“Remember that the happiest people are not those getting more, but those giving more.”
( H. Jackson Brown, Jr)
While recently watching the movie The Human Experiment, I was reminded of how important it is that each of us takes responsibility for the chemicals we are putting on and into our bodies. I’ve written before about removing highly processed foods from our diets so we aren’t ingesting chemicals. While this is an important step, we must also keep chemicals off of our bodies because our skin is our largest organ and permeable to what we put on it.
Matt has already talked about slowing the flow of chemicals in his home and even listed some of his favorite chemical-free products. Today I want to add to that conversation by telling you about the changes I’ve made to my personal care products and recommending some cleaner choices that I really like. Hopefully, this information can help you clean up your personal care routine and even give you some holiday gift ideas for the women in your life.
First, let’s just get it out there: We women like to look good. I’m not saying our men friends don’t, but my experience tells me that we often make a bigger effort than they do to put our best face, hair and skin forward each day. Part of this process involves using cosmetics and hair styling products, which are difficult to choose even when toxicity is not a concern. And, while some companies out there are trying to improve the quality of these “finishing products”, choosing these items is super personal and it can take several tries to find the right shade, shine or shimmer. As such, I don’t suggest starting the clean-up process with these items, and I definitely don’t recommend buying them for someone else (unless you are a make-up artist or the person’s identical twin!).
Also, I think the most important personal care products to buy non-toxic versions of are those that we put in our bodies (like toothpaste), leave on our bodies for an extended period of time (like deodorant), or use on a near-daily basis (like body wash). These are the products whose ingredients are most likely to be absorbed and, therefore, to have the greatest impact on your toxic load.
To get you started on cleaning up your personal care routine, the following are the clean products that I use and like. And I think they would make great gifts for anyone in your life, too.
- Xyliwhite toothpaste
- Redmond Earthpaste toothpaste (Note: Although this is a super clean product, it did dull my teeth as it is made with Redmond clay. If whiteness is important to you, I would use this one only in the evening and keep a whitening toothpaste on hand for brushing in the morning.)
- Pit Paste deodorant (My favorite is the lavender scent, but they have several others.)
- Fractionated coconut oil as a body moisturizer (Note: Fractionated coconut oil is easily absorbed, so you don’t have to worry about a greasy finish. Plus, you can use it as a base for essential oils, which will give you a lovely scent for the day without having to use perfumes loaded with chemicals. Two of my favorite scents for daily wear are geranium and clary sage.)
- Acure Hydrating Cocoa Butter body lotion
- Acure Seriously Firming Facial Serum as a face moisturizer
- JASON Aloe Vera shampoo and conditioner
- Babo Botanicals 3-in-1 wash that can be used as a body wash, shampoo and/or bubble bath
Just imagine how delighted your loved ones would be to receive a gift bag each of non-toxic personal care products this holiday season. Not only will they feel beautiful on the outside, but they will also feel loved on the inside knowing that the natural ingredients in these products will help keep them healthy.
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