The most toxic ingredients in the beauty industry are not found in the bottles, potions, and powders. They are found ON them, as their packaging and marketing. The carefully crafted words and images that boast unrealistic claims and utilizes fear tactics by promising results and protection from all the “nasties” in our world are what drive the non-toxic beauty product market. Our fear of disease, aging, social rejection, and death are exploited by profit motivated businesses with a casual air as they twist it into shockvertising the bombards are social feeds and in boxes multiple times a day. These predatory tactics used to secure our spending has become psychological warfare as our digital data is collected then weaponized as it degrades us to habitual, predictable consumers.
THIS is toxic beauty. Eroding and stripping us of our relationship with our individual beauty as we move through each phase of our life. As the standards of perfection, youth obsession are warped with increased efficiency through filtered, photoshopped and AI images which normalize spending more money and taking higher risks to fulfill needs for immediacy and achievement of unrealistic results. These marketing tactics and the language it uses to create and uphold its unattainable standards perpetuate all the aspects of toxicity (from planetary devastation, human and animal exploitation and oppression, socioeconomics and use of harmful ingredients and disregard to short or long-term impacts to all life) that rolls in its wake. We can see its rippling effect by observing the highest selling skin care categories “anti-aging“, “anti-acne” and the trending and fast-growing “tween” and “teen” categories as social media is creating a huge appetite for beauty as they come for our kids.
These categories DIRECTLY correlate to my DAILY conversations with clients as I support them in slowing down to think, be discerning about the information that motivates their spending. I guide them to consistency through simple, sustainable, intentional, functional skin care routines. Attainable results hinge on unlearning misinformation, stepping into a well-being first narrative and understanding that embodiment of beauty is not skin deep.
Choosing to address this one client at a time, has changed lives of thousands of women. A deep desire to use my unique skin set to liberate women was the inspiration of what I am most known for. Consulting my clients away from overuse of products since many of the products sold to us are not even relevant to our skin’s condition, goals, or overall well-being. 30+ years as a multiple hat wearing professional in this industry has shown me the horrible underbelly. My POV, experience, values and education has created am undeniable and unexpected position of leadership and service as I guide my clients to:
Overcome social conditioning and becoming immune to the marketing that devalues you. It takes time, practice and it leads to letting go of shameful and self-destructive views about the most natural and normal realities of the extraordinary bodies we exist in. Non-toxic beauty is clearing the narrative that pollutes our internal dialogue creating toxic self talk and creates obsessions have us adding to cart.
Become wise to the distorted, repetitive messages. I resisted using the word brainwashed, as it always feels so dramatic, when I sit with what’s happening, it is an appropriate word. The repetition of a message the give rise to fears of rejection, erasure and oppression. Finding discernment and truth leads to a meaningful relationship with your beauty. This makes way for you to feel peace, celebration, and gratitude for your beauty as you honour your human experience. This isn’t found by searching the internet for non-toxic beauty or non-toxic skincare products.
I think it’s important that I don’t want to dismiss the reality that there are beauty and skincare products on the market that contain toxic ingredients, both by formulation and contamination. I am so grateful that there are so many incredible woman owned businesses stepping up to create high performing non-toxic skincare and beauty products that make our routines healthy and allow us to put our money in the hands of woman who are shifting the mindsets as woman prioritize their health as part of their beauty.
