New Natural products.

I am rather sensitive to fragrances. Perfumes, laundry soaps, bath and body works, send me into a stuffed up headache-y mess.  Every girl wants to smell good, or at least not smell bad. =) So I got some new products I want to share with you.

These are my new shampoo and conditioner, heat protectant, and hair creme.
Shampoo ingredients
Ingredients: (INCI): Water (aqua), rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract*, arctium lappa (burdock) root extract*, achillea millefolium (yarrow) extract*, hamamelis virginiana (witch hazel) leaf extract*, foeniculum vulgare (fennel) seed extract*, sambucus nigra (black elderberry) flower extract*, aloe barbadensis leaf extract*, sodium coco-sulfate (coconut derived), decyl glucoside (coconut and corn derived), propanediol (corn derived), coco-glucoside (coconut derived), butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter*, cocos nucifera (coconut) oil*, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil*, cannabis sativa (hemp) seed oil*, olea europaea (olive) fruit oil*, dehydroacetic acid, glycerin, hydrogenated coco-glycerides (coconut derived), sodium chloride, potassium sorbate (fruit derived), lauryl glucoside (plant derived), benzyl alcohol, citric acid, stearyl citrate (vegetable derived), fragrance (parfum)
*Certified Organic

Condtioner ingredients:

Ingredients: (INCI): Water (aqua), olea europaea (olive) leaf extract*, urtica dioica (nettle) leaf extract*, chamomilla recutita (matricaria) flower extract*, cetearyl alcohol (coconut derived), behentrimonium methosulfate, cocos nucifera (coconut) oil*, butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter*, prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) oil*, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil*, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil*, caprylic/capric triglyceride (coconut derived), dehydroacetic acid, cetrimonium chloride, benzyl alcohol, glycerin, potassium sorbate (fruit derived), citric acid, fragrance (parfum).

*Certified Organic

The heat protectant and frizz control spray:

Ingredients: Water (aqua), glycerin (plant), cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, cocos nucifera (coconut) extract, agave rigida (sisal) extract, hydrolyzed soy protein, panthenol (pro-vitamin B5), simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed extract, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, opuntia vulgaris extract (nopal cactus), yucca schidigera leaf/root/stem extract (yucca cactus), retinyl palmitate (vitamin A palmitate), tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E acetate), decyl glucoside (coconut), cetrimonium chloride (coconut oil), diglycerin, polyquaternium-11, sodium lauroyl glutamate, propanediol, citric acid, polyglygeryl-4 caprylate, sodium phytate, gluconolactone, sodium benzoate, fragrance (parfum), potassium sorbate.

The curly hair creme:

Ingredients: Water (aqua), cetearyl alcohol (coconut oil), behentrimonium methosulfate, avena strigosa seed extract (black oat), cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, carthamus tinctorius (safflower) seed oil, glycerin (plant), hydrolyzed soy protein, agave rigida (sisal) extract, panthenol (pro-vitamin B5), cocos nucifera (coconut) extract, opuntia vulgaris extract (nopal cactus), yucca schidigera root extract (yucca cactus), aloe barbadensis leaf juice, symphytum officinale leaf extract (comfrey), tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E acetate), yucca schidigera leaf/root/stem extract (yucca cactus), glyceryl stearate SE, glyceryl caprylate, hydroxyethylcellulose, lecithin (soybeans), citric acid, sodium benzoate, fragrance (parfum), sodium hydroxide.

Are there some ingredients I wish weren't in there? Absolutely, but this is about small steps toward more natural products. And two of the big ingredients I am trying to avoid are not present. 

 This is my new deodorant. It is not an antiperspirant, but I sweat less with just a deodorant on because my body isn't trying to push toxins out my clogged pores. And when I sweat this sweet almond vanilla scent is what I smell. Can't complain about that. Also it is aluminum free. Aluminum has been linked to alzheimers, I want to keep my mind as long as I can. =)

Ingredients: Organic cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, organic beeswax, organic zea mays (corn) star ch, organic theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, organic butyrospermum parkii (shea butter), organic saccharomyces ferment, organic fragrance.

 This is pretty simple, rose oil and water.  It smells just like a bouquet of roses. I don't care of the artificial rose scent in anything, but this smells wonderful, and it's natural. It can be used as a fragrance, or a toner, or skin refresher. It also can be added as fragrance to homemade natural products.

This is a little bit different. This is a dry brush. The handle is removable, and it is to be used to dry brush your skin prior to showering. The bristles are stiff. It is a natural bristle brush. I won't lie, at first it kind of hurt

brushing my skin, but it feels really nice now, and I don't know if its claims are true, but it is suppose to help your lymphatic system, increase circulation, and exfoliate.  All of those things are good, so I figure it is worth doing. You should always brush toward your heart, and don't brush your face.

This product smells devine. It is Monoi Oil. It is gardenia, vanilla, coconut oil. It smells a little like tropical cotton candy. It melts at 76 degrees, so in the summer it won't be a solid, It easily melts in my hand. It can be used as fragrance, cuticle cream, or moisturizer. I love the way it smells. It may be my new scent. I may try mixing it with some other oils to make a solid perfume.

Ingredients: Coconut (cocos nucifera) oil, gardenia tahitensis, fragrance, tocopherol acetate (vitamin E).

I am excited about all of these products. I have been using the shampoo and conditioner for a month now, and love them. I just received the heat protectant, and hair cream. I use coconut oil for a ton of stuff already, but this on is by far my favorite scent.

On the ingredients I am avoiding:

I have been fickle on the natural products. I want to use them, then I throw caution to the wind and want to use whatever is cheap, or new or hyped. It's like an internal battle, only good natural products versus everybody is going to die from something. There are a couple of ingredients I steer clear of most of the time. Parabens is the first ingredient, it comes in several different forms, but paraben is always at the end, i.e. methylparaben. Parabens are preservative used any many health and beauty products from shampoo to toothpaste, I also found it in cold medicine.

There have been no established links between parabens and cancer, however there have been parabens in some breast cancer tumors. The bigger issue for me is that it mimics estrogen and this could be a partial cause of early puberty in children. Puberty is not something we need early!  It is a bit controversial, but I vote with my dollars, and even though as recently as December bought products with parabens. I will do my best to not purchase anymore.

Another ingredient I recently decided to try to avoid is phenoxyethanol. It is also a preservative found in health and beauty products. It is a neurotoxin, and  According to a warning by the FDA of 2008 "Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that is primarily used in cosmetics and medications. It also can depress the central nervous system and may also cause nausea and vomiting"

Doesn't that make you want to avoid it? If the FDA states it can depress the central nervous system it is certainly a cause for concern, as they do not regulate health and beauty items, so there is no restriction on the amount companies use.

Stressed yet?  I believe there is no need to be stressed. Read, and research. Determine what you don't want to put in or on your body, then  reading labels. There are more and more natural companies popping up. I am currently trying out some natural make up products. I'll let you know what I think of those soon.


Have a blessed day.