It always makes me feel disheartened when I hear someone talk themselves out of making healthier choices, like
nontoxic beauty products.
It goes something like -- “I use plastic bags and a blow dryer and drink city water so what really is the use of buying organic skin care? I mean I will never be able to eliminate toxins from my life completely.” And no, realistically none of us can. We all share this earth, and in so doing share each other’s toxins.But here is a helpful hint, and this is important. Think small. Like any other time we are trying to modify our life in one direction or another we have to take tiny steps. If you were trying to cut down on caffeine you wouldn’t quit altogether would you? Hopefully not. You would end up with a big headache, cranky and having a cup of coffee way too close to bedtime. Believe me I speak from experience.
And so it is with green living. Let’s face it; there are very few souls who really “do it all”. I am talking about environmentally conscious driving, eating, housing, clothing, cleaning and personal care products and the list goes on. That is not to say that there aren’t those who go way above and beyond what the rest of us would ever consider doing, and thankful we are to them, but most of us will probably not achieve that level of environmental commitment in this lifetime.
And that is okay. It is far too tedious, expensive and transformative (we all have a comfort zone after all) to do “everything” all at once if ever. But we can help ourselves and our world by doing a little at a time.
So how to begin? You do what you know. Interested in organic foods but can’t afford to completely restock your pantry with green groceries? The
Environmental Working Group
has a list of the best produce to buy organic. A great place to start.
Now for that bathroom cupboard. You have finally found the cleanser, moisturizer, foundation, etc. that works with your skin (and hopefully your budget) and don’t relish the idea of switching up at this point. After all, skin care and cosmetic products are very individual and personal things. After years of searching high and low for products that would make my sensitive skin happy I was very pleased with my straight-forward, drugstore brand skin care products and the thought of trying something new made me cringe. But the thought of applying toxic chemicals to my skin twice daily was unacceptable.
Here is the trick. Don’t change everything at once. Once you’ve found a product that you love chances are good that other products from the same line will suit your skin as well. Another tip, don’t try to replace your favorite product first. If you feel that you absolutely can not live without your moisturizer, wait until you have sampled a few lines before committing to throw it out. And, of course, replace those baby and children’s products right away. This will help to set your children up with a healthier lifestyle now and in the future.
Maybe a few months from now you will be buying organic apples and peaches and have a new safe organic skin care routine that you love just as much as the old stuff. It may be time to try safe organic hair products or maybe a low emf hairdryer. Just remember, every little bit helps. Establish a good solid footing for your new and improved healthier way of living and it will be something you can stick with for a lifetime.
Safe organic cosmetics...what's the big deal?
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Benefits of Using Safe Organic Cosmetics
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