How Fashion, Beauty, and Wellness Intersect
You might be asking yourself, “How do fashion and beauty apply to a health and wellness blog?” and we understand the confusion. It may seem that the clothing we wear and the products we use on a daily basis are removed from nutrition and physical activity. But remember, everything is connected! The most obvious implication of the products and textiles we use and purchase are toxic chemicals.
PRODUCTS AND OUR HEALTH
Un-ingested chemicals in products are primarily associated with skin irritation symptoms, but they can affect us much deeper. As you’ve probably heard a million times, skin is the largest organ of the body. It’s also incredibly absorbent. What we apply to the surface of our skin can seep into our bloodstream. Airborne fragrances enter our bodies through the eyes, nose and mouth. The impacts of personal care products on our endocrine system can be detrimental to our health, and are in fact carcinogenic. One example published by the National Institute for Health (NIH) has reported a higher risk of breast cancer in women who use permanent hair color and chemical straighteners. If all these products are notoriously bad for us as the end consumer, what about the workers handling the ingredients and the environment where byproducts are dumped? This doesn’t just apply to beauty and skin products; clothing has similar issues. Materials manufactured with toxic chemicals can make it into our bodies through contact. When we indulge in fast fashion retail, we are not buying long-lasting items. This causes us to shop more frequently, enlarging our carbon footprint due to product manufacturing. Additionally, fast fashion apparel exposes us to higher levels of chemicals present on newly produced goods, as these companies tend to follow less regulations.
SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL PRESSURES
In an age where our eyes are glued to idols on the internet, we are reminded multiple times daily that our looks should be a priority above all else. Everyday people, not limited to influencers and celebrities, are not only NOT aging, but are also enhancing every aspect of themselves like something we used to see only in sci-fi films or Hollywood. For those of us on the sidelines, it almost feels irresponsible not to partake in botox, fillers, and cosmetic surgeries. Now more than ever, fashion is moving at ultra-speed. Suddenly, everyone owns designer goods! Moms are celebrated for being perfectly coiffed and bikini-ready at just one month postpartum. Men boast the latest car, a six pack of abs, and multiple luxury watches. Let’s just say, the pressure is on!
When talking about the mental health implications of modern beauty standards, it’s important to ask ourselves, “How do we define make-up”? Well, the origin of the term makeup stems from “To invent a story, compose a whole, or to compensate for something lost.” Let’s consider the social standards we are internalizing and the message we are sending to the little eyes watching us each time we feel the need to “make-up.” At the Tempted Temple Company, we want our followers – and especially our tiny temples (children) – to see themselves as real, complete, and unflawed. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines fashion as “A social standing or prominence, especially as signaled by dress or conduct.” Fashion is also described as “The prevailing style”, which means having most appeal or influence. We want our audience to feel their clothes are so much more than simply trendy or “in style”. When dressing and getting ready for the day, let's be reminded of our values, efforts, and intentions. Let’s dress for what we know and how we feel. Fashion and beauty can be fun - we aren’t suggesting you ignore it altogether. Our hope is that our community will learn to protect our souls, our health, and the wellness of the planet through our choices in beauty and fashion purchases. We have power in where we spend our money.
THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL
There is a phrase, “Today’s luxury brings tomorrow’s decadence.” The Latin root of the word decadence means “to fall down.” This word is often used to describe a guilty pleasure, a falling society, or something that’s decaying due to self-indulgence. In other words, it was so good, it became bad. Some beauty and fashion routines can reflect this theme. An example of a counterproductive routine might be starting the day with a heavy foundation to cover up blemishes, only to create more future breakouts. Then, styling hair with hot tools and chemicals, leading to more breakage, requiring additional products. Then, finishing with a spritz of perfume only to be breathed and absorbed. These examples contribute to a higher toxic load. When our bodies are burdened in this manner, it adds to congested detox pathways, which can then cause symptoms that affect our appearance such as yellowing eyeballs, brittle hair and nails, clogged pores, rashes, etc. Many people don’t realize that the key to a thriving outward appearance is through the inside. Health is beauty, and it truly stems from the inside out.
Remember our term “bio-individuality”? Just as it is with health, everyone’s situation is unique with beauty and fashion. There is no need to stress over replacing every single item immediately, but over time we can start to live a cleaner, healthier, and more intentional life. Healing our insides will start to show through our skin, hair, nails, and radiant energy. This will lessen the need to make ourselves up. In avoiding harmful chemicals and by properly nourishing our bodies, we will feel strong and confident in our skin. Our clothes will start to feel different – even like they’re new again! We might find ourselves not needing to buy as much to make ourselves feel some type of way. As we buy products purposefully, we will have more love and respect for things we do have. We will see ourselves as individuals that make decisions based on our best interests and wellness aspirations. Soon, we begin to see the negative spiral become a positive one. This is the power that our purchasing decisions in beauty and fashion can have on our wellness.