We  all want to feel sexy yet demonstrate compassion for our planet at the same time. In Green Beauty Rules, Padgett shares personal anecdotes, insider secrets and surprising facts about the beauty industry, while seamlessly fusing environmental issues with her modern beauty philosophy.

This is the first book of its kind to offer an action plan for creating a totally green beauty routine! Using a step-by-step formula, Padgett guides readers through the decision-making process of what to try, what to toss, and what to buy. She also teaches practical strategies to make green beauty easy—like how to read labels, see through misleading buzzwords, and identify toxic chemicals.

Green Beauty Rules – the book and the brand – is about discovering that green can be glamorous. Leaving all the jargon behind, Padgett offers precise information in a fun, friendly format, and gives women all the tools they need to reduce their Cosmetic Footprint and adopt a more sustainable, healthy and sexy lifestyle!

For readers who are new to the green beauty scene or already experimenting with ecoconscious makeup and skincare, this is the essential guide to a fresh and sexy attitude for a healthier future.

Introduction:

The Green Glamour Promise

Is it possible to be glamorous while also having compassionate consideration for our planet? Absolutely! For many women, greening our beauty routine simultaneously excites us and scares us. We want to do it because we know it's the right thing to do for our health, yet we fear it because it may mean giving up products we love or have grown accustomed to over the years. Plus, with all the misinformation out there, it makes the transition that much more overwhelming.

Fear no more! I am going to show you how to embrace a kinder, gentler cosmetics philosophy, one that rejects toxic chemicals and animal cruelty, without sacrificing an ounce of style.

As a professional makeup artist for more than ten years, I have eliminated chemicals from my cosmetics and have helped others do the same. I have also redefined my ideas about beauty and let go of old notions about so-called premium products and makeup as a symbol of status. It wasn't always easy to work with a green kit, retain clients, and attract new clients based on being a chemically safe makeup artist. Who wouldn't want to use what is considered the gold standard of beauty products, offering the widest range and the most beautiful packaging? Not me and not my Hollywood clients either. But, with persistence and passion, I've done it, and you can, too.

This book will challenge you to redefine your own ideas about green beauty. And the mere fact that you're reading this right now shows you're open to a new way of thinking. Thank you for being on this journey with me, and I promise to lead you every step of the way to greening your beauty routine. You'll learn how to make smart and sustainable choices as you move away from conventional beauty products to chemically safe cosmetics. Doing so will make you happy and keep you looking hot!

The first step in the process of greening your beauty is to understand what it means and why it matters. I didn't understand what it meant when I began my journey into living an eco-friendly lifestyle. I didn't realize that my cosmetics could have anything to do with harming our planet or myself. It was when I finally realized the impact of what I call my 'cosmetic footprint'—my cosmetic toxic burden on my health and the environment—that I made the change for good.

As you read this book, you will come to understand why it's so important to use clean products on your skin and why I consider your beauty routine a diet. Skin absorbs cosmetic products like food; chemicals are absorbed through your pores into your body. This is why chemicals are so effective in prescription and over-the-counter medicines. You will learn what toxic chemicals can do to your body, where to look for them, and how to avoid the major offenders. I will teach you about the dangers of synthetic fragrances, parabens, and petrochemicals. When you learn how toxic chemicals react in your body, you will want to buy clean, nontoxic cosmetics. Buying premium brands won't matter as much to you as making healthier choices.

Once you start viewing your beauty routine as a diet, you will want to be cleaner in all aspects of your life. As a mom to a two-year-old little girl, it is important that I stay healthy and impart a healthy lifestyle to her. Since greening my beauty routine, I have made other positive changes. I feel more in control of my health and more confident in my choices for my daughter and myself. Maintaining glamour is the standard in my line of work, and I have been able to achieve and sustain a green beauty lifestyle that I am passionate about, where I look as good as I feel.

If you are learning about toxic chemicals in makeup for the first time, you're probably feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. I've been there too and I get it. So how do you know what's good and what's green? This is where the book comes in. I have spent years researching chemicals in cosmetics and using clean products with the goal of knowing what works and what doesn't. I know what changes women can realistically make in their busy lives, and I'm going to share everything in my vault with you. We're going to cover it all: what to know about the beauty industry, how to read labels, which chemicals
to watch out for, and how to shop for pure, healthy, and high-
performance cosmetics. I want you to be inspired by this information in order to become savvier, healthier, and sexier than ever!

You can read this book cover to cover or per topic of interest. It's laid out for you to achieve ultimate success. This guide will help you easily navigate the transition to clean cosmetics. Don't panic—I won't be asking you to dump all your favorite products at once. It's a gradual process. In fact, using my 80/20 rule, you may actually be able to keep your signature scent or go-to lipstick. Does that make you breathe a little easier? Hopefully so.

You can move between chapters as you need specific information, and you can go back to the book again and again anytime you want to find the best mascara or concealer. There are no hard and fast rules. Make it work for you.

So let's get started.

©2015 Paige Padgett. All rights reserved. Reprinted from The Green Beauty Rules: The Essential Guide to Toxic-Free Beauty, Green Glamour, and Glowing Skin . No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the written permission of the publisher. Publisher: Health Communications, Inc., 3201 SW 15th Street, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442.