For centuries, women all over the world have been dying to be beautiful . . . literally. In Renaissance Europe and Victorian England, women applied extracts of deadly nightshade – a toxic plant known to paralyze and even kill – to whiten their skin or dilate their eyes to achieve a wide-eyed, breathless look, risking blurry vision and blindness for the effect. During the eighteenth century, royalty and other high-society women wore foundation made with lead, sometimes developing lead poisoning as a result. In the United States, sixteen women became seriously injured or blinded in the 1930s after using Lash Lure, an eyelash dye made from paraphenylenediamine – a toxin still used in some hair dyes today.
While these stories may sound shocking, not much has changed since then. Today, we still use cosmetics and personal-care products that have harmful effects, increasing the risk of everything from cancer to autoimmune disorders, disrupting hormone and immune function, making us more susceptible to allergic reactions, and even boosting our susceptibility to premature death. At the same time, we’ve seen a big boom in “clean” beauty and personal-care products, with retailers like Sephora creating standards and logos to designate items that contain fewer synthetic ingredients. The only problem is that there are no universal standards or regulations for “clean” cosmetics and personal-care products, so what one company or retailer considers safe may not be truly safe or consistent with what is considered safe by other companies and retailers. I’ve learned a lot along the way that can help you make smarter choices without sacrificing what you value or the way you want to look.
Nearly everything I was using on my face, hair, skin, and nails contained toxic ingredients. Many of those toxic ingredients disrupt hormone function, interfere with immunity, and cause a host of other health problems. In short, I was dousing myself in a giant chemical cocktail every day, all in the name of “beauty” and “hygiene.” I didn’t immediately throw out everything the day I decided to clean up my routine, though. I made slow, calculated choices, starting with what seemed to me like the most obvious offenders: the products I slathered and lathered on in the shower every day. I began by trading conventional soap and my brand-name shampoo and conditioner for products that scored a 1 on the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database (see www.ewg.org/skindeep/). This free online database rates the safety of more than ninety-six thousand products on a scale from 1 to 10, with 10 indicating products and ingredients that are the most hazardous.
Next, I started to consider what I used in the greatest quantity on the largest surface of my body: my moisturizing lotion. This, for me, was a must-change, and while the earliest iterations of all-natural moisturizers didn’t smell as good as the fruity stuff I was accustomed to using, I’m grateful I stopped rubbing chemicals on, in, and around the largest organ of my body (our skin!). In fact, the skin acts like such an effective sponge that many topical drugs are the most effective way to get medicine into our bodies.
Not every swap, though, was an instant or immediate success. When I first tried one brand of nontoxic face moisturizer, for example, I broke out, and it took days to get the product’s ingredients, while all plant-based and nontoxic, out of my system. Here’s the lesson: not all clean products may jibe with your skin or hair – a situation that is no different from conventional products made from synthetic (read: irritating) ingredients.
What you may initially think are sacrifices often turn out to be win-wins for both your health and your appearance. When I first switched to clean shampoo, for example, the products didn’t work. My hair looked greasy, even if I had washed it that morning. But in a few weeks’ time, my scalp adjusted, producing less oil. Now I don’t have to wash my hair as frequently, and it’s much less damaged and softer and healthier as a result. It also took me a long time to find and switch to a clean version of mascara that I really liked – before doing so, I simply limited how often I used conventional mascara. So, reducing your exposure can also mean changing your behaviour so that you’re simply not exposed to a toxin as often as you had been previously.
Some Key Lessons On Finding Clean Personal-Care Products
Less is more
I guarantee you don’t need to use as many products as you do today. Reducing the number of products you use is the easiest way to reduce your toxic load. Using fewer chemicals on your body, face, hair, and nails will make them healthier, which in turn will cause them to look more radiant, nourished, and glowing.
Trial and error are key
If the all-natural deodorant or toothpaste you used a decade ago didn’t work as well as you had hoped, try today’s iterations, which are safer, more effective, better smelling, and easier to use. Clean personal-care products can also differ greatly from one to the other, so experiment with different brands and formulations to find the right one for you.
Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good
There’s no golden rule saying that once you go clean, you have to make every product swap possible. Use as many clean products as you can, but at the same time, know it’s okay to make a conscientious decision to continue to use a certain conventional product or service.
Go slow
I didn’t toss out my entire toiletry bag or cosmetics kit the day I decided to pay more attention to my personal care regimen. Start by making one or two swaps, then when you run out of something, switch to a cleaner alternative.
Prioritize what you use the most and the most frequently
Get the biggest bang for your buck by updating the products you use daily in large quantities, like soap, body lotion, shampoo, toothpaste, and sunscreen. If you’re female, prioritize using nontoxic deodorant and organic tampons or pads, since conventional versions may increase cancer risk.
DIY Deodorant That Works
- 2½ teaspoons unrefined coconut oil
- 2½ teaspoons unrefined shea butter
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ cup arrowroot
- 6 drops lavender or orange essential oil
- 6 drops grapefruit essential oil
- 2 drops tea tree oil
Place coconut oil and shea butter in a glass bowl or jar, then place the jar in a medium saucepan. Add enough water to the saucepan to surround the bowl or jar, then bring the water to a boil over medium heat. Stir the melted coconut oil and shea butter, then stir in the baking soda, arrowroot, and essential oils. Transfer the mixture to a small glass jar with a lid and allow to cool at room temperature. Once cooled, cover with the lid and set aside until ready to use. Apply with your fingertips and store in a cool, dry place.
Author Bio
Dr. Aly Cohen is a board-certified rheumatologist and integrative medicine physician, recognized nationally for her expertise in environmental health, and medical education. She is the author of DETOXIFY: The Everyday Toxins Harming Your Immune System and How to Defend Against Them, which connects the dots between everyday chemicals and the epidemic rise in immune disorders and autoimmune disease…and what we CAN all do about it! She continues to teach, lecture, and practice medicine in Princeton, New Jersey.
