In our home of many girls, less is more when it comes to hygiene and beauty. These are some products and practices we employ in our home.
Deodorant: I currently use Schmidt?s Sensitive formula in lavender. Hubby uses the no scent. The Jasmine formula contains a fragrance ingredient. I didn?t realise that and it caused a rash. Meow Meow Tweet is another great deodorant and a small business.
I?ve previously made my own, used Primal Pit Paste or Piper Wai. Unfortunately, they container baking soda and that ultimately caused a rash.
But mostly I don’t wear any. I do an underarm detox of rhassoul clay and acv a couple times a week. If I do start smelling ripe, I do a quick wipe with a wet body cloth. Diet also plays a big part in odor. Liquid chlorella is a nice addition to diet if you can handle it.
Check out this blog by my friend Courtney explaining all about arm pits.
Lotions: Drink lots of water and eats of fat and your need for lotion will be minimal. I do make my own lotion from coconut oil, Shea butter, cocoa butter or mango butter, and beeswax. Wellness Mama offers a good recipe I initially followed instead of bars, I poured it into a small mason jar.
Feminine products: I love mama cloth, NaturCare disposable pads, or menstrual cups. To choose a menstrual cup, check out putacupinit.org. Sea sponges and organic tampons are another option, but I have no experience with those.
Makeup: The cleanest make up on the market is Rejuva Minerals. But, honestly, I did not like how it felt on my skin. I?ve made my own make up before with clay and spices, but I didn?t mess with it enough to find lasting success. I currently use Faerie Organics for facial powders, 100% Pure liquid eyeliner, and Hynt Beauty mascara. Faerie does use non-nano titanium dioxide and I don?t like that. But I also rarely wear make-up, so it?s one of the places I give.
Moisturizer: jojoba oil and I may sometimes mix some rosehip oil or elemi or frankincense essential oil
Body Soap: Body soaps should have fats, water or milk, and lye. Essential oils or extras like oatmeal or lavender flowers, etc, are fine. But I don?t want toxins or things I can?t readily identify slathered on my family. I actually make our soap (I use a very basic recipe and it?s easy!), but The Good Bar soap from Whole Foods is a good buy (they all have titanium dioxide for colorant, though, except the black bar) or finding a local soap maker is another good option. However, we don?t use a ton of soap we mostly use just water.
Hand Soap: I make a foaming soap. Buy a nice foaming soap pump (I like Rail 19), add in water, and a liquid castile soap. I prefer using the castile soap from Mountain Rose Herbs. Dr. Bronner?s is drying, so add a squirt of jojoba or almond oil if you go that route. Essential oils can be added for scent.
Face Washing: I use water and a body cloth from Norwex. The body cloth with water even removes all my make-up. Also, one can use the body cloth in place of shaving cream!
Another nice option is the oil-cleansing method. http://www.theoilcleansingmethod.com/ I used to use 1/2 evoo and 1/2 castor oil with lavender eo to cover the evoo smell. I kept it in a stainless steel canister in the shower.
Hair Washing: Except for my reluctant husband, we are a no poo family right down to the dog. I rotate among baking soda, rhassoul clay, an herbal tea rinse, chickpea flour, eggs, etc, and apple cider vinegar and/or aloe vera juice. As needed, I do a deep conditioner of foods and a blackstrap molasses mask. I highly recommend joining the No Poo Facebook Group.
For hubby, I keep Acure shampoo on hand.
Hair Color: I abandoned henna because it dries my hair and dulls. I found Hair Print and love it. Covers my gray and restores my natural pigments. However, Hair Print is a lot of work. A lot. And I?ve recently decided while I dislike my grays, I would be more sad to miss watching myself change.
No nail polish, just buff to a shine. A lot of my friends like polish from Poofy Organics.
Toothpaste: I make my own remineralizing toothpaste or use OraWellness?s tooth powder. Hubby uses Earthpaste.
Toothbrushes: Bass toothbrush from Orawellness because the cut of the bristles is easier on our gums.
I don’t do oil pulling because of dental work but if I did I’d only use organic cold pressed sesame seed oil NOT the popular and too harsh coconut oil.
Mouthwash: Don?t use any. You can find diy recipes involving infusing salvia in vodka and diluting a teaspoon of that into distilled water.
I think that covers hygiene! Feel free to ask me about a specific item if I forgot one!