October is here, and with it follows the pink ribbon campaign to raise money and awareness about breast cancer. Many of the companies who sell pink coloured gear during October manufacture products that contain toxins linked to breast cancer. Since 1 in 9 women are diagnosed with breast cancer, chances are you know someone, or even you are dealing with this disease.

The big C has invaded our world. Recently, one of my coworkers was diagnosed with breast cancer. I still don’t have words for that. To think this vivacious woman is coping, and managing through that illness is almost too much to bear. Health isn’t something we should take for granted. We need to learn how to take care of ourselves better, and we need to look HARD at the products we use everyday, what we eat, and how it affects our well being. 

Baby Steps

I started taking a hard look at the ingredients in everything over the last few months. To be honest, I found the entire process completely overwhelming. Since I’m not independently wealthy, I had to switch products out over time, and search for alternatives. I didn’t know it at the time, but there is an app for that. (Isn’t there an app for almost everything?). To save you the steps that I went through, download this: Think Dirty, Shop Clean. Scan your beauty products and see where they rate.  The Green Moms Collective are smartie pants too – and they have a Beauty Product Audit to help. Sara from Green Moms Collective’s personal rule is nothing above a 3 gets used in her household, to start anything above 5-6 should be on your priority list to change out.

The first thing I switched out was my kids’ toothpaste. Then my kids’ shampoo & body wash, then my face wash. If you know me, you’ll know I don’t wear makeup! Working on alternatives there for the few times of year I actually do wear it, and for the other products in my bathroom that I haven’t switched out yet!  We’ve joined the team of 5 bloggers who are all various shades of green to introduce you to better beauty brands and show you how simple it is to swap out toxic products for more healthful options. Follow along with @MamaAsh77 @HenFamily @MamanLoupsDen @TheBigToDoList & us!

RSVP & Enter To Win

Green Mom Collective has partnered with 11 Canadian green beauty brands to bring you over $1200+ worth of beauty products over the month. The generous brands include:
Cocoon Apothecary (my favourite face wash!), Stark, Ella’s Botancials (our favourite bubbles!), Pure and Simple, clementine fields, Graydon Clinical Luxury, lovefresh, province apothecary, Les CocoNuts, Chorus Supernatural & petal and post.

October 20 – 23, #GMCBeauty Instagram Loop Giveaway: Watch GMC’s Intagram Account for details

RSVP for our #GMCBeauty Twitter Party on Thu October 29th, 9 pm -10 pm EST by following our sponsors on this Rafflecopter form. There’s over $500 worth of beauty prizes up for grabs!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Holly

a passionate recreation coordinator by day, crazy farm mama of two by night. i live outdoors: growing my own food, camping and hiking with my border collie with two active kids in tow. when I’m not writing, I’m experimenting with recipes, and crafts – or anything else that might keep the monkeys entertained.