Fewer Better: The Best Clean Beauty Products

I had quite the educational meeting with The Sustainability Concierge, learning how to reduce potentially harmful toxins from our home.  It was relatively quick and painless to replace our nonstick frying pans with stainless steel replacements, and ditch our plastic containers and water bottles in favor of glass and metal alternatives.

When it came to my beauty products, however, things were not so simple. I am very attached to my favorite makeup, body and hair care products, but after learning about the potentially toxic (!) and harmful ingredients that were present in many them, I decided to shop around for cleaner, greener alternatives.

I turned to Carolyn, a holistic oncology nurse practitioner and Beauty Counter consultant. Carolyn is on a mission to help people use safer, greener personal care products and learn what to look for and which ingredients to avoid.

The amount of information on this topic can be overwhelming, but Carolyn helped to keep it simple. Her key takeaways: Steer clear of  products that contain Phthalates, Parabens, and synthetic fragrances. You can also check out a full list of ingredients to avoid right here and look up any products in question on the EWG Skin Deep Database.

Here is a round-up of my favorites so far:

(1) For super dewy, glowing skin // (2) So fresh and so clean (and a great hostess gift!) // (3) A healthy summer glow for cheeks and lips //(4) Organic infused coconut oils for hair, body, and everything else under the sun! (5) A hydrating pop of color// (6) The best multi-tasking soap for the whole family.

Want to makeover your makeup bag and help improve the cosmetics industry? Other helpful resources include:

Green Beauty Products: Beauty Counter // EO // Todos Organics // True Botanicals // RMS Beauty

General Resources: We All Deserve Better //Campaign for Safe Cosmetics //Environmental Working Group 

Books and Films: Not Just a Pretty Face //The New Puberty //Stink //The Story of Stuff

Facebook Groups: Breast Cancer Fund //Campaign for Safe Cosmetics  //Environmental Working Group