They say beauty is more than just skin deep. While I believe that is very true, there’s also another side to that belief. One you probably don’t even realize and it’s most likely effecting you right at this very moment. Grab your cup of coffee or tea and lean in. You are about to learn the real truth behind being beautiful.

The Backstory

I remember as a teenager going to Clinique for the first time with my mom for a makeover. It was such a great experience to have someone walk me through all of the steps to a skincare routine and what makeup colors best accompanied my skin tone. Bringing home the bag of beauty products truly made me feel so grown up and beautiful! I am forever thankful for that experience with my mom. She truly was helping me in more ways than one. We were doing the girly things and it felt great.

What didn’t feel great were the reactions I began to experience with certain products. As time passed, I tried brand after brand, product after product. After trial and error, I did narrow down what would cause a reaction, but of course I never truly knew why. I was often just told that I had “sensitive skin” and to simply keep trying until I found what worked. Sound familiar?

What is really happening

As I shared in this post, I started on a new kind of wellness journey back in 2020. While there have been many new wins along the way, one of the most dramatic has been the fact that I have gone from six allergy medications to zero. This included two steroid inhalers. That was never a goal. It was a win I didn’t even see coming.

After doing research, and noticing how each little change was adding up to a positive win, it got me thinking even more. What is really happening and could there be more to all of this?

A Recent Health Scare

On April 22, 2022 I got the call. “Mrs. Lingerfelt, we need you to have a follow up test from your recent mammogram.” My heart sank and my stomach immediately became sick. All that they could explain was that any time there is a change in breast tissue, further testing is needed. For over a week, I carried that heavy burden of the what if scenarios. Now, hear me, I am a believer. I trust and know who is in control and there is nothing impossible for HIM. I reached out to friends and family to join me in prayer and to believe that this was absolutely nothing. However, I am still human and my nerves certainly had the best of me at times.

As I went in for the follow up, several images were taken. Those were followed by an ultrasound. Praise be to God it was just a cyst! A harmless pocket of water that can change or just go away. But, wait where does that come from? Changes in your hormones…but oh that’s a story for another day.

The Bigger Picture

Merely weeks before that scare, I began to research skincare and beauty products. As noted again here, I had started to incorporate essential oils in our home, especially with cleaning products. But, something literally went off inside of me. What is really in the products that I am applying to my body each and every day? Those beauty products that should make us all look and feel beautiful? Could the products we use daily cause allergies or even worse? The answer to that question is absolutely YES!

The Shocking Truth Behind Being Beautiful

On average, women use about 12 products daily which is equivalent to about 168 chemicals. Yes, I just said chemicals. For men, it’s around 85 chemicals. Don’t just take my word for it, google it. But wait, there’s more. Over 1,400 ingredients are now banned by the European Union. The US? Well, our federal laws on cosmetics haven’t been updated since 1938. According to this site, as well as a simple google search, it appears a whopping 11 ingredients are banned in the US.

These very chemicals, in products you and I use every day to make us look and feel beautiful, could in fact be causing insane amounts of harm. You may have no issues today, and I pray you never do. However, if change isn’t made, you can acquire what is known as a chemical body burden. Toxic chemicals that can merely build up over the course of time causing major disruptions.

There are countless studies that have shown links to allergies, cancers and endocrine disruptors just to name a few. The very industry who is supposed to regulate our products for safety, in fact doesn’t. They have failed us.

Taking Action

Once I saw what I saw, read what I read, heard what I heard, I couldn’t undo it. It has honestly made me furious. So much so that I have taken further action. The system that has failed us must change. I have an insane commitment to sharing safe, effective products that keep us beautiful from the inside out. All while helping to reduce our toxic, chemical burden. More content to come friends so stay tuned!

Take The First Step

Change will not happen overnight. Don’t stress about trying to overhaul everything all at once! It may take time, but just start small. Or, maybe you’re ready to plunge in like I did and radically change many items in your routine. Either way, any change big or small, will start to make a difference. No better time than now to get started!