Beauty – Be Informed by Julie George
Most women want flawless skin, the fountain of youth, and the feeling of lasting beauty. That is probably why it is so easy to dish out our credit cards each time our friends sign up for the latest skincare company. Society has put high pressure on us women to try to have the “look” yet have you ever looked at what is in the products you are buying.
Like many of you, I didn’t know what I didn’t know. I honestly used to think that purchasing top brands from department stores was doing more positives for my skin than the ones found at my local drugstore. Wow, did I waste a lot of money on cosmetics. In Junior High School, I went through modeling school where we were required to wear the latest makeup trends. Which of course entailed me to buy even more products at such a young age. During the ‘90s and 2000s it never occured to me that using these cosmetics could be harmful. In fact, it wasn’t until I was in naturopathic medical school that I heard about environmental medicine. If only I knew then what I know now.
Did you know that you absorb things through your skin, including the ingredients found in cosmetics? Unfortunately for us all, the cosmetics industry in the United States is unregulated. Many dangerous chemicals sneak into our makeup bags without us even knowing. The majority of these chemicals have not been tested for safety. To name a few problems, some of these chemicals have been linked to endocrine disruption (aka hormone imbalance) and carcinogens. I’m not sure about you, but I don’t want to be putting things on my body that are going to alter my hormones and could promote cancer. There are over 80,000 chemicals in circulation so I can’t tell you everything to avoid. I do recommend that you look at the ingredients of every single item that you put on your hair, skin and nails. I recommend that you try to avoid the following ingredients. Prevention is the best form of medicine.
Avoid
- Parabens
- Phthalates
- PEG or Polyethylene glycol
- Polysorbate
- Things that end in laureth, steareth, ceteareth
- Fragrance
For women that share a love affair with the cosmetic industry, they can have specialty testing to learn their exposures. Doctors that focus on environmental medicine can test for parabens, phthalates, and heavy metals. Specialized hormone testing can be performed through Urine, Saliva, and/or Blood. Other specialized testing may be recommended based off of their health history.
Lucky for you there are safer cosmetics companies on the rise. Women are starting to demand healthier personal care products for themselves and their family. Let’s not succumb to peer pressure when it comes to our cosmetics and health. Do your research and make educated decisions before handing over your credit card. Remember Beauty comes from within!
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