As my makeup supply began to dwindle, and my awareness of how little it can take to make a difference by visiting www.thehungersite.org, I began searching for resources on going and living “green”. There are so many small things we can do that will really add up — not only for our environment, but for our health as well.

For example, according to www.energystar.gov:

If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars.

These compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) cost more than incandescent bulbs, but they last longer and save on your electric bill. My family has personally found this to be a very beneficial switch.

And, what about the makeup and other beauty products we use on our skin? Most contain known toxins — and it’s all legal. The key here is learn (at least some) of the ingredients to avoid, and always, always read the labels.

I found an easy-to-read list at www.AlchemistsApprentice.com. This site offers mineral makeup that does not contain harmful ingredients. I’ve recently ordered samples, and I’ll let you know how that goes.

Another site which offers mineral makeup is www.CanaryCosmetics.com. I have tried their samples, and like their product. I have very sensitive skin with mild rosacea, however, and I need a bit more coverage than the product offered. But, it did provide acceptable coverage, and it looked quite natural. Other makeup options tend to fade from my nose quickly, leaving me looking like Rudolph, but Canary Cosmetics’ makeup lasted the best so far.

Quiz: If you buy something labeled “all natural”, it has to be safe, right?

WRONG. The term “all natural” is currently not standardized in the cosmetics industry. Even certain natural ingredients are harmful. Again, the best defense is to learn some of the names of the harmful ingredients and read the labels.

By reading labels, I found that a particular makeup line thought to be safe contains parabens – an ingredient used as a preservative in many cosmetics. Parabens have been found in breast cancer tissue and may affect the body in a manner similar to estrogen. This is still a controversial topic, but you can find products without parabens (and other harmful ingredients).

My journey has only just begun, but I’ll be sharing more of what I learn as I go along. If this posting has peaked your interest, too, you may also enjoy:

365 Ways to Live Green: Your Everyday Guide to Saving the Environment, by Diane Gow McDilda – Great tips, one day at a time.

Green Chic, by Christie Matheson – You can go green without moving to the middle of no-where and giving up certain pleasures in life.

To Your Health and Well Being,
Karen
www.KarenLCox.com