Everyone must read this book. Not Just a Pretty Face was published in 2007, and brings attention to the hundreds upon hundreds of toxic chemicals we put onto our bodies every day….solely just by getting ready in the morning. Your Paul Mitchell shampoo, your MAC eyeliner, your Marc Jacobs perfume…all exposure to cancer causing agents over and over and over again, every single day. Stacy Malkin, author, does an incredible job at slowly opening our eyes to the amount of toxins we consume everyday without even knowing it, and lack of power we have over the ingredients we put on our bodies. She then hits us over the head with example after example of how the cosmetics industry has completely made all of us out to be fools by not being held to ANY industry standards. Why has Europe and Canada outlawed many carcinogenic and toxic ingredients from products, and America has done nothing to take a stand for the consumer and our health??? Lipstick with lead, baby shampoo with rocket fuel….its all very saddening and disgusting. And we all wonder why more and more people we know seem to be getting diagnosed with cancer.
After finishing this quick and easy read, I was immediately ready to purge. I went through all of my cabinets and tossed all of my toxic products into a trash bag. Yes….this included my newly purchased, fabulous MAC fire engine red lip liner, and my expensive hair straightening serum….(gasp!) But, I could not feel okay using these products with the new knowledge I now possessed.
Slowly but surely, I replaced my products with clean, all-natural, non-toxic personal care and makeup items. Going through my health issues, I am particularly more sensitive and really react to certain things that go into my body. However, I could not BELIEVE the difference I felt even after one week of not putting toxins onto my skin. Yes it takes time, effort and money, but by taking baby steps, you will look back and not believe what you were consuming. I seriously promise.
I feel blessed to have had this book introduced to me, and to have gained the knowledge and power to make the right decisions for my health. I’m also even more powerful in that I can support brands who have removed chemicals from their products. There ARE formulas out there for toxic-free lipstick, and carcinogen free baby shampoo, and all work just as well. Large corporations are just too scared and lazy to change their decades-old manufacturing processes and ingredients. As consumers, we can use the power of our dollar and tell the cosmetics industry what we deserve and what companies should be thriving; those that respect their customers.
Just a few of my toxic-free morning routine faves:
- Zuzu Makeup - amazing coverage and color choices.
- EQ soaps and lotions - a environmentally responsible local sf brand.
- Echo Bella Foundation - this stuff is amazing.
- Tea Tree Oil for spot acne treatment - works better than anything I’ve used.
- Rahua shampoo and conditioner - as organic as you can get and gives me super shiny hair.
- Original Sport Curl Calmer - use for hair straightener cream, works like magic.
- Nature’s Gate Anise fluoride free toothpaste - unique taste but why swallow fluoride and sulfates twice a day??
- Max Green Alchemy Pomade - amazing styling pomade and gives such a great shine.
You will most likely hear about these and many more as I call out some of my favorite products in posts to come.
You can order the book on Amazon for around $3 bucks used, paperback. You will then want to pass this book to your mom, your best friends, and everyone you care about.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_14?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=not+just+a+pretty+face&x=0&y=0&sprefix=not+just+a+pre%2Caps%2C240
