Naturally curious about natural beauty

Last year I had the good fortune to begin working with Mairi Shewfelt, who needed a copywriter to help with her new business, Yatta Brands. 

As a committed Vegan with a taste for luxury, Mairi has searched far and wide to bring some of the top Vegan beauty and lifestyle products to the North American market. Think Italian perfumes, British face creams, body scrubs and hair products, Canadian-made soy candles, and American nail polish and makeup. 

Along the way, Mairi has become a friend – and I’ve become a customer. 

Why? Well, I’ve learned a lot about the beauty industry since working with Mairi, and here are two facts that really stood out: 

1. Your skin is your largest organ. 

2. Depending on which report you believe, the average women who uses cosmetics is exposed to between 200 and 600 chemicals just getting ready to face the day.  

If you think that sounds crazy, just consider what’s involved in my morning routine:

 

Facial wash / shampoo / conditioner / hair styling product / eye cream / facial moisturizer / body cream / foundation with SPF / eyelid primer / eye shadow / eye liner / eyelash primer / mascara / blush / lipstick / deodorant 

And that list doesn’t even include brushing my teeth! 

I’m also at an age (49) when I have outlived a few of my friends, who have all died from cancer.

 

I know enough about science to understand that it’s almost impossible to pinpoint a direct cause-and-effect when it comes to this complex disease. I also know that we are living on a polluted planet and that it’s practically impossible to avoid chemicals. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try. 

I made the switch to all-natural cleaning products a few years ago. I’m trying to buy organic whenever possible and have been cutting back on my meat consumption. And over the past few months I’ve started cleaning up my beauty routine. 

I’m not here to plug a client or a particular brand, but I will say that Yatta has made it easy to find plant-based and toxin-free products that actually work. As a bonus, many are less expensive than the so-called premium brands I had been using. So, if you’re naturally curious about natural beauty….you know where to click. 

Want to learn more about the chemicals lurking in your cosmetics? Check out this article from The Guardian.