A few weeks ago I was doing a bit of research on some healthy organic makeup lines, and even though I am well versed in the possible dangers of various chemicals and toxic ingredients used in many beauty care and cosmetic products I was surprised to find out that some of my own health issues could be directly related to hidden ingredients.
For years I have been dealing with health issues brought on by the heavy use of antibiotics when I was young. You see, I was a premature baby and arrived approximately ten weeks early (those who know me well will insert – and that was the last time you were ever early!) which means that I spent my first months in an incubator with many doctors visits to follow at the slightest whimper or sigh of pain, discomfort, fever etc etc Recently I read a very interesting article by a women who had the same condition that I do, plus she too has spent twenty some years as a makeup artist in the beauty biz. Apparently the combination of an already weakened immune system with years of chemical absorption from beauty products compromised her health severely
So you can imagine the alarms that went off in my head…. For years we have been hearing about the icky stuff like parabens, phthalates, lead, mercury and formaldehydes that lurk in our daily beauty arsenal. Unfortunately back when the FDA approved most cosmetics ingredients it was thought that skin acted as a barrier, but now we know that the skin is a breathable organism that absorbs matter, into the bloodstream-think about it, if it weren’t than birth control patches and anti-smoking patches wouldn’t work so well.
So does this means that you should toss out all of your shampoos shower gels, foundations, shadows, lipsticks and so on? For most of us, realistically that just isn’t going to happen. With my clients I suggest to start incorporating certified organic and truly natural (not just the cheap drugstore brands that call themselves natural because they contain 2% natural ingredients) into their routine. Start off slowly and simply by replacing basics like shower gel, shampoo, conditioner and soaps, then start incorporating in some natural cosmetics like organic powder, lip balm etc.
Chemical overload is often linked to a myriad of problems including allergies, dermatitis, migraines and many others, but let me caution before the hypochondria sets in, you can take a peek at some of my favorite sites for more info. Sophie Uliano’s gorgeouslygreen.com or at the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics at safecosmetics.com
Even though these resources are comprehensive they may not be totally complete as new products seem to pop up all the time.
