Imagine using a shampoo that seems perfect in every way: it helps your hair feel perfectly clean, smells like spring and doesn’t cost you much. Years later, you find out that that very product contains toxic ingredients. Formaldehyde. Parabens. Phthalates. Methylene glycol. Oxybenzone. I hate to break it to you, but these harmful chemicals may be hiding in your favorite products. Many of these and thousands more are endocrine disruptors, cancer causing and environmentally unhealthy according to the Environmental Working Group.
The good news is that there are plenty of brands that have banned these ingredients. It’s scary to find out some of your beloved products may be secretly hurting you. If you’re in this position, look for products made from high quality ingredients — ones that won’t make you regret your skincare routine. Start researching safer products by heading to ewg.org, and search for nearly any product from thousands of brands under their “skin deep database”. It will give you a list of ingredients including what EWG rates it and why. Another way to find safer products is to use an app like On Skin which is AI powered and allows you to scan products and find out how safe it is based on a score.
My favorite makeup brand is Beautycounter, which is known for its clean products that are free from over 2,800 products hazardous to humans. It is only sold online. My skin is super sensitive and their products never make me break out. They have everything from serums, primers and sunscreen to mascara, eyeshadow and lip gloss. Their products are pricey, but it is worth it for quality ingredients that aren’t harmful. Beautycounter strives to be transparent about their ingredients and I love knowing that I’m using safe makeup. If you are concerned these products won’t work as well as your favorites, don’t fear. It may take time to research and find a new product, but it is worth it.
Another concern may be affordability. Some of these higher quality, safer products will be more expensive than your current ones and take some research. However, there are many high quality brands that won’t make you waste your hard earned money. On the cheaper side, Honest Beauty has a 2-in-1 volume mascara for $16.80 versus Beautycounter’s $30 Think Big All-in-One mascara. Acure has some more affordable shampoo and conditioner as well as other products. Their Curiously Clarifying Shampoo is $5.99 for 8oz. They have so many other products that are also amazing and smell heavenly. It got a score of 3 on EWG which isn’t bad. Another brand, Avalon Organics, is one that I just started using. It is EWG verified which means that it is very safe and doesn’t contain harmful ingredients. It is $19.49 for 32oz.
According to The Guardian, Some beloved brands that have toxic chemicals or “forever chemicals” known as PFAS, include L’Oreal, Ulta, Maybelline and Covergirl. Forever chemicals can cause issues like cancer, thyroid diseases and high cholesterol. According to Refinery29, these chemicals are not necessary in skin care and can be found in waterproof mascara and other longer lasting products among regular products as well.
It is important to have makeup that both works for you and is good for your body. After reading this article, if you decide that you’d rather continue on with your products even though many of them likely contain harmful ingredients, be my guest. But be warned, it may cost you later on. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
