Beauty Products and YOUR Health: Why Knowing What You Use Matters

Your daily beauty routine might include cleansers, moisturizers, makeup, and hair products. These items promise to make you look and feel your best, but have you ever stopped to consider what's actually in them? Ignoring the ingredients in your beauty products can have serious consequences for your health. In this post, we'll explore why it's essential to know what's in your beauty products before it leads to toxicity or, in extreme cases, cancer.

1. Skin is Your Body's Largest Organ

Your skin is more than just a surface; it's the body's largest organ. It's porous, which means it can absorb substances it comes into contact with, including the chemicals in beauty products. When you apply products containing harmful ingredients, they can seep into your bloodstream, potentially causing damage over time.

2. The Risks of Toxic Ingredients

Many beauty products on the market contain toxic substances like parabens, phthalates, and formaldehyde-releasing agents. These chemicals are known to disrupt hormones, irritate the skin, and have even been linked to cancer. Without proper awareness, you could unknowingly be exposing yourself to these dangers.

3. Long-Term Health Effects

The cumulative effect of using toxic beauty products can be devastating. Over time, these chemicals can build up in your body and increase your risk of health issues, including hormonal imbalances, skin disorders, and, in severe cases, cancer. It's crucial to prioritize long-term health over short-term beauty gains.

4. The Importance of Ingredient Labels

One of the simplest ways to protect yourself is by reading ingredient labels. Familiarize yourself with common harmful chemicals and learn how to spot them in product descriptions. Look for natural, organic, and non-toxic alternatives. Brands that prioritize transparency will often provide ingredient lists free from harmful substances.

5. Advocate for Safer Products

By demanding safer beauty products, you can contribute to positive change in the industry. Share your concerns with brands, choose products that prioritize health, and support initiatives advocating for stricter regulations in the beauty industry. Your voice can make a difference.

Your beauty routine should enhance your well-being, not jeopardize it. Being aware of what's in your beauty products is a crucial step in safeguarding your health. Toxic ingredients can have serious consequences, so take the time to educate yourself, read labels, and choose safer alternatives. Your body will thank you in the long run, and you'll be one step closer to a healthier and more beautiful you.

New year, new tools for clean beauty

Hey there, 2020! Nice to meet you. Take your shoes off, get comfortable!

Now that we’ve all had time to get used to this new decade, it’s time to talk about a couple of new stars in the ONLY family that were designed to work perfectly with our line of products: our hairbrush and scalp scrubber!

The scalp scrubber is a pure delight, with wet or dry hair. It’s the perfect accessory for a great co-wash, deep conditioning treatment or your regular shampoo routine. Outside of the shower, use this beauty with a dollop of ONLY to maximize your hair’s volume before you take on the world. (Better yet, take it to go, and give yourself the gift of a quick scalp massage anywhere!)

Our wooden paddle brush fits perfectly in your hand, with enough weight to tackle the most unruly hair — but light enough that you don’t regret giving up that resolution to hit the gym more often. Whether your goal is to detangle, smooth out or just brush-and-go, this is the tool for you.

It’s a new year, with new tools to make you look — and more importantly feel — your best. We’ve got you covered.

How to Use Your ONLY

We just introduced a slew of new products, and you might have gotten a few lately. So let’s review what they all are, and what they do!

Condition & Cleanse: The original essential hair and skin conditioner. It’s an oil-free conditioner, co-wash and skin lotion in one.

Everything: A fragrance-free volumizing lotion, curl cream, beard tamer and makeup primer.

Tame: Our hair and beard tamer, conditioner, face lotion/makeup primer and after-sun lotion. (And it’s fragrance-free, too!)

Magic: The amazing UVA/UVB hair & skin protectant and heat protectant. It smooths rough skin, decreases fine lines and wrinkles, helps prevent oxidative damage, softens and protects hair & skin. That’s right, it’s basically MAGIC.

Gentle Shampoo: Our new shampoo and face wash, gentle enough to use every day.

And there you have it: everything you need to know about how to use your ONLY! Enjoy, friends!

Meet ONLY’s Newest Arrivals

ONLY GENTLE SHAMPOO & FACEWASH

What’s the difference between the skin on your face and the skin on your scalp? Your face is about 6 inches lower. So why not have a shampoo and face wash all in one?
ONLY Gentle is designed to cleanse the scalp and face without harsh surfactants stripping the skin of oil. While safe for daily use, this little bottle packs a punch and can even be used as a bubble bath for the little ones. (And the big ones, too. Everyone deserves a bubble bath!)

ONLY FLAT PADDLE BRUSH

What’s this? Nothing but the best little paddle brush around to smooth out hair and detangle your tresses. This lightweight wooden brush fits nicely in the hand, and it is perfectly adorned in ONLY fashion.

