Safe Beauty Products

ilovethesea

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Thought I would get a thread going where we can put our recommendations for non PUFA/ non toxic beauty products. I just did a purge this weekend and got rid of the obviously bad stuff. (Bye bye Weleda body oils that I thought were healthy but now discovered are made with sunflower oil! Can't believe I was putting that crap on myself for so many years... no wonder I am PUFA city)

Here is what I am using currently:

HAIR
Live Clean or similar eco shampoo **open to replacement ideas but don't think I can go "no poo"
Vinegar rinse occasionally

BODY
Dr. Bronner's soap
Virgin coconut oil as body lotion and deodorant (if I use baking soda it gives me a rash)

FACE
Weleda toner/makeup remover as cleanser
Skinceuticals hyaluronic acid serum ** but this isn't very moisturizing, just don't have anything non PUFA!
Retin A at night
Occasionally aspirin or bentonite clay masks

MAKEUP
Jane Iredale mineral powder
Mineral Fusion or Korres mineral blush
RMS Beauty cream concealer, blush and lip colours (mainly coconut oil based)
Revolution Organics clear and pink lip/cheek sticks (shea butter based - is that a PUFA?)
Regular mascara and eyeliner (when I wear it) because I don't like the natural ones
Regular nail polish

FRAGRANCE
Lavanilla (they call themselves "the healthy fragrance" but who knows, probably estrogenic)

What do you use/recommend?
 
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ilovethesea

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I guess I'll update my own thread :)

I just found a sunscreen that looks pretty safe.

http://www.lavanila.com/The-Healthy-Sun ... _p_63.html

Active Ingredient: Titanium Dioxide 7.5%; Zinc Oxide 5.0%

Other Ingredients: Allantoin (vegetable), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Alpha Tocopherol (vitamin E), Butyrospermum parkii (Shea Butter), Calendula officinalis (calendula) flower extract, Capric caprylic triglycerides (coconut oil), cetyl alcohol, ethyl hexyl palmitate (palm oil), ethyl hexyl glycerine (plant-based preservatives), glycerin, glyceryl stearate, green tea extract, hyaluronic acid, jojoba oil, Morinda Citrifolia (Noni Juice), Panthenol (provitamin B), Phenethyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate (vegetable glycerin/palm oil), Sodium PCA (amino acid), Vanilla Planifolia Extract

According to this http://www.marksdailyapple.com/forum/thread42312.html shea butter is low PUFA. I see jojoba oil in this list but as it's further down I think it's probably minimal. I really like that this sunscreen has vitamin E and coconut oil.
 

Jenn

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Dr Bronners is no longer a "healthy" soap, IMO. The ingredients changed when the next generation took over. High PUFA soap now. I used kirks coconut oil soap before switching to baking soda and ACV rinse.
 

Bluebell

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I don't have much to share yet as I'm just washing with natural soap only on my body, then using as little moisturiser as possible on my face, while I'm looking into some natural products or different ways of washing.

I was wondering though, for body moisturising, how about if we don't use soap at all just hot water - then maybe we wouldn't need a body moisturiser because we are not removing the natural oils in the first place?

I'm attracted to no-soap but I also really like that super clean feeling after a hot bath with soap!
 
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ilovethesea

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Jenn said:
Dr Bronners is no longer a "healthy" soap, IMO. The ingredients changed when the next generation took over. High PUFA soap now. I used kirks coconut oil soap before switching to baking soda and ACV rinse.

Just looked it up and you are right http://www.drbronner.com/pdf/soapstemplatepdf.pdf
My bottle is several years old so that may be why it doesn't list all these, also I just found this article so maybe the ingredients were always there just not labelled properly http://www.good.is/posts/what-s-in-your ... n-you-know

For baking soda and ACV are you talking about your hair, body or both?
 
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ilovethesea

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Bluebell said:
I don't have much to share yet as I'm just washing with natural soap only on my body, then using as little moisturiser as possible on my face, while I'm looking into some natural products or different ways of washing.

I was wondering though, for body moisturising, how about if we don't use soap at all just hot water - then maybe we wouldn't need a body moisturiser because we are not removing the natural oils in the first place?

I'm attracted to no-soap but I also really like that super clean feeling after a hot bath with soap!

I've read from a lot of guys that they don't use soap or shampoo just hot water. I think it is harder for us females... especially the hair part as I have long hair and if I go more than 3 days it looks stringy, flat and horrible.

I am trying to cut down and just soaping my feet, underarms and private parts. I don't know how I feel about just "washing" those areas with hot water!

For moisturizer, there was a thread on Peatarian where Lecomer mentioned she was moisturizing with petroleum jelly and her skin is looking amazing.
 

Breaves86

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Tropical Traditions has a lot of good personal care products
Primal Pit Paste is a good no alum. deodorant
100% Pure has some good things, just read ingredients (a little pricey)
I use some kiss my face products (even if some have plant oil)
 

Blossom

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I have heard really bad things about retin-a. I used it for years (about 20) and was looking to see if it was okay after going gluten free. Basically on the celiac website they said not to use it because it does raise one of the interleukins involved in increased intestinal permeability. Yikes. Then I read where it has been implicated in high risk for lung cancer in people who used it and smoked. I wish I had saved those sources but it was a couple years ago I never though I'd be passing that info along to anyone.
Jojoba oil is a monounsaturated wax similar to our own sebum so I am currently using it again.
My natural deodorant I've been using has aloe. Luckily, my sweat doesn't seem to smell any more! I might try a handmade powder with rice flour, bentonite clay and baking soda that I used to make and see how that works.
 

