Skin : : Products

                                      
                            'If you wouldn't eat it, don't put it on your skin!'


I heard that great quote a few months ago...although I can't for the life of me remember where I heard it!  If it was you, let me know and I'll give you full credit.
Brilliant, right? It is so simple there is no getting confused.  Just read the label of the products you use...would you eat that?  If the answer is no, then do you really want to absorb it through you skin?

A friend recently asked me to write a post detailing what products I use on my skin.  She's made some wonderful changes in her diet and has come to realize that on this journey toward becoming awake to the idea of personal responsibility...she can no longer ignore all of the toxins we absorb through the products we rub on our skin.

So. Here's how we do things at our house.



Soap: 

We all use the same soap and have since the kids were babies...Dr. Bronner's.  We like the almond best.  I think that Chris would actually prefer the peppermint version, but the boys and I find it a bit too, uh...tingly. Ahem.

Chris and I also use Dr. Bronners as our facial cleanser.  Same soap head to toe.

Dr. Bronners is a  "combination of organic extra virgin coconut, olive, jojoba and hemp oils, together with pure essential oils, creates a unique soap that cleans effectively without being aggressive and produces a velvety-lather that leaves the skin silky-smooth and refreshed." 


*Bonus* You'll dilute this by at least 50%...we do more like 2 parts water to 1 part Soap...so a bottle will last quite a while.  We keep our diluted soap in a pop top plastic water bottle in the shower and then just sprinkle a little in our hands or on the scrubby when we need it.  

Lotion:

This may sound crazy to some of you...but we don't use lotion!  None...I don't even own a single bottle of the stuff.

We use unrefined coconut oil to moisturize.

Yep, it's the only moisturizer we have. Of course we keep a separate jar in the bathroom just for skin care...we aren't dipping our hands into the kitchen coconut oil jar!

I use it on my legs, arms, AND my face.  Works better that any lotion I have ever had and my skin almost never breaks out now...which was a huge problem for me for most of my life.
The boys love to rub it on their hands to make them soft.
*Bonus* We all think it smells so good.  Chris used to hate the smell of my lotions so that is a very good thing!


Shampoo and Conditioner:

We all use Trader Joe's Tea Tree Tingle shampoo and conditioner.


At under $4 a bottle it's a great, affordable, sulfate free, paraben free shampoo.


*Bonus* Tea Tree Oil has been proven to deter lice, so if you have any kids in elementary school this is a great all natural preventative to avoid that Headache!  Tea Tree oil has also been shown to help with dandruff and itchy scalp...although Chris says he hasn't seen any improvement in that department. 


I love the tingly feeling on my head and it leaves my straight fine hair soft, light and shiny.  Luke's long curls love it and Kai's super short hair would probably be fine with just a washcloth of Dr. Bronner's.




Shave Cream:

Trader Joe's Shave cream is A-Mazing!  I have tried so many different shaving lotions and creams over the years, including many higher priced ones from Whole foods and the Co-Op.  Nothing even compares.  It doesn't clog up the razor, doesn't irritate my or Chris's skin and doesn't reek of perfume. 
The consistency is perfect...Not too slimy, not too thick, not too foamy.  
If we didn't have a Trader Joe's near by I would be willing to drive long distances to stock up on the stuff.  It's that good.  
Judging by the reviews it get's on Amazon I'm not the only person who feels this way.


So that's it!  My entire skin care 'regimen'.   


I'll write about beauty products like makeup and nail polish in an upcoming post.


'Till soon,
A

Deodorant : : Homemade

So, let's talk deodorant. Not a glamorous subject, right?  But it's one that affect's me on a daily basis.  That makes it important.

Like most Americans, I have worn some form of underarm protection for most of my life, excluding the first 10 years or so.  And for the last 8-10 years I have hated applying what I know is a toxic substance directly to my skin, but I do it anyway because I haven't found a truly good alternative.


From Passionate Homemaking:

"Did you know nearly all commercial deodorants contain aluminum salts, usually aluminum chlorohydrate? Manufacturers like aluminum because it effectively suppresses perspiration but the metal has a dark side once it makes its way into our body.

Aluminum toxicity: It has been linked to cancer, Alzheimer’s Disease, and other health issues. 

It is especially important for women to take thought to the harmful aluminum materials in deodorant as it has been linked to breast cancer, being that the breast tissue extends up into the armpits.

Most commercial deodorants also contain parabens, which act as preservatives and stabilizers, but which like aluminum can be absorbed into the skin. Parabens mimic estrogen, and though the amounts we absorb on a daily basis might be small, over time, the accumulation can be significant. "

Of course I've tried going without (smelly!).  I have also tried quite a few of the natural alternative brands from Whole Foods or the Natural Foods Co-Op (also smelly!).  All to no avail.

I had pretty much given up and surrendered to using the toxic junk when I saw this recipe on Pinterest: http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2010/02/homemade-all-natural-deodorant.html

The recipe calls for only 3 ingredients  (click the link ↑ for the exact measurements):

• Coconut Oil,
• Baking Soda,
• Arrowroot Powder (or Cornstarch) (I used Cornstarch because it's what I had on hand, but next time I will use Arrowroot)

Of course initially I thought it seemed to simple to actually work, but there were lots of folks touting it's effectiveness in the comments and reviews.

I generally keep all of the ingredients on hand anyway so trying it out was a no brainer.  The entire process of making the deodorant took me about 5 minutes in the kitchen.  I opted to store it in a snap top plastic container.  Easy access and no extra work.  If I had wanted to I could have cleaned out one of our old twist up deodorant containers to keep it in, which would make it seem all official and whatnot.  Seemed like too much effort for something I wasn't even sure would work.

Well...guess what?  IT WORKS!  Really Well!  We've been using it for about a month and after about the first week Chris and I  both threw out all of our store bought stuff and now use this exclusively.  We are both really happy with the results...and it doesn't feel like a compromise at all.  We still sweat...it's not an antiperspirant, although the cornstarch does seem to help with keeping moisture to a minimum.  But, no smell.

Do take the time to read through the Passionate Homemaking post and the comments at the bottom.  Some people's skin had a reaction to the baking soda, but most people were able to remedy this by just changing the proportions of the ingredients.

Go ahead...make some and see.

'Till soon,
A