ONLY TAME

What a beautiful time for new hair! What I’m most excited about in this scent-free product is the addition of the Aloe Vera Leaf juice for extra hydration.
That means it softens the outside of the hair very well, and it helps to break down dead skin cells.
Imagine getting a fresh yellow onion: You need to peel off the outer edges to get to the softer parts. Aloe does that for your hair, and is phenomenal for beard hair, too!

(And unlike typical beard lotions, Tame doesn’t contain any oils!) Check out all our new offerings today!

XOXO,

Nina

A Little Bit of Everything Goes a Long Way!

There’s nothing more magical than hearing how my products have helped real people. Which is why I’m so excited to share this review of ONLY Everything from my friend Ellen Day:

“ONLY EVERYTHING is a miracle product! 

“I love ONLY, and never thought I would find a better product than that for so many different things (shave cream! ingrown hair prevention! sunburn! primer! curl treatment! lotion!), but I just dived into a bottle of ONLY EVERYTHING and it is INCREDIBLE!

“I used it yesterday as a last-minute crisis-averter: I had gotten a little carried away with using retinol again, and my skin had been increasingly sensitive. And yesterday, as I was about to leave to go out with friends to enjoy the day on Rainey Street, I took one last look in the mirror and saw to my horror that MY FACE WAS PEELING OFF, makeup and all!

“I panicked momentarily until I saw the bottle of ONLY EVERYTHING on my shelf and thought, “What the heck?” and put a pea-sized amount on my fingers and rubbed it into the whole area, on top of my makeup.  All of the peeling COMPLETELY disappeared!  No more flaking, no roughness, no irritation, just smooth, moisturized beautiful skin!

“I used it again last night all over my face before bed, and this morning after I washed my face, and my skin is healing and recovering from the sensitivity so quickly.  No more peeling, no more redness. It is bar none one of the most effective humectants I have ever put on my skin, and I have bought some of the most expensive brands in the world.

“The best part?  Despite the fact that it has HONEY in it, IT. IS. NOT. STICKY!  Literally feels like nothing on my hands when I have finished rubbing it in. It’s amazing.

“Thank you so much for your genius!!!”

How do ONLY products help you fight the good fight? Try them, and let me know!

XOXO,

Nina

Beyond the Mustache: Supporting Men’s Health this Movember

Sure, Movember means we get some dapper gents all November long. But more importantly, we get a much-needed spotlight on aspects of men’s health that are too-often overlooked, including:

1. Testicular cancer

2. Prostate cancer

3. Mental health

The bad news is that on average, men die six years earlier than women worldwide. The good news is that we know how to prevent it.

That’s why I’m so proud to support my brother’s Movember fundraising efforts. (And giving him a few test batches of our soon-to-be released ONLY Tame to keep that majestic mustache looking its best!)

Too often stigmas — especially around mental health — lead the men in our lives to suffer in silence. The Movember project gives us all the perfect opportunity to learn, discuss and support awareness efforts now and all year long, whether or not you donate money, time or your own handsome face. Let’s help keep all of our Mo Bros looking and feeling their best.

XOXO,

Nina

Make Your Scalp Happy (And Healthy!)

ONLY’s new silicone scalp and conditioner brush is your new best friend. Its uses include:

1. Stimulating new hair growth with its soft, flexible bristles.

2. Exfoliating to reduce dandruff and dry scalp. Just use a dollop of ONLY and scrub it in wet hair, paying particular attention to the crown of your head.

3. Volumizing dry hair when paired with ONLY Everything.

Our one-piece brush is easy to use, easy to clean and best of all? It feels great!

Stop by Urban Betty to pick yours up today!

5 Ways to Use ONLY This Fall

DIY With ONLY

It’s that wonderful time of the year where the seasons start to change and the air gets one degree cooler in Texas, but everyone talks about “feeling” that really cold air (air in the 80s — dare say it 60s!) and starts to pull out the winter coats. 

As anyone with hair longer than shoulder length knows, with the winter coats, collars and scarves come the ever-present tangle of hair at the back of the base of the neck where your hair hits the winter garment. 

Sometimes your hair is just more naturally curly at the base of the neck, I see it more often than knot (I couldn’t resist that one), and curly hair just likes to coil upon itself. 

Also, scarves tend to be made of wool, cotton or other water-wicking materials that can dry out the hair more than usual, leading to dried hair cuticles that act like velcro.

First steps when you have a tangle

1. Please do not pull at it, unless it fairly gives. If you pull at it and then stretch the hair and physically break hair bonds, these strands will not repair and they will eventually break and tangle more.

2. Wet brushes will be your friend. These little brushes now come from a variety of companies and they have pliable bristles that won’t snag or cause extra tension in the hair. 

