I’m not a product junkie or skincare expert, but lately, I’ve become more and more focused on finding a beauty regime with clean products. I have a personal goal of transitioning over to all clean beauty products and lines this year. I hope you enjoy following me on this journey as I want to share my experience, research, and all the reasons why I'm eliminating a product or adding one. I would also LOVE to hear from you. If clean beauty and products are something you are interested in then please share your experience and favorite products. In the interim, here is more about my story and what has prompted me to make the shift.

The Background

My interest in using safer products started almost 5 years ago when I was pregnant with my first son. It was purely because I wanted to make better, and safer, decisions for my baby. The first swap I made was deodorant. It was a small but important change and it started me down a path of wanting to educate myself about other skincare and beauty products I could swap. From there I’ve slowly started to switch out products over the last few years.

The Research

I recently came across this Vogue article, which shares some shocking details about the beauty industry and a glimpse into a new documentary, Toxic Beauty. I haven’t watched the documentary yet, but the article alone is concerning and it forced me to start looking at every single product that I use and what I buy for my family. At a baseline, I’m following the “never list”. A simple guide created by Gregg Renfrew at Beautycounter including all the chemicals and ingredients to avoid.

The First Step

I swapped my daily cleanser since it’s a product that I use every day. For almost two years I’ve been using the m-61 Power Cleanse. If you aren’t familiar with the line, it was created by the Co-Founder & CEO of Bluemercury, Marla Beck. She noticed customers were looking for a gluten-free, vegan-friendly skincare collection formulated with non-toxic ingredients. The cleanser has served me well. It’s gentle and my hormonal skin has responded well to the cleanser. I’ve remained relatively free of breakouts and I don’t feel like it strips my skin of moisture.

Next, I added all clean make-up products to my daily routine. This felt a bit overwhelming given I’ve definitely used some of the same products for years and I’ve fallen into a trap of just using what I know. It was hard to throw out my bronzer, mascara, and other daily go-to items, but I did it. I made the plunge to Beautycounter’s Flawless in Five and I’ve loved the streamline steps, color palette, and overall simple and everyday look I can create.

There are so many other lines I’m interested in trying, but in addition to my cleanser, my daily make-up, I also started using a couple of products from Drunk Elephant, a favorite from Goop and more recently Summer Friday.

• This nightly serum has literally been a game-changer. It’s pricey, but the reviews sold me and after only two weeks there is a noticeable difference in my skin tone and fine lines seem to have diminished a bit.

• I use the nightly serum three to four times a week and on the off nights, I use the Drunk Elephant retinol cream. The retinol cream is no joke and I use it sparingly because it’s powerful and my skin is still adjusting.

• Every Sunday night I use the Goop Exfoliating Instant Facial (I started with the small size due to sticker shock, but I use it sparingly and it’s totally worth it). While it leaves my skin a little red, I love the tingling feeling and the look of my skin the next morning.

What Next?

I purchased this starter set, which includes a variety of clean beauty products, to sample some new lines and to test them on my skin. I’m also committed to continueing to educate myself research. The EWG’s Healthy Living App is a great resource to have on your phone because it allows you to quickly research products, get a rating and suggestions for cleaner versions of the product you search for. I certainly have a lot to learn and while I know my small changes aren’t enough, I’m making a focused effort this year to learn more, read labels and make certain the products I purchase are safe for me and my family. I look forward to sharing more favorites and what I learn along with the way.