Safe Cosmetics: Five Tips for Frugal Shoppers
If you’ve kept up on the latest news about toxic chemicals in cosmetics, you may be wondering if it’s possible to find safe products without breaking the bank. The good news is, you can protect yourself from toxic exposures while saving money too – it just takes some creative accounting and a willingness to look at the big picture.
I like to think of money as energy, and I want to put my energy into creating the kind of world I want to live in. So I buy all my personal care products from companies I trust; companies that share my vision of a healthy world. These tend to be small, independently owned operations that don’t use air-brushed celebrities to hawk their toxic anti-aging creams.
All of us have the power every day to make a positive impact on the world by spending money in ways that advance our values and offsetting the cost by refusing to spend money on the things that don’t. In this way, I actually spend less money than I used to on products that are better for my health and the planet. Here’s how:
Less is more – Companies love to make us think we need a different lotion for every part of our bodies, a different cleaning product for every room in the house. Better to buy one high-quality, non-toxic product from a company you love. An advantage to getting to know your local manufacturers is that sometimes you can get a great discount! (Thanks Grateful Body!)
Bye-bye hair dye (and other expensive toxic stuff) – Hair dye, relaxers, perms: Anything that changes the shape and color of hair tends to be quite toxic chemically, not to mention messy and expensive. Giving up the hair dye saves hundreds of dollars a year, and this is where I save the most money. Sometimes I miss the highlights, but my theory is that most women actually look better with their natural hair color. (Check out my Bye Bye Hair Dye page on Facebook.)
Make your own – Coconut oil and sesame oil make great lotions, and baking soda and vinegar are excellent cleaning agents. Here are some cheap green cleaning recipes and ideas for making your own cosmetics. I also love these ideas from the Zero Waste Family lady.
Just say “No” – to gratuitous products that add unnecessary expense and chemical exposures to our lives: perfumes, body sprays, vaginal sprays, air fresheners, dryer sheets, bubble bath.… It feels great to discover how much we actually don’t need! And after taking a break from all these synthetic fragrances, you start to notice how gross they actually smell.
Get political – No matter how smart we shop, we can’t avoid toxic exposures as long as companies continue to pollute the environment with toxic stuff. So we need to get behind laws like the national Safe Cosmetics Act that will shift whole industries to safer products.
Extra bonus points: Save lots of cash by turning off the TV! How much do people spend on cable these days? I have no idea because I don’t even own a TV. Most shows I like run for free on the Internet without all the brainwashing ads that try to make me think it’s a good idea for the scent of laundry detergent to last for seven days!
For more savvy tips, visit Stacy at notjustaprettyface.com
Photo credit: eyeSPIVE
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13 Comments
I use Pratima skincare, an Ayurvedic spa in New York that only use natural organic ingredients – amazing products. I no longer live in New York, but I stock up every time I get the chance to go. Though I’m considering trying to make my own version soon…
Great post! To the point with very good and useful information throughout – just what I love. I was thinking that you would include some cosmetics brands that sell less expensive mineral/natural makeup, though. Currently, I use Maybelline mineral products for my face powders i.e. foundation, concealer, bronzer and finishing powder. I also use Palladio cosmetics for my lipgloss. I realize that there are definitely better quality cosmetics out there for sure. However, I think investing in some of these products is a great way to maintain healthier skin without breaking the bank to start.
First of all, I want to say Kris you f’n Rock! Love you girl! Secondly…I’m just entering my 40s and the whole accept the grey hair thing is not going to happen with me. Not. So, just wondering, what are the least toxic hair coloring alternatives (for covering grey hairs). My hair is very light brown with some blond. I don’t think henna/red would work. Any ideas? Anyone?
Oh, also wanted to comment on loose powder/mineral makeup. Unfortunately, when you use it, you inhale the powder, and those particles stay in your lungs forever (same with baby powder, any other type of powder), they cannot be broken down, which can eventually cause lung disease. Definitely not recommended.
