Think about the things that you use in the morning when getting ready for your day: shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash, moisturizer, deodorant, toothpaste, maybe some perfume, various types of makeup if you wear it, etc. According to Environmental Defence Canada, we use approximately 12 different products to get ready in the morning and they contain over 126 chemicals that are absorbed into our skin. What’s even more gross is that a large majority of these chemicals aren’t just in our makeup and body care products, they’re in things like paint and plastic too. Oh and they haven’t really been tested for human safety. I’m not sure about you, but I feel weird about putting that kind of gunk on my skin. Your skin is your largest organ and is super absorbent – about 60% of what you put on it gets into your bloodstream. Your skin is also an excellent indicator as to what is going on inside your body. Unlike natural ingredients which can have positive long-term effects, synthetic ingredients seem to stop working once you stop using them – at least in my experience. I’m thinking of ProActiv Solution which was all the rage in my teenage and early adult years. I had a friend who bought it and loved it, her skin really did clear up.. until she stopped using it at which point her face was exactly how it had been before she started using it except waaay more dry thanks to the harsh ingredients. Besides the argument of how well they work, let me point out that many of these chemicals that are in most beauty products also end up stored in or bodies. They’ve actually tested breast milk and found toxins in it being passed along to babies – that is a lot of chemical build-up! Let’s take this away from ourselves for a moment and think about cute things we love: puppies, kittens, flowers, your pet snake, baby bears.. have I come close to some part of nature that you just can’t get enough of? Everything is connected. And what you are putting on your body eventually goes down the drain into lakes and rivers and eventually into the ocean – places where all these animals drink. The signs of toxic build up are abundant and it’s sad. Some water levels tested have shown high amounts of parabens that can mimic estrogen which, in some places, cause reproductive issues in fish. Plants tested in various lakes and rivers have also been found to have high volumes of chemicals stored in them. When animals get this stuff in their bodies, either from the water or from eating some of these plants/fish, it’s coming right back to you when you eat it. It’s a vicious cycle. Speaking from personal experience, my skin has cleared up and my skin tone has evened out since I stopped wearing makeup and started using natural products. I am pretty much guaranteed to have a breakout after wearing makeup and my skin takes weeks to recover. I am by no means saying that you should stop wearing makeup, to each their own. But there are companies out there who are environmentally aware and I would encourage you to support them. There is a company based out of Morden called Pure Anada who makes mineral makeup as well as various all-natural products. Another recommendation is a store at The Forks here in Winnipeg called Generation Green. I met the owner, Sherry, while shopping there one day and she expressed her care in choosing quality, truly natural, and often local brands with great products. I could spend hours there looking through everything from bamboo pens and pencils to Buddha-shaped beeswax candles to personal care products to organic food. If you check them out, be sure to let them know I sent you I wanted to give you a little list of places to visit until I get my business going so that you can get a head start and really see the changes that are made when you switch to using natural products. You are not only doing yourself, but the environment, a lot of good. Still not sold? Check out this video!
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