Hi Sweet Friends,
Twice a year, Team Crazy Sexy gathers for 3-4 days of dreaming, planning, budgeting (look Ma, I’m a grown-up!), and Crazy Sexy Love Notes card readings (a business brainstorm must).
The majority of my crew are ambitious and highly conscious women, so self-care is a huge conversation for us. We know that the more we care for ourselves, the better we feel and thus the more creative we are at our jobs. And I won’t lie—we all want to look fabulous too!
During a recent retreat, I asked my team for their favorite non-toxic product recommendations. One of our new team members squirmed in her seat. Turns out she adores makeup and skincare but is clueless about non-toxic brands (another reason she chose to work with us, to learn about this shizzle!). When I asked how many lotions and potions she uses, she tallied over 30 products in her daily regimen! Like most women, none of the products in her regular routine were healthy.
The challenge we face today is that healthy products are not the norm. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG):
“The average woman uses 12 products containing 168 different ingredients daily. Many cosmetic chemicals are designed to penetrate into the skin’s inner layers, and they do. Consequently, some common cosmetic ingredients turn up in people’s bodies. Among them: industrial plasticizers called phthalates; parabens, which are preservatives; and persistent fragrance components like musk xylene.”
Pause for a moment and count how many personal care products you’re using. I’m talking about everything from your makeup bag to your shower rack. Surprised? Now, read the ingredient labels on those products. Even better, look them up at EWG’s Skin Deep database and see how they rate for things like cancer, immunotoxicity and reproductive toxicity. Do those same products feel sexy now? If not, you’re certainly not alone.
You might be feeling like you just don’t want to know. You’ve been using the same moisturizer, shower gel and toner for a decade and they work—end of story. If that’s your mentality, I hope you’ll reconsider. Slowly making more conscious choices is not only empowering, it’s an investment in your longevity and everyday health. These chemicals are serious. We don’t know their long-term effects and we can’t rely on companies to look out for our health. Here are some easy ways to get started with cleaning up your beauty routine.
Choose products that support your wellness and help you feel gorgeous.
5 Tips for a Healthier Beauty Routine (Ya Know, Minus the Yucky Stuff!)
1. Cut down on the number of products you use each day. Sometimes, cutting down on your body burden is as simple as simplifying your beauty routine a few days a week. Less is more!
2. Choose one day a week to wear zero (or very little!) makeup. You are stunning. Period.
3. Do your research and swap out one product per month. You don’t need to throw everything away and buy a completely new shower, makeup and skincare line this week. Choose an item that’s almost gone and look for a better alternative. Natural beauty blogs often have great advice (hello, Google). Check out the Skin Deep database and read reviews online. If women use 12 products per day on average, you could have a whole new healthy personal care regimen by next summer.
Getting started tip: This $19.99 skincare sample kit from Annmarie Gianni (one of my favorite skincare lines) is a great way to begin exploring healthier products. I use Annmarie’s Aloe Herb Facial Cleanser and Anti-Aging Facial Oil every morning and night. Not only do these two products help keep my skin blemish-free and moisturized, they take me on an aromatherapy adventure every time I use them.
4. Learn the basics and become a label detective. Don’t worry about memorizing every chemical. EWG has created this handy list of the top ingredients to avoid for women, men and kids. Print it out and keep it with you. (This is also great for those of you who don’t have a smartphone. But if you DO have one, don’t miss EWG’s Skin Deep app.) You may also want to check out Think Dirty. And if animal testing and cruelty matter to you (and I know they do) have a look at Leaping Bunny and PETA to determine if your beauty products are cruelty-free.
5. Choose safe sunscreen. Whether you’re gearing up for vacation or replacing expired bottles from last year (check those dates!), we’re all going to be buying sunscreen and heading outside this season (right?). So why not choose wisely? Check out my sunscreen blog for tons of tips!
I love the Alba line of products.
