Clean and green. Two words that go together like peanut butter and jelly and have been uttered more times than we are capable of counting, to be quite honest. Nowadays, though, we use them to describe our beauty products instead of the contents of our refrigerator.
Clean Beauty is a term we hear tossed around in the beauty world to describe products are that natural, organic and non-toxic. But, is it really a “trend”? Hmmm . . . we think not. We think it’s a lifestyle choice, and a good one. And, since November is National Healthy Skin Month, we think this is a great time to dive into Clean Beauty, learn more about it and make some healthy changes, if you have not already done so.
As society has become more aware of the ingredients contained in our food, beverages, cosmetics, skincare products, and household goods, and how toxic ingredients, chemicals and synthetics can have a huge impact on our health, it is forcing the Clean Beauty “trend” to become a main staple on our shelves. The age-ole’ saying, “Beauty starts from within” is so true because what we put into our bodies, onto our skin, into our homes, and the ingredients we consume have a major impact on our health, our bodies and the health of our skin. So, let’s go clean and green! Read below to find out what Clean Beauty is all about and why you should jump on the band wagon.
The Trend
What is Green Beauty? What makes a product worthy of the tag line, “clean?” In order to be considered either of the two, a product should be 100% non-toxic, and formulated using sustainably sourced plant-based ingredients. Clean products are free of any and all questionable ingredients that are linked to health problems such as hormone disorders, cancers, and various skin conditions and irritations. Ingredients like parabens, phthalates, synthetic fragrance, BHT, and BHA to name a few, are blacklisted under most clean beauty authorities due to their alleged link to the aforementioned health conditions. These are ingredients, to name a few, we avoid using at Intoxicating Beauty due to their potential health risks.
The Beef
While we love us an all-natural and green beauty product, we at Intoxicating Beauty believe the trend should be an everyday practice that transcends your beauty cabinet. Consider the products you use that aren’t in the beauty category. The household cleaners, the laundry detergents, the dish soap – what’s in these? We’ve looked, and the findings are near impossible to decipher given the degree of the chemical makeup. Those ingredients that can irritate your skin and harm your health: synthetic fragrances, toxic surfactants and irritants – all have a home in these products. And when you really think about it, these products are closer to you than you realize (remember that cookie your kid ate off of the counter top or the scraps your beloved dog or cat ate off of the floor?).
The same goes for all of the unrecognizable ingredients in your everyday foods. While we all know that your day-to-day eating habits are one of the hallmark indicators of your body’s overall health, many of us get too carried away detoxifying our makeup bags to really put it into practice. Flip over that package of meats, can of veggies, bag of snacks you have in the cupboard, in the fridge, or while you’re at the grocery store and take a look of the ingredients. This includes your favorite drinks too. You may be very surprised what you and your loved ones are consuming and want to put them down, or even better, throw them out.
The Change
Join our team in trying to “clean” up all aspects of your everyday routine. Educate yourself on ways to live a more environmentally conscious life that’s sustainable and good for you. Give your body whole, unprocessed foods that are ripe with nutrients. Incorporate sustainable living practices into your everyday life – open your windows, start a window garden, shop local. Keep an eye out for the questionable ingredients that may be hiding in the products we seldom think about. Implement these changes in whatever fashion feels comfortable and feasible for you, and watch as your skin, home, and family experience the benefits.
And, if you want to check out some of the ingredients in your skincare products or ready to dive-in into the clean and green “trend”, but don’t know where to begin, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) is very informative. Check out their website. It has an amazing website where you can search the ingredients in your skincare products. It will provide you with healthy living tips, information on safer cosmetics and sunscreens, tips on how to avoid health-harming chemicals at home, pesticides in our foods, and much more to jump start your clean and green lifelong journey.
Today is the day to start taking care of you. Love yourself and celebrate you. Cheers!
