I started my health journey about two years ago and since then I have gained a great deal of knowledge about the products that people use daily on their skin, hair, nails, and even their homes. It is a gruesome truth to tell as we are constantly being exposed to chemicals that have been linked to hormone disruption, allergies, infertility, and even cancer. Although this information can be frightening, I hope to empower you. As consumers we all share the choice of where to spend our hard-earned dollars and I believe that we should focus on companies who are changing our world for the better, transparent, and most importantly, SAFE.

Start with your skincare – Download the EWG app or visit EWG.org to get a safety rating on the cosmetic products you already own. You might be surprised, some may be alright or some you may want to throw out immediately! If you find that most of your products are toxic, start replacing the stuff you use every day, i.e., lotion, shampoo, and makeup! Progress over perfection. Beautycounter is an example of a company who bans 1,500 ingredients from their products and we third party test for heavy metals. Other cosmetic brands I have found that are safe and trustworthy: Allafia, EO, Native, Alba Botanica, and Shea Moisture.

Now take a look at your household – what chemicals are you breathing in every day? Most of the stuff you see at regular grocery stores AREN’T safe even if they are labeled as such, including Mrs. Meyers! Unfortunately, because the words “natural” and “organic” have absolutely no legal bearing this is called greenwashing and several companies partake in it. My personal favorite household cleaners are from the family-owned company, Branch Basics. Their products can be ordered online and will replace EVERYTHING from all-purpose spray to laundry detergent!

Lastly, what you put in your body matters just as much as what you put on it! We all want to live healthy lives and in order to do so it is crucial that we invest in unprocessed foods that are (ideally) organic and cook at home as often as possible.

Other things to consider: Use less plastic (shower curtains, tupperware, etc) as plastic off-gases and creates pollutants, Replace non-stick/plastic kitchen utensils with cast iron or copper – the latter do not have chemicals that will get into your food, Read the ingredient label on ALL products and choose wisely.

I share more specific information in my group on Facebook called “Mackenzie’s Safer Beauty” – feel free to join if you would like (: shop with me at www.beautycounter.com/mackenziegiles or reach out to me directly at beautycounterwithmackenzie@gmail.com!

In health,

Mackenzie