I'm not sure how it happened, but over Christmas break, I came across an article about SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate), a chemical that is nearly every shampoo, soap, face wash, and toothpaste. It helps create a rich lather, and it is cheaply made, so all beauty brands (and industrial cleaner brands) use it.
Here's the problem: Over 16,000 studies have been done on SLS, and it is found that the chemical is directly related to eye and skin irritation, organ toxicity, developmental/reproductive toxicity, cellular changes, mutations, and cancer.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/07/13/sodium-lauryl-sulfate.aspx
Why is SLS used then? Companies claim that it is safe because it is only on the skin for a short period of time and cannot be toxic in small doses. Small doses? The average American uses soap, shampoos, and toothpaste multiple times a day!
SLS is a powerful chemical that strips your hair of its natural oils, and worse, those store-bought conditioners coat your hair in mineral oil, giving it a false shine that makes you believe your hair is in good condition. Chances are, it isn't. Plus, putting chemicals on your skin is more dangerous than ingesting it! If it is ingested, it can be broken down by the liver, kidneys, and stomach. But when it is absorbed through the skin, there is no process to break it down so it ends up in your bloodstream immediately.
So I've found a solution to this problem. I made it my mission to find more natural beauty products free of chemicals, and better yet, almost everything I've found is much, much cheaper than those chemical-filled products.
These are some of the products that can always be found in my bathroom. Starting from the left, I have baking soda, coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, Burt's Bees shampoo, 100% extra virgin olive oil, and two tumbler cups.
I came across the "no poo" method of using just baking soda and apple cider vinegar in place of shampoo and conditioner. The baking soda forces your hair follicles open while the apple cider vinegar forces them closed, creating the perfect wash/rinse combination.
Now, I couldn't deal with 3 months of having a greaseball head of hair, so I use baking soda diluted in water as shampoo every other time I wash my hair (which is about 3-4 times a week now). I use Burts Bee's every other time I wash. I use about 1/3 cup of apple cider vinegar diluted in water to condition my hair every time I shower. And I must say, my hair has never looked better!
I stopped dying my hair as well and was pleasantly surprised at how shiny and healthy my real hair looked. I'll never dye it again, and I'll never use store bought shampoo and conditioners. They are a scam that only make your hair look worse so that you keep buying their products.
Another plus is that I spend almost nothing on hair care. The gallon of ACV cost about $8 and lasted me 6 months. That one bottle of shampoo also lasted me 6 months (about $8), and I only bought 2 boxes of baking soda the past 6 months ($1.50). I'm not good at the math thing, but I imagine that is no more than $2.50 a month.
Some other organic trades I've done & loved:
*Olive oil instead of shaving cream: This is an amazing switch I've found. It feels weird at first, but it is the best way to shave! It is so moisturizing, I rarely ever get razor bumps anymore, and I never accidentally cut myself with my razor in the shower.
*Coconut oil instead of lotion: Coconut oil works better than lotion, and it is naturally SPF 4! I put a very small amount all over my body while my skin is still wet from the shower. I use this on my face too. I have never found a moisturizer that makes my skin look better than coconut oil. Also, it heals acne and scars!
*Witch hazel instead of toner: Toner is probably the biggest waste of money ever, only because you can buy a big bottle of witch hazel for much cheaper, and it does the exact same job. It clears up acne, cleans out your bores, dissolves razor bumps, and evens out your skin tone! I love witch hazel. Find it at any store!
*Olive oil and castor oil as face wash: I have major combination skin, and this "face wash" heals my acne and moisturizes my face. I even converted my sister, who has extremely sensitive skin that turns red and flaky, and my mom who has relatively dry skin.
This is my amazing "face wash". I haven't used anything else for six months! All you do is get a reusable flip top bottle (I found this one at Walmart for 97 cents) and make a combination of castor oil and extra virgin olive oil. The general standard is to use 7 parts olive oil to 3 parts castor oil. Castor oil is very drying so it dries up acne, and olive oil moisturizes.
The theory is that store-bought face washes that claim to "heal" acne actually make acne worse. Your face produces oil for a reason: because it needs it! When you are constantly stripping your face of oil, your skin becomes irritated and your face responds by producing even more oil. You don't need to strip your face of oil, you need to remove the "bad" oil and replace it with "good" oil!
I used to have a very greasy face, but ever since I started using this mixture, my face has not been greasy at all! It's amazing, really. Not to mention, it is the BEST makeup remover I've ever used!
All you do is rub the mixture all over your face (with makeup still on), take a warm rag, and wipe it off. That's it! No over-drying or worrying about grease!
I really hope you think about the products you are using and how you can treat your body better. Why should we support these companies that could care less about our actual well being? As long as our dollar is in their pocket, they don't care what they are giving us. So let's start a beauty revolution. Forget the store-bought crap. The more natural, the better it is for you!
One more thing: I do splurge on some beauty products, only because I believe there is no way around it and I like the results it gives me.
Bare Minerals: I absolutely love, love, love Bare Minerals. Their powders are the kind of powders that cover up flaws but still let your natural beauty shine through, not to mention that they never make my face break out. The moment I switch to anything else, my skin flares up and breaks out again. I highly recommend Bare Minerals to everyone. I recommend visiting a store to get fitted with the right color because it can be impossible to find the right shade yourself. It took me 2 years to finally go into the store and get fitted - I had no idea I was the lightest possible shade! Also, their mascara is made with vitamins, so you don't have to worry about your eyelashes getting brittle and falling off.
*Tip: Don't do the every month renewal method. If you take the time to order your makeup each time you run out, you get much bigger containers of makeup for the same price and they last way longer.
Wen: The only reason I have Wen products is because my mom bought them and didn't like them. I have to agree that they don't seem like a miracle product, but it is all natural. I do like the conditioners, though. Their deep conditioner works really well, and I use the regular conditioner as leave-in conditioner, but I'm sure you could find something much, much cheaper out there that works just as well. Just my opinion, though. I have read that it works really well for some other people.
Hair wise, if you have thin hair, this might not work that great for your hair. I say that only because my mom has thin, straight hair, and I have wavy, thin hair.
Have you gone all natural yet? If not, get started! You will be amazed with how amazing your skin and hair will look and feel! Have a great weekend.
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