Blossom

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I consider anything I apply non-medicinally to my skin to be a beauty product, so that's perfect to include here imo. I just think of things you might buy in the health and beauty section at the drug store.
 

javin

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Can anyone recommend a natural facial moisturizer? Been using a tiny bit of coconut oil lately, but would like to see what others use.
 

tara

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Can anyone recommend a natural facial moisturizer? Been using a tiny bit of coconut oil lately, but would like to see what others use.
I don't use moisturiser regularly (often use a bit caffeine/niacinamide/aspirin solution, related to Haidut's solban). But sometimes I use a bit of the same stuff on my face that I use on the rest of me - a mix of cocoa butter, coconut oil, and a little beeswax.
 

lindsay

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I see that this thread is a bit dated, but I am curious for those females (and some males) out there who have very dry skin - why do "safe" lotions made with CO and shea butter tend to dry the skin out? My guess is that they are absorbed by the skin rapidly and deplete the cells of excess water..... but, it is a mystery to me. The only lotion that actually works for me and doesn't cause outbreaks is Everybody Lotion, which has a ton of terrible ingredients, I am sure. But it is made with CO as one of the main ingredients and unlike other things I have tried, it doesn't absorb so fast that the skin is left dry. Petroleum jelly also works, but is not ideal. Bathing too frequently is probably the biggest offender, but since I cannot be a flat out hippie on a daily basis and have to arrive to my clients in good form, I need to bathe somewhat regularly - although I try to not use soap on the parts that don't need it.

Vitamin E oil works well but takes forever to absorb - to the point of greasiness.

I'm very curious about snail skincare products - in part because I have 12 pet snail and some hopeful babies on the way. And also because snail mucus contains acids that repair skin cells - it's their defense mechanism against injury (I dropped one tonight while cleaning it off in the sink and noticed it is repairing the areas that were damaged......)

Anyhow, would love to get more on this topic as well! I use good soap and haircare products, but unless I go without bathing for days, I get dry skin easily. Coconut oil does nothing - if anything, it dries me out.
 

tara

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why do "safe" lotions made with CO and shea butter tend to dry the skin out? My guess is that they are absorbed by the skin rapidly and deplete the cells of excess water..... but, it is a mystery to me.
I don't know either, but that's my guess too - coconut oil by itself seems to be drying for me too. My guess about why my current brew works better is that the small amount of beeswax in it seals the skin somewhat and hinders moisture getting out.
 

HDD

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I really liked using a tallow cream that I made once. I haven't made it again because I got hung up on sourcing a good source of beef fat. Lately, I have been using Solban ( not for moisture) in the morning and then Estroban at night. I've had a lot of sun exposure for most of my life so I'm trying to prevent skin cancer that might develop.
 

tara

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I'm very curious about snail skincare products - in part because I have 12 pet snail and some hopeful babies on the way. And also because snail mucus contains acids that repair skin cells - it's their defense mechanism against injury (I dropped one tonight while cleaning it off in the sink and noticed it is repairing the areas that were damaged......)
Do your snails get to free range over your face? Or considering it? :)
 

artist

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The reason straight oils are drying is because all they do is form a barrier to hold in whatever moisture is already there, they do not add moisture as in water to the skin. If the skin is already dry this will just prevent moisture in the air from reaching the skin. Evenly spreading a small amount of oil onto wet skin will work with some oils, other oils this probably won't be enough (some, like olive oil, are astringent) and a humectant like glycerin or hyaluronic acid will be necessary mixed in or worn underneath.
 

lindsay

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Do your snails get to free range over your face? Or considering it? :)

You know, I have been contemplating it. I have seen new spa therapy treatments in the UK that pretty much just put snails on peoples faces and let them roam around :): But you have to be careful with snails because they can carry pathogens. I always wash my hands after handling them. If the eggs hatch, however, they should be fine because they will be born/raised in an isolated environment - unless I release them. Which I may do - I haven't decided yet.

The reason straight oils are drying is because all they do is form a barrier to hold in whatever moisture is already there, they do not add moisture as in water to the skin. If the skin is already dry this will just prevent moisture in the air from reaching the skin. Evenly spreading a small amount of oil onto wet skin will work with some oils, other oils this probably won't be enough (some, like olive oil, are astringent) and a humectant like glycerin or hyaluronic acid will be necessary mixed in or worn underneath.

This makes a lot of sense. So basically, if I mix some glycerin with Coconut oil and maybe a little essential oil, than it should hold in the moisture better? Or should purified water be added as well? I know this would have to be remixed daily, as oil and glycerin don't meld together, but I could just shake it up before applying. Especially now that coconut oil stays liquid :): Thanks for the tip!! Totally going to try this. Though I'm still looking for a less greasy option for the face.

If only we could just be smelly. My skin felt great last summer when we went to dacha - I only bathed about once every 3 or 4 days and my skin was so smooth and full of moisture. The hair was greasy though - that was gross.
 
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