You Count!!!! Your Children Count!!
The choices we make as parents, caregivers and friends on a daily basis are crucial to our loved ones- they count. When it comes to making decisions concerning our children health, we struggle because there is so much information out there. We question:
Are they getting the proper vitamins and minerals on a daily basis?
Is their school providing too many sugared sweets on a regular basis?
Are they getting enough exercise?
Should I buy organic vs. non-organic?
Do we ever consider the products that we use in our daily regime and what the ingredients are? The ingredients in our shampoos, creams and makeup are just as toxic as the pesticides and preservatives found in our foods.
It took me a long time to come to the realization that it is equally important what I put in my body as what I put on my body. The skin is the largest organ in our body and therefore needs to stand the tests of time. I realize I have had some pretty poor skin care regimes during my teenage years and beyond but it is never too late to change my habits. I especially want to be educated for my daughter as many of these products targeted to teen girls contain toxic substances. Why do you think many teenage girls are getting their periods at a younger age than when we were teens??????
1938 was the last year that federal law was passed to govern cosmetics safety and protect the people that use them. While the EU has banned or restricted more than 1,300 harmful and toxic chemicals from personal care products, the US bans or restricts just 11.
Toxic chemicals can enter our bodies in different ways. In the case of cosmetics, toxic chemicals can enter our bodies directly through our airways when we inhale particles from powders and sprays, and through our skin, lips and nails when we apply products. We know that even small doses of ingredients can have a big effect when absorbed through the skin
I have joined with Beautycounter because they believe in the purest ingredients. At Beautycounter, there are 1,500 ingredients they will never use- The Never List. Every ingredient in their products have a function; nothing is used without careful consideration for efficacy and performance. No unwanted extras, no dyes, no mysteries. Just ingredients with purpose.
Even tiny amounts of some chemicals used in everyday products can have huge impacts. Endocrine disruptors, which are chemicals like BPA, parabens and phthalates that mimic or block hormones, can have major health impacts because they mirror the function of our real hormones.
Parabens and phthalates are endocrine (or hormone) disruptors, meaning they can alter important hormonal mechanisms in our bodies.
Parabens are a class of preservative used in many skincare and makeup products to prevent the growth of bacteria and mold. There are methylparaben, isobutylparaben, proplyparaben and others, but essentially, you want to avoid anything ending in -paraben, since they mimic estrogen
and may play a role in triggering cancer and other serious health issues.
Phthalates (pronounced THAL-lates) are plasticizers – they make plastic more pliable. In cosmetics, phthalates are used to make fragrances stick to skin, styling products malleable, and nail polish bend and stick to the curve of your nail. They are thought to block signaling pathways for hormones like testosterone, and have been linked to birth defects. Like parabens, there are many kinds of phthalates (the ones used in cosmetics are abbreviated as DBP and DEHP), but since they don’t often appear on ingredient labels, they can be tricky to avoid.
THE NEVER LIST: DOWNLOAD PDF
I prefer the countertime line at BeautyCounter as it targets those beautiful fine lines that have started to show up on my complexion as well as targets the accumulated sun damage from my teen years (remember sitting with those aluminum foil reflectors??). I am looking to age gracefully 🙂
However, the essential line is perfect for the family and is a coconut-oil based skin collection. It targets skin that has not shown signs of aging and is perfect for all skin types.
Here is the link if you would like to read more information:
https://melissaakopiantz.beautycounter.com/Home
Here is another helpful link from the EWG- Environmental Working Group that explains and rates the 70,000 products on the market for their efficacy.
