairspray: Intelligent Nutrients Perfect Hold Hair Spray. This is what I’m currently using. It is rated 5 by EWG*, however the 3 ingredients that they are rating high are certified organic and are part of their essential oil blend. I feel good about using this hairspray. This company has 2 varieties of hairspray. This one which gives a stronger hold, and they have one with a lighter hold. I don’t get quite the same results as I would with aerosol, but it’s not a huge difference and one I’m willing to compromise on. And the smell is great. Con: it is expensive, however I have found that it lasts me a long time.
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Makeup: I have 2 favorite lines that are my go-to’s-
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Jane Iredale–products are rated 0-7 on EWG*
-Here are my favorites:
Liquid Minerals Foundation-this has great coverage and looks very natural.
Pure Gloss Lip Gloss-Love this. My favorite shade is raspberry.
Eye Pencil-these go on really smooth.
In Touch Cream Blush-this is a great creamy blush that you can just swipe on and go.
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Beautycounter– products are rated 0-2 on EWG* with several of them being EWG verified. Beautycounter is a cosmetics company that is dedicated to a health and safety standard that goes well beyond what is legally required in the US. They prohibit the use of over 1,500 harmful or questionable ingredients in their products. They are committed to increasing regulation in the personal care industry.
-My favorites:
Tint Skin Foundation-great coverage, I use this all winter and if I need more coverage in the summer.
Dew Skin Tinted Moisturizer with SPF-this is perfect in the summer for light coverage with SPF.
Touchup Concealer Pen-I use this daily for under-eye circles!
Color Contour Matte Bronzer-Because everyone looks better sun-kissed.
Color Sweep Blush Duo
Color Shade Eye Duo
Lip Sheer-Twig is a great neutral.
Lip Gloss-my favorite is Peony. It gives just a hint of pink.
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Skin Care Lines:
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Annmarie Gianni-rated 0-2 on EWG*. I LOVE everything I have tried from this line. Two health bloggers started this line after followers kept asking them what skin care products they use. When they checked the ingredients on products they were using, they were a bit embarrassed. After trial and error, they couldn’t find anything on the market that was organic enough, disclosed all their ingredients and actually worked. So, they decided to make their own. And it’s amazing. The ingredients are so clean you could eat the stuff. And the smell…..heaven.
-My favorites:
Anti-Aging Serum– this is really hydrating and great for aging skin- Yes Please!
Kaolin Micro Exfoliant– I use this 2-3 times a week so it lasts a long time and my face feels smooth and amazing.
Coconut Honey Mask– this is hydrating and plumping. I use this whenever I’m feeling really dry.
Herbal Facial Oil for Sensitive Skin– a great daily moisturizer and soothing for sensitive skin.
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Beautycounter– Rated 0-2 on EWG*, some products are also EWG verified.
-My favorites:
Cleansing Balm-this removes eye makeup and cleanses while being extremely hydrating. Love!
Balancing Charcoal Mask-I use this once or twice a week. It’s great for deep pore cleansing.
Glow Shimmer Oil– This is moisturizing and gives you a little shimmer. I love it for putting on my arms and legs in the summer.
Nourishing Cream Cleanser– This is a super gentle, moisturizing cleanser.
Nourishing Day Cream– this is a lightweight, moisturizing cream for every day.
Nourishing Night Cream
Nourishing Rosewater Mist– I love this toner for setting makeup, on an airplane, or anytime I’m feeling dry.
Again, I have loved everything I tried!
* The Environmental Working Group or EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database lets you search more than 62,000 products and rates them based on the ingredients listed on the label. The EWG scores products on a scale of 1-10, with 1-2 being least hazardous. 3-6 being moderate hazard and 7-10 being high hazard.
If you want even more healthy swaps right now, check out my course. I walk you through every area of your home and show you healthy, non-toxic alternatives as well as give you DIY recipes:
6 Easy Weeks to Clean Living
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