Some of you may remember the Project Glow challenge I put together for Caitlin a while back. Well, I’m cooking up a similar challenge, but this time it has an all-natural twist.
The questions I am asking are:
Can I commit to switching to all natural cosmetics?
Will using all natural products improve the appearance of my skin, hair, etc.?
Will I be able to find all natural products without breaking my budget?
A little while ago, I mentioned that I wanted to start buying more natural cosmetic products to replace the current ones that I use. So far I have switched to coconut oil as a body moistruizer and I replaced my non-natural toner with Desert Essence Australian Tea Tree Oil. I love this product. It is quite drying so you have to be prepared to back it up with lots of moisturizer before you put your make-up on though. I just love it. After cleansing my face, I swipe this product all over my face and then I moisturize. I find it really cuts down on shine throughout the day and it has cut my break-outs down so much they are virtually non existent! I think I first found this at Wal-Mart, but I also spotted it in the natural foods section of Loblaws/Superstore (where they have their natural beauty products located).
I will be the first to admit, I have never paid much attention to what ingredients I put on my body, but after some thought, I realized that it was a bit silly of me to be so careful about what I put into my body but not what I put on it. Afterall, skin is the largest organ in the human body!
A few readers pointed me to Skin Deep Cosmetics Safety Database.
I found this description on the About page:
In 2004 we launched Skin Deep, an online safety guide for cosmetics and personal care products. Our aim was to fill in where companies and the government leave off: companies are allowed to use almost any ingredient they wish, and our government doesn’t require companies to test products for safety before they’re sold. EWG’s scientists built Skin Deep to be a one-of-a-kind resource, integrating our in-house collection of personal care product ingredient listings with more than 50 toxicity and regulatory databases.
Now in its fourth year and third major update, our Skin Deep database provides you with easy-to-navigate safety ratings for nearly a quarter of all products on the market — 46,432 products with 8,582 ingredients. At about one million page views per month, Skin Deep is the world’s largest and most popular product safety guide.
After searching some of the products that I use, I was down right disturbed by the ingredients I put on my skin each and every day.
A few weeks ago, I purchased Yes To Carrots Pampering Carrot Juice Shampoo. It is not tested on animals and it is made up of many natural ingredients like dead sea mud, carrot, pumpkin, sweet potato, melon, and honey.
I was pretty pumped to try out this shampoo.
So what did I think of it?
Well, for starters it was sort of nice using a very mildy aromatic shampoo. I am used to using shampoos with a strong scent, so this was a nice change. Secondly, it was a bit hard to get over the fact that it doesn’t sud up a lot like most shampoos. I believe this is due to it not using common chemicals that result in lots of suds. After a bit of investigation, I found that this shampoo uses an ingredient called Sodium Coceth Sulfate which is “a semisynthetic detergent-like compound derived from fatty acids obtained from coconut oil, modified using ethylene oxide (oxirane). It is a milder foaming agent found in baby cleansers, gels, and cleaners.” (Source). So by no means does this shampoo contain entirely natural ingredients, but I guess it is a good start.
The shampoo seems to do a good job, despite myself having a hard time to accept the lather-less wash. I’ve been told time and time again that the lather and bubbles in soaps were created simply to make people think they were getting clean, when in reality it has nothing to do with it.
I find myself using a huge glob of this shampoo to ‘get the job done’. I think that because it doesn’t create a large lather, I feel like I need to use more to get my hair clean. This probably is far from the truth though.
It is a bit difficult for me to give this product a rating since it is my first time using any sort of natural shampoo, but all and all I was fairly pleased I guess. I will continue to use this HUGE bottle (another bonus) and then move onto another new product.
I must also admit that I have a lot to learn with respect to cosmetics, ingredients, and safety hazards. I kind of see it as a new challenge to do some reading on it and research some ‘friendly’ brands that I can test out and review. Unfortunately, this Yes To Carrots product has not been reviewed on the website yet, so I couldn’t check it out.
Of course, I won’t be going cold turkey on my current stuff. I am using up what I have now, and as I run out, I will be replacing the products with natural ones. This will be a gradual process that will occur over the next several months!
Now here’s where you come in!
I know many of you are so savvy in this department. And I would love your advice, tips, and pieces of knowledge that you have learned from using natural products.
Have you found any products in particular that you loved or hated?
Do you ever think about what ingredients you are putting on your skin?
Could you ever see yourself switching to natural products?
Will you join me in this challenge?
