Not all beauty products you choose to put on your skin are good for you. You may be putting thousands of chemicals into your body and you aren’t even aware of the chemicals in your beauty products.
Have you ever checked the label of ingredients in your beauty products? You may be surprised to find dozens of ingredients you can’t even pronounce!
Check the label of your beauty products the same way you do your food products. Many everyday beauty products contain harmful chemicals such as skin irritants, parabens, carcinogens, and hormone disruptors. These chemicals can have a detrimental effect on your body. So how do you avoid them?
What are Some Chemicals in Your Beauty Products?
1.) Fluoride
Unfortunately, the toothpaste and mouthwash you may use at least twice a day are doing more harm than good. Many kinds of toothpaste and mouthwash contain the harmful ingredient fluoride.
Fluoride is a synthetically produced neurotoxin which can be harmful in high doses. Yes, it does protect the teeth by demineralization, however, in higher doses, it can damage bones and joints. Exposure can also lead to damage to the enamel of teeth.
What to use instead?
Restorative Tooth Powder
Healing Mouthwash
Choosing alternatives with trustworthy naturally-occurring ingredients will aid in the prevention of health risks.
Natural Passion 4 Wellness is a #1 trusted natural brand carrying organic, vegan, and gluten-free products for skin, hair, and oral care. Formulated by licensed professionals, these natural products will provide you with safe ingredients for your body.
Fragrance is one of the most commonly occurring chemicals in your beauty products. The scary part is, we aren’t entirely sure what chemicals make up this “ingredient”. Fragrance can be found in perfumes, colognes, body washes, shampoos, facial products, and much more.
Formaldehyde can also trigger allergic skin reactions and harm the immune system. This chemical is most commonly found in you nail polishes, shampoos, conditioners, eye shadows, and body washes.
What to use instead?
It is, in fact, possible to find organic nail polish removers as well as other beauty products. In these natural products, alternative ingredients such as herbs and oils are used.
4.) Benzophenone
Most sunscreens contain the chemical benzophenone in order to prevent UV-light from damaging the skin. Unfortunately, this chemical is classified as a carcinogen, endocrine disruptor, and reproductive toxin. Basically, it will do you more harm than good.
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) classifies benzophenone as a substance that may cause damage “through prolonged or repeated exposure and is harmful to aquatic life with long-lasting effects.”
What to use instead?
Look for herbal sunscreens that contain no benzophenone and only natural ingredients. Certain herbs have the same ability to protect you from the sun.
5.) Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)
This form of sulfate is present in most shampoo products, mascara, acne treatments, or any other foaming personal care products.
Sulfate is known to be a skin, eye, and lung irritant if inhaled. It also has the ability to react with other chemicals forming nitrosamines, a harmful carcinogen.
When used in your hair care routine, it can strip down the oils in your hair leaving it damaged and dry.
What to use instead?
Aim for purchasing sulfate-free shampoo and conditioners. Love Beauty and Planet is one of the most well-known chemical-free haircare brands.
Make sure if a beauty product you are using produces foam that it has no sulfate. Handmade Soap Club is notorious for producing a good sudsy foam with no added chemicals and only pure essential oils used.
Coconut oil has a very broad category of internal and external health benefits. It is becoming more widely known for not only it’s cooking uses, but for its uses in everyday beauty routines and around the home. Here I will share 10 surprising ways to use coconut oil for a healthier lifestyle.
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The milk and flesh from coconuts contain high amounts of saturated fats and antioxidants that have the ability to wipe your blood clear of radicals (the particles that cause cell death and oxidation).
However, if you do use coconut oil is it important to make sure it is organic and processed correctly. It is possible for some non-organic brands to have a lack of a certain key ingredient, resulting in you not receiving the full benefits.
I use this coconut oil at least three times a day, I don’t know what I would do without it honestly. My favorite use is for my skin, let me tell you it looks better than it has in years.
Read below to discover ways to use coconut oil you may not know existed!
Surprising Ways to Use Coconut Oil
1.) The Basics: Cooking
Using coconut oil in cooking is one of the most common uses of coconut oil. If you’re still using vegetable oil or extra-virgin olive oil to cook, do your body a favor and toss it. Coconut oil is more beneficial and less harmful to your body’s health.
Why use coconut oil?
Coconut oil’s medium length-chain fat molecules make it easier to bond together with one single carbon bond. This action allows the coconut oil to have stability at room temperature.
Extra-virgin olive oil is another common cooking oil. The fat molecules for this oil have a low smoke point allowing its molecules to break down into trans-saturated fatty acids when exposed to high heat.
As some of you may know, trans fats are detrimental to the health of your heart.
