Pretty Ugly’s filmmaker, Andrea Palombella, was recently invited to write a guest blog post on the popular fashion blog, A Courageous Beauty. It is pasted below. Enjoy!
The Ugly Truth About Your Beauty Products…
I am so excited to have Andrea Palombella take over the blog today! Andrea is an award-winning filmmaker, writer, and activist based in Washington, DC. Shocked by the types of potentially toxic chemicals in products she used everyday, Andrea dove in to learn as much about the issue as possible. Being a storyteller, she knew she had to share her discoveries with the world. The film PRETTY UGLY is a candid look at the safety of chemicals in personal care products and cosmetics.
IMAGE BY ANDREA PALOMBELLA
Fresh nails, on point hair and that hot, new lip color. These are all things I adore! I love trying new styles in both the fashion and beauty arenas. But, I also discovered several years ago that personal care products and cosmetics are one of the least regulated goods in the United States. Chemicals like formaldehyde, lead and phthalates were in many of the products I was using, and I’ll bet they’re hiding in your bathroom cabinets too.
I believe we should be able to look beautiful and be healthy, free from exposure to hazardous chemicals. One study estimates that women are exposed to an average of 168 different chemicals via their get-ready routines every single day! Why should we pursue beauty that could be making us ugly inside by contributing to sicknesses like cancer, birth defects, and hormone problems?
I’m so passionate about this topic that I’m making a film to spread the word about cosmetic ingredient safety. I’d love for you to join me on the journey! From now until December 10th, anyone who likes on our Facebook page will automatically be entered to win a free healthy products sampler.
We women, should not have to choose style over well-being when we make a purchase for makeup or haircare. So what can you do to stay healthy while still enjoying being beautiful?
Study Up
Find out what’s really inside your makeup bag. Don’t be fooled by labels claiming “all natural,” “organic” or “pure.” These statements are unregulated, and companies can put them on their products even if they contain harmful chemicals. There are great resources that provide safety ratings for thousands of makeup, haircare and body care products based on their ingredients. Two of my favorite are the Think Dirty. app (love their barcode scanner!) and the Skin Deep database. Depending on their rating, you may decide to restock or replace your products. For a list of chemicals to avoid in all products, check out my Top Ten Toxins list.
Shop ‘Til You Drop
This is the fun part! Whether you’re waiting to finish up some less than fresh products (now that you are an enlightened shopper!) or feel like splurging on some new goodies, finding healthier alternatives that work great has never been easier. There are so many incredible companies online and in-store selling truly natural products that are as effective as the mainstream manufacturers. Au Naturale, Shea Moisture, W3LL People, Vapour Beauty, Acure Organics, Pacifica, Juice Beauty, Josie Maran, Beautycounter… the list is long, and the options are plentiful!
Help A Sister Out
Knowledge is power. Be sure to tell your friends and family members how they can make healthier choices and avoid harmful chemicals in their everyday regimens. So many of my friends thought I was being zealous at first, but they quickly made changes to their routines when they saw the research for themselves.
Crusade for Change
If you want to go beyond your personal circles, write your current Senator and ask them to pass the Personal Care Products Safety Act of 2015, a bill that would ensure better regulation and ingredient safety evaluation. You can also write your favorite companies and ask them to replace their current product formulas with safer ingredients. Several companies like Johnson & Johnson and Neutrogena have pledged to reformulate their products. Your voice matters!
Remember, true beauty radiates forth from the inside out, and you deserve to use non-toxic products that bring out your inner shine. I hope this post both informs and inspires you!
This information is always very scary for me! I love cometics and of course I want to use it .. But after all people were sick with cancer in the old days, when such harmful ingredients were not used? What do you think about it?
Hi Olivia, it’s definitely a bit concerning, but the good news is, there are many healthy options out there to choose from. To your point, there is an increase in cancers. Here is an interesting article about it from CNN.com: http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/04/health/who-world-cancer-report/. It is believed that less than 10% of cancers are genetic, which means that environmental factors are the main contributors to why people get sick. Lifestyle choices, stress, harmful chemicals in food and cosmetics, contaminants in the water, air and soil all contribute to disease. At the end of the day, we have to make healthy choices to protect our bodies. Please take a look at the Top Ten Toxins and Beyond page on our site for information on what ingredients to avoid in your products. And thanks for commenting!
Wow! Thank you for such an extended answer! I go to read! )
You’re so welcome! Thanks for checking out the website.
You’ve posted beautifully. The makeup should be in your mind, which kind of makeup will suit you and by reading this post, you have given lots of ideas, and I like your thoughts. Thanks for sharing this so interesting post!
Thank you so much, Fatima! I’m glad you found the information helpful. 🙂