Why Natural?

Hello Lovelies - I hope you are happy and well!

Today I want to talk about why I made the switch to all natural beauty products.  Its been quite the journey/adventure, and to be honest it wasn't always easy to choose this lifestyle.  

For as long as I can remember I've always had an intense love for cosmetics.  My introduction to beauty products began when I was just 14.  My mom decided to host a Mary Kay party, and she decided I was old enough to have some of my own makeup.  She only allowed me to purchase mascara and lip gloss, but I remember thinking I was the luckiest girl ever nonetheless.  

From that moment on I was "hooked", and as I grew, my makeup collection grew with me. Cosmetic companies were always coming out with new products, and it was continually exciting to try out the latest trends.  It never occurred to me to look into the ingredient lists. 

The day I had my first health scare, was the day that all changed.  I had some disturbing symptoms that required a visit to my doctor.  Tests were run, and during an agonizing 2 week wait for results to come back in I did some research.  My eyes were open to a world of chemicals both good and bad, and some of the side effects that accompanied them.  Luckily for me, my bill of health came back crystal clear.  My want to continue using any beauty products with certain ingredients did not however.

Now I'm not sharing this in hopes of spreading fear or to make you paranoid about life.  I know plenty of people who don't think twice about the ingredients of products, and they have never had a medical issue in their entire life.  It's simply what triggered my own interest into learning about the aforementioned things.

It's been 5 years since I've made the switch to all natural beauty products, and I hold zero regrets.  Although I must admit the first year was rough...There were lots of cosmetic companies I had adored for years that were hard to let go of, especially when they would release a new item - BUT, I always had my knowledge of clean vs. toxic chemicals to fall back on.  

Fast forwarding to today I now have my own green beauty small business (link in bottom of the post), and the world of all natural cosmetics in general has grown immensely!  I no longer feel like I'll be missing out on something makeup wise because of bad chemicals or otherwise.  If I don't see a clean alternative somewhere then I just make it a goal to create it myself.

Eco-Jo is my happy place.  It brings me an indescribable amount of joy to create, and then to share what I create with others.  As a small business owner AND a mother I take great comfort in knowing that all the ingredients I use are safe.  I can kiss my babies daily, and I never have to worry that my lip color will cause them any sort of harm.  

Bottom line, I hope my simple story provides you with either a curiosity to learn more for yourself or at least a little inspiration to find your own happy place.  

*I urge you to do your own research if you so desire.  I am not a medical professional nor an expert on chemicals.  These are simply my own personal thoughts and feelings.
**www.etsy.com/shop/ecojo