My Green Truth

I think it’s important that I always stay completely true and honest with you all. I never had the intention of creating a false vision of myself on Beautiful Basics but I think that’s exactly what I have done. I try to live my life as cleanly and as greenly (is that a word) as possible but sometimes I use products that aren’t totally pure or I decide I have to have a piece of candy that's not very healthy or organic.

Don’t get me wrong, I always read levels and I always make sure products that I use have not been tested on animals but I do, in fact, use some products that are not totally natural and/or organic and I’m okay with that. I started out using only products that were certified organic and natural but have been branching out as of late. I think there is a lot of pressure in this community to be perfectly, 100% green and I believe in reading labels and finding products that work for you whether the product is branded as a totally green product or not.

For example, I love First Aid Beauty. Their basic line (with the blue label) features a 1 rating on EWG Skin Deep, meaning the products are totally safe. First Aid Beauty isn’t marketed as a natural beauty brand but a lot of their products are healthy and clean. I’ve mentioned this in other posts, but I am really sensitive to fragrance, natural or otherwise, and sometimes natural skin care companies are too strong for me. First Aid Beauty’s Cleanser and Ultra Repair Cream have no scent, are suitable for my super sensitive skin, and make me skin look and feel great.

Lately I’ve been using an eyeshadow palette from IT Cosmetics, another not natural company. If you check out the ingredients list on the back of the package, though, the palette is safe and healthy. The same goes for one of my favorite brands of all time, The Balm. TheBalm is a great company who makes beautiful blushes, highlighters, and eyeshadows that are safe for those of us who are concerned with what we put in and on our bodies. 

Other companies that I like include: Too Faced, Essence, PUR and Butter London. Tarte is a brand that is technically marketed as a natural beauty company but their products aren’t totally green like you might think. They are, however, a really great company that makes some products that are more healthy than others. 

Remember, always read the packaging. Some products might have parabens and other toxic sludge so be careful but also know that you don’t have to shop for only organic beauty to find products that are healthy. Not all products from these Clean but not Green companies are perfect for people trying to live a clean life but if you read the ingredients you’ll be able to find many products that are.

As for food, that’s a whole other story but I think that living a balanced life is the best option. I’m a vegetarian who eats 95% natural, as much organic as I can get, but sometimes gives in to cravings because life would be boring otherwise.

So, tell me in the comments how green you are? Are you, like me, and interested more in ingredients lists than green marketing? Would you be interested in a Clean but not Green series where I feature healthy products from brands that aren’t truly natural?