Teens Gone Green – Green Beauty for the Next Generation

Happy Thursday Ladies! I hope everyone is having a good week. Today I want to talk about what has been in the news lately. This topic has actually been on my mind for quite some time. The subject is teenage girls and personal care products! I say girls specifically because it is us women who are the primary consumers of personal care products like shampoo, deodorant, makeup, feminine hygiene products, perfume, etc.

Right around 13, maybe even a little younger girls are introduced to shiny lip gloss, scented and glittery body lotions, fragrance sprays (i.e. remember dousing yourself in Pear Glacè from Victoria Secret 20 years ago or was that just my friends and I) and the list goes on. Teenage girls may be at particular risk since it’s a time of fast reproductive change and development. Research shows that they use more personal care products per day than the average adult woman. Some say up to 14 products per day!! Think back to that time for yourself and what you were using! Or maybe don’t, it may be too scary to think about.

What’s all the fuss about?

Recently there has been studies and more talk about the correlation between early puberty and the ingredients in the personal care products that young girls use. My friend Janis Covey of Kosmatology sent me 2 articles about this subject when I told her this would be the subject of my next post. The study out of UC Berkeley and Clinica de Salud del Valle de Salinas shows how even a short break from makeup, shampoos and lotions with toxic ingredients can lead to a significant drop in levels of hormone-disrupting chemicals in the body.

The study did an analysis of urine samples before and then after a three-day trial in which the girls used lower-chemical products. They saw a drop in toxic chemicals like parabens (found in hair care, body lotion, & makeup), phthalates (found in fragrance), oxybenzone (chemical found in sunscreen), and triclosane (found in antibacterial products) in just 3 days! WOW!! That’s crazy!! All of these chemicals are feared to be natural hormone disruptors.

The article in the Guardian mentioned that “over the past 20 years studies have shown that girls and possibly boys have been experiencing puberty at progressively younger ages.” With that comes the link between early puberty and a ‘increased risk of mental illness, breast and ovarian cancer in girls and testicular cancer in boys’. I was thinking too of all the young women nowadays in their late 20’s, early 30’s experiencing difficulties in getting pregnant. It makes you stop and think if nothing else. Of course this all raises more questions and more research is needed. The point is we need to be aware that there are toxic chemicals in our personal care products that are messing with hormones in our bodies, in our kids bodies!

Now what if it’s never introduced in the first place?!?! What if girls (and boys) can just be exposed to products that are devoid of these chemicals?!?! Is it possible? ABSOLUTELY!

Affordable Green Beauty

If you have been reading my blog you know one of my favorite quotes that can be applied here “When we know better we do better.” That can be said of us moms with our kids, girls and boys! In my case I have a son but a few of my friends have girls that are at that puberty stage, some experiencing it early than their moms had. It’s the perfect time to start changing personal care products over.

Now you may be thinking, ‘this is great and all but I don’t have the resources to pay crazy prices for organic products for my kids’. I feel you girl! You’ve come to the right place because thankfully you don’t have to. I’ve been trying and researching a few brands that are perfect for mom and daughter but don’t have the big price tag. Let’s talk about a few of my picks.

MAKEUP

1. Clove + Hallow

From concealer to beautiful lip products you can’t beat the clean ingredients and the price. Founder Sarah Biggers has knocked it out of the park. They recently came out with their eye shadow palette which I just got! Let me tell you…GORGEOUS! The Sunrise palette is $34 and comes with 6 different shades – 4 shimmers and 2 mattes. For an added boost, an antioxidant complex of Rosemary, Rice Bran, and Sunflower extracts soothes and protects the delicate eye area, so you can feel good about wearing your makeup all day long. 100% cruelty-free and vegan. I am hooked. So will you and your girl. I haven’t mentioned their lip velvets which I’m obsessed with. At $18 this is one of the best lip products I own! Not being dramatic. LOL! I love the C&H Clean15 Guarantee which is No cheap fillers or unnecessary fluff. Just the good stuff, delivered in 15 or fewer ingredients per base formula. Their products are between the price range of $15-$34. Amazing value for such a great brand

2. W3ll People

This brand has been one of my favorites in green beauty. Founded by a makeup artist, a dermatologist and a wellness entrepreneur this company is making amazing, clean products at an affordable price. W3LL People can be found at many Target stores. We know your teenage loves that beauty isle at Target! A couple of my favorites is the Expressionist Mascara ($21.99) not only is it non toxic but it delivers on making those eyelashes sing! My go-to especially during the summer is their Bio Tint Multi-Action Moisturizer SPF 30 ($28.99). It is 3-1, moisturizer, sun protection and a little coverage. I love this stuff. Always have it on hand. It’s really great year round too. Perfect for the on-the-go teenager!