3. Get about a quarter amount of ONLY Conditioner, place it directly on the tangle, and squeeze the product into the hair. Let this sit for a minute or two.

4. Spray a little bit of water onto the tangle, work from the bottom of the hair to the top, and start to do little by little to dismantle the tangle. 

5. If you need a little extra oomph because the hair is very dry or brittle you can add a drop or two (or 10) of jojoba oil into ONLY, because you can easily emulsify oils into the conditioner without it turning greasy. 

Want some other tips about how to make ONLY DIY products? Here are a few that can all be mixed ahead of time to be used when you need them!

DIY heat protectant

1 Tbs ONLY Conditioner

3-5 Drops of Organic Rice Bran Oil

DIY Calming Lotion

1 TBS TAME (coming super soon)

1-2 drops of Lavender EO

1 drop lime EO

1 drop clary sage EO

DIY Energizing Lotion

1 TBS TAME

2 drops grapefruit EO

3 drops peppermint EO

Did you also know that you can mix shea butter, coconut oil, olive oil, vitamin E and other hair-healthy oils into your ONLY to create almost any product that you see on the shelves for a fraction of the cost? Let me know what you would like to see a DIY version of, and I’ll write the recipe! Have fun creating!

XOXO, 

Nina

Now is the time to ask questions

I feel like I can breathe a little bit better this week, don’t you? Hands up in the air if you feel like the last two weeks have been a rush of every single emotion available PLUS every single thing that you had to do all at once.  Hopefully, cross fingers, we are all moving into the realm of less overall heat and leading into cooler temps. (Everyone in Texas is still shaking their heads)

So some funny things have been happening this month that have really lead me to be super introspective and focus. I will admit, I do get very passionate about research and reading medical studies on ingredients and their interactions.

And that sometimes it leads me down a very fun path.

Looking for the perfect product

This particular time, about three weeks ago, I was researching a product line because I really liked their marketing and how they told their story about they’re beginnings. But, something was throwing me off. 

Inside all of the marketing material, the product claimed to be fully transparent. The owners were all about voicing the truth and showing up. 

Perfect, me too.

We only use the best possible ingredients and let you know why we are using them.

Also me. Go on. 

We never use any items that were derived from animal products. 

We use local Texas honey in ONLY Everything for volume and texture, but nothing else has animal by-products. 

Then I came across one of the ingredients and it threw me off because everything I have learned about this ingredient is that it is animal-derived. But I wanted to give the owner and producer of the product the benefit of the doubt because that is the civil thing to do, so I didn’t write a review online for everyone to see. 

Red flags ahoy

Don’t worry my friends; I wrote an email. I wanted to know their process and was hoping that I could learn something from a fellow small-business owner. The first email I inquired about how they found a vegan form of the ingredient that I knew wasn’t vegan (nicely of course). The owner's response (I was very happy to have had the owner respond to me) was short and cordial and gave the information about where the ingredient was sourced. They were welcoming and pleasant and were happy to keep me informed of how they were using their product (exactly what they promised online).

Here’s the problem: I knew now that they were falsifying information, saying they were using one ingredient and actually using another. 

So I sent another email with all of my backup research because I would rather go down in flames protecting those who don’t know how the product is made or don’t have the time (or the passion) to research every little thing. Their reply was not so wonderfully accepting like the first time, and I know that they didn’t like me pressing the issue.  

In short, they told me that they were a small company and that they didn’t know anything else about their ingredient beyond what they told me -- and that if I didn’t like their product, I could get what I wanted from a larger company. 

WHOOOOAAAA hold the phone, what????

True clean beauty — for everyone

Raise your hand if you’ve tried to be open and honest, and the other side was not cooperating. So then they did everything to shut it down and not expose themselves. I can see if someone doesn’t know how to express something personal and needs help communicating their views. What I don’t find valid is when they are falsifying information and getting away with it on the basis that they are a small family-owned company. 

NO. That’s not good enough. 

ONLY is also a small company, and I know absolutely everything that goes into my product because I helped create it with a chemist in the UK. It took nine months in the preliminary phase and four months afterward to create it specifically to standards. ONLY is like my third child. 

I didn’t respond to this email after the owner proposed just going somewhere else to receive the product that I was searching for. My standards are higher than that, and I won’t antagonize someone who is already in the corner and baring teeth. It’s not right, and it doesn’t prove a point. 

But what I will do is stand up for others by inquiring on the sites that are selling her products. They need to receive higher clarification for the misrepresentation. 

Here is my ONLY promise. I will stand up for those that can’t speak for themselves, even if it’s not my product. I want to create a dynamic where small companies work together to create something larger and better for ourselves, in turn making every product safer. If you ever get stuck, please reach out. I will help you ask the tough questions, because we should all promote transparency and work together. 

XOXO,

Nina