HELLO BEAUTIFUL SISTERS!!!!!!!!
This week we are going to be talking about beauty products and why it is SO IMPORTANT to utilize CLEAN BEAUTY PRODUCTS!!!
Let’s throw it back to my pre-sick life where Bath & Body Works and Jergens Self-Tanning Lotion were THE SHIT (any maybe still is for some of you)! I used these products religiously because I mean come’on… who doesn’t want to be a bronzed goddess that smells like a coconut sunset????
I never really thought much about the products I was using and what was in them because I guess, unconsciously, I didn’t think that it would be legal to purchase products that were harmful as a consumer… but come to find out…
I was wrong!!!!!!!
When I first got diagnosed with Lyme Disease, my naturopathic doctor, Dr. Judy, ran a toxicity test on me through a lab called Cyrex Laboratories (which we re-run about every 6 months). I had already moved back to Texas at the time and had flown back to Arizona for this appointment. The night before the appointment, my mom and I were in our hotel room and I used a L’OREAL tan towel because my skin was getting back to its natural translucent coloring – HOLLA TO ALL MY CASPER SKIN TONE SISTERS, ILY!!!!! The next day, we arrived at my appointment and they took some blood for the toxicity test and 2 weeks later, my angel of a doctor called me in horror. She said that all my toxicity levels came back THROUGH THE ROOF – this included parabens, sulfates, aluminum, silicone, heavy metals, BPA toxins, Formaldehyde, and a few other toxins that I couldn’t pronounce or spell even if I tried.
This was all so crazy to me, as I had assumed I lived a pretty “healthy” life after completely changing my diet post-Lyme diagnosis and on a very strict health regimen. Dr. Judy told me to walk her though exactly what I had done the day prior to the blood test and then asked me a bunch of questions like do I use soy candles only, and what kind of makeup products do I use, and do I use plastic versus glass Tupperware, or do I spray my perfume on my skin or just on my clothes?? All of these questions that I hadn’t thought twice about because again, I didn’t think about these products because it’s not our first instinct as consumers to assume what we are buying is BAD for us. Dr. Judy immediately suggested I never buy tan towels again (RIP TAN TOWELS) because of how bad they are for us. She also recommended I completely change the products I use including everything from household cleaning supplies to my tampons… YES I SAID TAMPONS! Who would’ve thought??
The thing about toxins is that THEY ARE EVERWHERE and there’s no avoiding it. Paint fumes, air fresheners, cleaning supplies, bug spray, mascara, body wash… you name it, there’s probably something bad in it if you aren’t doing your research.
When it comes to toxins, your body SHOULD detox quickly if it’s in good condition and if you sweat a lot, drink lots of water, and give those toxins an opportunity to work themselves out… that’s not to say you should consciously put toxins in your body, but if you accidentally come in contact with an overload of toxins (for example, walking into Victoria Secret or Abercrombie and feel like you need a freaking gas mask just to breathe), your body can push them through quicker.
For me, a person who has a deficient and compromised immune system, my body doesn’t detox well.. meaning that nasty shit and all those toxins just hang in my body for awhile, which causes inflammation and stress on my body (which for lack of a better explanation… makes you feel like absolute shit). I think it’s a good time to apologize for my potty mouth now, SORRY MOM!!!!!!
I can do another post on ALL of the clean products I use, because honestly… if you want to make the full transition over to a CLEAN HOUSEHOLD, it can most definitely be overwhelming and you may not know where to start. It’s taken me over two years to finally solidify products that I actually LOVE and that don’t negatively impact my health.
I figured I would start out with my top 5 favorite clean beauty and skincare products and give you sisters some resources to start doing your own research!! I wanted to start with these products because who doesn’t love beauty products??? And also because your skin is your LARGEST ORGAN so it’s so important to be aware of what we put on it.
1. Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castille Soap (Bar or Liquid)
These products are certified to the same organic standards as food! There are no synthetic preservatives, no foaming agents, and has all fair trade ingredients. The Lavender scent is my favorite! They also have other products including lip balm, hand sanitizer, toothpaste, lotion, and shaving soap!
https://shop.drbronner.com/castile-bar-soap
2. Witch Hazel / Tea Tree Oil
Witch Hazel is literally my secret weapon! I use it for EVERYTHING… Ever since I can remember, I have dealt with cystic acne… you know, the pimples that literally feel like there’s a rock under your skin and hurt SO BAD to touch (AND DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT TRYING TO POP THEM BECAUSE YOU WILL REGRET IT). Whenever I get one of these pimples, I soak a cotton pad in witch hazel and then band-aid it to my face for an hour or two… it’s not a cute look but it definitely does the job. When I take it off, I’ll dab it with a little Tea Tee Oil and the next day IT’S GONE. And if it’s not then I’ll repeat it the following days until it is. I also use Witch Hazel as a facial toner and wound cleaner! Tea Tree Oil is also a natural product I use often. As I mentioned, it’s great for fighting acne and other skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis because it has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. It can also be used to improve a dry scalp, soothe skin irritations, and fight bacterial, fungal, and viral infections. In fact, I got a fungal infection once on my shin (gross, I know…) and the emergency clinic doctor wanted to put me on heavy duty drugs but I passed and instead, did some research and cured it in about a week with only Tea Tree Oil – BOOM! My body thanked me for it. You can buy either of these products at your nearest drugstore or on Amazon!
