Some facts I learned while perusing Sleigh Bells singer Alexis Krauss’ new healthy cosmetics blog, Beauty Lies Truth:
– The US hasn’t passed a federal law regulating personal care products ingredients since 1938.
– Of the 10,000 chemicals commonly used in beauty products, only about 10% have any known safety data.
– Those plastic micro exfoliating beads in body and face washes are contributing to massive environmental pollution.
And that’s just from 30 seconds of scanning the first page.
In February, Krauss met Jessica Assaf, a healthy living activist and sales rep at the Brooklyn-based cosmetics company SW Basics, and the pair instantly hit it off. By July, they launched Beauty Lies Truth, a website dedicated to uncovering the dark secrets of the big-brand beauty industry and offering natural, safe, and often DIY alternatives.
“I just had this epiphany and realized I was totally ignorant about the products I was using,” Krauss explained to MTV. “I’ve always thought of myself as pretty conscious when it comes to consuming — especially with regard to food. I try to eat sustainably, I try to eat organic food, and I was a vegetarian for many years. I’m an ethical consumer, and then I realized, ‘Holy shit. I think about all this stuff I put in my body, but I don’t know about any of the shit I’m putting on my skin.'”
Krauss said the site is aimed at women who want to keep wearing makeup but who also don’t want to compromise “health for the sake of looking good.” Beyond personal well-being, there’s concerns about the environment as well. “The same things that fuck with our hormones are fucking with the hormones of amphibians from it getting into the water supply,” Krauss said.
With Assaf attending Harvard Business in the fall, Krauss said they’re planning to use the site as a portal for people to access alternative (read: safer) cosmetic brands. They also have plans for a pocket-guide of useful information, possibly in the form of an app. But there are loftier goals still on the horizon. “Ultimately, I think we would love to get involved in legislative changes,” Krauss said, “and really getting companies to opt out of using certain ingredients and experimenting with alternative formulas that are just as effective.”
As of now, the site is frequently updated with info about how to restock your beauty cabinet, the dangers of the Johnson & Johnson brand, and instructions on making your own exfoliating scrubs out of coffee beans and coconut. In addition, Krauss said she’s been in contact with Claire Boucher, aka Grimes, about contributing some beauty tips.
