The Never List: Things You Should Never Use On Your Skin

This past year I have been actively reducing the number of chemicals in our home. Small changes, one month at a time, have been making our family healthier and greener.

Over the past year I’ve been disappointed with products that I’ve been using (and letting my family use), and even more horrified at the ingredients in products that I thought were safe. Here’s what I’ve learned: the U.S. Government does not make sure our products are safe:

• The United States has not passed a federal law governing the cosmetics industry since 1938.
• The FDA does not require that cosmetics products or ingredients be approved before they go on the market. Additionally, the FDA has no power to recall a product from the market.
• The U.S. has banned or restricted only 11 ingredients to date, while the European Union has banned close to 1,400.
• 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women in the US will be diagnosed with cancer. (I’ve already had cancer so 2 people are off the hook).
• In this research study, close to 16 potentially toxic cosmetics chemicals (including phthalates, triclosan, parabens, and musks) were found in the bodies of 20 teenage girls.

Something is very wrong with this picture!

But there is good news: There is a company called Beauty Counter and it is the strictest in the skin care industry. As a company they have willingly banned more than 1,500 ingredients from their products.  Their mission:

 To get safe products into the hands of everyone.

So where do you start? First, start with Beauty Counter’s NEVER LIST of ingredients and check your current skin care products:

And check out the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) website…especially this page on Top Tips for Safer Products. 

Over time I’ve been replacing old products in our home (skincare, cleaning, pest control etc) with new ones as I learn and research more. Below are the first BC products I started out with and they have become my skincare staples. Not only are they safe, but I’m in love with how they work, how they smell, how they feel:

1. Routine Clean
I clean my face with this twice a day with this cleanser. I love the subtle scent and for the first time ever I feel like I’m doing something nice for my skin.

2. Every Day AM Hydrating Cream
I use this as my daily moisturizer, adding in 2 drops of Lustro oil each morning.

3. #3 Lustro Oil
I use this in the morning and at night. It always seemed counterintuitive to use oil on my skin since I have breakouts but since using the #3 Lustro Oil it’s cleared up. The plant oils, unlike synthetic oils, work with the skin to lock in moisture and calm irritation (like rosacea!) without clogging pores. Plant oils also have antimicrobial qualities. (click here to read a PDF about the oils and skin types)

4. Tint Skin
I  use this as my only makeup. I can apply as much or as little as I need.

No one asked me to write about these products, I’m sharing because I am making safe products a priority, and my skin looks great to boot. If you’ve been a reader for a while you know I don’t ever sell products. I say no to almost anyone who asks me to share their products. I am an information gatherer…and here’s why I am investing my time in this: as my daughter gets older I know the time will come when she will want to use makeup and skin care products and that scares me to death. Also, I am increasingly environmentally focused and Beauty Counter has no plastic microbeads or other chemicals to irresponsibly contaminate our precious rivers. The products are almost 100% vegan except for carmine and beeswax used in a few products. I’m all about education, especially for my daughter’s sake. I’m not asking you to buy anything, but I am asking you to take a look at the products you already use. Look up the ingredients and make sure they are safe. 

Please help reduce the chemicals that are building up in our environment. Small steps.

If you have any questions about any of the products, or if you are interested in becoming involved in Beauty Counter to help spread the education about the skincare industry you can email me here and hopefully I can point you in the right direction.  I am an official Beauty Counter consultant and safe products are a cause that my heart is deeply rooted in!

Thanks for listening! And if you’d like to support my Beauty Counter shop and/or sign up for yourself you can click here or click the lovely image below. I would love to help you find the right products and/or have you on my team if this speaks to you!

xoxo,

Ashley