[The opinions in this article are solely those of the author.]
With autumn chill comes dry air, and with dry air comes dry, itchy skin. But with so many thousands of products advertising promises of beautiful skin, which ones are the best for you? (AKA, which ones have no additives or harmful chemicals?) Have you ever tried eco-friendly moisturizer or beauty products? I did, and here are my top choices!
1. Burt’s Bees. Not only does their chapstick rock, their entire business rocks, too! Burt’s Bees Corporation is focused on giving back to the community. They’ve worked with other organizations such as Habitat for Humanity to build better, eco-friendly homes in their area. Furthermore, they’ve gone global with home revitalization projects in Canada! Finally, their packaging contains the highest level of post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials on the market.
2. Physician’s Formula Organic Wear. This line of makeup is free of harsh chemicals like parabens (which can cause cancer!), and uses a patent-pending blend of naturally collected goat hair bristles and packaging that uses 90% less plastic than normal packaging. Not to mention that they are “cruelty-free,” meaning that they do not test on animals. Save the animals and save your skin!
3. Nexxus Shampoo/Conditioner. Nexxus, like other environmentally friendly companies, refuses to test on animals, provides environmentally sound and recycled packaging, and focuses on putting natural oils and substances in their products. Plus, Nexxus offers a whole line of organic shampoo!
4. Tea Tree Oil. Noted for its antifungal (and anti-pimple) properties, I cannot say enough good things about tea tree oil. Made from Melaleuca alternifolia plant extracts native to Australia, this powerful liquid can treat yeast infections, stop back-acne, and get rid of head lice! Not to mention, it has got a fresh eucalyptus/menthol-like scent. Fun Fact: This oil was used to treat a horrendous foot-fungus affecting soldiers during World War II. It is that good!
5. Environmental Working Group. This website has tons of awesome information about harmful chemicals and compounds found in common products. While you can certainly play around with the website and figure it out by yourself, here’s the long and short of EWG’s website: there are health and safety ratings ranging from 0-10, with 0-2 being a safe hazard, 3-6 being a moderate health hazard, and 7-10 being a severe hazard. For most products, EWG has the ingredients listed out in a nice format. Pay particular attention to products that contain parabens, fragrances, triclosan, and formaldehydes. Many of these have been linked with breast cancer, allergies, toxic contaminants, and skin damage.
Keeping all these products in mind, it’s safe to say that there is not one universal “best product” for everyone–we all have different body shapes and makes–but we can choose products that support environmentalism and sustainability to help not only ourselves but those around us and future generations.
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