Share your thoughts below! :)
I would love to hear of some great natural brands out there. I think I have heard Burt’s Bees is a good one?
See you later…be sure to check Twitter for some fun updates while I’m away! :)
Hi! Night time moisturizer: Rosa Mosqueta® Rose Hip Moisturizing Cream 4oz – http://www.aubrey-organics.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=091 for reviews; Vitacost .com to purchase and for reviews.
Shampoo: Primrose & Lavender Scalp-Soothing Shampoo 16oz – http://www.aubrey-organics.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=054A Also purchase at Vitacost! I prefer Honey Suckle Rose, but it comes only in 11 oz and is more expensive.
The above lather up nicely!
For daytime, I use Meaningful Beauty’s Maintenance 1 Day Moisturizer SPR 20 – you have to use something with SPF!
You’ll enjoy the above – I have it figured out for white skin that is photo-sensitive (sensitive to the sun) with rosacea. Wear a hat. Drink lots of water!
I love Dr. Bronner’s soap. Target carries them and they last FOREVER!!! Lately I too have been using coconut oil as moisturizer, as well as a leave in conditioner. YUM!
This is a really great post because it made me realize that although I think so carefully about what goes into my body, rarely do I think about what goes on my body. The other readers have great suggestions and I’ll be anxious to hear more…
i try to use natural products free from harsh chemicals and preservatives as much as possible. it makes me feel better about what i’m putting on my body, and it makes me feel better about how i am impacting the environment. one brand i’ve found that is all natural, safe, AND budget-friendly is everyday minerals (www.everydayminerals.com). they even offer free sample packs to help you find the right colors for your skin. they sell some of the best (and most inexpensive) makeup brushes as well.
This was an interesting post to me because I was JUST talking to my mom and husband about this issue – typical man, he didn’t understand why it was important to use natural products, such as more natural shampoo, because “it’s just your hair and your skin it doesn’t go into your body”…… if only it was that simple!
About Burt’s Bees – the company is actually owned by Clorox, which has gotten in trouble recently for having harmful business practices and obviously has no qualms about putting chemicals in their products.
This is why it’s tough to sift through the so-called “natural” ingredient list and labels – it’s not always what it seems!
be careful with lush- they use parabens in their products which have been linked to cancer. there are other things out there that are all-natural, but i agree that lush products are better than many that are out there.
i absolutely LOVE the juice beauty line of skin care. it is organic, and smells heavenly. it has done wonders for my skin. i buy it from sephora at square one. it is around 20 dollars or so, 30 for the moisturizer, but it lasts me forever. a little goes a long way. they also have a starter kit that you can buy to try out the products before making the investment which is very handy.
with regards to shampoo/conditioner- i am having a VERY hard time finding natural options that work well. i have tried many brands with little luck. the one brand that is absolutely wonderful is called “john masters”, and his products can be found at whole foods. the problem is the PRICE! being that i am a soon to be student again, there is no way that i can afford to buy them (around $20 for a small bottle!). im debating trying to find some homemade recipes so that i can try making my own shampoos and conditioners at home!
a big thing for me was finding all natural sunscreen as i have been living in a tropical climate for the past 2 years, and i have read about all of the chemicals in sunscreen. some argue that the increase in skin cancer may not only be due to the ozone, but also to the horrible chemicals in sunscreens. i love badger brand- it is all natural, and works amazingly well. it is a little difficult to put on as the main ingredient is zinc so it is thicker, but i feel it is worth the extra effort knowing that i am taking care of myself. it is also made with a number of natural oils, so it repels moisture well- perfect for sweating!
one thing to keep in mind- many people advertise as organic and all natural, but they are not. you really need to study the labels! i highly recommend the book “gorgeously green” to everyone. it is so informative, and has taught me a lot.
great post!!!
I use natural hair products not so much face and body. I use Giovanni line which they now sell at walmart (yay!) I don’t know why I switched but I read alot how some of the stuff in shampoos and conditioner and hair products ACTUALLY cause frizz instead of preventing it.
I have very sensitive skin as well as Rosacea so I struggle to find any product that works. I would love to begin switching over to natural but am a little hesitant because I don’t want to cause big problems with my skin by experimenting. Great post, as always!
I too don’t really know where to start sometimes. I love cocoa butter as a moisturizer – esp. for winter time (I live in Wisconsin, it gets UBER dry!).
I’ve tried some natural products, but I haven’t found anything I LOVE. I want to try Dr. Bronner’s.
