BEAUTY, SELF-CARE AND CUTTING THROUGH CLEANMONGERING

For me "beauty" has always been a tricky word in this arena, utterly subjective and for many a reference to models, actors and celebrities blessed with enviably striking looks and figures. I've always been more about what makes skin feel good, encourages hair to co-operate, and quick tips to look to help us appear youthfully refreshed and alert.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit us hard in 2020 and shut down what felt like the world, the term "self-care" gained traction, more about self-soothing than presentation. I'm still mulling the expression, not entirely certain how much better it is than "beauty," but I appreciate the sense of comfort embedded within it.

Now in a time some believe is "post-pandemic" – it's not; COVID with all its variants is nowhere near finished with us – this site is still about enhancing what we already have so we can face the day with a measure of confidence and a little cheeky humour.

Beautygeeks is also about making informed choices, about not buying into manipulative marketing based on misinformation and fear – I now call those insidious tactics CLEANmongering. We have enough to worry about without believing "chemicals" are "toxic," and that "natural" is safer and more environmentally friendly than synthetics.

Everything on this planet is composed of chemicals, and everything can be toxic depending on the dose, even water. Venomous snakes, poison ivy and hemlock aside, natural toxins are everywhere, including tomato plants, rhubarb leaves, nutmeg, raw cashew nuts, star fruit, licorice.... Fun fact: apple seeds and stone-fruit pits contain compounds that turn to cyanide in stomach acid. (Do NOT put whole cherries, peaches or nectarines in smoothies.) And yep, there's the sun, a gigantic, roiling mass of nuclear radiation that nurtures life and skin cancer.

"Clean" beauty is 100% marketing nonsense

As for synthetics, at the very least they allow the opportunity to isolate and remove dangerous components and maximize benefits; they can also temper overuse of precious, limited resources.

I'm not a crusader, nor am I a scientist or chemist or environmental expert, so Beautygeeks can't be all about misinfo-busting. Plus, I still adore a vivid lip, and stuff that makes skin feel comfortable and content.

But I have no patience for misinfomarketing or fearmarketing, so I'll call it out when I see it, and highlight better information when I can.

xoxo