You may be wondering why you should choose green beauty products. There are many reasons why you should consider greening your beauty routine, which by the way we will cover extensively over the next 30 days, but for the short version green beauty products benefit our health, the planet and the well-being of our animal friends.

Being the largest organ of the body, your skin acts like a giant sponge, absorbing absolutely everything that you put on it. Then almost instantly, everything that you put on your skin gets transported into the bloodstream.

Think about the average woman (maybe you) who uses approximately twelve products per day all containing over 170 different ingredients combined. This makes you rethink what you are putting on your body doesn’t it?

What are you really putting onto your body? Think about all the cosmetics you use in a day, they include toothpaste, face creams, make-up, soap, deodorant, hair conditioner, lip balm, sunscreen, body lotion, shaving products and the list is exhaustive.

And what about your children? On any given day you might rub, spray, or pour some combination of sunscreen, diaper cream, shampoo, lotion, and maybe even insect repellent on their skin.

And then the men. The male personal care industry is growing,and according to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, the average man uses six grooming products a day, which contain over 80 different chemicals, many of which are absorbed into the skin, inhaled or ingested.

Most of us use these products without a second thought, thinking that they can’t be that harmful as surely the government must certainly be policing the safety of these formulas. Unfortunately there are no strict policies in place when it comes to these nasty chemicals and toxins [many of the chemicals found in cosmetics have already been banned in Europe] – and if you take the time to scan the ingredients on the products you currently use you will be shocked what you discover.

Many companies green wash, stating that they are organic, natural, allergy free, soap free, cruelty free and all the rest. Unfortunately most of these products are unethical and not safe to use as they still have the harmful chemicals present, test on animals, pollute our planet and exploit human rights. Because of the ever increasing green-washing on beauty products it can be hard to decipher what is natural and what is ethical.

Mainstream beauty products often come to the market place at a much bigger cost than the retail price (think about the exploitation – cheap labour, damage to the planet, animal testing and cruelty, health concerns and bigger credit card debts for the consumer)

There are much healthier alternatives these days which often come at a fraction of the price compared to the super trendy products that are often super expensive.

Truth be told, the expensive trendy products that so many of us are drawn to are simply not worth the money the companies charge. As consumers we get sucked into believing that we are buying into quality, when really the reason the products are so expensive is so that the companies can make huge profits to put towards big budget branding and savvy marketing campaigns; one which is undermining your health, exploiting many farmers of raw ingredients, hurting our animal friends and the future of our planet.

Don’t you deserve something that’s good for you, humanity, the animals and the environment?

This green beauty challenge will open your awareness, it will show you the true cost of mainstream beauty products in hope that you become a more conscious shopper. The more we vote with our wallets – the more it will force companies to do the right thing.

For me personally it was definitely a process, and I would be confident in saying that for most of you it will be also. Just like going vegan I took about one year to fully transition to green beauty products. As much as I wanted to switch over all at once, it was just too overwhelming and costly. I suggest choosing one or two products that you want to switch and put all your energy into seeking quality green alternatives for those products. Once you feel confident in your switch then move on to the next product to switch.

It can become frustrating and confusing when you are trying to wrap your head over all of the details included in the transition. To help the process I always suggest keeping it simple and don't let yourself get overwhelmed in all the details. Just take it step by step at your own pace. Gradually, overtime you will be able to read ingredient labels without falling into a deep sense of overwhelm.

The key to going natural is understanding that the process is going to take time. Don’t be to hard on yourself.

Chances are that you’ve already invested a lot of money and time in your current products. I don't recommend just throwing them out all at once as that is very wasteful and costly. I’d recommend prioritising which products you’re going to switch out first. Start with the products you will need to replace soon. If you’re already going to be buying new mascara, it might as well be a non-toxic, cruelty free and sustainable mascara that is good for your health, the planet and the well-being of all.

Depending on where you are in your own health journey, you may decide to speed up the process and that’s great too. Just accept the pace that your current situation allows. Remember, you’re becoming aware and implementing positive changes for your health, the planet and our animal friends - and honestly that’s the most important step!

There are many things you will get out of this challenge. It is more than just a beauty challenge. It is a program that will bring you closer to holistic wellness - rebalancing your mind, body and spirit

You will be receiving an email from me everyday for 30 days. For those of you who have time on your hands and are keen to just get into it then you can complete the challenges as quick as they are emailed to you. For others, you can slow things down and work on your own schedule.

So if you’re working a full time job, busy with raising children, getting married, having a baby, studying, or just damn busy dealing with the busyness of life, don’t worry, just simply save the emails in a folder in your inbox and work to your own time and space.  

Remember, greening your life and getting healthy isn’t a 30 day event, it is a slow and steady transformation.