When her highly respected oncologist said he believed 80% of cancers came from environmental causes, she was stunned. And when my friend told me this, so was I. Sure, this doctor meant influences in the air, water, and our surroundings. But that’s not all. He also was referring to what we put into and onto our physical bodies.
This is not an entirely new idea. The significant percentage dramatically reinforces the importance of our choices. Clearly, making conscious choices about what we put on our bodies in terms of lotions, sunscreens, skin treatments, makeup and more should be a high priority. How do we begin?
It starts with a commitment to awareness. Each of us can choose to be aware of the ingredients. This means we read what’s inside the product that we are putting on our skin. Chemicals and toxins in products are absorbed through the bodies largest organ – our skin. Not only that, we will want to understand the effects these ingredients have on our physical environment. Remember the issues surrounding microbeads in bath and beauty products that were damaging our waters and which resulted in the Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015?
Next, enter the “green beauty” or “natural/organic beauty” industry. Product offerings in this category have boomed in the past decade. Almost every type of aesthetic skin product will have many natural or organic options. While many companies tout their brand as being “natural,” just know you have to look further. Read the labels and learn about your ingredients. Check out beauty websites for lists of truly natural or organic product lines. Choosing to purchase products with natural or organic ingredients is next step in this process. You’re putting healthier components onto your own skin. And, you’re sending a message. The larger and more successful this segment of the beauty industry grows, the more companies will pay attention and, hopefully, alter their own products in healthful ways.
When I began making my own products, using organic and wildcrafted ingredients with only natural preservatives, I honestly had no idea there was a “green beauty” movement. That is just what I wanted for my own skin, and what I believed that everyone’s skin really needs. I have since changed my labeling and packaging to reflect even more environmentally conscious way of thinking, and am proud to be a part of that green beauty revolution. Welcome to Tantum Bella, simply…beautiful.