Why Switch To Clean Beauty

Hi guys! You may have seen that lately I’ve been posting a lot more on Instagram all about nontoxic products and why it’s so important to make the switch to clean beauty. I firmly believe that what you put on your body is just as important as what you put in. To me it just seems like such a waste to spend the time buying and consuming healthy, organic food if at the same time you are just wiping away all that progress you’re making toward a healthy lifestyle by putting toxic chemicals right back into your bloodstream with conventional personal care products. This is why when I was first building my blog and health coaching business, I wanted to make sure it spoke to the combination of these two pillars: a more wholefood plant-based diet IN COMBINATION with a clean, nontoxic lifestyle.

So, what makes clean beauty products different from conventional? 

Let’s discuss ladies (and gentlemen!) To me, clean beauty is free from ingredients that are harmful to your health. Plain and simple. Do you want formaldehyde in your nail polish? Asbestos in your eyeshadow? Lead in your lipstick? Coal tar dye in your hair color? Or antifreeze in your face lotion? This is what you’re slathering and lathering up on in the conventional beauty world.

Why switch to clean beauty?

• The beauty industry is crawling with carcinogens (cancer causing substances). There has been study after study linking cancers, reproductive and endocrine system issues, and more all to toxic chemicals in your bathroom cabinet products. For example, as cited in this Medical News Today article, lifestyle behaviors and environmental factors account for around 70-90% of cancer cases. I think people believe genetics is what causes disease when it’s actually our daily habits.
• Also, as I mention in my Clean Beauty Guide (FREE when you join the Busy Gals Go Plantbased FB Group here), the US government is extremely behind on regulating which ingredients are safe for companies to include in products and which are not. As a matter of fact, according to the Environmental Working Group, the European Union has banned more than 1300 chemicals in personal care products, similar to over 40 other countries. In comparison, the US FDA has only banned or restricted a measly 9! 
• Additionally, studies in years past have shown that on average newborns have more than 200 chemicals in their umbilical cord blood! And we wonder how children develop serious health issues at such a young age- sadly and without them knowing or understanding, perhaps it ties back to the mother and the 20-30+ years of toxic build up from her environment, to the food she ate, and of course, the products she’s used throughout her life. 

Not to be a negative Nancy here but I’m super passionate about getting this information out and not having it kept hidden in the dark any longer. Our generation of women deserves better and we deserve to know and understand what for-profit companies are selling to us to put in and on our bodies. Ok, one sec let me step off my soapbox now. If you’re freaking the f*ck out, take a breath- don’t worry. The body is a super bio computer and can work to correct itself. This education is about helping us prevent disease and make empowered choices in what we use moving forward.

Here are a few examples of potentially harmful ingredients to avoid*:

• Phthalates- Plasticizers linked to reproductive and child developmental issues. Used to make raincoats, flooring, toys, etc and found in products like hair spray, nail polish, perfume, lotion. 
• Parabens- These are meant to act as a preservative to keep bacteria from forming and are common in makeup, shampoo, shaving cream, moisturizers, etc.
• Triclosan- Also meant to prevent mold and bacteria growth. Found most often in toothpastes, hand soaps, and body washes. This one has been linked to messing with your thyroid hormone.
• Sulfates- Surfactants aka super strong soap and an extremely common shampoo ingredient.
• PEG- (polyethylene glycol) Petroleum based and used to make cosmetics absorb into your skin quicker.
• BHA & BHT- Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) + butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) are, again, preservatives to make products last for years on end and are often in products like lipstick. Think about that- it’s going directly in and around your mouth. Yikes. Also, do you really need that lipstick lasting for 20 years? I don’t think so.
• Formaldehyde- Also called formalin or methylene glycol. This is used when laying down carpet in homes and is also in stuff like your nail polish.
• Talc- Linked with asbestos in products like eyeshadow. So cute, right? UGH MAKES ME SICK.

So, have I convinced you to make the switch? Feeling overwhelmed about where to start? I feel ya girl. This was me over 6 years ago. I’ve been in your shoes. I get questions all the time about how to make the switch to clean beauty. It can seem like such a big undertaking. So, I made an e-book just for you all about it. Check out the Green Girl On The Go 15+ page CLEAN BEAUTY GUIDE. This is free to you ONLY until the end of October when you join the Busy Gals Go Plantbased Facebook Group here. I walk you through the exact step by step process for how to start this journey. Plus, this includes: recommend places to shop, my personal favorite products, a deep dive into reading ingredient labels, and how to decipher marketing terms. 

Ok, and there you have it. Did you find this post helpful? Thanks so much for reading peeps. And please come back and let me know if you download the guide! It helps me to know what to keep creating for you all.

Until next time! XOXO, Dani

*Other Sources: Business Insider