Detoxifying Part 3: BEAUTY, Nontoxic, Clean Everyday Products

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As far as detoxifying we’ve discussed the basics and home, now let’s take this to our bodies. Shifting to nontoxic with our everyday personal products can feel overwhelming, but let’s simplify it.

Nowadays, there are hundreds of places to shop online for clean products but again, our everyday go-to Target run-and-done has some great starter brands to experiment with. Consequently, it is a bit of trial and error but what girl doesn’t like to have fun with beauty products? With so much information on the internet, I have a few resources that I love and want to share. I feel they are a good starting place. While on this topic, considering giving a quick read to our own Mom Katy Taurel’s post on simplifying your makeup routine.

Finding My Clean Nontoxic Beauty

Much like when I analyzed what was going in my body (food) I began to analyze what was going on my body. Again, never giving it much thought because I just used whatever I was familiar with or was told was good. One of the first changes I made was, long before I was pregnant, I shifted to using nontoxic polish. I get weekly manicures since I was 12 and never thought about all the chemicals between the acetone, base coat, color, top coat. Why wasn’t I using something more natural? When my baby boy Marcelo was born, I felt so much better about feeling around in his mouth for teeth or massaging his gums after a manicure.  

Then I thought about it more. There are all of these concerns while we’re pregnant. Why wouldn’t we apply that same self-care after baby arrives? If it’s not good for you or your baby while you’re pregnant, it probably isn’t good for you, period. It’s when I started researching it all and seeing so many ingredients not only linked to cancer but listed as having “reproductive toxicity.” 

Detoxifying Part 3: Beauty, Nontoxic, Clean Sandra Jacquemin heysanderella
Honest Beauty, photo by Unsplash

Starter Resources

With so many options, shopping can become overwhelming and with so much available information where do you begin to find your nontoxic beauty products? And who do you trust? Here are a few of my recommendations on where to begin: 

  1. Always kick back to the Think Dirty app and EWG* mentioned in my ‘Detox 1, Basics’ post. For example, you can visit EWG’s website here and search ‘mascara.’  You can sort them by best to worst, where does your brand fall? Alternatively, you can search for a specific brand. Another great feature about the Think Dirty app I didn’t mention before is that you can submit a product to their database if it is not yet in their system.
  2. You’ve probably seen those swap this for that segments when it comes to food, you know, swap regular rice for cauliflower rice (don’t knock it til you try it). Well, check out Ftoxins instagram. Their organic approach to sharing easy swaps for home and personal care products will have you hooked. Their website provides a lot of great info too. 
  3. Another great resource I love is Junk Free Beauty. They’re a female-owned small business (which I love to support), based in Brooklyn and recently have opened their online shop (rejoice)! I started following them on Instagram and immediately was enamored by their dedication to showcasing amazing nontoxic products and how to use them. You can trust these ladies do the rigorous research and legwork on everything they sell and will walk you through swapping out your beauty products.
  4. The Detox Market is another super place to research and shop. Started by a husband and father who learned of the toxicity in products from a friend battling breast cancer and inspired to open a platform as a safe haven for wellness and beauty.
  5. Locally, many of your loved go-to retailers now have sections dedicated to nontoxic or clean beauty. Sephora now has “clean at Sephora” marked with green signs everywhere. Target has it categorized on their site under nontoxic beauty. So don’t be afraid to look into it and explore.

Detoxifying Part 3: Beauty, Nontoxic, Clean Sandra Jacquemin

Notable Mentions and a Few Favorites

I could go on and on (and on) about this mentioning products and brands. But in trying to keep it short, I’m sharing a few I started with and constantly keep in stock! And Mamas, don’t leave out your husbands. This isn’t just about us and our beauty products. This very much applies to men, so dig into their deodorants, shave creams and hair balms.

  • NAILS

There are studies that found a chemical which is added to nail polish to make it more flexible and chip-resistant, got into the bodies of women who volunteered to paint their nails for the study. The evidence showed up in their urine within half a day. The evidence showed that the chemicals disrupt hormones. Also, the nail industry estimates that 9 out of 10 girls between the ages 12 and 14 use nail products. Digest that for a moment. Then calculate for how many years you’ve been painting your nails. If you want to read more in detail about it, visit EWG here.

The first polish I switched to was Sundays Studio and I never looked back. besides the fact that it’s nontoxic, the colors are long-lasting and beautiful. Every time I take it for my manicure at least one woman will stop and ask me what color i’m using. It’s a perfect pink: L01 (I stockpile it, mom loves it too!). They also have a fiery red that has been sold out and I finally got my hands on, perfect summer color ladies. If you’re browsing Target, try Piggy Paint which scores a green 2! 

  • MASCARA

Again, Target is always an easy place to start, let’s admit we’re all there weekly.  W3ll people is a great alternative to L’Oreal’s Voluminous for example which fails with a 5 rating. Pacifica offers a few options which score green 2’s. I’ve tried them all and love. This one particularly is fun, it is a duo offering volume or length with a twist top to adjust to your liking. Another go-to is Honest Beauty’s double duty Length Mascara + Lash Primer. It truly does lengthen your lashes and the primer helps set the mascara.

