Natural Products

Although I have been doing the GAPS diet for almost a year it has taken me much longer to transition my makeup to more natural versions.  I guess one of my frustrations is 1. finding products that are actually chemical free (this is very tough with makeup) and 2. finding products that actually work (i.e. deodorant.)

I figured this post would be a good start to reviewing some of the products I have been using as well as mentioning why it is so important to be aware of what you put on your skin. As I experiment with more products I will provide updates.

Why is it really important to care about what goes on your skin in the same way you care about what goes in your body? Well, even though its strange to think about, your skin is your largest organ and it absorbs whatever you put on it right into your blood stream. So it is really important to be just as careful about what you put on your body as what you put in it. Read this article for more information about your personal care products and sodium lauryl sulfate. Interesting stuff.

Personal Care Products I am currently using:

Deodorant: 
I mentioned above that deodorant is a tough one. I have found that natural brands will work for a few weeks and then all of a sudden not work so well - not exactly an experience you want to have very often!  Putting aluminium on my freshly shaved armpits though is really not an option so natural is the way to go. 

Brands I have tried:
- Tom's Natural Deodorant (Lavender)
- Vichy Unscented Deodorant
- Soapwalla Natural Deodorant
- Burt's Bees Herbal Deodorant

With both Tom's and Vichy - sometimes they work and sometimes they don't.  I keep Tom's in my gym bag, but don't rely on it daily. Soapwalla works pretty well, but the problem is for me that it tends to chafe my underarm even though I shave at night and apply in the morning.  It does work pretty well though.  Burt's Bees is the newest addition to the deodorant arsenal and I like it a lot. It has a herbal scent that is not feminine, but not unpleasant and it seems to work pretty well so far. The product does have alcohol so it can burn freshly shaven skin. 

Toothpaste:
Fluoride, artificial colors, ick.

Brands I have tried:
Tom's Natural toothpaste is what I use.  They have recently come out with a version that is also sodium lauryl sulfate free which is what I am using now.

Here are some all-natural recipes that I'd like to try - much cheaper than the $5 a tube I pay for Tom's.

Shampoo and Conditioner:
Again, the concern here is phalates and sulfates (among other things) - aka endocrine disruptors - not nice.

Brands I have tried:
- Yes To Carrots
- Burt's Bees

Both are good and work well - I prefer the smell of the Burt's Bees, but the Yes to Carrots seems to work better and I can go longer between washes.

Face Wash
Brands I have tried:
- Burt's Bees Radiance Facial Cleanser with Royal Jelly
- Burt's Bees Sensitive Skin Facial Cleanser with Cotton Extract
- Burt's Bees Acne Pore Refining Scrub

As you can see, I am a big fan of Burt's Bees products. I like all three of these for different reasons.  The royal jelly is great for deeper cleaning and removing makeup. The sensitive skin and acne I use like to switch off using in the morning depending on the state of my skin. Pleased with all three. I would also like to try washing my face with oil at some point.  Read about that here.

Nail polish
Nail polish is so smelly and full of chemicals, but I still like the look of painted nails, especially when going to client meetings or special occasions.

Brands I have tried:
OPI
Essie
Butter London
Suncoat

Nail polish formulated without the "toxic trio" of chemicals, formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and toluene, two reproductive toxins, are all things you want to avoid.  OPI, Essie, and Butter London claim to be 'three-free,' but they still smell horrible, so how good can that be?  With this in mind, I bought two bottles of Suncoat, a water based nail polish. And guess what, it doesn't smell.

Though it is not 100% natural, Suncoat is one of the most natural nail polishes available today - about 70% is water based. I will take that. It doesn't last too long on your nails, but I've had it on my toes for about 2 weeks and its still going strong.

Makeup and Skincare
Face lotion
Brands I have tried:
Argan Oil - Josie Maran
Argan Oil - Aura Cassia
Argan Oil - Mogador

Eye Liner:
Korres Natural Eye Pencils
Formulated without Parabens, Sulfates, Synthetic Fragrances, Petro-Chemicals and Phthalates, this eyeliner goes on smoothly and lasts all day - I recommend the black, grey, and the blue (though I am not a big blue eyeliner kind of girl).  The other colors don't seem to go on as smoothly.

Mascara:
Josie Maran GOGO Instant Natural Volume Argan Mascara Black
There are cheaper brands of 'natural' mascara out there, but I have been pleased with this brand so haven't experimented with others.

Blush:
Josie Maran Argan Mini Color Stick Rosey
This brand is more natural, but still contains some artificial colors. Not ideal.

Body Lotion:
I have recently made my own!  Here is the recipe I used. I added lavender essential oils so it smells really nice - and I know what is in it!