We are all changing our habits by starting to eat healthier and exercise, but the trend that is taking a little bit longer to get to headlines is clean beauty. We put so much time and effort into choosing foods that fuel us with nutrients and push ourselves through difficult workouts to maintain our health, but if we continue to go to the nail salon or wash our hair with generic shampoos, we are defeating all of our hard work and purpose towards living a healthier lifestyle. I wanted to share a few of my favorite brands that I have switched over to to ensure I have eliminated as many toxins out of my routine as I can. The toxins in our beauty and cleaning products are the toxins that are causing many cancers these days and we need to educate ourselves and take the time to make sure we know what we are using in our homes and on our bodies.
Nail Polish
As someone who was obsessed with having her nails painted for years, changing my polish habits was one of my first steps toward clean beauty. Most cities are starting to have non-toxic nail salons which I always try to seek out if I ‘m not doing my nails myself. My favorite in Richmond is Holy Chic and in NYC I love Sundays. I use Sundays nail polish all the time even when I’m not going to the salon. At $18/ bottle it is pretty pricey but it’s the cleanest nail polish on the market. It’s the only polish that is 10-free, which means it’s free of the 10 most toxic ingredients used in normal nail polish. Another important thing to note is to change out your nail polish remover as well. I go to Whole Foods to buy acetone free remover. Now it doesn’t work as effectively as getting polish off, but it’s worth it to save yourself of the toxins!
Shampoo + Body Wash
Any soap that you use with foam most likely contains the foaming agent Sodium Laurel Sulfate (SLS). This compound is one of the worst things for our bodies and can potentially stimulate cancer cell growth. I use Dr. Bronner’s all-purpose cleanser which has about five ingredients and can be used as a body wash but also countertop cleaner! For shampoo and conditioner, I use the brand Eco Love that I pick up from my local health food store but it is sold on Amazon. A lot of natural shampoos use oils that can make someone with oily skin like me have VERY greasy hair, but Eco Love makes a shampoo specifically for oily hair and it’s the best I’ve ever tried.
Deodorant
One of the first and easiest changes you can make is to start by switching to an aluminum-free deodorant. This is important for everyone but especially women, as aluminum is a big contributor to breast cancer development! I use the brand Alba which can be found at Whole Foods, health food stores, or on Amazon. Seriously though, do this before anything else and spread the word to family and friends! It’s shocking to me how many companies are still allowed to sell such harmful products.
Skincare
I talk about it all the time but I am obsessed with Marie Veronqiue skincare. She uses the highest quality products and essential oils and I always feel like I am at a spa. HIGHLY worth the investment. I use and love the Treatment cleanser, the treatment oil, and the intensive repair serum. I also love Aesop for body scrub, oil, and lotion. Their products are also very clean.
Home
I use Mrs. Meyer’s soap for laundry, dishes, and hand washing. For scent I always use an oil diffuser, incense from Bodha, or a soy candle. Regular burning candles or room sprays are SO SO bad for us! There are so many options for better candles these days.
Makeup
I recently switched all my makeup over to using Beautycounter and I couldn’t be more in love. All of their products are super lightweight and give you such a great natural “no makeup” makeup look. Makeups are full of so many toxins and many are not vegan and tested on animals. Beautycounter is the cleanest brand I have found and I love the work they are doing as a company. I love their foundation and they have the BEST mascara.
