Decolonizing beauty is an important conversation in the beauty industry and it's crucial that we include the perspectives and experiences of Black women in this conversation. The mainstream beauty industry has long been dominated by Eurocentric standards of beauty, which often exclude and marginalize Black women and other women of color.
Read MoreOne of the most concerning potential effects of parabens is their link to breast cancer. Studies have found that parabens can be found in breast tissue, and some researchers believe that they may contribute to the development of breast cancer. Black women have a higher risk of developing and dying from breast cancer than white women, and this may be partly due to their exposure to parabens in cosmetics and personal care products.
Read MoreL’Oreal is being sued over the use of certain chemical ingredients found in their hair straightening products and their link to the increased risk of cancer - specifically uterine cancer. The biggest issue is the consistent and long-term exposure to phthalates and other endocrine disrupting chemicals.
Read MoreYou can shop Black owned beauty brands with the confidence of knowing you’re choosing safer for you, for your health, and to move an industry closer to safer for all of us. This is a great time for us to continue to push. I say that because the conversation is happening and you don’t have to look far to run into the recent study they released about hair straightening and uterine cancer.
Read MoreA few things that are true: It is time to put the hair relaxers using lye to rest - if you haven’t yet & leave-in conditioners & hair oils should be not disrupting our estrogen levels and hormones. No hair product with hormone disrupting chemicals listed in the ingredients list is worth the increased risk of breast cancer. Especially as Black women.
Read More“Sometimes we just need to take it to our roots.” Meaning, the land. Mother Nature and her resources. One way you can do that is by incorporating aloe vera into your beauty and skincare routine. Aloe vera is a wonderful plant for Black women and their skin.
Read MoreThe thing is the saying that “Black doesn’t crack” does not mean that melanated skin is immune to sun damage. Getting a sunburn is not the only sign that is indicative of harm. In the medical community, it comes as no real surprise that there is a lack of adequate care and research when it comes to the health of Black women. This includes sunscreen.
Read MoreBlack women are exposed to more environmental chemical exposures. When Black women have higher and more frequent contact points with certain chemical ingredients - such as phthalates and heavy metals - they are at a greater risk for hormone disruption and cancer.
Read MoreTalc is often found in products that feel velvety smooth - like eyeshadow and face & body powders. Women who have used baby powder were at twice the risk of getting ovarian cancer. It’s an act of violence to be utilizing racism to capitalize on Black women, who have historically been taught that smelling good is directly attached to their worth and value in this world.
You can start with one product. One area of your life. You can start by replacing products that run out with a safer alternative next time. Small steps matter when they are being made in the right direction and for the right reasons. The truth is many chronic diseases - especially the ones that have high numbers in the Black community - are a greater burden and have links to toxic chemical exposures.
Read MoreThose of us who have been blessed with melanin also know the struggle of dealing with dark spots and hyperpigmentation. That makes proper skin care that much more important. Vitamin C also helps protect your skin from free radical damage and oxidative stress. That means it helps keep your skin protected from the sun and pollution.
Read MoreFor a brand to be clean beauty, the main vein is transparency. Clean beauty is free of ingredients linked to harmful health side effects. To take it a step further, it means a brand that doesn’t use ingredients that cause endocrine disruption and include carcinogens.
Read MoreFrom the links to early deaths to being found in an alarming amount of fast food - their ability to lurk unnoticed & cause harm seems to be on the downfall.
Phthalates are a chemical that is used in plastics to make them flexible & softer. They are also used as a binding agent and a solvent in personal care products. The CDC has told us the truth that is phthalates exist in almost every American body - in measurable levels.
Read MoreBlack dollars matter. Period. Black women influence the market & what is best for the Black woman’s health is going to ultimately be the best for everyone’s health. Black women have power in their spending. So ask yourself. Who will you spend with? Who is marketing to you? Who is the product created for? What is the intention of the company/brand in creating such a product?
Read MoreThere are only two pages from 1938 for a 511 billion dollar industry. That just isn’t going to cut it. We know it. They know it. It’s just known. Guess what also isn’t included? Recalls. It’s all voluntary and self-regulation based. There is no testing. No hoops to jump through before a product sits on the shelves of our favorite store.
Read MoreWe could speculate about the Westernized standards of beauty, but it doesn’t matter. All that truly matters is the data. The data shows that cosmetics and hair products marketed to Black women were found to have more toxic ingredients in them when compared to products for other demographics.
Read MoreThe FDA does not: Evaluate and register new cosmetic ingredients, Test individual cosmetic products, Require approval before cosmetic products are introduced to the market. Beauty companies don’t even have to share safety information - in regards to their products - with the FDA. Any recalls that happen are voluntary in most cases, as the FDA is not authorized to call & enforce them when it comes to cosmetics.
Read MoreSince most studies that are currently done to determine the health effects of chemicals in products largely leave out the specified health of Black women, such an organization is not just necessary - it is crucial. Among all the products the EWG tested in their study of products marketed to Black women, hair products were glaringly worse by comparison.
Read MoreIt is our promise to not only get to know the Black women who create & own these brands, but to also test the products & read through their ingredient lists in order to determine if it is truly a safer option. We want to elevate brands that avoid the ingredients we at Clean Beauty for Black Girls see as being of the highest concern.
Read MoreDo you think about sustainable packaging when you make a purchase?
If you’re like the majority of Americans, the answer is going to be “hardly”.
That needs to change… especially when you consider that 70% of packaging from the consumer products goods industry is not recycled. That means most of what we use end up in the landfills.
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