Switch to Clean Beauty Without the Headache
If you’re like me, you probably don’t have the time or money to trash all your current personal care products and purchase new, safer alternatives. And even if you did, you definitely don’t feel like scouring ingredients labels and researching every chemical you encounter.
When I first learned about the lack of safety and regulation in the beauty industry, I was shocked! But I didn’t ditch my toxic products right away. You see, it was too overwhelming (and expensive).
Curious about my journey to clean beauty? Read about it here.
I know many of you are in the same boat, and I’m here to help! I’m sharing exactly how I switched to safer products without driving myself crazy or breaking the bank. Here are my top tips that I’ve learned through experience and research!
Stop buying toxic products
Okay, this one sounds obvious, but hear me out! This is my number one tip because it’s so simple and cost effective. Once you use up your old product, instead of repurchasing it, switch to a safer product. For example, I used to love a BB cream I bought at Ulta and Sephora. I knew it wasn’t a safe option, but I wasn’t ready to part with it. So I used it until it was empty. That gave me time to research what I would purchase instead (my beloved Dew Skin) and try a sample to make sure I liked it. I recommend using this simple strategy with most of your products – you will eventually use them up, so make plans now to find a safer alternative.
The downside to this first strategy is it takes a long time. If you really care about the health impacts of toxic exposure, you might not want to wait to switch to safer products. Kudos to you! The following strategies will help you prioritize your swaps without overwhelming you or costing a fortune:
2. Prioritize products that cover a large surface area
Your skin is your largest organ, and whatever you put on it will be absorbed into your blood stream. By prioritizing products that you apply over a large surface area, like perfume, body lotion, soap, body oils, and sunscreens, you can reduce the amount of toxic exposure to your skin.
3. Prioritize products you ingest
Um, Sara, I’m not eating my beauty products. Turns out, you are! Your lipstick doesn’t just evaporate, you are swallowing it. Yikes! What’s more, studies show that conventional lip products are often full of heavy metals like mercury and lead (yes even prestige brands). Double yikes! Do yourself a favor and ditch those ASAP. Here is my favorite clean lip product.
4. Prioritize products you own that rank higher than a 3 on the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database.
This database is an absolute gold mine! If you aren’t already using it – go take a look! It’s super easy to look up the products you already own and see what ingredients of concern they contain. (By the way, all of Beautycounter’s products meet the strictest standards). I personally do not use anything in my home or on my skin that ranks over a 3. I recommend you look up products you own (yes, even ones that say “gentle” “all-natural” “nontoxic” etc as those terms are not regulated by the FDA) and prioritize swapping items that rank the highest in toxicity.
5. Prioritize the products you use most often
Have a hand cream you slather on multiple times a day? A serum you apply every night without fail? Make sure your most-used products are safe, otherwise you are exposing yourself to any toxic ingredients they contain repeatedly. In my opinion, this is more important than swapping out a toxic perfume that you only use a few times a year.
6. Prioritize products that contain ingredients that are most relevant to your particular health history and concerns.
My journey to clean beauty started with deodorant. I realized the aluminum in my antiperspirant could elevate my risk for Alzheimer’s disease – the condition that took my Nana’s life. After getting diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, I made sure any product I apply on or near my neck is safe. If you or someone in your family has a health condition, be sure to familiarize yourself with what environmental exposures increase your risk or exacerbate symptoms. Prioritize finding clean swaps for products that contain those ingredients.
7. Stop using certain products
This last tip is totally free! Simply stop using certain toxic products. Once I learned about how toxic fragrances are, I just stopped using perfume. There might be certain products that you are willing to live without. Simply stop using or purchasing them!
I hope that was helpful! Remember, you don’t need to throw everything away and start from scratch (although you certainly can!). Take it one step at a time and focus on what’s most important to you and your unique situation.
I’m curious, what are your favorite strategies for switching to safer personal care products? Out of the strategies I shared today, which one are you planning on implementing first? Let me know in the comments below!
Need help finding the right clean beauty products for you? Still feeling overwhelmed and need some one-on-one assistance? Fill out this form to schedule your FREE clean beauty consultation. I’ll talk to you about your skincare and makeup needs and help you find the products that are right for you and your budget (even if they aren’t from Beautycounter).