Natural personal care product recommendations/warnings?

[EMS83]

I'd love to say I'm a crunchy hippie, but I'm not.  It's pragmatic, rather than philosophical.  We've been using typical stuff, usually the cheapest possible.

 

BUT, as DD nears adolescence, I realize I'm not as comfortable with her using typical commercial products (antiperspirant is what really made me start thinking about this).  The catch is whenever I even think about looking into the natural alternatives, the amount of information and opinion to sift through plus the cost of pre-made stuff just shuts down my brain.  And from my poking around, some things seem to be unsafe for younger children or boys, so... ???

 

So if there are any naturally-inclined Hivers out there, do you have any strong recommendations for or warnings against any natural basic personal care products?  We mainly use soap, shampoo, antiperspirant, and I use a facial scrub.  The kids may eventually need some kind of facial cleanser (or not?).

 

Thanks for any input!

 

[73349]

You may like the EWG database, where you can find out about the ingredients in each product: http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/

 

Generally I start with the simplest/safest option and only change from there as needed. For example, about half the time I find I can just use some baking soda instead of antiperspirant.

[Elizabeth 2]

Other than lavender, which some strains have a phytoestrogen effect on boys, I don't worry about the following natural products for my boys

 

For antiperspirant/deodorant, both DSs and I like Tom's of Maine.  They have some many smells and some fruity ones.  I purchased a few of them in various fragrances so they get worn, no matter the preference on a particularly moody day.  

 

I like RenPure products for hair.  They have multiple options for shampoo and conditioner depending on hair type.  My stylist has always been amazed at the health of my hair despite not using salon products. They can be found at Target.  With sales and Cartwheel, I can usually get them for $3.00 a bottle or less every month or so.  

 

For facial products, I use Acure Organics. Currently, I'm using their facial scrub and face wash.   They are a bit more expensive ($8 a bottle or so) but I find that my face doesn't break out or feel gross when I use them.  Boots at Target also has a naturals product line that I feel comfortable having my son use. I felt comfortable using it while pregnant.

 

There is also the option of having her use castile soap to wash, use a 50% vinegar/water blend toner, and use coconut oil, olive oil or other natural moisturizer.  I did that while pregnant before finding Boots.  

 

 

[ktgrok]

Pretty much all the natural antiperspirants are still aluminum. Those solid crystals? They are still aluminum. There are natural deodorant products, which may be enough for now, but not antiperspirant, that I know of. I mean, I guess the crystal is natural, but it's still the same ingredient that most people are trying to avoid. 

[Soror]

In theory, I'm natural. In practice, I do a lot of group exercise(yoga) and sweat a TON, bucketloads. After trying au naturale and my dh finally telling me that it wasn't working I don't skimp on deodorant/antiperspirant. Now, if it is winter time and I'm not doing any big activity I will skip it otherwise nope, multiple showers and heavy duty deodorant.

[MyLittleBears]

The best natural deodorant that actually works is called hippie stick by trim healthy mamma (used to be Kit Naturals). I used to use tom's of maine 24hr but I still had to reapply it at night so I wouldn't stink in the morning. Hippie stick works even after working out. I also *Love* skin care products and makeup from 100% pure but they can be pricey. A good inexpensive alternate is Everyday Shea for lotions and skincare. Also just plain coconut oil on the skin is pretty good although slippery.

I still use salon product for my hair because it is so finicky. Think fine but curlyish and lots of it. I also have not found a mascara I like better than l'oreal. The main thing for me is avoiding mineral oil and aluminum and when I can phylates.

[Guest]

The things I love:

 

I just rub on some baking soda into my pits. Works perfectly, for me.

DH actually uses Milk of Magnesia on his pits. It works perfectly for him and his sister, but not me.

 

I use oil to wash my face <3

Glycerine (just straight up NOW veg glycerine) to moisturize my eyes, lips, and neck overnight

Homemade balm (oil, beeswax) for deep body moisturizing.

salt+clay (or activated charcoal)+baking soda and water to make paste for body and face scrub

Tarte cosmetics

and Ecco Bella mascara

 

What I don't like:

 

Any all natural shampoo/conditioner, or no-poo. Heck to the nope.

Edited September 30, 2016 by OKBud

[MercyA]

I like this natural deodorant (not an antiperspirant) for kids: Keep It Kind

 

For myself, I like CertainDri. It's not all natural, but they don't test on animals.  :thumbup1:

 

I really like Everyone Soap for the bath, but I don't use it as shampoo. It's one of the most inexpensive natural body washes I've found, and it smells yummy.

 

Out of an abundance of caution, I try to avoid products with lavender and/or tea tree oil. 

[ktgrok]

I hope this is okay, but I did want to say a distant relative of mine (wife to a cousin via marriage...I've never actually met her, or her husband) makes soaps, facial moisturizer, lotions, scrubs, etc. She's very careful to research all ingredients, they are vegan and palm oil free, etc etc. Some lotions do have fragrance oil, others have only essential oils. It's called Sultry Smooth Essentials, she's on Facebook and Etsy. I make no money off her sales, and have never met her, but like some of her lotions..especially right now the magnesium body cream. 

[Slache]

I like Arm & Hammer. I also use a menstrual cup which I love. No chemicals there. ;)

[Soror]

The things I love:

 

I just rub on some baking soda into my pits. Works perfectly, for me.

