Currently Delighted By: These 6 Natural Grooming Products

January 13, 2012

Currently Delighted By: These 6 Natural Grooming Products

One of my numerous resolutions for this year was to not only cut out products with ingredients I consider non-negotiables for both me and Earth, but also to make sure I find natural products I like just a much as the questionable ones I used to use.

I get pretty indignant when I think about the fact that super expensive luxury beauty products often share many of the same principal ingredients as drugstore varieties: cheap petroleum-derived fillers like mineral oil, petroleum, and paraffin (none of which I particularly want to slather onto my skin). In most cases, we just end up paying for their packaging and marketing, not for ingredients of true quality and purity.

There's been quite a bit of trial and error in my hunt for natural beauty goodies, but I actually own and use all 6 of these picks as part of my daily grooming.

1. Organic Almond Lotion, Compagnie de Provence, $32. Nope, it's not cheap. But it smells subtle and fresh, is completely natural, and ultra-moisturizing. When I think about the fact that we absorb much of what we put on our skin, buying lotion that doesn't contain ingredients soaked with chemicals like pesticides & herbicides seems a little less frivolous. While there are plenty of inexpensive organic lotions out there, I like using this one as my occasional fancy indulgence. Plus, it comes in a sturdy brushed glass jar I intend to turn into a vase (or recycle).

2. Blossom Natural for Her Deodorant, Herban Cowboy, $6.66. I love what this deodorant doesn't contain: aluminum, triclosan, parabens, or petroleum products. Plus, it's been a struggle finding a natural deodorant that has a non-musky, granola-y scent. This one smells fresh and flowery.

3. Honeysuckle Bath & Shower Gel, A La Maison de Provence, $7.46. This product is a perfect example of the idea that a product doesn't have to be labeled 'natural' or 'organic' to contain safer ingredients - the formula is actually a very old-fashioned one.This stuff smells so good it's unreal! I'd never seen it before but found it on a trip to Whole Foods. The ingredients couldn't be purer: coconut & olive oil, natural vegetable glycerin, argan oil, vitamin E, and natural fragrance from plants & essential oils. Another thing that sold me on this soap is that it lathers so well - lots of natural shampoos and soaps I've tried don't (because they don't have harsh sulfates), but this one accomplishes it through vegetable glycerin.

4. Sandalwood All Natural Lotion, Shikai, $7.99. Again, this stuff smells unbelievably delicious - Gardenia is another favorite of mine from Shikai. The ingredient list is simple; the lotion moisturizes better than many I've tried.

5. Moisturizing Lip Balm, Primavera, $18. Also not so cheap, but you're getting 95% organic ingredients - and because my lips tend to suck up moisture like a cactus, I want to make sure that what they absorb is wholesome. Subtle flavor and slick texture - not too goopy or liquidy.

6. Nudist Lipshine Stick in #3, W3LL PEOPLE, $23. This one is really like a lipstick. The texture is a bit sticky, so it stays on for hours, and one tube lasts and lasts. Ingredients are extremely high quality - there's not even a smidge of something remotely objectionable.

Read on for tips on how to clean up the inside of your bathroom cabinet!

When I realized I really wanted (and needed) to know exactly what was in the products (and food) I buy (and therefore being absorbed into my skin and bloodstream), many labels of products I used seemed like an interminable list of scientific-sounding ingredients. This is something that now sounds my internal alarm; usually, the longer the list, the more chemically engineered junk you'll find. More alarmingly, the majority of chemicals put into cosmetics and personal care products haven't been tested for safety by the FDA. I now firmly believe that many of these chemicals have absolutely no business in consumer products.

Here are some of my favorite resources for research, recommendations, and safe products:

The Cosmetics Safety Database - Bookmark it - I've made a habit of researching almost everything before buying. If you can't find a particular product, you can research questionable ingredients individually.
Chemical of the Day (blog) - Definitely a little bit scary, but incredibly helpful in understanding exactly what a specific chemical is made of and how risky it is. Particularly useful for beginners are the sections "Learn the Bad Stuff " in the sidebar and "Most Controversial" in the top navigation.
No More Dirty Looks (blog) - Hands down the best natural beauty blog out there. It's written wittily & intelligently by two women who found out that one of their favorite hair treatments contained formaldehyde (!!!) and haven't stopped digging into the cosmetics industry since.
No More Dirty Looks (book) - If you aren't ready to dive in headfirst, NMDL has already done the research for you in this fantastic book. Learn about what ingredients to avoid and what products are natural & safe.
Saffron Rouge (store) - Tons of great natural products.
Future Natural (store) - HUGE selection - described as "the Sephora for green beauty."
Nature of Beauty (store) - Again, great selection and tons of helpful FAQs.

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A Dose of the Delightful

January 13, 2012

Currently Delighted By: These 6 Natural Grooming Products

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