Update on Safer Skincare & Clean Cosmetics for Teens & Twenties (and why it matters)

Update on Safer Skincare & Clean Cosmetics for Teens & Twenties (and why it matters). Yes, hormones play a role – but there’s so much more to skin health! My pre-teens are now legal adults, and we’ve learned more than a few lessons along the way. I’m sharing resources, including science-based podcasts, for simple solutions. We’ve done everything we can to keep our kids safe to this point, don’t let personal care products be the thing that derails health and hormones in their extra sensitive growing bodies. I know this is going to get long winded, so here’s what you’ll find in this post:

1. Why Safer Skincare & Clean Cosmetics for teens matters
2. Get them on board: empower with information and educate
3. How to help them get healthy inside & out
4. Safer alternative suggestions 
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With hormone changes it’s often the first time kids start thinking of skincare beyond sunblock in the summer. These days, it’s an even more important topic because incredibly dangerous and toxic stuff being sold to our babies. Understandably, we don’t want to give asbestos and heavy metals or hormone altering chemicals to already hormone-crazed (pre)teens we’ve nurtured and protected their whole lives. What can we do?

1. Educate
2. Explain how being healthy inside their bodies affects their appearance
3. Provide them with safer alternatives

Learning about skincare can feel overwhelming with so many different types of products with seemingly endless ingredients. I get it, I’m here to help. Here are my tips for success (including, a simple solution that feels sustainable):

Education

I found that the best way to get my kids to listen to what I say is to treat them as equals. I share information and help educate them on topics so they can make informed decisions. Just like you’d talk about taking a shower more often because hormone changes cause body changes, like oil secretion and sweat glands, we can talk about how the lifestyle choices we make affect us.

Here are some good articles to start with:

• Tests find toxic chemicals in children’s Halloween makeup, USA Today
• What was Asbestos Doing In Children’s Makeup, Forbes
• The Hidden Dangers of Makeup and Shampoo, Times
• Teen Girls’ Body Burden of Hormone-Alterning Cosmetics Chemicals, EWG
• and most importantly, EWG’s study that shows just 3 days use of safer ingredient products reduces toxic chemicals levels in their bodies

After three days, the teens’ urine tests showed decreases:

• 44 percent down in levels of methyl and propyl paraben. Parabens are preservatives widely used in cosmetics, shampoos and skin lotions.
• 35 percent down in triclosan, an antibacterial chemical common in liquid antibacterial hand soap, dishwashing detergent, toothpaste, face wash and deodorant. Triclosan has been linked to the disruption of thyroid and reproductive hormones.
• 27 percent down in mono-ethyl phthalates. Phthalates, common industrial plasticizers, show up in some nail polish and fragrances.  [source]

Claims vs. Facts

Our family made the choice to switch to Beautycounter for about 90% of our personal care products. We don’t promote them because we’re brand ambassadors, we’re brand ambassadors because we sincerely use and love them. Specifically, Beautycounter is the ONLY brand that I know of that is TESTING both ingredients and every batch of finished products for safety – of both hormone disrupting chemicals as well as heavy metals.

Did you know any brand can make any claim they like about any personal care product without needing to test or prove it? Natural, organic, BPA-free, you name it – no standards.  The thing about personal care and cosmetics is that there are so many possible contaminants. Something as simple as a rose being picked and put into a plastic bag by the farmer instead of canvas will leave measurable levels of BPA in an otherwise plastic and BPA-free product. No one would know the product contained BPA unless testing occurred. The FDA doesn’t require testing or have these standards; this is why it’s essential to use brands that are committed to testing for safety. No one knows unless you TEST.

How to tell what’s safe

Color cosmetics contain asbestos (in talc) and heavy metals (like lead), and that’s just the stuff they put in on accident – let alone the potential endocrine disrupting chemicals added on purpose (like phthalates and parabens). Without testing (even natural, organic, or high-end) brands cannot claim a product is safe. This is not just about paying more and avoiding cheap stuff. Things I look for are:

• Are all ingredients disclosed and prominently displayed? If it contains “fragrance” it’s a no-no loophole.
• Does the brand work with industry to improve health safety overall (such as the Counteract Coalition)?
• What is the product’s safety rating on EWG’s Skin Deep database?
• If claims are made, what is backing it up – don’t tell me, show me?
• And, are the products evaluated by a 3rd party?