3. COOLA Tinted Mineral Liplux Balm
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS LIP BALM. It not only acts as a lip balm and is super moisturizing but it ALSO has great options for shades so it feels like you’re actually wearing lipstick! AND AS IF IT COULDN’T GET ANY BETTER – all of their products are clean AND have an SPF of 30 so you can protect your lippies from the sun. The single sticks run about $18 a piece which is a little pricy if you ask me but worth the money for the quality of product. The three shade set above is on sale on Amazon for $26 which is such a STEAL! If you want to just try out one shade though, go for the Nude Beach one… its my fave.
4. Tata Harper Moisturizer
Carl bought me this moisturizer for Christmas last year and we both absolutely LOVE IT. A little goes a long way for sure! We’ve both been using this product religiously since we got it and still have about ¼ of the bottle left. It smells super natural and utilizes natural antioxidants to keep you skin glowing and healthy! All the ingredients are clean and not harsh on your skin. This would be a great product for someone that has sensitive skin, like Carl and I. Although it’s on the pricey side ($116 per bottle) it lasts you a LONG time and is a quality product. You can buy this brand at Sephora or through their website. If you order through their site below, the products actually are shipped straight from their farm in Vermont where the product was created. Be sure to use the code SUMMERGLOW on their website for a fun summer kit FO FREE.
https://www.tataharperskincare.com/hyaluronic-gel-moisturizer
5. Batiste (Clean & Classic) Dry Shampoo
SO many people have asked me how my hair as grown so fast and so thick! My answer is always the fact that I’m on a million vitamins and supplements BUT ALSO I only wash my hair once a week and I rarely use heat products on it. I’m able to get away with only washing my hair once each week because I religiously use dry shampoo!!!! Right before bed, I like to brush my hair, dry shampoo the heck out of it, and then massage it in AND THEN in the morning, it looks great, it smells good, and I’m ready to tackle the day!!!! This product (original scent is my favorite and the cleanest) is rated a 3 on my think dirty app (which I’ll get into in a second) and I LOVE IT! Highly recommend. You can grab one yourself at any drugstore or Amazon because Amazon legit sells EVERYTHING now. I’ll link below!
SO NOW LETS GET INTO THE FUN STUFF. Sometimes I like to think of myself as an FBI agent because I love to investigate and find out the answers to stuff. Now that we all know that there are products out there that are horrible for you and your body, it’s so so important to figure out which products you already own that are good for you so you can toss the one’s that are not. The resources I’m going to share will be a game changer the next time you go to buy a product. They are easy to use and will make your transition to a clean household that much easier!!!
My favorite is the THINK DIRTY app on your phone. It allows you to search different products or scan a barcode at the store and will rate it on a scale of 0-10. 1-3 is CLEAN AND APPROVED. 4-7 is in the mid-range, where it’s not good for you but it’s not horrible. And if you rate 8-10, you need to throw it out IMMEDIATELY because it’s so bad for you. This app gives you a list of ingredients of every product you enter so you can become familiar with what’s good and what’s bad!
The next resource for y’all to check out is the website EWG!! It’s similar to the THINK DIRTY APP but includes research and a blog for you to check out new stories on living a clean life!
Lastly, I want to mention one of my favorite stores/websites, www.credobeauty.com– they sell ONLY clean products and they are absolutely amazing. If you can find a storefront, I definitely recommend going in because all of the employees are SO knowledgeable and so happy to help you figure out what clean products will work best for you and your skin type! They have everything from mascara, to concealer, to sunscreen! They also offer clean brow waxing and CLEAN FACIALS!!!!! Sounds like heaven right??? If I haven’t convinced you yet, check out their “Starter Bundles” where you can try a few products that go well together! Like I said, it can be super overwhelming transitioning over to a clean household but Credo Beauty makes it SO much easier!!!!!!
Now that I’ve shared my top 5 clean products that I use the most with you sisters, I encourage you to start by going through the stuff you already own and determine what is good for you and what may be harming you. For the products you own that rate “dirty” on the app or website, do your best to eliminate those from your life whether that’s tossing them, donating them, or using them up and then choosing not to buy them again!
We need to take care of our bodies ladies!!!! Coming from someone who took their health for granted, I hope you never have to be placed in a position where your health is taken from you. It’s so hard, it’s scary, and requires a complete lifestyle change to get your health back on track. Be proactive and start making little changes now so you don’t overwhelm yourself! Your body will thank you!!!
THANKS FOR READING SISTERS!!!!! ILY SO MUCH.
XOXO
Elise