Ep 37: What is Clean Beauty and Why Should You Care with Jenny Brereton

Is minimalism or intentional living only limited to your home furnishings and clothes closets? Of course not!

The beauty of minimalism (and it’s not just a decorating style with stark white walls) is that it can spill into every area of your life if you allow it. Minimalism is living intentionally and being mindful of the things we let into our lives and homes and as today’s guest reminds us, what we put on our bodies.

I was thrilled to get to chat with Jenny Brereton about clean beauty on the latest episode of the Wannabe Minimalist Show because she has such a passion for how to incorporate healthier products into our routines and what clean beauty can do for all of us.

She reminds us that the beauty industry has very little regulation and unlike a lot of the modern world, the USA has not banned many ingredients that are considered harmful in other countries. We need to be our own advocates and use our money to purchase healthier options for our families. The problem is that it can be difficult to know which products to buy. Thankfully this episode gives you a great place to start.

Jenny has always had a passion for her health, the environment, and caring for animals. She loves working with women in helping them feel beautiful and confident.

After learning about the dangers we put on our bodies through our beauty products, it became her mission to educate other women on recognizing the toxins in their products.

If you have ever considered being more intentional with the beauty products you buy or thought about clean beauty, this show is for you.

This episode of the Wannabe Minimalist Show will help you discover:

What clean beauty means?
10 ingredients you should avoid when purchasing beauty products
Better sun care alternatives that won’t harm the ocean but at just as effective against sun damage
The #1 Jenny suggests you do to get started when going through your beauty products
How to simplify your beauty routine to save time and money everyday

HIGHLIGHTS

[00:00] – This episode is brought to you The QUICK Way to Declutter and Organize Your Home. This 5 part mini-course will help you declutter, tidy, and organize any room in your home. Get started today!

[00:56] – Deanna welcomes listeners back to the show and introduces listeners to Jenny Brereton of JennyBrereton.com.

[03:00] – Jenny introduces herself and tells us about how her life in Florida really inspired her to live with less. Her experience of seeing people’s garbage on the beach taught her about how much stuff we all actually have.

[03:55] – We learn how Jenny wishes she could live and what that has meant for her journey toward minimalism and living intentionally.

[04:27] – Deanna totally relates to Jenny’s desire to live like you’re moving.

[05:10] – Jenny describes her mission to sharing clean beauty with the world. She teaches us what clean beauty means and tells us about how the beauty industry has been regulated over the past decades.

[06:15] – Are you confused with the labels on bottles? Jenny shares with us how things are marketed, but may not be what we think they are.

[07:03] – Deanna steps back to the beginning to help any listeners that are super new to this idea of endocrine disrupters.

[07:10] – Jenny gives us an overview of what an endocrine disrupter is and why we need to avoid them.

[08:03] – We take a look at how someone can begin using clean beauty products and where to start when transitioning away from traditional products. There are 10 harmful ingredients that Jenny helps us to avoid.

[08:35] – Discover why fragrance is a super sneaky ingredient and why it makes the top 10 of ingredients to stay away from.

[10:24] – What about sun care? Are there good sunscreens to use that are okay for the environment? Which ones does Jenny use for her family?

[12:22] – Are there good bug sprays that you can use? What is the #1 ingredient Jenny recommends we avoid.

[13:20] – Jenny gives us a DIY bug spray recipe.

[15:03] – Do you color your hair and wonder if you can find good products to use at home? Listen to Jenny’s recommendations for a product you can use at home in-between salon visits. Plus, she gives us 2 more ingredients to stay away from.

[16:30] – Jenny gives us advice about how to have a conversation with your stylist (from a stylist’s perspective) so we can discover if their products are safe.

[17:35] – Is bleach okay to us as we search out clean beauty tips?

[18:58] – How can we keep our beauty routines simple? Jenny gives us some amazing tips. Plus, she gives us an amazing reason to not wash out hair everyday.

[20:04] – Jenny reminds us we do not need to constantly be buying new things?

[20:27] – Do you know what the small jar on your beauty product with a number inside means? I didn’t and I was floored. Hint: it helps you declutter. :)

[22:20] – We have a great laugh about makeup palettes.

[23:21] – Jenny recommends we watch a documentary called Toxic Beauty and gives us a couple of apps we can use to look up products.

[24:40] – Where can you find Jenny online? JennyBrereton.com

[25:23] – What has been Jenny’s favorite simple pleasure this week?

[25:53] – What is the best advice about minimalism or intentional living that Jenny has ever received?

[26:20] – And finally, what is making Jenny happy right now?

[27:25] - Jenny leaves us with the most amazing information right at the end.

[27:53] – Deanna circles back to Jenny’s idea for starting with one beauty product, one category, or one drawer at a time.

[29:00] – Join Deanna in her private Wannabe Minimalist Group on Facebook and get in on the discussions going on there with others just like you. And remember that she loves hearing from listeners, so please get in touch by email at hello@littlegreenbow.com or by sending a message on Instagram (@Little.Green.Bow) or on Facebook (@LittleGreenBow)!

[51:30] – Join Deanna in her private Wannabe Minimalist Group on Facebook and get in on the discussions going on there with others just like you. And remember we love hearing from listeners, so please get in touch by email at hello@littlegreenbow.com or by sending her a message on Instagram (@WannabeClutterFree) or on Facebook (@WannabeClutterFree)!