DH actually uses Milk of Magnesia on his pits. It works perfectly for him and his sister, but not me.

 

I use oil to wash my face <3

Glycerine (just straight up NOW veg glycerine) to moisturize my eyes, lips, and neck overnight

Homemade balm (oil, beeswax) for deep body moisturizing.

salt+clay (or activated charcoal)+baking soda and water to make paste for body and face scrub

Tarte cosmetics

and Ecco Bella mascara

 

What I don't like:

 

Any all natural shampoo/conditioner, or no-poo. Heck to the nope.

I wash my face w/ coconut oil and find it does a fabulous job. My go to soap right now is some homemade from another hs mom- goat milk I think? I use straight up shea butter for lotion for my body. 

 

I only use conditioner(sulfate free) on my curly hair and I have a seaweed mouse(or something like that), I did buy some salon mousse after my recent cut, I've only been using it for special occasions. 

 

Really I don't use that much. most days all I wear is mineral wear bb cream w/ sunscreen. On fancy days I add mascara, eye liner, tinted lip balm and blush. I have some face lotion I sometimes use from Aldi's of all places (dh loves it b/c it smells like bee propolis he says).

 

If I want to use perfume I put a bit of jasmine oil on. 

 

I used to use cloth menstrual pads but wore mine out and haven't invested in replacing them. I really enjoyed the feel of them but don't like the bulkiness when I'm out, especially as quite often I'm in yoga pants which show everything. I've thought about a menstrual cup but the thought is not appealing. As it is my period is pretty short.

Edited September 30, 2016 by soror

[EMS83]

I thought tea tree oil was to be avoided.  I poked around the natural body care section at Publix today, but nearly everything had either lavender or tea tree oil in it.  I'll check out some of the suggestions here; I really appreciate them!  I love that EWG link, too.

 

I just tried a deodorant vs. antiperspirant this evening, and I think prefer going without anything, actually (I do this when we're not going anywhere--laziness).  I'll have think on that one some.  

 

I used to do the olive oil/castor oil cleansing method, and it was great for my skin, except for sebaceous cysts.  Those seemed to really flare up with that method.

[IfIOnly]

I thought tea tree oil was to be avoided. I poked around the natural body care section at Publix today, but nearly everything had either lavender or tea tree oil in it. I'll check out some of the suggestions here; I really appreciate them! I love that EWG link, too.

 

I just tried a deodorant vs. antiperspirant this evening, and I think prefer going without anything, actually (I do this when we're not going anywhere--laziness). I'll have think on that one some.

 

I used to do the olive oil/castor oil cleansing method, and it was great for my skin, except for sebaceous cysts. Those seemed to really flare up with that method.

Try using just nonpore clogging oils like sunflower. Olive and coconut give me awful breakouts.

 

http://thebestorganicskincare.com/a-list-of-non-comedogenic-facial-oils

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

I hear you, mama. I had the same realization when my oldest was a baby and I realized I was sitting her little body in a tub full of to products that concerned me. We don't manage to be as natural as I want to be all of the time, but we do the best we can. Here are our go-to natural products, after many years of experimentation: 

 

Body and face wash (and all-around household cleaner :lol:): Dr. Bronner's (any scent)

Body and face lotion: Alba Very Emollient body lotion (light enough to work on my face but emollient enough for body, not greasy at all)

Toner: Lavender witch hazel (for grubby days in lieu of a whole midday face washing)

 

My face has been so much better since I started using just these two things. I don't need to scrub or use my old Clinique cleansers, etc. (I do occasionally use some Dr. B's on a baby washcloth on my face if I'm getting a little flaky). Just be careful if using the peppermint cleanser on all body parts (ahem). The mint can be very...refreshing!

 

Deodorant: Nature's Gate tea tree deodorant (I can get away with this from, say, September to April, as long as I'm not going to be sweating too much. The rest of the year, I just use Dove deodorant. I can't stand the stickiness and the smell overpowers pretty much every natural deodorant I've tried.)

 

Hair care: For our curly hair, we use Shea Moisture coconut hair smoothie, and we've used several other Shea Moisture products happily. We use Nature's Gate calming shampoo but Aussie Moisturizing Conditioner (not natural, but with three VERY curly girls, we have to stick to what works when we find it!). 

 

Toothpaste: Nature's Gate Creme de Peppermint (I prefer it because it's minty but not super-sweet like so many other toothpastes). Tom's of Maine is pretty good too, and cheaper, but we switched away when it was acquired by Colgate Palmolive because I was worried about the product integrity.

 

I haven't found any natural makeup I like, but I really only use a little eyeliner and lip balm (Burt's Bees), so I have to let that one go too. I also use a Diva Cup and cloth backup pads, but my teen DD is NOT ready to go there yet, so we use conventional products for now. I'm still working on that aspect :lol:

 

HTH!

 

ETA: None of these are affiliate links, and Vitacost often has better prices, especially if you're buying just one package to try out. 

Edited October 1, 2016 by ILiveInFlipFlops

[Miss Peregrine]

I use milk of magnesia for deodorant. No drug store brands will work for me.

 

Oil cleansing for for my face.

 

Earth Paste is awesome toothpaste.

 

Cloth pads when I'm at home.