It’s funny how many people (often including myself) pay a lot of attention to the quality of their food, eat organic, etc, but then totally forget about the effect of all the skin & hair care products they use.
I’ve read that one of the worst toxins are parabens, which can be found in most beauty products. Parabens are said to enhance the estrogen levels in our bodies, which leads into all kinds of health problems.
You can save a lot of money washing your hair with baking soda and vinegar. I have been doing this for months and I love it. It takes a little of time for your hair to get used to the new balance of oils. No more spending $10-$20 on shampoos and conditioners. Also you can put a little essential oils in your hair as you towel dry it to get the scent that you enjoy when using shampoos and conditioners.
You can save a lot of money washing your hair with baking soda and vinegar. I have been doing this for months and I love it. It takes a little of time for your hair to get used to the new balance of oils. No more spending $10-$20 on shampoos and conditioners. Also you can put a little essential oils in your hair as you towel dry it to get the scent that you enjoy when using shampoos and conditioners.
Great post. I want to caution people against the lastest Safe Cosmetics Act. I fully support big biz cleaning up their products. But as a former homemade soap maker, that bill would have crippled small and growing indie cosmetic businesses by putting their suppliers out of business. And potentially limiting those small biz growth potential due to the regulatory testing requirements. I know we can craft rules to make cosmetics healthier for everyone while rewarding those who already create them. In the meantime, I plan to vote with my dollar. Thank you again for the great post. :-)
Kari, I used henna for several years, trying to eliminate chemicals. The color was beautiful. An inexpensive way to get your hair into great condition as well. I used the Lush brand. The only problem: it’s messy to apply. You need a covered space and if your hair is long, probably someone to help apply it. I didn’t mind the smell at all. It just turned out to be messy and cumbersome. If you have patience and time, I think it is very nice. And pretty.
Kari, I used henna for several years, trying to eliminate chemicals. The color was beautiful. An inexpensive way to get your hair into great condition as well. I used the Lush brand. The only problem: it’s messy to apply. You need a covered space and if your hair is long, probably someone to help apply it. I didn’t mind the smell at all. It just turned out to be messy and cumbersome. If you have patience and time, I think it is very nice. And pretty.
I have been using Miessence Certified Organic Products from Australia for over 6 years now. I am going to be 65 in May and I must say my skin is absolutely beautiful. The products have erased 6 brown spots on my face, 5 moles on my chest and neck and softened and almost removed lines on my forehead and cheeks. The products are cold formulated so they do not have to be stabilized with preservatives like parabens. They are totally free of carcinogens and the essential oils in them are healing and restoring. I am a Florida licensed Skin Care Specialist and practice as an Ingredient Investigator and Beauty Myth Expert. My web site is http://www.lorrediamond.mionegroup.com. People think I am so much younger than I am for my skin is so radiant and beautiful.
I use and love (and often write about and recommend, in my day-job capacity as a magazine editor!), the super-luscious, clean and indie line from Blissoma, based here in St. Louis. Julie has spent so much time developing her formulas, so it’s based on science and a deep understanding of how these natural ingredients work together and in concert with human skin, but my favorite part is that she constantly refines the lines to include the freshest stuff….so every once in a while, my moisturizer smells a little more floral, or a little more earthy, or a little more *something*…because this stuff is handmade with care! It’s not just getting squirted out of the valves of Ginormous Multinational Chemical Conglomerate. That makes me so super happy. Next up: travel-sized kits, which I’ll for sure be buying and also pitching to my readers. Just a little tip from an editor who gets all kinds of free cosmetic stuff in the mail every day: Blissoma is my brand of choice.
I use organic cosmetics only. It really isn’t that hard to do, I even enjoy educating myself in that area. The best way to find out if you can do it is to try for yourself. I highly recommend reading “No more dirty looks” It is fun and really eye opening.
March 2, 2012