The change of seasons brings not only sunshine, but also different makeup products to keep my skin clear and glowing. As summer approaches, I think it’s important to use products that protect you from harmful UV rays, and are not full of harmful chemicals, and also make you feel confident and beautiful. I cannot wait to share some of my new favorite products that are safe for your skin!

I recently attended a panel session by Gregg Renfrew at the annual NFL League Meetings. Gregg, the founder of Beauty Counter, is an entrepreneur, wife, and mother of two, and she is now on a mission to leave the world a better place than she found it. Gregg said that “As [she] applied sunscreen, lotion, and any number of beauty products on [herself] and [her] kids, [she] never thought for a second they might not be safe…we live in a country that regulates everything. So imagine [her] surprise when [she] learned that when it comes to the personal care industry, that’s simply not the case. Companies are allowed to use harmful ingredients and make their own judgments about safety.” There are more than 80,000 chemicals on the market today. Many don’t have any safety data.THE FEDERAL REGULATIONS ON SKINCARE AND BEAUTY PRODUCTS HAVE NOT BEEN CHANGED IN THE U.S. SINCE 1938.

Some leading companies even mislead customers to believe that their products are natural and safe through their marketing, when in fact what they are selling is full of potentially harmful chemicals. Some of the most harmful products on the market include perfumes, body lotions with intense artificial fragrances, and deodorant. Even makeup products do not have to clear any ingredient protocol in the U.S. (where there are less than 40 chemicals banned), while in other European nations and even Canada the product cannot include around 1600 harmful chemicals. For many international cosmetics and skincare brands, they produce “clean” products that pass the list of banned ingredients for Europe, and then a separate line in the U.S. where there are no regulations to be met.

Our skin is the largest organ we have, and it directly absorbs what products we put on it. Gregg gave me a wake-up call for an issue that needs addressing. I am very careful about what I am putting into my body when it comes to eating organic, non-processed, non-GMO foods, and now I know that I also need to be careful of what I am putting on my body.

This amazing app, Healthy Living, scans any beauty product and will tell you the toxicity of it based on its composition. While for me it has been tough to let go of some of my favorite everyday essentials, it isn’t an all or nothing approach. I just started with my body wash, lotion, deodorant, and a few makeup products. I have been on a hunt to find clean beauty products and am excited to share some of the awesome ones I am now using and others that I can’t wait to try!