My Beauty Regimen Part 2-After the Shower

As I typed this, with the intent of not actually posting it until Friday, my good friend Kimberly has been hounding me about sunscreen.  Kimberly, I'm telling you, if it was anyone else, I'd be like, "Sorry.  You have to wait."  But since it's you...    :-)                      

Step 2-After the Shower

Deodorant-
Notice I said "deodorant"...NOT antiperspirant.  Now, for some of you this is going to take some getting used to.  So, promise me you'll read on with an open mind.  When I first switched, it was an adjustment.  In fact, after 1 month, I couldn't keep it a secret anymore...it was gnawing at me like I'd had botox or a boob job and no one knew and I just HAD to tell someone.  I mentioned to my friend Colleen (who is a very beautiful, thin, trendy, super-put-together mom of 2 girls) that I had been EXPERIMENTING with NOT wearing antiperspirant.  It was a huge risk.  I mean, she could have said, "Um, yeah...I noticed, I just didn't want to say anything."  She could have said, "What?  That's weird!  You're gonna have sweat stains on all your J Crew t-shirts!"  But what she actually said was this: "Oh yeah, I haven't worn antiperspirant for years.  Alzheimers runs in my family and I just don't want to expose myself to aluminum because it's a huge risk factor."  Huh?  You mean I am not the ONLY informed, progressive, anti-toxin-warrior on the planet?  Cool!

Here's what you should know before you switch...you are going to sweat.  At first it feels weird, because if you use Secret, you do not sweat.  Secret (and Mitchum and Speed Stick) prevent your body from eliminating toxins by chemically clogging up your sweat glands so that you have that all-day-dry (itchy, toxin-filled) feeling.  You MUST give your body time to adjust.  You may even have body odor for 2-4 weeks...it all depends on how much toxicity is built up in your system.  Once your body adjusts, you will still sweat a little, although not nearly as much as the first 2 weeks, but you should only have body odor if you don't take a shower or if your pH is off, or if you have an immune or hormone imbalance...more about that later.

I use a mineral salt spray that I get at Sprouts.  I buy whatever brand is on sale (Sprouts brand or Crystalux Crystal Deodorant Spray.  As long as the ingredients are "mineral salts and water", that's what I use.  I add my favorite fragrance, which right now happens to be Aveda Spirit Spray #6 (which is Aveda's signature "Pure-fume" fragrance, made of plant based aromas & essential oils and must be custom-blended in an Aveda store or salon) so that I smell nice.  In a pinch, it will even GET RID of unpleasant underarm odor if I spray it on smelly pits.  I put about 25-30 spritzes of Spirit Spray into a 4 oz bottle of mineral salt deo.  My husband is a deodorant convert as well!  He loves Lafes Roll On Deodorant in "Active" scent.  The main ingredients in this deo are water and mineral salts as well, so I guess you could say that we both love the mineral salts!  I have tried every brand and homemade remedy you can possibly imagine (Tom's of Maine, coconut oil-based homemade, vodka, etc.) and, trust me, mineral salts are the bomb.  Be patient and give your body time to adjust and you will be a convert too!

If you are going to be wearing a sheer top or something that you worry about sweat showing in (I only worry in the Summer, when it's 105 degrees outside, in which case, I'm really not wearing much polyester anyway) then pat on some talc-free powder after the deodorant dries.  In fact, you can put powder ANYWHERE you want to stay dry.  I like a body powder that is cornstarch or zinc oxide based (or both).  Monistat used to make an all-purpose fragrance-free zinc oxide powder that I loved, but I can't find it anymore.  When I run out, I'll be looking for a new one.

Antioxidant Face Serum-
SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF Gel a very potent, very concentrated blend of antioxidants and exfoliating acids.  If you can afford it, I (and my dermatologist) highly recommend it.  It has Vitamin C to brighten and even out skin tone ferulic acid to exfoliate and scavenge for those nasty free radicals

I also like:

Winter-Origins Plantscription Anti-Aging Serum...it goes on like a thin lotion and adds a hint of moisture to dry skin.

Summer-Aveda Enbrightenment Brightening Correcting Serum...goes on like a thin serum, so you can still put on moisturizer and sunscreen and not feel goopy. 

Apply to clean skin and let soak in.  Serums are more effective than lotions.  If you're over 30, you should be using one.

Eye Cream-
Morning-Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream...moisturizes, but soaks in COMPLETELY and is not at all greasy...instantly brightens and de-puffs and makes a great foundation for eye shadow.
Evening-something more emollient...there are so many out there.  Right now I'm using Origins Plantscriptions Antiaging Eye Cream but if you go to Sprouts, they are a dime a dozen...just ask someone in the cosmetics department.

I'll say it again...if you're over 30, you owe it to yourself to use a good eye cream.

Moisturizer-
Right now I'm liking Shikai Borage Dry Skin Therapy Facial 24 Hour Repair Cream (which now comes in a white pump w/ a blue label...not like the picture in the link...it moisturizes with ZERO irritation (even after a sun burn).  If it's too emollient for you, try Aveda Embrightenment Brightening Correcting Lotion...I can't say that I saw a difference in skin tone by using it, but it has a wonderfully light herbal scent and is very lightweight.

