Let’s face it, there are very few people jumping for joy over wrinkles!
We definitely do not live in a world with the mentality of aging “gracefully” anymore. The beauty industry is a billion dollar industry, with anti-aging products jumping from about $80 billion in 2011 to $114 billion in 2015. Needless to say, theres a lot of money to be made on anti-aging products.
It is also the least regulated industry in America. We are touted with advertisements on anti-aging creams, serums, and products that are said to provide instant results on a daily basis. Just pick up a magazine anywhere and you see beautiful photoshopped faces with smooth radiant skin – flawless, perfect, and glowing. Then we walk over to the mirror and compare ourselves, judging from the inside out. Society has built up the image that wrinkles are bad, when in fact the notion that youth equates to beauty is not sustainable in a world where aging is inevitable.
But is beauty all about wrinkles?
Beauty should be something that starts from the inside out – something that makes us feel better, look better, and make us happier, healthier, and more confident. Concern for what we put onto and into our bodies has become of increasing interest to consumers.
I, like many of you, have gone to great lengths to secure that ideal of a youthful person, until recently when I found out that the average woman slathers, lathers, scrubs, rubs and sprays 515 different synthetic chemicals on her body everyday!
While no one really knows for sure how certain chemicals affect us over time, or how they react in our bodies in combination with 515 other chemicals – we do know that our skin is the largest organ and absorbs more than 60% of what we slather on in seconds. A great example of this would be the birth control patch – the medication is absorbed into your bloodstream by applying it on your skin.
The Ugly Truth
Major loopholes in the United States allow cheap, toxic chemicals into beauty products in order to increase profit margins. There are no regulating agencies, nobody monitoring the health effects, and no safety testing.
Companies are allowed to sneak in chemical ingredients under the word “fragrance” and “natural” – stay away from those!
More than 1 in 5 beauty products contain chemicals that cause cancer, birth defects, genetic mutation, and organ damage.
1 in 8 ingredients used in personal care products is also used for industrial purposes.
To date, the EU (European Union) has banned 1,100 chemicals in cosmetics; the Food and Drug Administration in America has banned only ten.
Choloroflurorocarbon
Chloroform
Halogenated salicylanilides
Hexachlorophene
Mercury
Ethylene chloride
Bithionol
Prohibited cattle material (tallow and its by-products)
Trichloroethane
Zirconium
1 in 30 products sold in the U.S. fails to meet industry or government safety standards.
80% of beauty products in the United States contain chemicals.
56% of beauty products contain skin penetration enhancers allowing them to enter your bloodstream.
US manufacturers often make different, safer versions of their products which are sold overseas.
At the same time that untested chemicals have been steadily introduced into our environment, Breast Cancer incidence has risen dramatically. The Breast Cancer Fund has identified and linked these chemicals specifically to Breast Cancer. Our bodies are clearly overburdened with chemicals, but there is something we can do about it.
Start HERE…
Visit the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.
Check your products on EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database . The lower the score, the better the product is for you.
Be reasonable and realistic – switch out one product at a time! Switching to a natural deodorant, body lotion or facial moisturizer is a great place to start!
Start reading labels & Download this FREE app – Think Dirty – to get the scoop before you decide to buy a product. It’s super easy to use – just scan the product barcode and Think Dirty will give you easy-to-understand info on the product, its ingredients, and safer options to choose from!
If a complete ingredient list isn’t readily available on a website or disclosed on a package – don’t buy it!
If you want to get scientific and super informed, check out Chemical of the Day.
Choose Certified Organic Products.
Here are some of my personal favorite products to use. These products prove that you can be beautiful on the outside without sacrificing your inside.
NYR Organic’s Honey & Orange Facial Scrub $26
These products smell like you just stepped into a spa. Orange flower is naturally moisturizing and helps to protect dry skin, premature aging, and is gives your skin a natural Vitamin C antioxidant boost! While I use all 3 of these products on a regular basis, the most important step to preserving your skin is to exfoliate! When you remove dead skin cells through exfoliation, you unveil skin that is fresh, light, reflective and more youthful in appearance. NYR Organic’s Honey & Orange Facial Scrub is hands down the best scrub I have ever used. There’s no time to waste with wimpy scrubs – this is a powerhouse combination of organic rice powder and purifying kaolin clay which work great to decongest the skin and prevent breakouts.
Honey Girl Organics Face Regenerating Serum $47
I absolutely LOVE the smell and feel of this product. This serum is filled with an anti-aging prowess of Propolis, Beeswax and Royal Jelly. These 3 ingredients combined with potent plant oils help the skin to have a wonderful and youthful glow. It absorbs quickly too, so you aren’t stuck with a greasy face. I love this product mostly because it has anti-inflammatory properties and is antimicrobial and is great for acne, wrinkles, and anyone who wants a smooth complexion. It also promotes collagen production!
Aura Cacia Restoring Rosehip Oil $13
Affordable & Effective! I use this serum a few times a week to give myself a facial massage before going to bed. Rosehip seeds are high in vitamin C and work to reduces the appearance of dark spots, aging spots, old acne scars and hyper-pigmentation. Talk about a beauty hero. It’s also great applied to cuticles for strong healthy nails! The best part about this is you can find in in most health food stores.
NYR Organic Frankincense Intense Concentrate $105
Speaking of wrinkles and inner beauty…this product proves that you can get results without using toxic chemicals. Frankincense is naturally anti-aging and dates back to ancient biblical times. I jokingly say $1 a day keeps the wrinkles away, but it’s true! This product delivers instant results and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles in just 30 minutes thanks to the wild-harvested and FairWild frankincense, plumping gardenia stem cells, a line-smoothing 3-peptide complex, nourishing organic argan oil and a synergistic blend of gums that delivers an immediate smoothing action. I use this everyday, morning and concentrate on the areas of “concern” (around the eyes, lip lines, and forehead).
Jeanette All Natural Just Add Sugar Masque $75
Detox, rejuvenate, and lift? Yes, please! This scrub is virtually edible, smells like chocolate coffee, and while you might balk at the price, a little goes a long way. This is deep pore cleansing and tightening at it’s finest and just makes your skin do a happy dance. After about 3 minutes, you will start to feel your face tighten – this is what prevents those deep wrinkles from setting in. Big bonus with this masque is that it kills bacteria, so if you are getting breakouts, this is a great product to use. 10 minutes 2-3 times a week is all it takes to have clear, beautiful looking skin. Note: It’s not really edible, but the smell will make you think twice.
NYR Organic Lemon & Coriander Deodorant $13.50
The first thing I ever switched out to “all natural” was my deodorant. That was 3 years ago. I have tried everything from the Crystal Stick to Tom’s to Pit Paste and this is the now my one and only! While it seems expensive for a deodorant, this bottle will easily last you 2 months. It’s so effective that even my husband now uses it. If you haven’t dumped your anti-perspirant yet, make it a priority in 2015. They are filled with parabens and aluminum which are both linked to breast cancer. This particular blend is combined with eight pure essential oils. Essential oils prevent smelly bacteria from growing, leaving you fresh without relying on harsh chemicals. A few sprays and you’re underarms will thank you – and because it’s filled with lemon (a natural antidepressant and helps to calm anxiety) sometimes I use it as an air freshener around the house to boost my mood.
Tammi is a vegan wife and stay at home mother of 3 children living in Laguna Niguel. She is an environmental advocate and volunteer for Food & Water Watch, an avid recipe tester, and passionate about organic living. When she’s not cooking or blogging, she’s driving her kids around to karate, tennis, youth group, swimming, drama club or Kumon. You can find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at GMO Free Girl.
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