Hi Sweet Friends,

Twice a year, Team Crazy Sexy gathers for 3-4 days of dreaming, planning, budgeting (look Ma, I’m a grown-up!), and Crazy Sexy Love Notes card readings (a business brainstorm must).

The majority of my crew are ambitious and highly conscious women, so self-care is a huge conversation for us. We know that the more we care for ourselves, the better we feel and thus the more creative we are at our jobs. And I won’t lie—we all want to look fabulous too!

During a recent retreat, I asked my team for their favorite non-toxic product recommendations.

One of our new team members squirmed in her seat. Turns out she adores makeup and skincare but is clueless about non-toxic brands (another reason she chose to work with us, to learn about this shizzle!). When I asked how many lotions and potions she uses, she tallied over 30 products in her daily regimen! Like most women, none of the products in her regular routine were healthy.

The challenge we face today is that healthy products are not the norm.

According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG):

“The average woman uses 12 products containing 168 different ingredients daily. Many cosmetic chemicals are designed to penetrate into the skin’s inner layers, and they do. Consequently, some common cosmetic ingredients turn up in people’s bodies. Among them: industrial plasticizers called phthalates; parabens, which are preservatives; and persistent fragrance components like musk xylene.”

Pause for a moment and count how many personal care products you’re using.

I’m talking about everything from your makeup bag to your shower rack. Surprised? Now, read the ingredient labels on those products. Even better, look them up at EWG’s Skin Deep database and see how they rate for things like cancer, immunotoxicity and reproductive toxicity. Do those same products feel sexy now? If not, you’re certainly not alone.

You might be feeling like you just don’t want to know. You’ve been using the same moisturizer, shower gel and toner for a decade and they work—end of story. If that’s your mentality, I hope you’ll reconsider. Slowly making more conscious choices is not only empowering, it’s an investment in your longevity and everyday health. These chemicals are serious. We don’t know their long-term effects and we can’t rely on companies to look out for our health. Here are some easy ways to get started with cleaning up your beauty routine.

Choose products that support your wellness and help you feel gorgeous.

5 Tips for a Healthier Beauty Routine (Ya Know, Minus the Yucky Stuff!)

1. Cut down on the number of products you use each day. Sometimes, cutting down on your body burden is as simple as simplifying your beauty routine a few days a week. Less is more!

2. Choose one day a week to wear zero (or very little!) makeup. You are stunning. Period.

3. Do your research and swap out one product per month. You don’t need to throw everything away and buy a completely new shower, makeup and skincare line this week. Choose an item that’s almost gone and look for a better alternative. Natural beauty blogs often have great advice (hello, Google). Check out the Skin Deep database and read reviews online. If women use 12 products per day on average, you could have a whole new healthy personal care regimen by next summer.

Getting started tip: This $19.99 skincare sample kit from Annmarie Gianni (one of my favorite skincare lines) is a great way to begin exploring healthier products. I use Annmarie’s Aloe Herb Facial Cleanser and Anti-Aging Facial Oil every morning and night. Not only do these two products help keep my skin blemish-free and moisturized, they take me on an aromatherapy adventure every time I use them.

4. Learn the basics and become a label detective. Don’t worry about memorizing every chemical. EWG has created this handy list of the top ingredients to avoid for women, men and kids. Print it out and keep it with you. (This is also great for those of you who don’t have a smartphone. But if you DO have one, don’t miss EWG’s Skin Deep app.) You may also want to check out Think Dirty. And if animal testing and cruelty matter to you (and I know they do) have a look at Leaping Bunny and PETA to determine if your beauty products are cruelty-free.

5. Choose safe sunscreen. Whether you’re gearing up for vacation or replacing expired bottles from last year (check those dates!), we’re all going to be buying sunscreen and heading outside this season (right?). So why not choose wisely? Check out my sunscreen blog for tons of tips!

But as many of you know, it’s not just about what you put on your skin. It’s also about what you put in your body.

In addition to safe skincare products, you know what gives me the best complexion? Eating nourishing foods, proper hydration, sweating, being mindful of my stress levels and sleep. So even though our personal care products are super important, beauty really does start inside. Building a non-toxic skincare routine is essential, but it’s only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to having luminous skin you love…

5 Self-Care Tips for Beauty (From the Inside Out)

1. Drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces of purified water daily. If you’re a daily green juice goddess, you can drink less.

2. Eat a varied plant-based diet high in raw organic foods, green juices and green smoothies.

3. Dump fake foods, sodas and so-called energy drinks and while you’re at it, reduce animal products like factory farmed and processed dairy. I don’t know about you, but dairy used to be a big source of skin issues for me.

4. Shake your ass-ets and sweat your prayers. Move your glorious body at least three to five times per week. Exercising in the fresh air and nature equals bonus beauty points!

5. Rest. Sleep is something we never catch-up on. Try to get eight hours of uninterrupted slumber between the hours of 10pm and 6am.

Your turn: How do you keep your skin healthy and glowing? Any tips for beauty from the inside out or safe products that have made a huge difference in your life? We’d really love to know!

Peace & conscious beauty,