I talk a lot about how to clean and green your child’s life here on Kula Mama. From choosing safe lotions and potions, to protecting your child from the most toxic chemicals in the home, to building a better immune system through food and lifestyle—it’s all part of a holistic approach to health for kids. And while I think that raising kids holistically is one of the best things we can do for our children, I believe that taking care of MOM is equally, if not more, important. If mama isn’t healthy and thriving there won’t be any energy left for the kids!
Believe me, I’ve learned this sleep-deprived, low-energy lesson the hard way.
Moms need TLC too.
Taking care of your own health and wellness includes the basics like; eating real food, exercising, and getting enough sleep. But one supremely important, and often neglected, area of health relates to the toxic impact associated with the use of conventional beauty products. Here’s why the ingredients in these products are so damaging to health.
The dirty little secret in the cosmetics industry.
Beauty products can be some of the most toxic products out there and our skin is the largest organ of the body. Whatever we put ON our bodies ends up IN our bodies. Beauty products and personal care products are tricky because not only are the chemicals in personal care products unregulated, but also there is a growing body of research that has linked these chemicals to cancer, allergies, hormone disruption, neurological disorders and asthma (source). In the United States, there are over 80,000 ingredients used in personal care products, but less than 10% have any safety data at all (learn more). It’s a scary world in beauty land which is why I’ve always checked all our store bought products on the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database. This free database ranks the safety of personal care products on a 1-10 safety range.
EWG’s Skin Deep Database allows me to make sure the products we are using are free of toxic chemicals, but the database doesn’t always solve my BIGGEST problem with green beauty.
What’s my cosmetic problem you may ask?
Well, my biggest problem in green beauty land is that I haven’t found any non-toxic beauty products that I really love. I do make a lot of homemade personal care products including hand soap, facial scrubs, and even lip gloss! But so far I haven’t mastered making my own makeup or shampoo/conditioner. The brands I’m currently using are expensive and… eh, just okay.
Until NOW.
Last month I partnered with Beautycounter for a giveaway on the Kula Mama website. I was intrigued about their company mission to provide high-performing AND non-toxic beauty products. Could this exist in one brand? I’d never heard of Beautycounter before one of their consultants reached out to me, but after working with them over the last several weeks I’ve learned that Beautycounter and Kula Mama ARE a match made in eco-loving heaven. Why?
- Beautycounter bans over 1500 ingredients used in most US commercial cosmetics today (most of these ingredients are also banned in the European Union because of safety concerns.).
- Beautycounter believes safe beauty products should be accessible to everyone. The price points are reasonable. DIY products are certainly much more affordable but for the products you don’t like to make (or can’t make) then this is a safe option for your skin and health.
- Beautycounter creates high-performing beauty products, created by makeup artists like Christy Coleman. This woman knows makeup and how it should perform, while at the same time she remains passionate about non-toxic ingredients. No more buying expensive, non-toxic makeup from Whole Foods and being really disappointed and…well….broke.
- Beautycounter partners with my favorite non-profits including the Environmental Working Group, Healthy Child, Healthy World and The Breast Cancer Fund. A portion of proceeds go to these non-profits and when you sign up as a Beautycounter member they automatically send $10 to your non-profit of choice. This was huge for me. I like supporting companies who give back.
So because I’m in the business of sharing non-toxic products that are SAFE to use on your skin and body, I needed to tell you about this company. Not only that, but I’ve also created a Kula Mama Beautycounter shop where you can find all your cosmetic and beauty care goodies directly. I’ll continue to share with you my favorite products in the coming weeks and months. I hope you’ll join me in this non-toxic, beauty-loving heaven.
Check out more press about Beautycounter from Goop and the Huffington Post!
