35yoSeeking... clean(ish) beauty
Word Count: 441
There's a saying in my industry (and probably most industries) that you can only ever pick two out of three: cheap, fast, and good. (Basically, if you want something cheap and fast, it's not going to be great quality. And something good and fast will NOT come cheap. You get the idea.)
Well, this is also kind of how I feel about going "clean" with my personal products. Yes, I need my products to be largely affordable and fast/easy enough to get (thank you, two-day shipping)! And sure, I want them to use safe, quality ingredients—but at the end of the day, they have to be "good" in that they work and get the job done. I realize this is asking for a lot, which is why—at this point in my life (in terms of disposable income, free time, mental energy, etc.)—clean(ish) is good enough.
Because my blog is only five minutes old, there is no advertising of any kind. I'm doing this blog to exercise my creative writing skills—not for promotional purposes. Any brands or products I mention are ones that I buy (or am personally gifted from family or friends), use, like, or want. I also believe there's a distinct difference between giving advice and sharing what works (or doesn't) for me. To that end, some of the brands I've been trying and liking recently include Garnier Fructis curly hair products, Everyone body wash and lotion, Native deodorant, Pacifica moisturizer and BB cream, Burt's Bees powder and blush, Pixi highlighter and eyeshadow, and Isle of Paradise sunless tanning drops (my favorite new find)!
Of course, some of these brands and products are "cleaner" than others—but I've decided they are all acceptable compromises within my personal cheap/fast/good paradigm. And yes, I'm still using my tried-and-true waterproof mascara that is definitely NOT clean. Why? Because I haven't found anything that works as well! And if you’ll remember, that's the kicker in all (for me). Apps like EWG's Healthy Living and Think Dirty can be especially helpful for anyone starting to research this topic. For me now, it's mostly trial and error with constant ingredient checks for fragrance/parfum—the dirtiest words in the clean beauty industry!
What I hope to convey here is my perspective on "clean" beauty rather than my specific product regimen. Replacing any health benefits derived from using better products with the time, energy, and stress of having to find and procure them is just trading dollars. I'm always trying to learn and to do better without sacrificing my sanity in the process. That's an acceptable compromise I've decided I can live with. :)
