Sunday 11 October 2015

What is really in your beauty products?

Do you check the ingredients?

Only 2 in 10 people check the ingredients inside their beauty products before buying, this includes everything from makeup and skin care to shampoo and body wash. These days people are more drawn to a recognisable brand name mostly through advertising or low prices and purchase based on this rather than considering what the product their buying is actually made up of. Most people will then stay loyal to this brand still not knowing exactly what is inside the product. 

Its not just the ingredients inside, its not becoming more popular these days for people to look if their chosen brands are tested on animals but many people still don't consider this factor either. Many top brands are STILL tested on animals which in this day and age is quite shocking, if you research many brands pride them selves on not testing on animals.



The ugly side of beauty

Did you know it takes around 26 seconds for your skin to absorb the chemicals inside your makeup?


Its not unknown for their to be things such as dyes, preservatives, fragrances lead and even mercury in cosmetics even some of the leading brands still use these ingredients. 

Check out this article about Chemicals that have been found in some of the leading brands and what their effects are. There is a long list of them all of which have nasty side effects. Some sites even claim that these chemicals can cause much more serious side affects over time such as cancer, infertility and other long term illnesses.

Speaking from experience

I myself until recently was completely oblivious to this, I would buy my cosmetic products based on the price or brands reputation. It doesn't matter if the products are cheap or expensive there is a large range of brands still using chemicals in their products and testing on animals.

Not only this but I noticed since switching to all natural and mineral based products that I had been comprising on quality for so long. I now only use skin care and cosmetic products containing natural ingredients and cosmetics that are mineral based, since switching I have seen a huge improvement in the quality of my skin. I have gone from having constant spot breakouts, blotchy skin and acne scars to skin that I am happy with and can now go out without piling on foundations to cover my shame (only making it worse).

I'm even happy to put photos up to over around 8,000 people publicly over my social media platforms of me without make up on, something i would never dream of doing before making the switch to mineral based products.



What in mineral based makeup?

Mineral based makeup contains only a small number of ingredients usually titanium, zinc, mica and iron oxide all of which are good for your skin. Especially when using foundations and concealers this is much better for your skin as it allows it to breath causing no further blemishes or damaging your skin in the long run. Remember what I mentioned before about the chemicals taking around 26 seconds to enter your blood stream? Well non of these ingredients would be harmful in your blood stream.

The same applies to skin care prouducts if you are using all natural ingredients on your face this will improve your skins condition where as brands that use harsh ingredients although maybe in the short term you may feel your skin is improving in the long term it is worse for your skin and body too.

However in most cases brands using these chemicals if you suffer from sensitive skin your likely to have noticed that conditions such as eczema, redness of the skin and acne are not getting better - you maybe put this down to 'its just the way I am' like I did, but this isn't true all these problems can be solved by making a switch a a products that's right for you.

Making the switch

My original concern was the cost particularly with foundations and powders I just could not part with the extra money, skin care however I already spent quite a lot on so I was willing to try anything. 

I came about all this when I started Younique, I got myself their famous 3D mascara as a treat to myself at the time I had a 6 month old baby I was worn out and tired, i did not feel great about myself. The second I tried it I didn't even have to say a word to my partner he instantly said 'wow you can tell that mascara is not like others, I can really see it' - coming from a man who did not say a word when i dyed my hair from brown to green you can see what a big deal this was. So I decided to join and a perk of being a representative is that you not only earn commission but free makeup too. Over the last 10 months I've earned over £2,000 in free makeup and never looked back. The improvement in my skin is absolutely phenomenal. Look at me before and after a few months of using all Younique products.



Now I know that Younique is not the only brand out there that offers mineral based cosmetics and all natural skin care this is just my example and I want to share with you how its not only improved the condition of my skin but my confidence too.

I've always known some things in life are worth spending the extra money on, jeans for example! You know that if they are cheap they will be hanging off you and falling apart after a few wears and washes, spend a little more they last years! Well the same goes for makeup too you cant put a price on confidence and healthier skin, not only this mineral based foundations and concealers have a longer shelf life because they don't have as many ingredients in so if your not wearing foundation everyday its ok for example the new liquid foundation by Younique has an 18 month shelf life! The cost vs. the shelf life = excellent value for money.

Will you start checking whats in your beauty products now?

So after reading this will you look at the ingredients in you products and consider if they are good or bad for you? 

I know I will never switch back from natural products now, sometimes you just have to try it to see it.