I just bought some Bare Minerals and I really like it. I’m a little hesitant on one product that the woman told me has silicone in it … eep.
I have psoriasis, so it’s sometimes hard to find something that works well with my skin. But I really HATE having to use strong prescription meds on my skin in order to keep things under control. I had hoped that eating better would help, but it hasn’t yet :(
I have recently been working to switch to natural products and I am so happy with the results!!
I have a Say Yes to Carrots conditioner which I really like. I like the shampoo less. For shampoo I tend to use the Burt’s Bees for coloured hair (fennel & something?) It’s quite lovely, keeps my hair moisturized and has had great results on my colour.
For skin I use a few different things. I have a Burt’s Bees cleanser that I really like. I also have an awesome moisturizer with 30SPF in it. I need to grab the name… But it’s awesome! Goes on under make up so nicely and I love that it has SPF.
I’ve also started using some Korres make up. Their mascara is amazing!!! I absolutely love it and it does great things for my lashes. I can’t wait to hear more about your experiences with natural make up.
I’ve only ever used Burt’s Bees chapstick. I’ve wanted to try their shampoos and such, but I always think of natural products (just like healthier foods) to be much more expensive than non-naturals, which I hate, but I just can’t find room in the budget to even pay for name brand soaps most of the time.
i loooooooooooooove yes to carrots! the conditioner is amazing! i also treat myself to rocky mountain soap company soap. smells amazing and more natural that other stuff! (i dont know how much but i know that i’m never weirded out by the list of ingredients!)
oh! i also use lush’s henna to colour my hair and i will never go back to chemical dye!! it’s a pain to do every 2 months (takes up to 5 hours), but my hair is so shiny and soft and pretty after and i love the fact that i could leave the henna on for ages if i wanted to and it just makes my hair even healthier! i was always weirded out by that tingly feeling of chemical dye…
I used Aveda for all my hair products and face products.
While on the pricey side, it lasts forever as a little goes a long way.
i’ve used Nature’s Gate shampoo and conditioner (jojoba for damaged hair) and I have to admit I hated it! It was so hard to run my hands through my hair, it had no shine and felt heavy and flat. Also, if I’m gong to be spending that money, I’d rather have something like Kerestase that makes my hair feel amazing!
I love this idea!
I’m so glad you’re doing a post on this! I’m very conscious of the products I use and try not to buy anything (from makeup to toiletries to cleaning products, etc) that has been tested on animals…I just don’t think it’s necessary in most cases. I also aim to use environmentally friendly products whenver I can. I’m just finishing up shampoo & conditioner from Down Under Naturals Nude. It’s 95% organic and is not tested on animals, and I do get a pretty good lather out of it! I also really like the Live Earth brand (I buy it at Shoppers Drug Mart). It’s a smidge pricier than DUNN – $5.99 a bottle vs $3.99 – but it’s also all natural, etc. Good for you for being conscious of what you’re using!
Great idea! Some organic/natural products that are HG material for me are
-jojoba oil- I use this as a makeup remover and as a night to
e moisturizer. Love this stuff.
-rose water- as a toner/refresher
-I also love the avalon organics line
Good luck, girlie!
Great post, Angela! I love what you’re doing with this blog! I think if you like the Desert Essence tea tree oil, you’ll really like Desert Essence Thoroughly Clean Face Wash (good for all skin types, but possibly drying for some–I have sensitive, somewhat combination skin and love this product). It’s not at all pricey and it really does what it says. I’ve found great luck with Dr. Hauschka and also Suki products, as well; even though both lines are quite pricey upfront, they do last a while and I think are completely worth it–and most products are vegan. (I think you’ll especially like to read what Suki has to say. She started her business with just a few products and has really taken off in the past few years–what would be great for you in your business, too! A great company worth supporting, as is Dr. H.) I’ve also used John Masters hair products with wonderful results, though have lately been using Aubrey Organics hair products and like them very much. I hope you’ll keep writing on this topic! Let us know what’s working for you and keep up the great work!
I’ve also been thinking about this a lot lately… It’s BRUTAL how many chemicals are put into products that we used on a daily basis. Kind of a scary thought, if you ask me.
I suggest you make an account with www.makeupalley.com. You can search SO many different brands – so if you have a certain natural product you’re interested in, you can go there and read reviews BEFORE buying it!! This website has been a god-send for me. There are so many terrible products out there that sound like they’ll do the trick, but are no good.