Over time, I've unfortunately begun to realize just how prevalent certain diseases are, and how they can dramatically impact the lives of those who are affected by them. Personally, my family has a history of cancer on both my mother and father’s sides, as well as a long list of diseases and syndromes that I could later see arise in my own life. As much as I hope this doesn't sound familiar to others, it’s probable that it will. Another (pretty obvious) realization I've had: although cancers and diseases can be hereditary and passed down through generations, there isn’t always a genetic factor; yet, the rates of disease and cancer in our country only continue to rise. So, what’s to blame? The biggest connection I've made (which may not seem very profound) is that what we put in/on our bodies will likely influence what we get out of them. Honestly, one of the best things I can say I've done in my life is changing my way of thinking about what I'm putting in or on my body, including becoming a vegetarian almost three years ago, but more importantly becoming much more aware of the personal care products that I use. And no, I don't mean simply switching to "all natural" or "organic". Products like these that may seem appealing due to their "clean" ingredients list may not be what they claim.

There has not been a major law regulating the beauty industry in the United States since 1938. Laws pertaining to which ingredients skincare and cosmetic companies are permitted to use (for safety reasons) are usually regulated annually or bi-annually in other countries around the world. Since 1938, the U.S. has only banned 11 ingredients from being added to our product formulas. Other countries, like the European Union for example, has banned over 1300 different ingredients from the formulas of their beauty products. There’s really no excuse as to why we’re so far behind. Maybe legislation hasn’t really been pressured to do anything about the regulation due to plain consumer ignorance.

In our country, there are over 80,000 different chemicals that combine to create most of our daily routines, and many of them don’t even have safety data. Actually, the FDA is aware of the dangers and even sign off to give the “ok” on many ingredients that have been found harmful. They believe that it’s up to the consumer’s judgement to make insightful decisions about what products to use. But when there are only 11 ingredients banned from products we use, are there any safe options at all? Why put the unsafe products in the hands of consumers in the first place? There are products aimed at children who aren’t as likely to make the “insightful decision”, what happens then? Think about it…do you even know what’s in your products? Could you even pronounce half of them?

My point is not that you should be furiously running to your stash of products and scanning the labels all hours of the night. My point is that you shouldn’t have to read your labels in the first place. Personal care products should be transparent, and safe without question. If you’re looking for a company that does this in the U.S., I highly recommend Beautycounter. Beautycounter has made it their mission to create effective products while remaining safe. They have about 1500 ingredients on their “never list”, which they’ve promised not to include in their formulas for any type of product, ever. They sell everything from tinted moisturizers, bronzers, eyeshadows, and mascara to baby shampoo and body wash and sunscreen. I’ve seen a complete transformation in my skin, which was acne prone and oily, since beginning to use Beautycounter products. Beautycounter has helped me learn to love my skin (which I’ve found to actually be very dry, and just was masked by the products I was using). And no, I’m not a Beautycounter consultant, nor am I being paid for this shameless plug.

While I would love for everyone who comes across this article to throw away their current skin care regime and start on safer, more transparent products like Beautycounter, I know that’s simply not true. If there’s anything I hope is learned, it’s to start looking at what your everyday routine consists of. Start holding companies accountable for keeping their consumers safe. Write to your legislators and demand change.