Why Beauty Is Much More Than Skin Deep
Always more than skin deep…that’s our philosophy, and most likely yours, too.
This post comes from our dear friend, Carlen Altman.
I know, I know. You probably think I am about to write something breezy and heartwarming here about how “it doesn’t matter what you look like, it’s the inside that counts, blah blah blah” and, although this is very true, as you may have noticed, our society can be somewhat cruel when it comes to its unrealistic standards of beauty and emphasis on the outer layers. Do you know what I mean?
In the world I want to live in, it should go without saying that true beauty should start from within, and that being a kind and loving person is much more important than having a “pretty face” (and they’re all pretty in their own way, including yours, yes yours…really).
By and large (or should I say, Extra Small), it is still outer beauty, not inner beauty, that gets the majority of attention, Facebook likes, and (sometimes) higher paychecks. It’s still the models of the world, not the volunteers and model citizens, who are (maybe) irrationally bestowed thousands of Instagram likes and beauty magazines covers (unless you count that time Mother Teresa was on the cover of TIME as a “beauty magazine!”).
But who says we have to tolerate that/adhere to that way of thinking? It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day…and we are all waking up and realizing we have more power than we ever thought possible. Let’s shake things up, ladies, and take back our Universe-given right to be beautiful in all ways.
Thankfully, it seems there’s already a huge shift in the collective minds of women, hanging a hard left towards natural beauty — and for the times we do want to touch up the outer layers of our bodies, an emphasis on natural ingredients in the beauty products we use every day.
Why is this shift to natural beauty and ingredients important? Well, according to a recent study, from the time we wake up, the average woman puts ‘over 500 synthetic chemicals on her body without even knowing.’ What’s worse, our FDA doesn’t even have the authority to approve products before they hit the shelves (click here if you want to help change this!). This is some scary news, considering many of the products women use (especially in America) are banned in other countries and linked to reproductive issues, cancer and worse. Considering that our skin is our biggest organ, and 60% of what we put on our skin is absorbed into our body, it is not just philosophically but also factually correct that beauty is way more than skin deep… I am sure you can agree that no amount of Instagram likes is worth dolling yourself up in toxic ingredients and subjecting unnecessary cruelty to animals or to yourself, facing possible or probable health issues down the line…
I am happy to report that Free People is joining the right side of history and making a very strong commitment to carrying beauty/wellness products that won’t harm our bodies with yucky toxic chemicals, but also ones that are cruelty-free… Considering that natural products work, and that alternatives to animal testing are quicker, safer and more effective, there is no reason we need to be testing cosmetics on innocent bunnies who have absolutely no desire to wear glittery blue eyeshadow.
Beauty isn’t just about your face, your neck, or hands — it’s about your whole body, inside and out. How we take care of our bodies will affect each and every one of our parts, inside and out. And how we treat ourselves and the world matters so much more than the approval of others. Now I want you to go stand up, look at yourself in the mirror, and say “I am beautiful” because it is true, whether you know it or not.
(PS If you’re curious about whether the cosmetics in your own home are toxic, click HERE for a wonderful database by Environmental Working Group and recycle anything that falls into the bad zone …)