Our skin is our largest organ, and while it provides us a thin layer of protection, it also acts like a sponge. Everything that we apply to our skin is absorbed into the bloodstream, without our body’s filter (a.k.a. the liver) getting a chance to clean it up. The average woman uses 12 products a day, which can add up to over 100 different chemicals on her skin. Think about it, how many products do you use on a daily basis?
Why does this matter? Endocrine disruption is becoming increasingly common, and a lot of it is attributed to what we are using on our skin. Your endocrine system is what is responsible for regulating the hormones in your body, and hormones control nearly every process in our body: thyroid, blood sugar, metabolism, libido, fertility, our mood, and the list goes on and on. Think of your endocrine system as a table or stool, when one leg gets out of whack, the entire table falls over. This is why it is so important to know what is in your products! The real bummer of it all – women and young girls are most susceptible to disruption.
Learning what is in your skincare and cosmetic products is key! The Environmental Working Group is a great place to start. Their database contains hundreds of products ranked by their level of toxicity. Learning what was in my products led me to question – isn’t the cosmetic industry regulated? Why would a company sell something that could cause harm? I work full-time in one of the most regulated industries in the country, so it was hard for me to comprehend why it was seemingly OK for companies to use chemicals that were proven to be harmful. I was unpleasantly surprised at how under regulated the cosmetic industry is. There hasn’t been a major beauty/cosmetic law passed since 1938…say that again…1938. The United States bans only 30 ingredients from cosmetic products. Just to put that into perspective, Europe bans at least 1400. Holy smokes that’s scary stuff!
The good news is that there are companies out there leading the charge for safer skincare and cosmetics. We the people, are taking charge where the government is not. The NEVER LIST from Beautycounter includes 1500 ingredients that the company has researched and decided not to use in their products. All Beautycounter ingredients are screened rigorously, and sourced responsibility to ensure you are getting a high quality, high performing product. Email me at happyfarmacist@gmail.com if you are interested in learning more, or use the link below to shop now!