The Ugly Truth on Beauty Products: Is your Cleanser Really Natural or Safe?

When you walk into Sephora, Ulta, a Department Store or even your local drugstore, a number of beauty products on the market is staggering. It's a billion dollar industry and there are some ugly truths behind this business. There are hardly any safety regulations in this industry. Something that says natural may also have a hidden manufactured fragrance. Natural doesn't always mean safe. And synthetic doesn't always mean harmful. This article is a good education piece as well as this piece on greenwashing and what five terms of beauty products really mean. 

Is your Cleanser Really Safe?


The truth is that the European Union has banned or partially restricted over 1,400 ingredients from personal care products. Canada? Less than 600. The United States? The answer is 30. Safety laws restrict just 30 ingredients known to cause health risks, cancer, and hormone disruptions.

A beauty cleanser is something you use daily.  Sometimes twice a day. There are thousands of cleansers on the market. Beauty blogs are always listing the best and many cleansers are never even repeated in lists. I use Beautycounter Nourishing Cream Cleanser (Retail Price: $26). It lasts about 90 days and equals to .28 cents a day.

Beautycounter Nourishing Cleanser: Safe and Effective



This list of "BEST" cleanser ranged from $8.99 to $52. My cleanser is the middle for price ranges.

Some of the drug store brands that people lean toward buying are CeraVe, Neutrogena, Cetaphil, Clearasil,  Aveeno, and Simple Cleanser for as little as $2.99. They all look like simple and safe cleansers, but upon further investigation, you are putting your health at risk. There are lots of ingredients in the red zone.

Photo of CeraVe based on EWG Database: Not Safe

And more expensive does not mean it's safer either. Click the link to look at Kiehls, Clarins, Elizabeth Arden, and Clinique ratings on the EWG.

Out of all the products I've mentioned in this post, Beautycounter has the safest rating. But, Beautycounter's mission is to educate consumers on making safer choices. The products are fantastic, but some people cannot afford it or even fathom paying more than $10 for a cleanser. This natural living blog has checked the EWG and has a list of other natural and safe cleansers based on the EWG ratings at some lower price points. Beautycounter is committed to changing safety regulations so that you can find safer products everywhere. I know my cleanser works and I love what it has done to my skin.  Prior to Beautycounter, I used some harsh dermatologist products. My skin did not look as good.

Beautycounter bans 1500 ingredients known to cause health risks. The Nourishing Cream Cleanser is made with coconut oil and aloe leaf extract. This lightweight daily cleanser is hydrating and soothing. Witch hazel gives the creamy formula skin-toning properties for a fresh, taut appearance.

Twice a week I use the Essential Nourishing Cream Exfoliator (Retail $34 and lasts an entire year). This gentle yet effective, exfoliating cleanser relies on non-abrasive jojoba beads instead of plastic to help slough off dry skin and sweep away impurities, revealing a fresh, radiant complexion.

At 48, my skin is the best it's been in a long time. I use Beautycounter


I also use essential oils and moisturizers on my face, but I don't want to go into that topic today. I want to keep it simple with cleansers. Everyone should be washing their face.  Everyone needs to have access to knowledge because knowledge can help you make better choices.

Beautycounter has a Band of Beauty Member Program where clients get free shipping, special perks, and 15 percent back on purchases in product credit. The yearly membership rate is $29. If you buy a one-year membership today and purchase $50 in product, you will also receive a free membership gift.



Disclaimer: Opinions are my own in this piece. Income will be made if any Beautycounter is bought from this site. 


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