Let's talk BEAUTY PRODUCTS

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Back when I modeled, I actually had the WORST skin I've ever had. I didn't know then what I know now about beauty products and how important it is to use natural beauty products. Back then with me constantly traveling, plus having random hair & makeup artists putting all kinds of products in my hair & on my face, my skin was horrible. So was my hair. It was so unhealthy and I had no idea. 

Now, I'm super picky about what I use on my hair & skin. In a bit, I will list the beauty products that I use daily, but first I want to explain the importance of using natural hair and skincare products:

WHY YOU SHOULD USE NATURAL BEAUTY PRODUCTS:

1. Your skin is very absorbent, so whenever you use skin products like moisturizers, soaps, body wash, etc., those ingredients are being absorbed into your body. Many beauty products contain all sorts of harmful chemicals and it's scary to think about what chemicals you're putting on/into your body by using these products. For example, propylene glycol is a common ingredient in many beauty products, but do you know what propylene glycol even is?  Propylene glycol is a solvent used in antifreeze and in plastic. Why would you want this on/in your body?

2. Natural and Organic skin products can reduce irritation. Back when my skin was crappy, it was actually just very irritated. Believe me, I tried EVERY kind of face wash, moisturizer, etc. and none of it worked. I even visited a dermatologist frequently and the treatments and products they gave me left my skin even more irritated. Most of the products they gave me had chemicals like Benzoyl Peroxide, which left my skin dry and red. Chemicals irritate your skin and it's so easy to find a natural alternative skincare product.

3. Buying naturally and substantially sourced products is so much better for the environment! Beauty products that contain chemicals, as well as sprays and perfumes that are released into the air can be very damaging to the environment. Some of the ingredients in these harmful beauty products also require extensive amounts of mining to source the ingredients, which is killing places like the Amazon, for example. 

4. Animal testing is not okay. Many beauty products are tested on animals.  Unfortunately, there’s no ban on testing cosmetics on animals in the U.S., so companies that make their products here can choose whether they want to test their products on animals or not. Many of the natural beauty brands choose to not test on animals, while the "bigger" beauty brands will test their chemicals on animals.

I could go on and on with a list of reasons why a lot of these products are bad, but I'll just leave it at this: So many "big name brand" beauty products have harmful ingredients and chemicals, including parabens, sulfates, aluminum, etc. and their chemical structure is linked to an increased risk of breast cancer and reproductive issues. So, I ask you to start being more aware of the products that you buy and the ingredients you put into your body.