Your mission, if you choose to accept, is to start reading labels on your personal products, looking for parabens.
Level of Commitment: Baby Steps?
When it comes to what I put on my skin, I figure I can use the same philosophy on the outside of my body as I do the inside: if it’s brand new and not tested over many decades (if not centuries), I am very wary.
One new fangled additive in personal products is called parabens. Micaela of Mindful Momma will explain all about them for you in tomorrow’s Spring Cleaning: Get the Junk Out! Carnival, so for today I’ll just tell you that they’re up to no good.
Baby Steps
My first step was just to start reading ingredients in my shampoos, deodorants, soaps, etc. to look for parabens. I was amazed at how pervasive they are. I learned to use the Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database published by the Environmental Working Group (EWG). That can be frustrating, because it seems that every product in my home had a bad score! To take a simple step to change, I tried to find market products (in stores) that did not contain parabens, which is entirely possible to do, but takes some work.
Making Strides
I had to get out of the stores to find products with “real” ingredients. There are many Etsy sellers who offer natural body products, and you can read their ingredients, which sound like a recipe. If it’s food, it’s certainly safe for my skin! I also found a local work-at-home-mom who sells great all natural products, Natural Momma. One of my sponsors, MadeOn Hard Lotion, also has incredible products made from safe ingredients (and you get to win some tomorrow!).
Leaps of Faith
The surest way to avoid parabens AND all the other potential hazards in beauty products is to make your own or skip the product altogether. Here are the changes I’ve made in the past 2 years:
- I wear less makeup now.
- I use homemade deodorant.
- I use the “no ‘poo” method instead of shampoo to wash my hair and the NaturOli shampoo bar as a backup.
- I’m experimenting with the oil cleansing method for my face.
Can’t wait to see what Micaela has to tell us tomorrow! Also, remember that you’ve got some extra time for the Healthy Snacks to Go and freeze-dried fruit giveaway and the bonus subscriber entry for the Excalibur dehydrator from CookWaresPlus!
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If you missed the last Monday Mission, click here.
Kitchen Stewardship is dedicated to balancing God’s gifts of time, health, earth and money. If you feel called to such a mission, read more at Mission, Method, and Mary and Martha Moments.
Disclosure: I am an affiliate of NaturOli. Thanks for helping me out by shopping through my links!
I’m entered in the All Things Eco Blog Carnival.
I have switched to paraben-free shampoo, and recently found a source for homemade soap. Not sure if I’m ready to try homemade deoderant though.
.-= Wendy´s last blog ..Make Your Own Mayonnaise =-.
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Wendy, I used to be scared of homeade deoderant too. But i read to many bad things about aluminum being linked to breast cancer and alzheimers disease, that i made the plunge.
I am so glad i did! I hardly ever sweat now. Its like once you unplug your armpit pores, they stop trying to flush out all the aluminum and you stop sweating.
Coconut oil/baking soda/arrowroot powder mixture stuck into an old deoderant container. Best thing i ever did for my armpits.
Go ahead girlfriend, try it!
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Shameless plug: I got sick of all the crappy ingredients in personal care products, too, so I started making my own creams (and soon, soaps). We loved my cream so much we started selling it. You can buy it on my blog/website if you are interested.
Totally organic and natural ingredients, no fillers of any kind!
.-= Kate´s last blog ..Introducing Solids: What, When, How =-.
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hi,
I’m really interested & checking into all this. Your other links worked but the one for “oil cleaning method” does not work- fyi
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Katie Reply:
April 20th, 2010 at 4:13 pm
Lisa,
Katie
Thank you! I fixed it to a Simple Mom post that is great.
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We have been pretty much chemical free around here except for my make up and skin care. I gotta look good! A couple months ago I did switch to the oil method of cleaning my face. It works awesome!! I even use just a little olive oil as moisturizer when I am not going anywhere that day. Baby steps in the skin care area!!
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I’ve got REALLY sensitive skin, and in the past year, my eczema has moved to my face. Regular makeup was just NOT working. I only got itchier and redder as the day went on. I switched to Everyday Minerals last summer. I love that stuff!! I didn’t like Bare Minerals (and who wants to pay that much?) and I’m suspect of the other “mineral” makeup that is at Wal-Mart and such. But Everyday doesn’t break me out and one little $3 sample size lasts forever!
