Beauty
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Our skin is our body’s largest organ. We often forget this fact. And we don’t realize that almost all of what we apply to our skin gets absorbed directly into our bloodstream.
That is why it is so important that what we put on our skin is 100% non-toxic.
The reality is that companies are allowed to use known toxins — ingredients that have been linked to cancer, reproductive issues, and hormone disruption — without even disclosing these ingredients to us!
About a year ago, I was reading a wellness blog by Kris Carr (she is a wellness advocate, writer, cancer survivor) about the toxic ingredients used in skin care products and the lack of regulation in the beauty industry, and her words really resonated. Here I am, working so hard to be the healthiest I can be, dedicating so much time and energy to good nutrition and exercise, yet I’m using skincare products that are full of toxic chemicals. And I’m absorbing them right through my skin.
Beautycounter: Skincare with a conscience.
That’s when I discovered Beautycounter: a skincare and cosmetics company that’s dedicated to only using safe/non-toxic, but effective ingredients in all their products. Better yet, they’re working to help facilitate legislation that would mandate regulations for the cosmetics industry and prevent the use of unsafe ingredients in skincare and makeup products.
Did you know? It’s all in the numbers.
Here are a few cold, hard facts:
The United States has not regulated the cosmetics industry since 1938. Companies can pretty much do whatever they want. We have introduced over 85,000 chemicals into commerce since World War II. Of these, almost 80% have never been tested for safety.
Europe has banned 1,300 harmful chemicals from use in skincare products. The United States has banned only 11. Beautycounter compiled a list of almost 1,500 ingredients they have determined as unsafe and will not use them in their products. Yet their products are still 100% effective!
Four reasons I love Beautycounter:
1) These products work. Unlike many of the “organic” or “natural” products I’ve tried, these products work. Just because a product says it’s organic or all natural doesn’t necessarily mean anything. For example, a skin care product can contain only 1% organic ingredients, and the manufacturer can legally call this product “organic”. Plus, organic products don’t have a very long shelf life, which is not ideal when you’re spending money on quality skincare products (but that’s a blog topic we’ll save for another day).
2) I feel good knowing that what I’m putting on my skin (and into my body) is safe. All of Beautycounter’s products are rated between 0-2 on EWG’s Skindeep database, which rates product safety.
3) I love supporting a company that is doing their part to make the world a better (and safer) place. Beautycounter is lobbying in Washington to reform the current laws and impose the stricter guidelines they have chosen to follow. They also work with non-profit organizations that are working to reduce our amount of chemical exposure.
4) I want you to feel good from the inside out. I would never have taken on a beauty and cosmetics line if I didn’t feel passionate about it. These products compliment the work I do on so many levels. Looking good, and feeling good, go hand in hand.
-- LC