I love the EWG app because you can snap a pic of a barcode and it’ll do the work for you. Here’s an example comparing products teens would commonly use. I even choose versions marketed as “safe.”

Top Ingredients to look for and avoid

If you read labels and ingredients then at least you have a place to start with knowing what to avoid. While our family has come to trust Beautycounter after nearly two years of use and their commitment to better standards and regulation, it’s certainly not the only brand we use! Things like toothpaste and deodorant can be harmful to health as well. The top 8 I recommend avoiding are:

• Parabens – associated with increased risk of cancer; found in makeup, body washes, deodorants, shampoos and facial cleansers
• Fragrance – (or parfum) protects a company’s “secret formula”, the unknown chemicals are often hazardous to health and undisclosed.
• Phthalates – potential endocrine disruptors linked to increased risk of cancer and negative reproductive health effects, found in scented products like perfumes, nail polish, hair products, cleaning products, and more (hides in “fragrance”).
• Triclosan – potential endocrine disruptors and contributes to antibiotic resistant bacteria; found in toothpastes, soaps and deodorants.
• Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) / Sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) – common irritant that can combine with other chemicals to form a carcinogen.
• Formaldehyde and Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives (FRP’s) – human carcinogen (IARC) causes irritation and found in all personal care.
• Toluene – petrochemical (from petroleum or coal tar); respiratory irritant and potential developmental damage; in nail and hair products.
• Sunscreen chemicals – benzophenone, PABA, avobenzone, homosalate and ethoxycinnmate are easily absorbed endocrine disruptors. More recently, they are often found to be contaminated with Benzene, a known carcinogen. [abridged from this source, read full article for more]

Read more details about why in the original post here.

Lifestyle Choices: gut health

As children get older, I think it’s important to remember that they are their own people. Their body is theirs to make their own choices. One of my boys, I won’t name names *cough*Cole*cough* does not stay gluten-free when he goes out with friends. He comes home bloated, grumpy, and spends more time in the bathroom than usual. But it’s his choice. I talk to him and he understands his choice, so it’s his to make.

from preteen to legal adult

My younger son, however, has a hard time realizing what makes his eczema flare. He genuinely tries to make choices that won’t inflame his skin; but, sometimes forgets or doesn’t realize where nightshades and dairy hide. All of this is to say, as our kids get older we have to empower them to make their own choices. Which is why education is so important.

Here’s the list of things I prioritize with the boys to support their gut health:

• Gluten (and grains), dairy, and sugar have the most impact on your skin; avoid if inflamed. We outline a family-friendly way to do this and describe it as Phase 1 in our book Real Life Paleo.
• Probiotics I recommend and use multiple forms of probiotic, we get a lot in yogurt and kombucha but we also take a soil based probiotic – this is the one I use and recommend and was used by the client in the before and after photo.
• Sleep because your cells need to regenerate to heal and the only time they can do that is when you are sleeping! DON’T FORGET TO USE CLEAN LAUNDRY DETERGENT (we use this one) and to change pillow cases often. If someone has a lot of inflammation (acne) on their face, I’d change it at least once a week.
• Hydration – drink plenty of fluids, especially water! If you don’t like plain water then make a big pitcher with herbs, cucumber, citrus or other fruit that you do like, or these flavor packets we love; tea is also a good alternative, lots of herbal teas are delicious!

While I’m all for educating and empowering our kids, when it’s in my home or with my money then my rules apply. We drink water at our meals. They follow a reasonable bed time to ensure they’re not walking zombies. If you ask them we’re militant, if you ask other people we’re not strict enough. What matters is your kids’ well being.

Options for safer skincare for teens

It’s important to choose the right product for you. Here’s the surprise: So often I see kiddos whose face is so dry (tight, red, flaking skin – see above) who are inflamed and using products to “dry out” the acne. But what is really happening is that those drying products break the lipid barrier of the skin, allowing it to be more susceptible to bacteria, which is often the true culprit of the acne. Not everyone is the same and different products will work differently for different people.

