1st
Annual
Natural Beauty Guide
& Editor’s Choice Awards
As you start dreaming about your Big Day look you’ll probably gather a mental list of what makeup you’ll need. If there was ever an excuse for splurging on makeup your wedding is it! Chances are you‘ll start thinking about cosmetics more than usual; especially if you keep your daily look pretty basic. And then there’s the question of what’s best not only to achieve a naturally glowing and beautiful look, but what products are safe? A common misconception is that if it’s on the store’s shelf, it must be safe, right? Unfortunately the FDA is not going to protect you. In the United States, testing of cosmetics is voluntary and according to the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database, 89% of ingredients used in personal care products have not been evaluated for safety by any publicly accountable institution. That means it is up to you as a consumer to learn about the ingredients in the products you use. In the process of creating this guide I became a bit obsessed. I personally tested products from more than 40 different brands to find the prettiest and the most natural cosmetics and beauty care items to recommend to you. My hope is that this guide will help you find the perfect ones for your natural Big Day look. Some products are more natural than others, and I don’t think you have to be 100% natural and/or organic in order to
enjoy and benefit from natural beauty. In my opinion a product that is made from 96% natural sources is far better than many of the alternatives for example. If you research the ingredients in the products you’ve been using for years, you might cringe to find that there are things like phthalates, parabens, lead, and even substances that generate cancer-causing formaldehyde! The truth is making healthier decisions is a process, and how you go about this transition is personal. Whether you want to throw out all your current products at once and start over, or gradually replace your products as your current ones run out is up to you. I firmly believe that what you put on your body (and your skin does absorb what you put on it) should not only work to enhance your physical appearance, but also your wellbeing. And using said products should certainly not have an adverse effect on your health. The list of potentially hazardous ingredients is so long there are entire books on the subject (I recommend A Consumer’s Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients by Ruth Winter, M.S. if you’re interested), so to start below is a list of 10 common cosmetic ingredients to avoid. And I also recommend using EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database (www.ewg.org/skindeep). Stay healthy and beautiful! xoxo Naomi
10 Common Cosmetic Ingredients to Avoid -
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) & Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) Polyethelene Glycol or (PEGs) Propylene Glycol (petroleum derived) Parabens (methylparabens, polyparabens) Petroleum Based Ingredients (Petro-chemicals)
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Artificial Colors (labeled as FD&C or D&C) Artificial Fragrances Urea/Formaldehydes Triethanolamine (TEA) Pthalates
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