Why have I added Beauty Counter to Peaceful Sleep Solutions? What do personal care products have to do with children’s sleeping habits? There may not be a direct correlation but I have a passion for reducing our exposure to toxic substances. I have recently been dealing with exposure to toxic mold and the negative health effects that have come along with this exposure. We are all exposed daily to toxins from our cars, our furniture, mattresses, food, water and the products we put on ourselves and our children. Why does this matter? For many chemicals, a single exposure is unlikely to cause serious harm, but over time, small doses add up. The lipstick we wear, the food we eat, and the soap we use to clean our children’s hands often contain harmful chemicals can enter our bodies, hide away in our bones or fat, and build up over time. To make matters even more complicated, some chemicals can be more harmful in combination with other chemicals. The impacts of these chemicals may not be apparent for years.

We are all getting sicker as our exposure to toxic chemicals increases and children are even more vulnerable. There are more than 80,000 chemicals on the market today. Many don’t have any safety data. This is particularly true of those used in the skin care and beauty industry. What’s worse is that the Food and Drug Administration (the agency that regulates cosmetics in the United States) allows companies to use chemicals known to be extremely harmful in the products we put on our bodies and on our kids’ bodies every single day.

I joined Beauty Counter because they have a list of over 1,500 chemicals that they will “never” use because they are harmful or questionable when formulating their products. But beyond that, Beauty Counter is taking action in Washington DC by reforming legislation, oversight, and regulations.

As parents and as rapidly growing children and babies, we need to be getting a full night’s sleep. Our immune system works hard to protect us, especially while we sleep, so let’s support our bodies by sleeping well and reducing chemicals. From skin care to household cleaners to food, reducing exposure to toxic chemicals matters. By making a few simple changes, you can keep your family healthier.

If you have products you love already just make sure they are safe by checking them on this website www.ewg.org.

Interested in trying Beauty Counter? Go to www.beautycounter.com/annegrier

Resources: Beautycounter.com, ewg.org, healthychild.org