And, now, what you've all been waiting for...

Sunscreen-
You should NOT, let me repeat this...SHOULD NOT be using a chemical sunscreen such as octinoxate, octisalate, homosalate, octocrylene, or avobenzone...OK you can use avobenzone in an emergency....like once a year.  But seriously, these sunscreens "protect" your skin by chemically altering it!  Surgeons find traces of them built up in cancer tissue.  You do not want to mess with this stuff, and by all means STOP putting in on your children!  You should only be sing zinc oxide & titanium dioxide to shield your skin from the sun. In addition to Devita, I do have a spray bottle of All Terrain KidSport Spray SPF 30.  It's a pump, not an aerosol, but it's still an easy way to quickly lube up your kids.

For face...Devita Solar Protective Moisturizer SPF 30.  This product is great, but it's changed a few times over the last several years.  It goes on great, but take note, it's best used OVER your regular moisturizer.  
                                             or 
                Devita Moisture Tints SPF 15 Multi-Beneficial Beauty Balm ...This is a brand new product that I really really love.  It glides on like nothing I've ever tried, and has sunscreen and tint built right in.  If you have oily skin, you MAY be able to use this as a stand-alone product.  My skin is dry, so I still use moisturizer underneath.
                                             or
                SkinCeuticals Sheer Physical UV Defense SPF 50 This one is a very thin liquid that glides over the skin and soaks in completely.  If you're looking for an all-natural, high SPF liquid for the face...this is it!  Use over moisturizer.  

For body...Devita Solar Body Moisturizer SPF 30

And, my super-secret, crazy-but-true trick to protecting your skin from sunburn?  Fernblock.  It's a supplement.  Yes, a pill.  It's made from a fern that grows in the Southwest United States.  Native Americans have been chewing it for years, because it literally prevents sunburn!  My friend Kim (not to be confused with Kimberly that I mentioned before) took nothing but Fernblock on a hike to Seven Falls (7 hours total in early June) and did not put any sunblock on her skin.  I don't necessarily recommend this, by the way, but wanted to share the story to show you the benefits of the supplement.  She wore a tank top and at the end of the hike did not even have a "strap mark" on her shoulder!  2 pills every 2 hours does the trick.  I give it to my kids if they are going to a swim party or to the beach.  Anytime we go anywhere where we know we're SUPPOSED to re-apply our sunscreen every hour, but know that REALISTICALLY it's not going to happen, we take Fernblock.  I like a little tan, so I only take 1 pill every 2 hours.  

If you are like me and like to do your homework, please google "Fernblock" or "polypodium leucotomos" (the scientific name of the supplement).  Like most natural remedies, the FDA is not a huge fan, however, the studies found online will just say that it does work, but is not a suitable substitute for a topical sunscreen.  There are NO adverse side effects and it's safe for children.  Do a little research and then try it for yourself!

Stay tuned for my next post...haircare & styling products...

My Beauty Regimen Part 1...Taking a Shower

It's been about a year and a half since I began my quest to find safe, healthy, non-toxic cleaning and beauty products for my family.  The biggest factor that held me back is that I'm a bit picky about the products I use.  When it comes to beauty products & cosmetics, I admit, I'm a bit of a snob.  I actually use them, as opposed to not using them, and I didn't want to look like I just came down off the mountain just because I now have a commitment to purity in the products I use.  When it comes to cleaning products, I have one qualification that I DO NOT compromise...EVER...they have to work.  And they have to smell nice.  OK, so technically that's 2 qualifications, but whatever.  By "smell nice" I mean, I want them to smell like I'm walking into a spa, not a hospital.  I can smell a chemical fragrance a mile away.  Even if the manufacturer tries to make it smell fresh & clean, I immediately get a headache and a fuzzy brain if they have used a non-plant-based fragrance to create that fresh clean smell.  And, I'm sorry, but cleaning products have to work.  AND, I don't have time to mix vinegar and baking soda to make my own cleaning products...they have to be convenient, quick and easy to use (yes, I am aware that I just added a 3rd qualification)...

OK, now to the good stuff...the products I've tested and tried and LOVE...

In my next few posts I'll go over my beauty regimen from head to toe...beginning to end and let you know what all my favorite products are.

Step 1: Take A Shower.

Shampoo & Conditioner-
Most natural shampoos don't work, don't lather, or don't smell nice...NOT OK with me.  So, after spending hundreds of dollars and a full year testing 15-20 of the top-rated all natural shampoos, I switched to a premium brand and have been spending an arm and a leg on Aveda products.  They smell amazing and have a green light in the "clean, non-toxic" department.  I still have them in my shower and will continue to use them up because...well...they smell nice and they cost me an arm and a leg.

