Average woman uses TWELVE products every morning!

Fancy yourself pretty average?

According to stats presented at a launch I attended recently, chances are you use a whopping twelve personal care products before you leave the house each day.

Not convinced?

Add it up… toothpaste, body-wash, shampoo, conditioner, cleanser, moisturiser, deodorant, concealer, foundation, mascara, lipstick, perfume…getting the picture?

I tallied my up my own list and realised, unsurprisingly, that it takes me around twenty products before I’m ready to face the world. Scary thought huh?

Made all the more scary by the fact it’s estimated we absorb up to 60% of what we put onto our faces and bodies each day. That’s right – more than HALF of what you slap onto your face and spray into your hair goes into your bloodstream – and with some of us teetering above twenty products a day, it brings home the fact that the overwhelming majority of us don’t actually know what’s in the products we’re putting into our bodies.

Thankfully, beauty brands are becoming more conscious of what they put into their products, with natural ingredients growing in popularity. But the word ‘natural’ isn’t enough. If we took everything at face value, we’d have to believe that Pammy’s ample bust was good genetics and Shane Warne’s new face was the result of ‘a healthy lifestyle’ (yeah, right!)

So what should you look out for? While it’s almost impossible to go 100% natural, you can minimize harm by opting for products that are dermatologically-tested, hypoallergenic and fragrance free. Where possible, you should try to steer away from products that are high in chemicals, like paraben, hexachlorophene, methyl, propyl and formaldehyde.

As an informed shopper, I make a point to always read the back of the pack before I test a product. Though someone recently suggested I could make life easier for myself by simply cutting back on my beauty products…But that’s just crazy talk.