2.) Skin moisturizer
With coconut oil having so many saturated fats, it makes it a fabulous candidate for moisturizing dry skin. The oil contains antioxidants that clear pores and get rid of toxins in the skin.
Polyphenol compounds in coconut oil can also reduce inflammation which is a key factor of acne breakouts. Coconut oil will keep your skin looking and feeling radiant. You can use it a lotion or in the shower after you wash with soap.
3.) Hair masks
Most shampoos contain sulfate which actually strips your hair of its natural oils. Natural oils are essential to your hair’s health. With the depletion of these oils, your hair is more susceptible to producing more oil to make up for it which can cause your hair to break easily.
To prevent this, coconut oil is a great substance to use for nourishing dead or damaged hair. It will regulate oil production in your scalp causing your hair to become healthier and stronger.
It can be used as a hair mask or a deep conditioner. If you use it as a hair mask, simply leave it in your hair after a shower, throw your hair in a bun, and rinse it out in the morning.
4.) Makeup remover
Coconut oil serves as a great natural makeup remover. Its antibacterial properties make it the prime candidate for removing the nasties from your skin after a long day.
I think this is one of the most surprising ways to use coconut oil, as most people are focused on purchasing makeup remover wipes. In fact, I haven’t used real makeup remover in four years.
But how does it function as a makeup remover?
It has a detergent effect that allows it to cleanse the skin of anything put on the surface. Coconut oil would be a much better option rather than using a remover containing chemicals damaging to the skin.
5.) Helps prevent high blood pressure
The amounts of saturated fats found in coconut oil are beneficial to the heart in which they are key components in increasing the amount of “good” cholesterol in your body.
This healthy cholesterol is known as “HDL” and the more you have, the more healthy your heart is.
Because of this, coconut oil lowers the risk of developing heart disease and high blood pressure. Anyone who already suffers from high blood pressure can benefit from coconut oil as well. It reduces blood pressure and creates a healthy regulated circulatory system running properly.
6.) Prevents stomach cancer
Wait what? Oh yeah. As shocking as it may seem, coconut oil contains MCFA (medium-chain fatty acid) which has been found to kill helicobacter pylori bacteria. This microaerophilic bacterium resides in the stomach and penetrates the stomach lining, establishing infection.
This kind of bacteria leads to stomach cancer so when it is killed, your chances of stomach cancer are very slim.
7.) Improves digestion
Coconut oil contains Omega-3 fatty acids which are extremely beneficial in the digestion process. Consuming these fatty acids actually double the effect you have on the digestion process. Your gut will be able to more openly receive essential vitamins, nutrients such as magnesium and calcium.
Along with getting rid of the bad bacteria, good bacteria are also hard at work in your gut and stomach. Coconut oil can benefit the good bacteria that live in your gut and make sure it is functioning efficiently and properly.
8.) Boosts your energy levels
Ditch the chemical-filled energy drink and eat some coconut oil. Due to the MCFA’s as mentioned earlier, once they reach the liver, almost all MCFA’s are converted to energy.
In order to consume this oil for its energy, simply eat at a tablespoon of oil with some honey and chia seeds. This will give you plenty of necessary and natural energy about half an hour after consumption. Forget the espresso!
9.) Burns more fat
Coconut oil has the glorious ability to trim you down and keep you looking and feeling better than ever. This oil contains a good source of calories that of which are great for weight loss.
MCT’s (medium-chain triglycerides) allow you to spend more energy when you exercise rather than long-chain fats. Regular consumption of these fats will be able to help you burn fat faster than ever and reach your ideal weight in no time.
10.) Protects bones
As you get older, your bones throughout your body will become more brittle and fragile making them prone to cracking, chipping, or breaking. Coconut oil increases the amount of calcium absorbed into your gut causing your bones to become stronger.
The more calcium your gut intakes from food, the stronger your bones become. Osteoporosis is a common health condition where the bones are weakened. High levels of antioxidants in coconut oil will help by fighting off free radicals. Introduce coconut oil into your diet to save your beautiful bones.
Incorporating this oil into my lifestyle with these 10 surprising ways to use coconut oil has dramatically changed the way I go about my daily routine. Give it a try and let me know what you think!
Self care is very important, as your body needs you to give it some love every so often. What is even more important is the products you are feeding your skin.
Below are my favorite self care products I use for a little spa day, or in my case today VALENTINE’S DAY!
1.) Rose Gold Facial Oil
This is my favorite face oil EVER (by AGAPE ) when it comes to giving my skin some love. It has a cooling effect with purely natural oils (Rosehip, Peppermint, Lavender, Sunflower, Jojoba, and Cold Pressed Castor Oil).
