HEALTH AND BEAUTY PRODUCTS
A healthy lifestyle transformation includes examination of all the products we use. Originally I thought that the products I ate were the only ones I needed to consider, but I've since realized anything I use on my skin or hair also has a health impact.
1. KNOW WHAT YOU'RE USING
Start this undertaking by evaluating the products you currently use and then find better alternatives for the worst health offenders.
EWG.org Skin Deep Guide to Cosmetics is a database that assigns a Hazard Rating to thousands of health and beauty products and can be accessed for free and without signing up for anything!
When I evaluated the products I was using, I was shocked to find that the salon quality hair conditioner I was using was 8 out of 10 on the Hazard scale. I don't know why I expected the pricier products to be safer, but this is definitely not always the case.
Using the Skin Deep Guide to Cosmetics as a reference, I changed my eyeliner, foundation, and blush and was pleased to see that my current lipstick was already a low hazard.
The healthier products I use now are all very affordable and available in any drug store - thus proving that healthy does not have to equal expensive when it comes to cosmetics.
2. CONSIDER COCONUT OIL
My greatest discovery in the health and beauty area was coconut oil. Over the past couple of years, it has become more popular in the mainstream. I don't know how I lived without it.
For $8-$10, you can buy a large bottle of coconut oil that has endless uses. Coconut oil singlehandedly replaced many of my personal care products, including my tiny $25 tub of facial cream.
It is my overall body lotion, including lips and hair gel. My difficult-to-convince husband is a convert and he uses it as his hand and body lotion, including his dry and cracked heels, which are no longer dry and cracked.
It is also helping to resolve some skin growths from his sun-damaged youth.
For convenience, I put some coconut oil into a small Tupperware container that we use on a daily basis and just refill the container from the bottle as needed.
The one drawback it has is that it melts at a fairly low temperature and solidifies at a fairly high temperature. What that means is that during hot weather, the coconut oil will be liquid and during the cold winter months, it will be solid.
Rubbing a small amount of the hardened oil between your hands quickly converts it to a usable lotion. In my opinion, this is a minor inconvenience for a wonderful, inexpensive, and natural product.
3. ANTIPERSPIRANT
Antiperspirant has gotten a bad rap for many years. I never paid attention to it until I was evaluating my personal care products.
With a little help from EWG.org, I have found a safe deodorant that I use daily and a reasonably healthy antiperspirant that I reserve for the hottest summer days.
4. TOOTHPASTE
Toothpaste is another notorious health villain. My dentist advised me that toothpaste isn't critical for proper cleaning, but the brushing action is necessary for proper oral health.
Concerned about missing the fluoride if I abandoned toothpaste completely, I began to use Tom's of Maine natural fluoride toothpaste at night. In the morning, I brush with only water then rinse with a homemade mixture of 50% hydrogen peroxide and 50% water, with a few drops of mint extract - a very inexpensive, effective, and natural mouthwash.
I had never considered that the products I use on my body could have any detrimental effect on my health.
Since I changed many of my personal care products, I feel great that I'm doing everything I can to help myself stay healthy without breaking my bank.
Are you still with me? Join me for the remainder of the series where we will continue to explore various ways to a healthier lifestyle, with a tight budget in mind. Next is HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS.
Shirley Alarie
Author: Losing the Girls - My Journey Through Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy and Beyond
Check out my website for more healthy living tips and my favorite simple, decadent, and healthy dessert!
Or learn more about nipple-sparing mastectomy and my journey that led me to my healthy lifestyle transformation. Hope to see you there!
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