Keeping My Beauty Routine Safe and Natural

Welcome to the February 2014 Natural Living Blog Carnival: Naturally Beautiful.

This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Natural Living Blog Carnival hosted by Happy Mothering and Crunchy Farm Baby through the Green Moms Network. This month, our members are talking about skincare and other personal care products. You’ll find a variety of posts about choosing natural beauty products and even tutorials on how to make some of your own! Be sure to read all of the posts listed at the bottom of mine to learn how to keep your beauty routine safe and natural.

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 Disclosure: Purchasing products from links in this post will result in a commission for Accidentally Green.

For most of my life, I assumed that personal care products were safe. When I went shopping for cosmetics, soaps, shampoos and styling products, I picked anything that sounded like it might work. As I battled with oily, acne-prone skin, I chose heavy foundations that were formulated for oily skin. I opted for any kind of hair product that would help me achieve the results I wanted. I had no idea that those very products were doing more harm than good.

So when I first learned about toxins in shampoos, I was shocked. Once I researched and realized that toxic personal care products and cosmetics were real and not an urban legend, I threw all of my hazardous products in the trash. But here’s the kicker – because I was such a cheapskate and had loved my past purchases, I kept all of the products in a small wastebasket in my office for a few months. I’m not sure if I thought I’d change my mind, but they finally made their way to my garbage can.

It’s been seven years since I tossed my toxic products. I’ve had plenty of time to find safe replacements I love. And while I can certainly whip up a tasty dinner or dessert from scratch, I don’t make my own personal care products. I buy them all.

How do I choose?

I know that, like food, the fewer number of ingredients in personal care products is better. But sometimes even “natural” cosmetics have a lot of complicated-sounding ingredients. After researching cosmetics last fall, I created my own list of ingredients to avoid.

Before I go shopping, I do my homework and check out safe brands on the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Database.

What do I choose?

I gravitate toward certain safe products. I love 100% Pure’s fruit-pigmented blush and eyeshadows. I also really, really like Honeybee Gardens’ eye shadows. I use lip balms instead of lipstick just out of preference and ease (my favorite choices are MadeOn Tinted Lip Balm, 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Lip Gloss, Burt’s Bees Lip Shimmer and Badger Cocoa Butter Lip Balm.)  And I buy mascaras and eyeliners that the EWG has rated as safe.

When it comes to personal care products, I’ve been using bar soaps like Grandma’s Pure and Natural Products. I also tend to use a lot of fancy, homemade bar soaps when I find great deals. I’ve used EO Products’ shampoos for years, along with a variety of hair styling products that the EWG rates as safe. As for moisturizers, I prefer coconut oil, but use other safe lotions I’ve received as gifts.

Talk back

How do you choose beauty products? Do you have trusted brands or do you make your own?

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Visit Happy Mothering and Crunchy Farm Baby to learn more about participating in next month’s Natural Living Blog Carnival!
Please take some time to enjoy the posts our other carnival participants have contributed:

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Hilary Kimes Bernstein

Hilary Kimes Bernstein is a Christ follower, wife, mama, and journalist. She writes about making healthy decisions that honor God and happen to help the environment at Accidentally Green. Short and sweet - like her writing - Hilary is the author of several healthy living eBooks.

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