Outlandish Claims by Me
Not to be making any sort of outlandish claims or assertions, BUT I totally could have qualified to be on a Proactiv Commercial a few months ago (in the “BEFORE” part. Not the Vanessa Williams part), and my biggest concern with switching all my products was my skin. FACT: I have not had any sort of breakout since I began my epic quest for safe cosmetics. Coincidence? Maybe. But it seems weird that from ages 18 to 23 I had mad breakouts and now I look like someone on a Noxzema Commercial! (But I’m the model for “AFTER”).
Like I said, coincidence…?
I'm not endorsing Noxzema. Because the fact is, I look way better than this.
Some Links…
Check out these links! My friend referred me to them, they’re pretty helpful.
The deodorant one is especially helpful! (Gross, but I’m being honest) A few years ago, I tried Tom’s of Maine Honeysuckle Rose deodorant and I smelled like Froot Loops. Not cool after 10am. I’d love to give one of these a shot, if I can find them!
Next week I’m presenting what I’ve learned from this project so far in a SCIENCE FAIR (sort of thing), I’ll post the deets!
Thoughts..
I recently was involved in a brainstorming session that essentially was about how to help people make healthier choices, and someone came up with the idea of “Hey, why don’t we have a store where everything is healthy?” Currently, there seems to be a new movement happening where typical drugstores are implementing areas that are “Green” and “Organic”, whereas new “Alternative” pharamacies are cropping up as well. These Alternative Pharmacies are typically the places where I have been able to do a great deal of my shopping for switching over all my beauty products at these stores, but this is not to say I can walk in, just pick up anything and it is good for me. I still need to do research before I shop (or while I shop, with my trusty iPhone).
These “Alternative” Pharmacies sell a lot of the same products normal pharmacies do, but sell them alongside organic products. Additionally, a lot of the time “organic” products still aren’t truly good for you or the environment. This new trend has made me wonder, could pharmacies benefit from the implementation of a labeling system that lets you know the different hazards in products? Should they separate “Organic” products from others? Is it more beneficial to mix organic and other products together in hopes of normalizing organic products to buyers?
Thoughts?
Dangerous Beauty Campaign
What woman doesn’t want to be a little…dangerous? Just be sure you’re doing it in all the right ways! I am embarking upon my “Dangerous Beauty” campaign, where I have made flyers that create awareness about the different potential hazards in American Cosmetics. Check it out!
Feel free to print this out and share it with your friends / slip it into magazines at your local drugstore, etc etc!
Stickers coming soon!
European Style
So today my sister is visiting from Los Angeles, because we have to go to a family function. We were getting ready, when I looked down at my toenails and saw I had a little bit of Pink Nail Polish that hadn’t quite grown out yet, and I was wearing open toe shoes. What a bummer. She asked me, “Why don’t you just use nail polish remover?” and I explained my project and my goal to not use any hazardous health and beauty products. She said, “Oh, I do that.” And I explained that just because something says it’s organic and natural doesn’t mean it’s good for you. She said, “Um, I use only European Products, because they have a higher health and safety standard with their cosmetics.”
Wow, way to know your stuff, sister.
RED ALERT
So I was watching television today and saw a line of “over 95% natural makeup” launched by a major drugstore cosmetics company, and I thought “Oh that would be nice, to go to my local drugstore and be able to buy makeup so easily!” So I looked up the ingredients on the web and WOW.
I don’t mean to name names, but let’s just say it rhymes with “PALMAY”.
Look up the ingredients of some of these products, it’s frightening. Even though the product is only a moderate hazard, look at the primary ingredient! ALUMINUM STARCH OCTENYLSUCCINATE: causes developmental and reproductive problems, is toxic to organs and your brain, and could possibly be contaminated with arsenic (which is RAT POISON), lead, and other heavy metals. Seriously, be careful out there friends.
Farmer Joe’s (No, Not Trader Joe’s)
Farmer Joe's in Oakland
After my fantastic trip to Rainbow Grocery last week, I decided to visit my own local Co-Op grocery store, Farmer Joe’s. When I was there, I stopped into the cosmetics and personal care aisle and found a lot of products that I had seen on other sites as safe. Additionally, I saw Farmer Joe’s sells more “normal” drugstore products, like Pert Plus and Neutrogena products, but they put them high up on the shelves so that if you want them, you really have to look for them. This was interesting to me, because Farmer Joe’s is encouraging their shoppers to first be faced with more healthful choices, rather than marketing less healthy care products to you.
I purchased a new face wash (because I have been using Dr. Bronner’s and it isn’t cutting it), Beauty Without Cruelty 3% Alpha Hydroxy Cleanser. It’s a very low hazard product, I will let you know how it works
A Moral Dilemma…
A little secret about myself: I’m kind of a hoarder. Apparently, my parents attempts at raising me to be appreciative of what I had backfired and now I am stuck with a secret stash of personal care supplies underneath my bed that I forgot about. Apparently, if World War III broke out I’m not too concerned about finding food, just being able to condition my hair. I have awesome priorities.
The point is, in addition to about two near-empty bottles of shampoo and a bottle of perfume I don’t want anymore, I have a small stash of cosmetics under my bed that I don’t know what to do with.
How do I dispose of these things? If I throw them away, they just end up in a landfill, if I wash them down the drain, they end up in the Bay. Should I give these things away? I feel like that seems kind of wrong, as if saying to my friends, “Here take this bag of cosmetics that I have deemed cancer causing and evil. Enjoy!”
Advice, anybody?
Cleanup of all the things under my bed.
On the Campaign Trail…
No, not the Presidential Campaign (Sorry, big letdown, I know)!
The Campaign for Safer Cosmetics!
Check out their website, especially the About section! I think it shows why I have undertaken this project for myself.
Oh Baby!
So I called my mom the other day and she was shopping for soap for my beloved nephew, which made me ask myself, “How safe is your average Baby Shampoo?” So I investigated the ingredients in a particular brand that we all know and trust.
Wow, all this stuff is looking WAYY too questionable to put on my little baby nephew! I’m going to attempt to find one that is completely safe, but more importantly, works well.
ecoeyeliner 