Clean living is a choice to live as clean as possible with what you put in and on your body. Choosing to feed your body with clean, natural ingredients, nothing processed or full of strange sounding words, and making it your priority to read and understand labels, to be aware of what really goes into the products you use or eat.
CLEAN COSMETICS
Studies have shown that the human body is capable of absorbing a high percentage of what is put on it (in fact, research suggests the skin absorbs up to 60% of the products we apply). Not great news if what you’re putting on your skin is full of chemicals and toxins, petroleum and parabens. According to a survey conducted by the Environmental Working Group, a person uses on average 9 products daily, which can contain 126 unique ingredients. Many personal products are manufactured with up to 10,500 chemical ingredients, some of which are known or suspected carcinogens. So ingredients such as coal tar and formaldehyde might be making up part of your mascara or body wash. Research shows that some women might come into contact with over 515 chemicals per day through their beauty and grooming products alone.
So what’s the solution?
The best thing we can do is to become more aware in our daily routines and more informed about the products we make part of them. The worst thing is to stress out about it and feel overwhelmed trying to live a completely clean lifestyle. It just isn’t possible to be 100% clean but it is possible to greatly reduce chemical exposure and live as clean a life as you can in todays world.
As with anything, a little research can go a long way. Before buying any new products look through a product’s ingredient list and check out the brand’s ethos. Ask for clean skincare recommendations online or on forums. There are lots of great companies that are invested in producing beautiful, natural skincare, cosmetics and personal products. Apps that we recommend are: Think Dirty, great for product ratings and simplified information on ingredients and CosmEthics which gives information about potential hazards and allergens.
Remember, simplicity is key. Your skin actually only needs a few effective products to stay healthy and bright looking. Unfortunately, sometimes it’s the products that look the healthiest and most non toxic that are really the worst.
Brands we love: Antipodies Kinvara ILIA BEAUTY Codex Evolve Faith in Nature We also recently made the switch to natural shampoo and conditioner bars, which look like bars of soap. They completely eliminate the need for plastic bottles and last ages.
Shop clean at https://thecleanbeautyedit.com
CLEAN FOOD
Most experts agree that organic food is best and thankfully these foods have become more affordable for everyone. Most supermarkets have an organic range or section and are adding new varieties to it constantly. The EWG released its 2021 list of the worst offenders in fruit and vegetables for pesticide absorption. If you do one thing, try to buy organic versions of these as much as possible.
Just like your personal care products it’s important to read labels and avoid processed foods and those with loads of ingredients, focusing instead on fresh, whole foods. The best thing you can do is consume foods that are as close to their natural state as possible. If you don’t know what’s in something then why put it into the only body you have.
Try swopping unhealthy snacks for veggies and hummus and drinking filtered water with lemon instead of flavoured drinks containing sugar and dyes. Making small changes each day is an easy way to start on a cleaner, healthier path, without feeling frustrated and unhappy.
Key tips: Load up on Fruit and Veggies (organic if you can) , Limit processed foods, Read labels, Avoid food colouring, Ditch the refined carbs such as ready made cereals, white bread, Stay away from added sugar ( you will be surprised how much sugar is actually added into your food, once you start reading labels), Avoid ready packaged sugary snacks.
All your body wants is real food to live a long, healthy and happy life.
CLEAN HOME
Think about how artificially ‘fresh’ a home smells after a day of cleaning. Bleach, air freshers, cleaning sprays etc. Some of the worst chemicals we have in our homes are sitting right there in the press under the sink or in the bathroom cabinet. We use them on our surfaces and bedsheets and our hands come into contact with these chemicals daily. Make simple swaps for healthier products and brands. Your body and your skin will be all the better for it.
Brands we love for cleaning our home and our clothes: Ecover Lilys Eco Clean
CLEAN CLOTHES
Would you reconsider those figure hugging jeans if it put your body at risk? Clothing doesn’t come with a long list of ingredients and manufacturing details. Instead the 8,000 synthetic chemicals used in fashion manufacturing, most of which contain known carcinogens and hormone disruptors, are kept hidden and all we see are styles we will look good in for brunch with friends.
Conventional cotton, (non-organic) is grown using pesticides, which can stay in the finished product we end up buying. Pesticides are well-known toxins, and have been linked to major health concerns including respiratory problems and cancer. Clothing labelled as wrinkle resistant have usually been chemically finished using formaldehyde, which is a carcinogen and has been known to cause skin irritation. Not so nice, right?
What we would choose: Organic cotton, hemp and linen require little to no pesticides in the growing process. These are also better for your body allowing the skin to breathe naturally, unlike synthetic fabrics like polyester. Natural fibers are also naturally biodegradable and can be composted, while synthetics don’t break down and can live in landfills for hundreds of years. Look for GOTS or Oeko-Tex certification on the label. For items such as underwear or pjs always choose organic. Choose preloved items from resell websites or stores as these will have been washed numerous times.
https://fernandfia.wordpress.com/2020/11/03/why-we-choose-organic-cotton-over-conventional-cotton/
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