3. Honest Beauty

For me Honest was the first that I tried in cleaner beauty. They are super affordable and can be found at Target and Amazon. You can’t beat the price of $14.99 (sometimes lower) for a clean mascara that everyone has been raving about lately. Also their eyeshadow palette that I personally just received. When Honest Beauty first launched I tried all of their eye shadows and I have to say this palette is bigger and better and at $18.99 on Amazon it’s a homerun for mom and daughter!

SKINCARE / PERSONAL CARE

1. Cocokind Skincare

Now if you aren’t new to Green Glam Girl you know that I love Cocokind since discovering them at Whole Foods Market. Founder Pricilla Tsai and her team have done an incredible job of creating a clean, conscious, and accessible skin care line that performs! I have been using Cocokind for a little while now and obsessed is an understatement. Also, you know by now that I haven’t been a teenager for quite some time 🙂 But I think it’s the perfect product for your teenager (boy or girl) and their ever-changing skin. From the Organic Rose Water Toner ($17) to the Mymatcha All-Over Moisture Stick ($9) they are all delicious and amazing products.

Let’s talk for a minute about the price point! So affordable. Nothing is more than $25 and Pricilla is determined to keep prices down but quality top-notch. The products that I have in my bathroom is: The Turmeric Spot Treatment Stick ($9) and Raspberry Vinegar Toner($16) for those pesky breakouts. The Rosewater Toner for all day long moisture. The Facial Cleansing Oil ($9.80 on Amazon) is a great way to remove makeup and dirt from the day. I love the Chlorophyll Mask ($13.70 on Amazon) which is great for calming breakouts and detoxifying the skin. Last but not least I am never without the Organic Skin Butter ($14)! Then there is the Macabeet Tinted Moisture Stick. This is a great product for your budding makeup enthusiast. It’s makeup and skincare with beetroot to tint and maca root to create smooth and even skin. You can even use it as a lip tint as well. Perfect touch of pink! Such minimal ingredients in all of their products. You and your teen will love. All of these products you can find at your local Whole Foods Market.

2. Schmidts

Deodorant is one of the first personal care products that should be non toxic. Conventional deodorant contains many ingredients you don’t want going on your skin but one of them is aluminum zirconium . There is much conflicting things out there about aluminum and more research is needed. For my family we have decided to stay away from it! Another thing to keep in mind even if research isn’t very conclusive regarding aluminum being carcinogenic, is that it prevents perspiring.

What’s the big deal about that you may ask? Well sweating is our body’s natural way of eliminating what it doesn’t need. Messing with that whole process can have negative health consequences. Which makes sense when we stop anything the body should be doing naturally. Schmidts ($17.49 for 2) is an easy to find, affordable and clean deodorant. Most importantly it works!! And that my friends is a hard combo to find in green beauty! In fact it is the one that my 10-year-old son has started to use and the one my husband can’t be without. As I mentioned in my last post, this brand can be found at Target and even TJ Maxx.

3. Acure

Check out my post about chemicals found in hair care products. It will make your hair stand up. Pun intended! One good brand that I started with is Acure ($9.99 or less). You can find at Whole Foods Market, Amazon, Target, Pharmaca (love) and even TJ Maxx. I love that these clean brands are so accessible and affordable. One more thing about this brand is that they have bath and body options too. Have fun trying!!

The Next Generation of Natural

So now for the really fun part! DRUM ROLL PLEASE!! I collaborated with my good friend and super talented local photographer Kelly Ann Long Photography. We put clean beauty and photography together and boom we have a beautiful photo session with our gorgeous model Naya who is 16 years old. She is wearing all green beauty. Style and makeup by Kelly.

If you are local to Fairfield, New Haven or Hartford County, Kelly is the one for you. She specializes in children and teens modern portraiture. I am so excited to share with you this photoshoot. So proud to call Kelly my friend. Check her work out for yourself. Her pictures are gorgeous. Thank you for being here and following my journey. My hope is that I’ve helped you in your journey in one small way. xoxo

Please see below all the make-up details and click on the links to find! For more check out my Products I love page.