HOWEVER, I've discovered a shampoo & conditioner that DO NOT cost an arm and a leg, smell AWESOME and work like NOTHING I've ever used...not even the toxic crap I used for 12 years. Jessica Alba's Honest Shampoo+Body Wash & Honest Conditioner.  I just don't even know what to say I love them so much.  They are super-concentrated, so a little goes a long way.  My hair is shiny and full of volume and smells great without being over-scented with chemical fragrances.  They are $9.95 each (which is already a great price) unless you bundle them with, say, a laundry detergent, dryer sheets, and hand soap (which I also love)...then you get 5 products for $35.95...which works out to $7.19 per product.  It's kind of a no-brainer.  AND...Costco now carries a "Costco-sized" bottle of the Shampoo+Body Wash!  If there's anyone I've met (OK, I haven't met her, but I read her book and she is a kindred spirit) who is MORE committed to clean products that WORK than me, it's Jessica Alba.  When she couldn't find products that met her stringent standards and her beauty needs as an actress...she decided to recruit a team of experts and make her own...that's what I call ingenuity!

Soap/Body Wash-
If you are a bar-soap kinda guy (or gal) go with Dr. Bronners Bar Soap.  The lavender is by far my favorite scent.  I also like peppermint, but certain members of my family brought to my attention that putting peppermint oil soap on certain more sensitive parts of your body can be not-so-comfortable...point taken...I'll stick with lavender.  OK, so this is NOT the cheapest soap I've ever purchased, and if you're used to buying copious amounts of Dial or Dove at Costco, you will definitely balk at the price.  It's, like $4-5 PER BAR...I'm not kidding.  Stock up when it's on sale at Sprouts.

If you are a liquid body wash kinda guy, which I never was until I saw the price of Dr. Bronner's bar soap and now I'm a full-on convert, go with Everyday Shea Moisturizing Body Wash.  It comes in Lavender, Vanilla Mint (which does NOT have so much mint in it that it causes you to tingle...just smell good), and unscented.  I like to mix Lavender and Vanilla Mint...mmmmm! It's about $14 for a 32 oz. bottle which will last you forever.  Once again, stock up at Sprouts when it's on sale...it goes down to about $9.95 on a regular basis.  I use the stuff on my body, face, for shaving my legs...everything!  I even keep one by my bathroom sink for hand washing.  One squirt on a loofah or scrubby bath mitt, goes a LONG way!

Face Wash-
Like I said before, if I'm in the shower, I use the Everyday Shea for everything.  However, it is a squeaky clean kind of clean, and as I age, I'm finding I need all the moisture I can get.  So, I also use SKIN By Ann Webb Peppermint Milk Skin Brightening Cleanser.  This one is for "mature" (aka "dry & wrinkly") skin, but there is also one for oily/combination skin.  I put a quarter-sized dollop in my hand and massage into dry skin.  It can be wiped off with a warm wet washcloth or rinsed off with warm water. You could also use a Clarisonic if it's in the budget.

Face Scrub-
I use Aveda Tourmaline Charged Radiant Skin Refiner ($40 for 3.5 oz), and have recently discovered Shikai Borage Therapy Facial Scrub, which is pretty good and carries a much friendlier price tag (about 10 bucks for 4.2 oz.) I use it twice a week.  It's important to exfoliate your face regularly to rid it of dead skin cells that cause you to look dull and more dry (if you have dry skin) or more oily (if you have oily skin).  For acne-prone skin, Burt's Bees has a great line as well as ALBA Botanica (no relation to Jessica Alba).  The salicylic acid that these brands contain is a necessary evil if you are fighting acne.  It is rated a 4 on the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Website (which rates cosmetic ingredients on a scale of 0-10, 10 being the most toxic), but if you have acne, you gotta do what you gotta do, and salicylic acid is the least-toxic-but-still-highly-effective solution.

Body Lotion-
Because we live in Arizona and every member of my family has dry skin, I searched high and low for a lotion that would REALLY moisturize...ALL DAY...without mineral oil, dimethicone (the "active" ingredient in Aveeno Active Naturals Daily Moisturizing Lotion), or other chemical agents that coat the skin to keep the lotion in all day.  My favorite is ShiKai Borage Therapy Dry Skin Lotion in the green bottle.  Because it's in a green bottle and contains the word "therapy" I thought it would smell like menthol or something and passed it over in the aisle at Sprouts for months.  One day they had a tester out and I tried it...love at first swipe!  We also use Everyday Shea and Everyday Coconut (Sprouts)...especially in the Summer when we don't need quite as much moisture because we're sweating our tooshies off, but Borage Therapy is my go-to lotion. Another, light-weight lotion option is Honest Face+Body Lotion...lightweight and silky going on, but seemed to leave a teeny tiny bit of a film at the end.  I'm trying it a bit this month.  I like it, but not QUITE as well as the Borage Therapy.  If you do not have super-dry skin, you might love it! SkiKai also makes a face lotion and a hand cream.  The hand cream is nice if you need something REALLY emollient or if you like to have a small tube in your purse.  Don't waste your money on the face cream...it's basically the same as the body lotion in a smaller, more expensive tube.

OK, now that you are done with your shower, you're going to need to apply deodorant, sunscreen and begin your face routine!  Stay tuned for my next blog, where I discuss these hot topics...and boy do I have something to say about sunscreen and deodorant!