Most of us think that living a healthy lifestyle means starting an exercise routine and changing the way we eat. But in reality it’s a lot more than that. It’s getting enough sleep. It’s learning how to deal with stress. And it’s changing the every day hair, skin, and beauty products we use.

The last one might surprise you because it’s not something we often think about. But the reality is that your skin is one big organ and it absorbs what you put on it. Think about birth control and nicotine patches! Beauty products are often absorbed as well; up to 64% of the chemicals you put on your skin are absorbed. That includes things like BHA, Parabens, Oxybenzone, Sodium Lauryl Sulfates, Formaldehyde, and many more.

If that is truly the case, then we should really start to give more thought to our beauty regime. That includes checking out your shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, lotions, moisturizers, face and body cleansers, toothpastes, and make up.

While the jury is still out on many of the connections between synthetic chemicals and disease, I know I would personally rather use a product that comes from nature and has less additives. Thus, two of my favorite companies that I order most of my beauty products from are Burt’s Bees and Lush.

Both companies design their products to contain only natural ingredients, most of which are animal friendly. Both companies are environmentally friendly and promote sustainable business practices. Lush even has certain products that they donate 100% of the cost to charities. I also think it is important to support companies who do not support animal testing, as both of these companies state in their bios.

There are plenty of other organic, natural, cruelty-free beauty companies out there, and it’s up to us to do our research and figure out which one best works for our bodies and the environment.