I don’t exactly consider myself a girly-girl. I ride horses {and have no problem mucking stalls}, I go camping {outside in a tent. I know some of you think camping means sleeping in one of these}, and from time to time I make un-ladylike jokes {“that’s what she said.”}

However, I enjoy a good facial/mani-pedi as much as the next girl, and I wear make-up almost every day.  Therein lies a teeny problem: my need {yes dear, it is a need, not a want} for occasional pampering and regular make-up usage conflicts with my ethics.As you may know, the majority of cosmetics and toiletries on the market today contain enormous amounts of toxic chemicals which have never been tested for safety by the FDA.  Not only are these toxins sitting on our faces all day long and being absorbed into our bodies, but when we wash them off we are washing them into our water system and the earth.  Some of the most common include:

• Foaming agents such as sodium laureth sulphate, ammonium lauryl sulphate and 1,4-dioxane.

• Synthetic colors and fragrances which are not always labeled or identified completely on labels and may be an amalgam of hundreds of chemicals.

• Parabens, which are often used as preservatives and have been linked to breast cancer.

• Propylene Glycol which can cause liver and kidney damage

{More information can be found at The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics which has one of the largest databases of products and ingredients online.}

True story: Recently I switched from using department store make-up to using Aveda products.  When I ran out of my Aveda stuff, I had to go back to using the department store brands for a little while, and I noticed that my eyes became red and irritated after wearing it all day long.  I quickly replenished my supply of Aveda make-up and never looked back.  Besides using natural ingredients, Aveda also manufactures using 100% certified wind-power.

{I am not paid/sponsored by Aveda at all.  I’m just sharing a good experience I had with their products.}

Aveda is certainly not the only option. Even Wall-greens carries all-natural brands of cosmetics and toiletries these days.  If you’re a make-up lover like myself, I challenge you to switch to an all-natural brand, and see what kind of difference it makes with your skin/eyes/allergies.  Even if you don’t notice any outward benefits like I did, at least you can feel good that you’re no longer washing those chemicals down the drain every day! If you already use natural cosmetics, please share you experience in the comments!

Check back later this week for more on the subject of natural skincare, including a recipe for a homemade facial!…