National Skincare Education Day

Skincare seems pretty basic right?   Most of us are looking for products that clean our skin and tackle any specific issues we may have.  And there's PLENTY of options to choose from.  The Skincare Industry is a $16.5 billion industry and growing every year.  

With so many lotions and potions on the market it can be hard to know which ones to choose.  Especially when we're trying to find products that will not only do the job, but will also be safer for our health.  I work with women all over the country every day helping them read their product labels and come up with a plan on how to choose the safest, most effective household products that fit their budgets and these are the top 3 ways I recommend to my clients on how to choose safer skincare.

Before I list the 3 ways I suggest to my clients to choose safer, let's talk a little about why this is important.  In the United States, there has not been a major federal law passed in the beauty industry since 1938 which means that the industry is basically like the Wild Wild West  Companies can do whatever they want when it comes to formulation with only a few exceptions.  So it's SUPER important to do your research and look into what exactly is in your products before you buy.  

1. Flip the bottle over and search for FRAGRANCE & PEGs.  PEGs stands for Propylene Glycol and is oftentimes contaminated with 1,4 Dioxane or Ethylene Oxide, both of which are known carcinogens and linked to hormone disruption & causing breathing issues.  Fragrance is a catch-all term for thousands of different ingredients, many of which are linked to serious health issues such as Phthalates.  Phthalates are a plasticizer that help scents linger longer, but have also been shown to contribute to lower testosterone levels in boys and to disrupt hormones in girls.  So my suggestion is to always avoid these two.  Fragrance will be listed as either Fragrance, parfum, natural fragrance or natural parfum.  PEGs will be listed as PEG - a number.  Both are very easy to find on the label so it's a great first step to choosing safer! 

2.  Avoid using products containing Retinol.  This one might surprise you!  Retinol is widely used in skincare due to its ability to turn over skin cells at a very rapid pace.  The reason why I tell my clients to avoid it, is because there is evidence that it it will also enhance the growth of malignant cells as well as healthy cells.  So if you have an unhealthy cell that may end up going away on it's own, using Retinol products could exasperate the growth and you could end up with a problem you may not have had otherwise.

3. Don't just choose products labeled "Natural" or "Organic" and think that they're safer for your health.  Like I mentioned before, there is a major lack of oversight in the Skincare Industry.  Terms like "organic" & "natural" are not defined and therefore don't necessarily meant a product is safer for your health.    Turn the bottle around and use resources like the Environmental Working Group or Beautycounter's Never List

If you follow these 3 steps you will be well on your way to choosing safer products.  Follow me on Instagram for more tips on choosing safer skincare & other products around the house.  

And if you have any questions about products, feel free to email me at [email protected] and I'd be happy to help!