The chemicals in our skincare. We all know they are there, but for most of us, we just use it and don’t really give that much thought about what those words mean, or what those chemicals are, or how they may or may not impact your health.
Image from wyndhamhealth.com
I never used to give any thought to it. At all. I trusted that the products I bought were safe and effective and I didn’t even need to think or worry about it, that wasn’t my job. After reading Gill Deacon’s “There’s Lead in your Lipstick”, my life literally changed. Not in the super dramatic way it sounds like, but I really opened my eyes to the actual ingredients in the products I was using on my body, and on my kids. I learned that there really is no consumer watchdog in that sense of the word; you need to do your own research or find a company or foundation that you trust to do the research for you.
I spent so much time researching these chemicals that were in the products I was currently using, thinking that I needed to know all about them. But I came to the realization that once I knew that I didn’t want to use them on my body, I didn’t need to learn about them. I needed to learn about the ingredients that were going to be used to replace the products I was using. This is how Sola Skincare was born.
It’s been an ongoing process, and I’ve learned so much about the skincare industry. I learned about the horrible process of greenwashing. I learned about the cheap practice of filler ingredients. I learned about what the order of ingredients listed really means. It all made me frustrated, then angry, then determined to be the change I wanted to see in the world.
It’s so important to educate yourself about these ingredients. Sure, there are some (or many) that are said to be safe in small quantities. But what about using small quantities, of dozens and dozens of chemicals, from multiple products, every day, over decades? What is the long term impact?
Image from naturalhealthyconcepts.com
My thoughts are, if you can replace your current products that contain questionable ingredients, with products that have safe and clean ingredients, and that have the same effect (or better), then why wouldn’t you? I know change is hard, but one small change at a time, has a big impact over time. When you use up one product, replace it with a better option. Before you know it, you’ll have eliminated, or drastically reduced the chemicals you’re exposed to on a daily basis.
I used to use a daily moisturizer, and I used the same one from when I was about 15, until just a few years ago. It’s one of those big name ones, you’d know it. I used it because my mom did. I never truly gave it much thought, until the moment I actually did give it a lot of thought. After replacing it with what is currently our Balancing Face Oil, I tried the old stuff just out of curiousity. I literally felt like there was a film sitting on my skin. It felt cold, and like a layer that was just… there. It was bizarre, because until I switched, I really didn’t have any problem with it.
The David Suzuki Foundation is one resource I trust. They list the ‘Dirty Dozen Cosmetic Chemicals to Avoid’ on their website. The moisturizer I used to use had 4 of those chemicals they recommend you avoid. The deodorant I used to use contain 6 of those chemicals. I’m so thankful that I have lessoned the chemical load on my body, and on the bodies of my family.
The point of this post is information, education, and hopefully inspiration. If I can inspire people to take a closer look at the products they use, then I’m happy. There are so many wonderful people out there making safer products for people, hopefully you’ll seek out one of those companies and make some positive changes.
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