Resist the Daily Dupe

The irony that plays out everyday across our country hit me between the eyes the other day as I was picking up Valentines for my family. "Health/Beauty" is a section of every grocery, drug and general merchandiser across the county. It's an oymoron to be sure, aisles stashed with hair care, make-up, and personal care items loaded with toxic and harmful chemicals are grouped with items that claim "health". Not to mention that so many of the "health" items might not be so good for you either. Consumers are being duped daily by the idea that personal care items are healthy. Resist the daily dupe by getting informed about the harmful chemicals in personal care products and household products that have the potential to cause illness to you and your family. Here are some links that I've found helpful:

Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database has been an exceptional tool.  You can search by product, ingredient, or company to find out what your exposure risk might be of using that particular item.

Here's a great article by the NOW foundation with loads of ideas for protecting yourself from harmful chemicals in cosmetics and household products.

Organic Facts has a list of eight chemicals you should NEVER use.

And here's my personal favorite: Think before you stink! I absolutely love the name and it addresses my daily challenge: people wearing cologne carry toxic chemicals on them that make me sick (quite literally).