#4 blog — Picture by: Kelly Ann Long Photography

#9 web — Picture by: Kelly Ann Long Photography

#2 b web — Picture by: Kelly Ann Long Photography

*Affiliate links used. Opinions and thoughts are always my own!

MAKEUP DETAILS –

Face Cleanser ~ Cocokind Facial Oil Cleaner

Concealer ~ W3ll People Bio Correct Multi-Action Concealer in Medium

Foundation ~ W3ll People Bio Tint Multi-Action Moisturizer SPF 30 in Medium

Cheeks ~ Cocokind MACABEET Tinted Moisture Stick

Eyeshadow ~ Clove + Hallow Sunrise Pressed Pigment Palette & Honest Beauty Palette

Lips ~ Cocokind MACABEET Tinted Moisture Stick & Kari Gran in JEANNIE

Mascara ~ Honest Beauty Extreme Length Mascara + Primer

#8 blog — Picture by Kelly Ann Long Photography

All Natural Luxury Shampoo Worth The Splurge!

[dropcap]Hello[dropcap] Beauties! I’m back with another part of our bodies that we can make the clean switch from conventional products! HAIR!! Yes ladies if you don’t know already but the shampoo, conditioner, hair spray, gel and whatever else we typically put in and on our hair, can contain scary toxic chemicals. So let’s chat!

Sometimes we focus a lot of our attention on skincare. Which of course is great. But we often neglect our skin’s distant cousin…hair care! Also, the fact of the matter is hair care needs just as much attention.

We have pores on our scalp so what goes on our hair goes into our bodies. Plain and simple!

Common Chemicals in Hair Care

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) identified chemicals in hair care products that may be detrimental to human health and the environment. For example, I read recently that many hair products that are marketed toward African-Americans contain ingredients like parabens, phthalate, or DEP, they are linked to an increased risk of breast cancer, early puberty and preterm birth. WHAT?!?! That is not ok! So what are some of these ingredients to look out for and avoid??

1. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Laureth Sulfate

2. Coal tar hair dyes and other coal tar ingredients

3. Propylene Glycol (active ingredient in antifreeze)

4. Phthalates

Thankfully there are products out there without the nasty ingredients that harm your health and also perform. Check out my following review of a natural luxury shampoo and conditioner worth splurging on!

My Choice For All Natural Shampoo

Evolvh SmartColor Shampoo and Conditioner

Holy Cow is this stuff amazing! I have curly, thick and dry hair. So for my weekly blow outs its an hour appointment and lots of heat to get my mane flat. I know I know! I haven’t embraced the curls. Maybe 40 will be the year I do. Anyway that is for another blog post! A few weeks ago my mom and I attended the grand opening of The Detox Market in NYC and met Boris Oak, founder of Evolvh. He is such a lovely person. We talked a lot about hair and products obviously. He told me of their new products SmartColor shampoo and conditioner. So they very generously gifted me a package of goods to try.

I’ve been bringing the shampoo and conditioner to my hair stylist Kayla to use on my hair for the past few weeks. She is always so sweet to use whatever new non toxic products I have. Which brings me to the subject of bringing your own products to the salon. Absolutely!! I’ve been doing that for a few years now. Lately I have brought in a few different brands for Kayla to use on me but Evolvh SmartColor really stood out.

My hair was visibly softer and blow drying time was cut dramatically.

So I have been highlighting/dying, getting blow outs and flat ironing my hair for a long time. Longer than I’m willing to admit. Kayla and I were amazed. Evolvh delivered on performance! Which can be hard to find in green beauty. It’s like the ‘white whale’ in my husbands words. LOL!

This is an eco-luxe natural shampoo and conditioner that gently cleanses color treated hair and prevents fading by infusing vital nutrients deep into every strand for supreme color retention, eliminating breakage and frizz, and restoring every strand to optimal health with soft, smooth texture, sublime hydration for bounce and movement, and gorgeous shine. Yes I’m serious your hair will be singing! I had my friend next door try it out. Because I was thinking “is this just me?” “Am I being dramatic?” Nope! She came over today to return the products and she was blown away. Her hair is similar if not a little more challenging type then mine. She was hooked. Her hair looked and felt so soft. It’s truly a winner! These are luxury items definitely worth splurging for.

Lets talk about the ingredients. The key ingredients are:

✓ Kiwi Seed Oil hydrates hair without weighing it down.