My favorite product is Sanre Organic Skinfood Cucumber Cleanse. It’s a gentle face wash made with organic castile soap, oils & aloe. There are no chemicals or ingredients you can’t pronounce! It’s great to be able to use a product with absolutely no doubt as to what the ingredients are doing to your body. I highly recommend this to everyone. Oh and best of all, you can get it at Whole Foods 🙂
My favorite non-toxic personal care product is Annmarie Gianni’s “herbal facial-oil for acne prone and oily skin” the reason why is because I was diagnosed with PCOS, and since coming off the pill for one year now I’ve been battling cystic acne even though I’ve changed my diet drastically. Since using the herbal facial oil, it’s helped speed and heal up the blemishes caused by my PCOS and leaves a delicious scent on my face that my boyfriend loves! I feel absolutely beautiful wearing it under my makeup and when I put it on at night, because I know it’s working and I feel even better that it’s a natural, has no chemicals and it can calm those pesty pimples. It’s such a fine oil that just a few dabs are absorbed without residue or any grease, if it can work for my hormonal acne, I can only imagine it will work for others! I’d recommend trying the awesome sample kit she offers to see how it works with your skin.
Please ladies, if you can’t pronounce your makeup/face care ingredients and/or eat them yourself, don’t put it on your face! Your skin absorbs products through the blood stream, so make sure you know what you’re slathering on! 🙂
Raw Organic coconut oil. I keep a bottle of it in the shower and rub it in to my wet skin after every shower. I also use it to deep moisturize my hair. Love it. It smells amazing!
I love all the Yes to products and The Honest Company’s hair products by Jessica Alba!
My number one natural product is: WATER!
I love water! I drink plenty of water— at least 2.5- 3 liters a day.
It is the best way to detox and keep your skin young and elastic.
I’m also all about cold showers or jumping into the cold ocean.
Water tightens your skin and activates the blood flow. And no surprise here, cold water also helps reduce the visibility of unloved cellulite.
Our body consists of 70 % water, also coincidentally, the same percentage as our planet’s surface.
No wonder it is good for us.
Let’s cheer to that with a glass of water!
Cheers!
I started using coconut on a sickly Bulldog we adopted. I figured if it healed his rough nose, stinky toes and crusty bumps, it must be good for me too. I found AnnMarie Gianni’s coconut oil to be a bit more fantastic for human use. It has herbs for an amazing smell and some that have proven to help with inflammation after bug bites. A friend of mine found it helpful for her daughters eczema. The last bottle I gave to a friend because it helped her with dermatographic urticaria. I’m waiting for my replacement bottle now. In fact, it has helped face and neck skin so much, I feel confident enough to begin letting my hair be its natural color (no more dyes)!
Love Annmarie, Dr. Bronners is good too.
Wow, lots of coconut oil lovers! I am one of them, too- except I have tried AnnMarie’s products and I LOVE her anti-aging facial oil 🙂
Annmarie Gianni’s new sunscreen! My new favourite non toxic skin care product. Just in time for summer.
What is your favorite natural, non-toxic personal care product?
My favorite is the Exquisite Stuff cleansing oil from Crunchy Betty!
https://www.etsy.com/listing/111520169/exquisite-stuff-cleansing-oil-with
Coconut Oil is a go to for everything!
I like Earth Science makeup remover. I am curious about coconut oil after seeing all the posts about it!
Hi there! My favorite non toxic personal care product is organic apple cider vinegar. I mix 1/3 vinegar 2/3 filtered water and add 5 drops of lavender essential oil plus a tiny drop of tea tree oil. I use this to clean my face every night and it leaves it radiant. I have also been adopting the “no poo” method, replacing shampoo with apple cider vinegar and using the same formula described above. It has been wonderful for my scalp, cured my dandruff and balanced the pH of my skin, I no longer have itchiness and no longer suffer from small injuries that I suppose were caused by chemicals (even though I used “natural” shampoos). Best decision ever! Truly recommend it 🙂
Earth girl lip balm:)
Ad coconut oil!
Sierra Bees organic pomegranate lip balm 🙂
I love to use juice beauty by alicia silverstone! It makes my sensitive skin glow and gives me confidence when i walk out of the house with no make up!
I LOVE the fragrances and deodorant from Lavanila (SO yummy, natural, and cruelty-free), and when I wear foundation I use Juice Beauty
I use jojoba oil on my skin as a moisurizer rather than all the lotions with lord knows what in them. People said ewwww oil, my skin said aaahhhh soft and natural and no it doesnt leave any part of my body oily. But ive also started trying coconut oil now.. its a toss up! Love