You read food labels because you want to know what you are putting into your body, but have you taken the time to read the labels on skincare and cosmetics you use? Some of us have been using a lot of products on our skin especially those who are into the latest makeup trends. All those products are just chemicals and when you count them up, the list becomes very long.

According to a study from the Environmental Working Group, an average man uses 5-7 products a day, while an average women uses 9-17.

For some of us, the day starts with toothpaste, then face-wash, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, moisturizer, hand lotion, etc. Just putting on some basic makeup consists of foundation, concealer, mascara, eyeliner, blush, lipstick. And these days you gotta have that shiny highlight as well. And don’t forget the monthly visits to the salon for a mani/pedi and hair treatments.

Our skin is the largest organ of the body and many of the things that we put on our skin gets absorbed into the blood stream and can be harmful to our overall well-being. Just because the products you use might not be causing break outs, doesn’t mean that they aren’t wreaking havoc on the inside.

Research is showing that some of the ingredients used in our daily cosmetics are skin irritants, endocrine disruptors, toxic, and carcinogenic (causes cancer).

I have mentioned below some of the ingredients that you should avoid as much as possible:

• PARABENS(methylparaben, butylparaben, propylparaben, isobutylparaben, ethylparaben)
• PHTHALATES
• FRAGRANCE
• FORMALDEHYDE
• TRICLOSAN
• SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE (SLS) AND SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE (SLES)
•  ALUMINIUM
• OXYBENZONE

Learn more about which chemicals to avoid here and here

Find out here how safe  your favorite personal care product is.

However, there is hope! As consumers awareness is increasing, there is a greater demand for healthy alternatives available on the market. I personally don’t use much makeup on a daily basis, so I am taking one step at a time to replace my hair and skincare products first. Start small and replace one item at a time, keeping in mind to replace those items that have the biggest impact on your body. Make sure to read labels carefully, read product reviews, and get samples before you fully commit to them.