Name: Aleigh Acerni
Age: 31; my dad’s lucky number!
Location: Charlotte
Online homes: blog // twitter // facebook
Favorite Karina dress: I love the Gala dress!
What are your every day, must-reads, online or off?
I always start my day with Charlotte’s local NPR station, WFAE. It’s not really reading, but it’s how I stay informed about the world and my city. Beyond that, I’m a writer and magazine editor, so I have a ton of favorites. Locally, I’m partial to Charlotte magazine (where I work), but beyond that, I’m a huge fan of Whole Living and Bust. And when it comes to blogs, I have so many favorites, but here are just a few: Poppytalk; Fact, Fiction, & Everything In Between, my friend Sabrina’s blog; and Noble Pig.
You’re passionate about natural and organic beauty products. Why is so important to be conscious of the ingredients in our cosmetics?
In the United States, testing of cosmetics is voluntary—the U.S. Food and Drug Administration considers the cosmetics industry to be a self-regulating industry. Add to this the fact that, according to the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database, 89% of ingredients used in personal care products have not been evaluated for safety by any publicly accountable institution—that means the burden is put on you as a consumer to take responsibility for using products that are safe.
Then, when you consider that your body’s biggest organ, your skin, absorbs what you put on it (otherwise, those acne treatments would never be able to sink deep enough in your skin to battle those pesky zits), it’s obvious that if there’s an ingredient you wouldn’t put IN your body through the food you eat (like, say, lead, which has been found in large amounts in a bunch of lipsticks, from the drugstore brands to the pricier luxury options), you probably don’t want to be putting in ON your body, either. This short video by The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics does a really good job of illustrating how our cosmetics industry got to this point.
What are some of your favorite natural and organic cosmetic companies?
So many! Alima Pure has great mineral makeup, Vapour Organics has great products, and for skincare/bodycare I love Pangea Organics and Acure Organics. My latest favorite shampoo/conditioner combo is Broo, made just outside of Charlotte with beer from Asheville.
If you could give your 16 year old self advice, what would you say?
Step away from the Clinique counter!
Your perfect day. What would it look like?
A hike to a waterfall with my husband and dogs with a picnic lunch, followed by a hot shower and a long massage. Yes, that sounds perfect.
Thanks for sharing, Aleigh!