#ewg

I, like many people of my generation, love makeup. 

Growing up during the late 2000′s and 2010′s cosmetic influencers played a very important role. To this day there are many young Gen Z’ers and Gen Alphas that are coming into contact with make-up content, and generally love cosmetics.

Cosmetics are not just make up, “ A "cosmetic" is any substance used to clean, improve or change the complexion, skin, hair, nails or teeth. Cosmetics include beauty preparations (make-up, perfume, skin cream, nail polish) and grooming aids (soap, shampoo, shaving cream, deodorant).”

We don’t discuss enough how absolutely dangerous some of these products  are on the market.

I’m not just talking about your cheap dollar store make-up.

I am 100% talking about your super popular favorite eye-shadow palettes, your $60+ foundation, and your most loved mascara.

I am talking about your body wash, lotion, and even your aluminum free deodorant. Your toothpaste, your hair creams, and your gel nail polish that you cure with a uv lamp.

These chemicals are being placed on parts of your body that are supremely delicate, and your body is processing (or not) all of the materials within those products.

I feel completely psychotic writing this all down, and I doubt anyone will stop to read. You probably already think I’m crazy.

But when it comes to cancer, we shouldn’t play around, and although cancer related deaths have gone down due to medical advances in treatment and pharmaceuticals, we still need to have a discussion on why it is rates of cancer are going up so rapidly in the under 50 category. 

I am not for banning every single chemical that has a minute chance of causing cancer or endocrine disruption, but I am for smarter and longer studies of the chemicals being placed in our daily cosmetics. 

A lot of these cosmetic companies are given the go ahead to release their products to the public, as long as they do not cause any dramatic allergic reactions, but we need to be practical and make sure that the FDA is doing their due diligence.

Most of us grew up eating frozen dinners out of plastic microwaved trays, we had Johnson & Johnson baby powder placed on our bodies daily, we wore/wear chemical filled deodorant, and still continue to bathe ourselves in very unnatural but nice smelling soaps.

And as for POC, like myself, we grew up from a young age getting relaxers done on our hair and keratin treatments.

It is not logical or rational to say that one item in your regimen is going to cause terminal cancer, but a life long interaction with a multitude of products that can raise your chances... you need to ask yourself these questions: “What is this? Where did it come from? Why am I doing this? And is it worth it?” 

I can talk about a million different things that we need to change in this world, like what is our furniture made up of, and are you sure your home was built with materials that are safe for you to live in, what about your mattress? 

Are you cooking with plastic utensils, eating off of plastic plates, and cooking on a scratched up non-stick pan? Cause I know I am. I have. And I’m learning that much of the things that are natural to me, in this world, are not safe. Much of the food and products we consume on the daily are putting our families at risk.

What will you be planting in your spring and summer garden? What seeds have you ordered and what starts do you plan to purchase from your local nursery? Here’s another way to think about your kitchen garden choices.

What if you made your choices not just by what you like but by what you buy at the grocery store? Those of us with small gardens have to be selective about what to plant. Some conventional produce available at grocery stores is laden with pesticides. Other crops require less pesticide interventions to grow well. But how can we know when to spend the extra for organic produce and when conventional will be safe?

That’s where the Environmental Working Group (EWG) can be a source of information for making your own decisions about what to grow and when to purchase organic produce.

The data for these food lists comes from the United States Department of Agriculture Pesticide Data Program.

The pesticide data program reports what it has discovered when monitoring pesticide residue levels on agricultural commodities commonly consumed by infants and children. To utilize USDA Pesticide Data Program select produce item, years and summary of findings.

Here’s how these lists might help as you plan your garden. Kale (though a cool season vegetable in mild winter areas) is number 3 on the Dirty 12 list. Checking online prices for several grocery stores, organic kale can be as much as two times the cost of conventional kale. If you buy organic kale frequently, try growing it from seeds or starts in your next garden. A six-pack of lacinato kale will keep you supplied for months.

Or when organic and conventional strawberries are compared, the organics command a premium price of almost two times the conventional. Maybe it’s time to find a sunny spot in your garden to grow strawberries if you are captivated by this summer fruit.

Looking at the Clean 15 list, sweet corn requires a sizable area in a small garden. Notice that it’s number 2 on that list. With fewer pesticide residues, conventional corn could be a sensible choice if organic is unavailable or very expensive. Cantaloupe needs room to roam and heat, so you won’t find it in my small garden. But, happily it claims the number 10 on the Clean 15 list.

After reviewing the Dirty 12 and Clean 15 lists, take a look at your garden plans and think about your summer grocery list. Are there any changes you’ll be making to your spring and summer garden?

There is a handy pdf at the link to download or print to pass along. Also check out EWG’s app that can help buy better options for numerous household products, skincare and cosmetics, as well as food and beverages. 

This sweet almond foaming cleanser gives a soft, subtle wash to all skin types without over drying the skin. I’ve used this cleanser for four months and its given me perfectly clean, smooth and clear skin. The foam is gentle and it absorbs magically into the pores. The best part about this product is that it only contains 9 ingredients!

***As part of expanding my blog, I will begin to post natural skin care products for those of you who prefer a pre-made solution to getting clear skin.