The 10 Commandments of Green Beauty

1. Thou Shalt Not buy beauty products that contain phthalates, formaldehyde, phenols, sodium laureth sulfate, coal tar, toxic dyes, and synthetic fragrances.

2. Thou Shalt Not buy cosmetics based solely on advertising claims or celebrity endorsements. Very few celebrities actually use the products they advertise. neither do models whose faces are used in ads, no matter what models say in interviews. Read the label, scan the ingredients list online using the Skin Deep (www.ewg.com) tool for chemical hazards, read online reviews, and then decide whether this product is worth your money or not.

3. Thou Shalt Not believe that just because a cosmetic product is called “natural” it is generally safer. Cosmetics may claim to be “natural” or made with “organic” ingredients, but may still include paraben and formaldehyde preservatives, synthetic fragrances, phthalates, or other toxic ingredients.

4. Thou Shalt Not believe that you have to spend a lot of money on organic beauty products. Many inexpensive natural cosmetic lines have wonderful products that perform just as well as expensive ones because most plant extracts, vitamins, and minerals are not exclusive to one company. High-quality ingredients do not necessarily cost a lot more; many cosmetic companies buy ingredients from the same farm or wholesale supplier. There are many organic beauty manufacturers who grow their own ingredients, too. The only difference may be the concentration of these plant juices and extracts.

5. Thou Shalt Not believe there is such a thing as a magic beauty bullet. There are no secret ingredients that can instantly cure all your skin’s woes, but there are many new, effective active ingredients that can do wonders for your skin.

6. Thou Shalt Not compare your skin or hair to those of celebrities and spend hours moaning over a pimple, a wrinkle, or a stray lock. All celebrities are humans with their flaws and insecurities, and their picture-perfect skin is not due to the use of some secret potion but rater skillful hairstyling, makeup artistry, and computer retouching.

7. Thou Shalt Not share your mascara or lipstick, kep the jar of moisture open, lick the tip of your eyeliner, apply face cream with dirty hands, dilute shampoo with water–simply put, contaminate your beauty products and shorten their life span. Never use beauty products when their “best before” date is overdue.

8. Thou Shalt Not believe that you need a special moisturizer for hands and another one for the rest of your body; that you need an eye cream and a separate face cream and a really cute neck serum;  that you cannot use baby bath gel to cleanse your face; that you should have a different sunscreen lotion for each part of your body. In other words, do not let smart marketers manipulate you. Less is more, especially when it comes to organic formulations. From an oat scrub to a honey mask, the best things in beauty come incredibly cheap, and you don’t need to spend tons of money to look great and be healthy.

9. Thou Shalt Not believe that if a famous doctor, chemist, dermatologist, yoga guru, hairstylist, or movie star created the formula, it would mean a world of difference. Lots of dermatologists, biologists, herbalists, and even aerospace engineers are involved in whipping up beauty products. It’s the juice that counts, not the bottle, as Aubrey Hampton, the pioneer of organic beauty, used to say, and your skin doesn’t care whose name is on the packaging. Read the ingredients list, ask smart questions about the concentration of particular ingredients, check reviews, be skeptical, and take everything with a grain of sea salt.

10. Thou Shalt Not keep it a secret. Spread the news. Help teenage girls avoid toxic beauty products. If you work in a spa or health-care facility, explain the dangers of toxic chemicals to your patients and clients. Phone the companies whose products you use and express your concerns directly. Many product labels carry toll-free phone numbers. Be an informed, vigilant consumer because what you know (and what you don’t) can turn really costly in terms of your looks and health.

Taken from The Green Beauty Guide by Julie Gabriel