Here we are again, starting with a reminder of the premise of this blog – the journey of a life well beyond the kitchen…because we aren’t just what we eat.
And the concept, that we should focus not just on what we put IN our bodies, but what we put ON our bodies.
So, take a minute to think about the products you use before it’s 8am. The average person uses 12 personal care products before they walk out the door. Here is my list of what I use every morning:
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Face wash
- Soap/body wash
- Deodorant
- Toothpaste
- Facial Serum
- Day Cream
- Facial Oil
- Eye Cream
- Tinted Moisturizer with SPF
- Mascara
- Blush
We see this list, and then we remember – our skin is our largest organ and absorbs what we put on it. Over 60% of ingredients in personal care products are absorbed from our skin into our bloodstream within one minute. ONE MINUTE.
So maybe you’re thinking, I want to start my switch to safer products, but where do I begin? I highly recommend spending some time on the Environmental Working Group (a non-profit with the mission to empower people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment) and their cosmetic database – www.ewg.org/skindeep. This database has over 70,000 personal care products, and rates ingredients and their toxicity on a scale of 1-10. It’s a great way to learn which of your products get the worst rating, and therefore the products to swap out first.
My go-to brand is Beautycounter, and if you’d like to know more about why this is my company of choice, read more here. It’s a one stop shop for safer products that work, and a company on a serious mission. After years of wasted money on products that had cleaner ingredients, but didn’t work, my search was over when I discovered Beautycounter. Yesterday we announced our new CLEAN SWAP campaign. Six of the worst offenders for harmful ingredients: Face/eye cream, face masks, mascara, shampoo, lipstick, and body lotion.
Ok, but what about the expense? Something to ask yourself – what do I spend my money on? The average American spends on average 11% of income on food – the average French person spends 25% of their income on food. As a country, we’re at an all time low for income spent on groceries, and an all time high for income spent on new clothing, the latest and greatest in technology, eating out, expensive cars…the list goes on. Take a step back and really think about what you’re spending your money on – can you shift some “non essential spending”? If we’re spending less on clothing and eating at restaurants 3 times a week, we have more to spend on what we put in and on our bodies.
When it comes to the Beautycounter prices, we’re about on par with Sephora. More expensive than drugstore brands, less expensive than from a dermatologist. But because the ingredients are so high quality, a little bit truly goes a long way. So, even though the products may be more expensive than what you’re used to paying, the products last a long time. Some choose to overhaul all at once, others take baby steps, replacing one product at a time. Either works on this journey for a life well beyond the kitchen.
