Why Clean Beauty: May at Shop Good!
The Blog
Hi SG Fam, Leah here! Are you feeling hopeful for what’s ahead? Whether it's hugging our besties for the first time in a year, witnessing accountability being upheld in our country’s fight for racial justice, or seeing our favorite small businesses survive a long and bumpy road. We share this hope for a bright year (and future) ahead. Hope is also what the Shop Good brand was built on -- and continues to be fueled by! Through my eight years of debilitating chronic health symptoms that puzzled doctors left and right, I was committed (and so very hopeful) to finally getting my health back. But it wasn’t until I read a book called “Not Just a Pretty Face” by Stacey Malkan, that I realized: it wasn’t just what I was putting IN my body that affected my health, but quite possibly what I was putting ON it as well. I learned that the U.S. government does not review the potential toxicity of products before they're sold and that companies are allowed to use almost any ingredient without regard for consumer safety. I also learned that the EU has banned or restricted more than 1,300 chemicals, while the US has restricted just 11. And I learned that we absorb up to 65% of what we place on our bodies… and with each and every swipe, dab and blend, this exposure adds up. Cue, lightbulb moments…. and soo much hope! I dove right in and swapped all of my coveted makeup and skincare products for natural ingredients (TBH the selection was reallllll slim back then...). The improvements were immediate . My eyes stopped swelling after my AM and PM routines. My cystic acne began to heal and I saw an increase in my mental clarity and energy levels, too! I was committed to finding the longest-lasting all-natural red lipstick and the cleanest deodorant (that actually worked). I had found my calling! But, it wasn’t easy. I wished and hoped for a space that took the overwhelm out of switching to all-natural ingredients. A place to make discovering the best in clean products EASIER. I dreamt of belonging to a community that I could share this mission with, while feeling less alone in the process. And in 2017, Shop Good was born! So in this month of renewed hope, we’re honoring Shop Good’s driving force. Its north star. We’re celebrating the incredible power of plants and the innovations in natural products that now allow us to HAVE BOTH - products that heal… and make us feel fabulous, too! And while we’re at it, we’ll equip you with the science, the benefits and the WHY behind using cleaner products. Welcome to ‘WHY CLEAN BEAUTY’ and May at Shop Good! Mascara made with shea butter that is lengthening and flake-free? Face Wash that uses Willow Bark to exfoliate and keep acne at bay? Lipstick sans petroleum and mineral oils that really stays on? Now this is something to celebrate! And we’re here to empower you so you can make the best decisions for your skin, body and your long-term health! Get ready for “omg that’s all clean makeup?!” spring looks, simplified guides to reading those ingredient labels, and a big ole celebration of our tried-and-true, favorite clean products that would come with us to any deserted island. Plus, join SG and Ilia Beauty for a Clean Makeup Masterclass and tutorial that’ll get us all glowy + ready for a *safe* Saturday out and about! Dust off those makeup bags and join our clean beauty party, all month long! We’re feeling hopeful and grateful for what we have… and all that is ahead. xo
Leah