fbpx

How Safe is Your Skin and Haircare Routine?

By: Natasha Uspensky, CHHC

How Safe is Your Skin and Haircare Routine? | The Organic Beauty Blog

For many of us, our skin and haircare routines are habits we stick to like glue.  We find products we love, and we remain loyal to them for years.  But what if your trusted skincare go-to’s are doing more harm to your body than good?  Our health is most impacted by the things we do regularly — foods we eat every day, products we use everyday, behaviors we partake in everyday.  Those are the things that add up and have measurable effects that can either lead to a longer, healthier life, or a higher risk of disease, reproductive issues, and even psychological or mood imbalances.

So how do your products add up?  Is your skin soaking up healthy, nutritive ingredients, or is your skin a sponge for harmful chemicals that are finding their way into your bloodstream?  For example, did you know that CoverGirl mascaras, Blistex lip balms, Neutrogena face washes, Banana Boat suncreens, Biolage shampoos, and Lubriderm moisturizers all got some of the highest scores for toxicity and health hazards? {Tweet it!}  These are brands millions of Americans use everyday, none the wiser that they are exposing their systems to carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, organ and reproductive toxicity, and more.

So what can you do?  First of all, get really familiar with the most toxic ingredients, and avoid them like the plague.  (Check out 5 Skincare Ingredients to Avoid for a few of the top big bads).  Second of all, search the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database for each and every one of your products.  If any product has a score over 3, (yes 3!) toss it!  It’s just not worth the risk!

Still confused about what is safe to use?  Skin Deep’s searchable database gives you tons of options for the safest, healthiest products, as well as information on where to buy them.  Some of these products are even available at your local pharmacy or big box store.  Convenience or brand loyalty are just not good enough reasons to continue exposing yourself and your family to harmful toxins.  And until our government regulations for cosmetics catch up with the science of safety, YOU are in charge of making sure you’re buying and using the safest products possible!

The EWG is working on a mobile app for Skin Deep, so you can check out a product’s safety on the go!

Donate $10 or more today so EWG can put critical information about cosmetic safety right at your fingertips. They need $45,000 by July 15 so they can deliver this smartphone app to you by September.

2013 Dirty Dozen — Highest Pesticide Produce

By: Natasha Uspensky, CHHC

The Organic Beauty 2013 Dirty Dozen

Organic produce is now on more tables than ever before, which spells great news for our country’s future rates of cancer, autism, and fertility disorders (all of which increase with persistent exposure to pesticides and insecticides).  Unfortunately, it can still be cost prohibitive for many families to buy organic produce.  Staying on top of each year’s Dirty Dozen list of most highly contaminated produce is a super cost-effective way of selecting which foods to buy organic, and which are safe to buy conventionally.  Buy these dozen highly sprayed fruits and vegetables organic whenever possible, and scroll down to this year’s Clean Fifteen to find the least sprayed crops that are safe to buy non-organic.

2013 Dirty Dozen

  1. Apples
  2. Celery
  3. Cherry tomatoes
  4. Cucumbers
  5. Grapes
  6. Hot peppers
  7. Nectarines (imported)
  8. Peaches
  9. Potatoes
  10. Spinach
  11. Strawberries
  12. Sweet bell peppers

2013 Clean Fifteen

  1. Asparagus
  2. Avocado
  3. Cabbage
  4. Cantaloupe
  5. Corn (BUT beware of GMO!)
  6. Eggplant
  7. Grapefruit
  8. Kiwi
  9. Mangoes
  10. Mushrooms
  11. Onions
  12. Papayas
  13. Pineapples
  14. Sweet peas (frozen)
  15. Sweet potatoes