Ever wonder what harmful ingredients you’re putting on your body?
Yeah, I have too – I first started to become passionate about clean beauty products within the past year after a traumatic experience due to the harsh chemicals included in our day to day products. It’s been a passion of mine to live more sustainably. To say the least, switching over all of my skin and hair care products to natural ingredients has been a production. After products had betrayed my trust, I struggle to believe in the ingredients that I put on my body. If you’re interested in making this switch, read on!
The first step to making this switch is to educate, educate, educate. I cannot emphasize this enough; it is essential that you understand what the product is made up of rather than trusting the front label.
Remove the plastic. Not only is it not environmentally friendly, but plastics can be harmful to ourselves as certain plastics can leak into the product itself. As a place of reference, check the number on the bottom of your bottle and look into this source & infographic to further understand the various types of plastics used in packaging. Try to look for products stored in cardboard, glass, or aluminum.
As a starting place, Think Dirty is an app on the Apple Store that you can download and use as a reference for purchasing clean products. All you need to do is take a photo of the barcode or search the product, and it will rate its cleanliness based on a 1-10 scale, 0-1 being the ultimate goal. Sections include a wide variety of verified brands that the app provides, from skincare to household cleaning supplies to laundry detergent.
Another source of information I have used as a resource are podcasts. Some podcasts include knowledgeable guests that are experts in their field. Below is a list; feel free to give them a listen!
- Almost 30: The Natural Path
- Be Well by Kelly: Taking Care of Yourself with Clean Beauty
Credo Beauty is an online platform that offers natural makeup and organic skincare. Or shop local, check out Face Food’s Instagram page or website to buy some of the top clean beauty brands!
For more resources on how to shop clean, here is a list of some of the harmful ingredients to watch out for. I use this as a reference provided by Juice Beauty, an all-natural skincare brand.