What I’ve done here is outline 3 overall recommendations for what I’m calling Teen Kits. Ranging from the basic starting point to both skincare and cosmetics, each comes with it’s own printable instruction guide on how to use the products. Remember, all of these products likely have unsafe ingredients unless you’re checking and buying conscientiously:

• Deodorant
• Hair products
• Skincare (moisturizers and acne)
• Lotions
• Body wash
• Perfume, cologne, and body spray
• Make-up
• Sunscreen

1 Safer Skincare & Clean Cosmetics for Teens Kit – Defunk the Tweens

1. Shower & soap: at least every other day using either body wash or bar soap. Make sure to scrub face (behind the ears), armpits, feet and groin – but be sure to not put soap inside your body. Use either the Body Wash, Charcoal Body Wash, or Charcoal Cleansing Bar. The charcoal bar in particular is wonderful at pulling out oil and impurities, especially for those who are acne-prone; the body washes suds up nice and lather without SLS.
2. Shampoo & hair care: avoiding foaming agents in Beautycoutner’s Daily Shampoo & Conditioner, which is what all my kids (and husband) use and love – and they all have different hair types and lengths.  They bubble up nicely without unsafe ingredients and they also are color safe if your 10 year old has blue hair.
3. Deodorant, I go into detail on our beloved Clean Deo in this post here. If you have sensitive skin, use the Charcoal Balancing Mask and Charcoal Cleansing Bar as described.

 2 Safer Skincare & Clean Cosmetics for Teens Kit – Skincare for Teens (and twenties)

1. Teens have fluctuating hormones that affect their skin. Focusing on nourishing from the inside out with plenty of water, probiotics, changing the sheets and pillow cases often (many find silk and organic cotton help) with a clean detergent. Then, a skincare routine that includes wash, prep, treat, and protect is needed – tho we know a teen will likely rarely do all the steps consistently. The simplest routine:
   1. Wash: Either the Charcoal Cleansing Bar or Clear Pore Cleanser if the skin is very oily. If skin is “combination”, that is patches of dry and oily skin, then I suggest the Cleansing Balm which will help to heal the skin’s protective moisture barrier, the building blocks of which are lipids.
   2. Prep with a simple spray toner, I like anti-inflammatory rosewater mists, look for one without “fragrance” in the ingredients, like Herbivore’s Hibiscus Rose Mist or incorporate an astringent, I like T. N. Dickinson’s Alcohol-free option with hydrating ingredients.
   3. For treatment, to repair that lipid barrier we need to add oils to help the skin repair the building blocks of the moisture barrier, which protects bacteria from entering. Brightening Facial Oil works well, I recommend just adding a few drops to the protect step to simplify for teens.
   4. Protect: my absolute top 2 recommendations for teen moisturizer include mineral SPF, which both protects skin from UV damage and blue light from all that screen use, but the natural zinc-oxide has anti-inflammatory properties which reduce acne. Choose either the Countersun Sheer Defense or the sheer tinted Dew Skin Moisturizer. Dew Skin has additional benefits from fruit acid (Vitamin C) to brighten to even skin tone and reduce the appearance of pores.
2. Additional acne treatments, use the Charcoal Balancing Mask weekly or spot treat as needed. Leave it on the spot overnight or used as a mask until it dries (5-10 minutes). Apply to clean skin (to make sure dirt isn’t put into the pores when they open) and then tone and moisturize after when skin is primed to take in nourishment. This mask has amazing results: 94% said mask absorbed excess oil; 87% said mask detoxified pores and purified skin; 87% said mask helped clarify complexion; 84% said mask made skin look clearer and more even-toned. The Countercontrol SOS Acne Spot Treatment is also excellent if you can catch a blemish as it is surfacing.

3 Safer Skincare & Clean Cosmetics for Teens Kit – Cleaner Cosmetics

I outline my favorite products for teens and how to use them below. Alternatively, the Flawless in 5 (5 minute face set) is a great all-in-one solution to replacing cosmetics and is discounted when bought together, all products included (Dew or Twin Skin, Creamy Concealer, Blush/Bronzer, Eyebrow Gel or Pencil, Think Big Mascara, and Gloss) are customizable to the color selections you’d like.

Safer Skincare for (Pre)Teens and Why It Matters

 

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