These oils are known for healing healing acne inflammation and scarring, and trust me…I’ve experienced the benefits!
2.) Luxury Vanilla Soap
Handmade Soap Club will forever be my go to for natural soap. My favorite is the Sweet Vanilla Swirl with oilve oil, sustainable palm oil, cocoa powder, vanilla essential oil, and of course lots of love!
This soap leaves my skin feeling soothed and moisturized, I use it in the shower and my skin LOVES it.
Use my code ‘SOULSONFIRE’ for 15% off!
3.) Epsom Salt
A nice hot bath is always a good call every once in a while. Adding in a cup of Epsom salt is my go to, as it eases the muscles and makes them more relaxed.
This is a great option if you have sore muscles from an intense work out or if you just want to ease up some tense shoulders.
4.) Jasmine Lotion
This lotion gets the job done when it comes to moisturizing. It contains African Shea butter and coconut oil which are great for deep layer moisturizing. Not to mention it smells heavenly and has no fragrance used whatsoever, just essential oils.
The Super Salve Co. is my go to for lotion and body butters, everything is 100% natural and has beautiful scents that last the whole day.
Take a nice hot bath, light some candles, brew some tea, and finish with these products and you are SET for a relaxing lil self care day. Happy Valentine’s Day!
Prepare to be mind blown…your skin is actually the largest organ in your body. Therefore it is essential that you use all-natural bath and body products that contain no nasty chemicals. Your skin will love you for that, trust me. You may not even realize how many chemicals are in the products you are using. Next time you got to wash your face or use soap, take a look at the ingredients, I dare you!
Below are the top 5 all-natural bath and body products that contain no harmful chemicals.
Dr. Bronner’s is a family made organic soap line with all-natural bath and body products. Their back story is beautiful, I definitely recommend checking their website out.
This soap is very resourceful and is definitely one of a kind. My personal favorite is the 18-in-one Peppermint Pure Castille Soap. This soap has all-natural ingredients and can be used in 18 different ways. It also lasts a long time (I had mine for at least two months).
It can be used to:
wash your hands, face, and body
wash your hair (followed by the Organic Hair Rinse)
hand wash dishes
wash your clothes if mixed with vinegar
mop your floor
wash your dog
remove residue of fruits and veggies
all purpose cleaner in spray bottle
make a spray bottle to get rid of bugs on plants
shave your face, underarms, and legs
It smells amazing and the peppermint leaves a cool refreshed feeling on your skin. Also not to mention, peppermint is very good for your scalp, as it can relieve dryness and itchiness.
It is sometimes hard to find in stores due to the high demand so I recommend buying it on Amazon.
2.) Coconut Oil
Coconut Oil is one of my favorites. Check out my post dedicated to coconut oil here to learn more about the benefits.
Don’t you just love the sound of truly natural chemical-free organic soap? Handmade Soap Club is the only brand of handmade soap I trust for numerous reasons.
P.S. Use my code SOULSONFIRE to get 15% off your first order and experience the luxury yourself!
earth-friendly packaging!
zero-chemical tolerance
natural smelling scents
nourishing as well as cleansing
aesthetic appearance
I only use Handmade Soap and have been for the past year. I use it in the shower, to take off my makeup, to wash my hands, and to wash dishes.
These luxury bars of soap never leave a gross residue on my skin, it literally leaves my skin squeaky clean! Each bar is infused with essential oils for fragrance and no perfumes or chemicals are used which is a HUGE thing for me.
Not to mention they look super cute. Sometimes its hard for me to use them because I love them as a decoration!
Castor oil comes from pressing the seeds of the castor plant (Ricinus Communis) which is native to India.
This oil is known for its benefits for your hair skin and nails. It promotes longer thicker eyelashes and helps hair growth.
I personally use this oil on my eyebrows and eyelashes. Sky Organics is a great brand for trustworthy, safe, and organic castor oil. Visit my post on why I started using Castor Oil instead of mascara here!
Love Beauty and Planet has amazing all-natural products free of harmful chemicals. The number one chemical in most shampoos and conditioners is sulfate which can actually break and damage your hair. Once I found this out, I flocked straight to Love Beauty and Planet.
This sulfate-free shampoo is 93% naturally derived which means your hair is getting all the proper love it needs. Not to mention your hair smells beautifully of lavender after a clean rinse.
I have noticed my hair is softer and more voluminous ever since I started using this shampoo. The best conditioner to use after is the Hemp Oil and Nana Leaf Conditioner.
Using natural products is a very important aspect of your lifestyle especially when it comes to your body. In with the clean naturally derived ingredients, out with the damaging and harmful chemicals!
