09/03/2026
Cancer rates in women under 50 are rising β and the numbers are worth paying attention to.
According to the American Cancer Society, women under 50 are now being diagnosed with cancer at a rate 82% higher than men under 50.
That statistic really made me stop and think.
There are many possible reasons cancer rates are changing, I'm certainly not saying cosmetics or cleaning products are the only cause.
But it did make me think about something we can control to some degree: what we put on our bodies and what we bring into our homes.
Think about everything we use every day β lotions, moisturizers, makeup, hair products, hair dye, nail polish, perfume, deodorant and more.
Then think about what's in our homes: laundry products, floor cleaners, disinfectants, bathroom cleaners, air fresheners, scented sprays and all the other products we use to clean and fragrance our homes.
One commonly cited estimate found that the average woman uses about 12 personal-care products containing approximately 168 different chemical ingredients each day.
That doesn't mean all of those ingredients are harmful. But it made me want to pay closer attention.
I've personally made some changes. I stopped wearing makeup, stopped coloring my hair for years, and now I'm even thinking twice about continuing with my highlights.
And this is one reason I'm so passionate about the direction I'm taking my business.
After 11 years of making handmade soy candles, I'm now expanding into personal-care products. As I develop my men's grooming line, perfumes, colognes, hair mists, shave soap and aftershave products, I'm being very intentional about the ingredients I choose.
I'm looking for thoughtfully selected, plant-based ingredients and clean-fragrance options that I feel good about using myself.
I also believe in supporting small artisan businesses that intentionally create more conscious options for our homes and our bodies.
I'm not saying every small business is better or that every large company is bad.
I'm simply saying: be curious.Turn the bottle around. Read the ingredients.
β€οΈ Now I'm curious about you.
Have you made a list of the personal-care and household products you use
