Beauty Tips For Body Care
TL;DR - Let's be more inclusive of 'natural' skincare products and those who are seeking them out!This is something I myself have been incredibly guilty of in the past, but has always been a trend of this sub.While I think the collective eye roll whenever someone posts- "Recs for chemical-free products?" is justified (yes, chemicals are everywhere and everything, even 'natural' rose-water...) but I feel as though whenever someone has justifiable concerns about controversial ingredients they are verbally slapped down by the hoards of down-votes and snarky comments (why would you be concerned about ingredient X it's totally safe").While every one is entitled to their own opinion, I think we do a great disservice by shunning anyone who has concerns about controversial ingredients that are included in products. A great example is the recent FDA statement on sunscreens. According to the preliminary report, all chemical filters in the US market are not yet considered 'safe' pending further review, and only physical blockers were considered safe due to the scientific evidence backing them. As someone who has genuine concerns about chemical filters and asked for physical sunscreen recs, I have been absolutely, well, bitched out, by those claiming that chemical sunscreens are totally safe, and only 'junk' or 'pseudo' science studies have shown them to be dangerous. But here is the thing: there are plenty of ingredients that have been even slightly linked to health concerns that I would frankly rather not use if I don't have to... and with skincare I don't have to!Not trying to convince anyone of anything, I know people are set in their own opinions, but before jumping on people asking for/reviewing 'natural' products as naive conspiracy theorists, consider what I personally find worrisome. This is a statement from the FDA (regulatory agency for cosmetics in the USA):"cosmetic products and ingredients, other than color additives, do not need FDA approval before they go on the market."Yes, ingredients do not have to be proven safe before they go to market. While you may or may not disagree with this practice, this means that in the case of newer ingredients especially, we are human testers. If an ingredient (take, for example, Phthalates) have raised concern even in animal studies, I would personally rather not risk it. Moreover, if studies showing the danger of an ingredient do start to become more prevalent, the FDA is NOT one to take action quickly to prevent public health, and will ALWAYS err on the side of letting a potentially dangerous product stay on the market for longer. Remember, they are NOT there solely to protect the consumer, they also protect the companies that manufacture and sell these products. See their statement about how they might be convinced to 'take action' if an ingredient is becoming controversial:"However, to take action against a cosmetic for safety reasons, we must have reliable scientific information showing that the product is harmful when consumers use it according to directions on the label or in the customary way."Which brings me to my last point: 'use it according to directions on the label.' Many of us use far more product than it technically recommended (who even abides by the labels in most cases?) Alongside this, ingredients in scientific studies (especially studies funded by the manufactures, which many positive outcome studies are) are tested IN ISOLATION. They are not tested as we use them in the real world- as part of a product's ingredient cocktail. They also normally mention these ingredients are safe when used "in the small amounts normally found in products," however this does not take into account that people use more than one product (many more in most cases) nor does it acknowledge other places these chemicals are found in our daily lives (food, drinks, detergents, soaps, air fresheners, lotions.... etc.) So once again, IF I can avoid a potentially harmful chemical, I choose to in my life. Skincare is a place I can easily prune out ingredients I personally find compelling enough to dump.So what is my point here? Definitely not to convince anyone. I think people do their own research and reach their own conclusions. If you are interested, Netflix has a documentary called Stink! that is an interesting watch, and I personally enjoy running ingredients through the Environmental Working Group website, which links to scientific studies on ingredients. HOWEVER if you do NOT agree with this or do not care... that is TOTALLY and COMPLETELY fine! My point is we SHOULD be more inclusive of different outlooks on skincare. We are such proponents on YMMV (your mileage may vary) and I think by shooting down 'natural' products due to some ideological outlook, we are eliminating a huge set of skincare products that many might find work incredibly well with their skin. I know my skin looks better than it ever has using more 'natural' products, so it could help others as well!Finally for those who are interested and to put my money where my mouth is, here is my current lineup of natural skincare products:AM:Mad Hippie Hydrating Misthttps://www.madhippie.com/products/hydrating-nutrient-mistEvan Healy Rose Facial Sprayhttps://www.evanhealy.com/rose-geranium-facial-tonic-hydrosoul-c.htmlPMCleanse with Manuka Honeyhttps://wedderspoon.com/Mad Hippie Hydrating MistEvan Healy Rose Facial SprayNOW brand (generic Natural Grocers) Grapeseed Oil
Girls Blog 2015
Submitted by MySkinsRedditAcct
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