Going through this quarantine you’ve probably been doing a lot of online shopping. Here are two of my current obsessions that I’ve stocked up on. Ilia Limitless is flawless in my opinion and apparently Allure magazine agrees naming it a Best of Beauty winner. It lengthens, it doesn’t clump, adds just enough volume and is flattering on anyone. It’s available on their site, Sephora and other outlets. And finally, Fitglow’s Vegan Good Lash + which scores a notable zero, zero being the best and most clean. It’s a nontoxic mascara and serum I fell in love from day one which uses botanical extracts and plant protein to promote lash health and growth. Everything to love about it. 

  • RANDOM, CONCEALERS, BLUSH AND MORE

I randomly picked up a Cocokind Baby Moisture stick on a Whole Foods shopping trip and immediately became obsessed. I stash an extra one in the diaper bag, perfect for everyday use. A quick swipe in the morning under eyes before cover-up, on my lips throughout the day to moisturize and again at night before bed on brows, lips and under eyes again to moisturize. Obviously, it works to moisturize baby’s dry spots. It also replaced my nasty brow gel during the day. Another one I always keep on hand is Evanhealy Wild Carrot Nourishing Eye Balm

An easy go-to at Target is Pacifica’s Liquid Cover Full Coverage Lasting Concealer. It truly is lasting, layers and blends smoothly. Another fave nontoxic brand, Ilia has another can’t live without item: their multistick. Smooth it over your lips, cheeks and eyes for the most sunkissed, glowy look. A small dab of it on your cheeks will brighten your face with a perfectly flushed look after a long night with that newborn. The most challenging part about this little beauty stick, is choosing the color! Talking about those sleepless nights, RMS Beauty is another amazing clean brand that sells out of their award winning “un” cover-up concealer. Beauty Counter has luscious tinted moisturizers and foundations from light to heavier coverage that leave your skin glowing. 

Detoxifying Part 3: Beauty, Nontoxic, Clean Sandra Jacquemin

What’s It Worth?

I could keep going and going, but let’s connect on Instagram and chat more about it. I’m not saying to toss everything in your cabinets, just try looking through a different lens. For years you’ve used the same body lotion or bath soap. You’ve trusted one brand for their mascara or lipstick. What’s it worth to have that extra plump in your lips? All of the lead and chemicals that help you get that plump,  many will argue is a such a small amount it is irrelevant. But what is relevant is, consider how many times you lick your lips. Have you thought about how much of that you’re ingesting? Me neither. Maybe someone who trusted that rouge Estee Lauder for so many years didn’t know she was slowly developing stomach cancer. Speaking of Estee Lauder, most of their products range from 4 to 7. 

If you have the time

I cannot praise this documentary enough, Toxic Beauty. It is worth watching. I only recently saw this film about a few weeks before this post is live, but it only confirmed everything I felt and questioned about products, cancer and how it’s all linked. Whatever you believe, it certainly warrants demanding answers when the EU bans almost 1,400 ingredients, Canada bans over 450 and the US only bans 11. Something just doesn’t add up. Infertility is such a disheartening issue women face, and if there is any link in these products that increase that risk, isn’t it worth fighting for?

If you do end up trying any of these clean brands or making any swaps, drop a line in the comments or send me a message on IG. I’d love to hear about it! 
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Sandra Jacquemin
Sandra is born and raised in Miami, fluent in 4 languages and credits her upbringing to be Brazilian-French thanks to her parents. After graduating high school from Gulliver Prep, she pursued a degree in Elementary Education followed by earning a Bachelors in Marketing and International Business. While working on post-grad in the South of France, she decided to be her own boss and opened her boutique marketing agency working with a roster of recognized global brands spanning from entertainment, to sports and beyond. Sandra and her husband, a former U.S. Marine, are first-time parents to their son Marcelo Joseph whose middle name pays homage to Sandra's late father. They’re also pet rescue parents to their adopted chihuahua Ellie. Sandra's affinity for Disney started when her Mom took her at only 7 days old. Coming around full circle, she has not only worked with the company behind-the-scenes, but they are now loyal Disney Passholders. She transitioned to eating plant-based in 2015 for a healthier lifestyle, and swapped everyday products to non-toxic. Today, they reside in Pinecrest and are enjoying discovering life as new parents. In 2021, Sandra and her husband launched a company with a mission, to help others with their mission, donating 100% proceeds from a t-shirt subscription to charities. Learn more here . Look for her posts sharing her love of decluttering, transitioning to non-toxic products, the journey to becoming vegan, starting a small business and so much more! Follow her on Instagram

4 COMMENTS

  1. Love this post! I recently have been switching my cosmetics little by little. Mary Kay has a “Naturally Line” too and it’s fantastic. I have been very happy. Thank you for sharing this information! 💕💕

    • Angie thank you!! I’m happy you liked it. I didn’t know about Mary Kay, that is great as more and more brands make changes for the better. Always check it against the EWG, i am still surprised every week by what i find.

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