✓ Amino Acid Tyrosine increases color retention.

✓ Almond Oil improves the shine and strength of your hair.

NOT Made with:

❌ Silicone

❌ Sulfate

❌ Paraben

❌ Panthenol

❌ Phthalate/musk

❌ Petroleum/mineral oil

What is Evolvh SmartScent?

Full disclosure time! When I saw that there was ‘Parfum’ in the ingredient list, not going to lie but my eyes bugged out! So I inquired because that was a red flag to me. I want you to have all the information as well and be informed. Thank goodness for Chrissy at Evolvh for putting up with all my questions. According to Evolvh the scent in their new products is the SmartScent: “SmartScent contains a blend of natural essential oils and clean aroma molecules, and was developed by EVOLVh in partnership with the leading natural fragrance and essential oil producer to create what we believe is the cleanest and most sustainable approach to scent in hair care. These signature scents are used in EVOLVh products only, and we are proud to be at the forefront in developing healthy approaches to scent in hair care.”

Also they are conforming to all international labeling guidelines now, which require them to label scent either “fragrance or “parfum”. They will be updating their website soon with more scent information, but in the meantime you can read about SmartScent below. With that said this may not be the product for the purists among you. That is ok with Evolvh and that is ok with me! We all have to make our own decisions on what we will use and what we absolutely won’t. So for me I’m ok with these products and will continue to use.

SmartScent Facts:

✓ Made using natural ingredients/essential oils

✓ No Parabens

✓ No Phthalates

✓ Not tested on animals

✓ No GMOs

✓ No Biohazards

✓ Safe ingredients (IFRA compliant and CA Prop 65 compliant)

✓ Petroleum-Free

✓ Made in USA

Where to Buy Evolvh?

Their other lines of natural shampoo and conditioner from Evolvh are UltraShine and SmartCurl. So now they are a full service hair care company! Covering all of your needs. You have to check them out for yourself. SmartColor is available on their EVOLVH WEBSITE and you can SAVE 15% OFF by using discount code: GREENGLAMGIRL15

Also, check out other clean beauty products I love here.

*Affiliate links used. Opinions and thoughts always my own!

Clean Green Skin Care Part I – The Big Reveal

[dropcap]So[dropcap] let’s get real people this topic of clean green skincare has been pretty hot lately, which is great. Rewind a few years ago and people would think you were crazy. What’s that?? 10 years ago when I gave birth to my son Lucas I was like every other new mom, wanted to give my baby the very best.

I figured the very popular, been around for 125+ years old company would be the “best”.
To my shock it wasn’t.

The Scary Stuff

But where were the clean skin care products? We had already known of the “dangerous deodorant/antiperspirant’ scare of the 2000’s. Tom’s of Maine probably never saw such a surge in sales at that time. But that is for another time! Anyway, my point is no one was really talking about the products that we put on the biggest organ of our body…skin! Honestly it wasn’t until Jessica Alba. 😉 For me she got the conversation going.

Parabens – Clean Skin Care?

Let’s talk about parabens briefly. Well and Good put out a really good article about this subject. It referenced Dr. Darbre’s research study of parabens found in breast cancer tissue. The study was originally done in 2004 and then again in 2012 on a larger scale. There were 160 samples tested. Parabens were detected in 99% of the tissue samples. Specifically methylparaben was found in 95% samples. Wow! Dr. Darbre concluded, “The take-home message was that we validated the earlier study with a much more substantial study. Parabens are getting into the breast, and they’re getting in in significant amounts,” . Food for thought!

The Good Stuff

Enough of the scary stuff. One of my favorite quotes from Maya Angelou is “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” You get the point. So the question is, “Where do I find clean skin care products that are non toxic?” Well fortunate for you, you’ve come to the right place! I wanted to create somewhere I could share what I’ve learned these past few years and also share what I love. I had the great privilege of meeting Dr. Janis Covey of Kosmatology last year at The W.E.L.L Summit. Yes you read right, she is a Compound Pharmacist turn clean beauty maven when she saw a great need. I had seen her products on the green beauty blogs and only tried one product, which I loved. But then at The W.E.L.L Summit I tried more and needless to say I was hooked. Janis was incredibly kind enough to let me interview her for Green Glam Girl’s first series of beauty blog posts! Stay tuned for part 2…my interview! You are going to love it! Thanks for stopping by ~ xoxo