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Yay, I found you; I’m so glad your not gone! What is your sites new URL ? I tried clicking on the title, and it is still taking me to the “This site is unavailable” page. I want to add you back to my blog list so I don’t miss anything. Thanks!
.-= Banana´s last blog ..Homemade Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread =-.
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Katie Reply:
April 20th, 2010 at 3:55 pm
B – the site is all the way working now, right? I had some early bugs to work out!
Katie
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I use extra virgin coconut oil as a facial moisturizer and it works wonderfully. It doesn’t stay oily, it soaks right in. I also use it all over my body when I get out of the shower, and recently a wart that I had on my knee for over 10 years fell off.
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I hate all the chemicals in things! Which is why I make my own soap for my family. I use the no-poo method too and am working on a shampoo bar. My new motto, “if its not safe to eat, its not safe for your skin”!
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PS Welcome back!
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WHAT THE HECK?! Apparently my favorite favorite FAVORITE face mask – Queen Helene Mint Julep – is chock full of parabens! I’m not a happy camper here >:( Anyone have any suggestions for a NATURAL acne face mask?
.-= Kelli M´s last blog ..What I’ve been up to: Garden edition =-.
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Katie Reply:
April 20th, 2010 at 4:15 pm
Kelli,
Katie
The post at Simple Mom about the oil cleansing method adds tea tree oil,which can fight acne, but I don’t know if it would qualify as a “mask”. Worth a look, anyway!
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oh goodness, what a stressful technical weekend! I am glad you are back on line and things are going smoothly once again!
I just started making my own lotions, cleansers, balms, and hair conditioning treatments at home. There is so much out there to be avoided in commercial beauty products! My favorite book is Organic Body Care Recipes by Stephanie Tourles. It take a bit of investment to get started but the results are wonderfully luxurious, and the oils, butters and herbs will surely last my family for the entire year. We are extremely lucky to have the wherewithal to be able to invest in our health. I am looking forward to reading what others have to say about parabens!
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Thank you so much for all this info. I’m SO going to try to go no poo and make my own deodorant
.-= kanmuri´s last blog ..Mountain of Boxes =-.
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And thanks abbie for the book reference
.-= kanmuri´s last blog ..Mountain of Boxes =-.
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Desert Essence makes a wonderful face wash that scores a “1″ on the Cosmetic Safety Database “Desert Essence Thoroughly Clean Face Wash with Organic Tea Tree Oil and Awapuhi”. You can get it at Trader Joe’s or order online.
The best moisturizer for your face and body is Jojoba oil, it rates a ZERO for chemicals. I used to buy it through Desert Essence but have since leaned that it is cheaper in bulk through Oils by Nature, the same company Renee recommended for her Made On Hard lotion products.
Incidentally, I just finished my first batch. It was sooo easy. I can’t wait for my husband to try it on his hands.
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Both of my children suffer from eczema and they would scream when I put any kind of lotion on them from prescriptions to very expensive products. I found a bar lotion from Big City Naturals that I love. The bars don’t have any alcohols or fillers that cause any kind of pain and for kids it is fun for them to put on. (The both have their own bar and they use them without being reminded.) A big reason why I love this particular company is they offer a full line of products from a bug bar, sun block, lip balm and foot bar that are all amazing and none of the products have ever irritated my children’s sensitive skin. I only use products from this company and I truly recommend it to anyone, especially those with kids who also have sensitive skin.
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So how exactly to you do the “no-poo” shampoo thing? I have tried baking soda water with a vinegar water rinse but my hair just holds the vinegar scent so long. My husband said I smelled like his salt and vinegar chips
not exactly romantic… Then I tried lemon juice which does a pretty good job, but it hasn’t helped my itchy scalp one bit. I think the chlorine water where we are temporarily living is making it worse. So I went and tried a tea tree oil shampoo but that doesn’t help either, so I’ve been contemplating doing the “no-poo” but not sure how it works.
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Katie Reply:
August 11th, 2010 at 11:29 pm
Lori,
Katie
“no poo” is the baking soda and vinegar rinse. Try less vinegar, maybe 1/4 cup to a quart of water? There are a few links in this post that will take you to better descriptions, I think. Good luck!
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