Health and beauty are intricately connected, not just because our health can affect how we look, but because the beauty products and practices we use can affect our health. Indeed, natural beauty now encompasses not only the looks we’re born with but also the choices we make to maintain and enhance those looks. If you’re a health enthusiast who is meticulous about choosing natural and effective supplements, eating right, and maintaining overall well-being, you should also be particular about the beauty and hygiene products you use. After all, you’re applying these products to your (oh so absorptive) skin, incidentally consuming them, breathing them in, etc.
The Essentials of Choosing Natural Beauty Products
In general, you can apply the same rules to choosing beauty and hygiene products as you do to choosing food products:
- Can I identify the ingredients?
- Are there any known health warnings against these ingredients I should consider, particularly in relation to my own needs? (allergies, medications, etc.)
- Do I know where this came from? (Does the company have a specific mission statement to make natural, organic, or non-toxic high-quality products?)
Fortunately, there are many independent certifications for beauty and hygiene products, a trend that is slow to catch on with food due to FDA governance. These can help you identify products that are living up to label claims (non-toxic certifications are probably the key thing to look for for the health-conscious).
What to Look For in Beauty Products
- Vitamin E: Vitamin E is great for making your skin and hair look healthy and shiny. You can buy Vitamin E oil, but it’s thick and hard to work with. Alternatively, you can get capsules and try to break them into conditioner, but the easiest (although longest) solution is to include Vitamin E in your diet or supplement regime, so that your hair and skin are naturally beautiful as your body maintains them. A good multivitamin will contain Vitamin E. When buying lotions and other skin or hair products, Vitamin E is a good ingredient.
- Antioxidants: Many fancy lotions include antioxidants, but they will have more of an effect if taken orally. Antioxidants not only have a positive effect on your health but also on your beauty.
- Protein: Eating enough protein makes your hair and nails grow richly. Some doctors can identify a protein or nutrient deficiency by the state of your hair and nails.
What to Avoid in Beauty Products
- Antiperspirant, Specifically Aluminum: Most antiperspirants work by blocking your sweat glands, leaving behind chemicals that can be hard to wash off. Aluminum is controversially linked to health conditions such as Alzheimer’s and breast cancer. Most grocery stores carry at least one brand that uses natural ingredients and no aluminum.
- Parabens: Parabens can mimic estrogen, and have been linked to breast cancer, early onset of puberty, and other reproductive issues. It’s a good idea to avoid products containing parabens.
Additional Considerations
- Fluoride: Although some studies suggest long-term effects of drinking fluoride are negative, it is still useful for dental health, so choose toothpaste with fluoride.
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (and its derivatives): Although some people find this drying for their skin or hair, there aren’t any reports claiming intense toxicity, so choosing products without this is optional.
For Women
There are now many natural feminine hygiene products available that do not contain chlorine and other chemicals easily absorbed by sensitive vaginal tissue. For the extra price, it’s a worthy consideration for the health-conscious.
The Impact of Natural Choices
According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), the average woman uses 12 personal care products containing 168 different chemicals every day. Switching to natural products can significantly reduce your exposure to harmful substances. A study by UC Berkeley found that teenage girls who switched to low-chemical products for just three days saw a significant drop in hormone-disrupting chemicals in their bodies.
Making natural beauty choices is not just about looking good; it’s about feeling good and staying healthy. By choosing products with identifiable, natural ingredients and avoiding harmful substances like aluminum and parabens, you can support both your health and your beauty.
Fun Fact
Did you know? The skin is the body’s largest organ and can absorb up to 60% of the chemicals in products that you apply to it. Choose wisely and opt for natural, non-toxic products to protect your health!
