Everyday Coconut Face Lotion

I may have found my new favorite face moisturizer, everyday coconut face lotion by Alaffia. You all know I'm obsessed with using oils my skin and I rarely use anything else to moisturize with. Some of you mentioned oils don't work for you so I have been searching for alternatives. I also needed something to travel with as the oils always leak in my bag.

This lotion contains zinc oxide for SPF 15 broad spectrum sun protection. It does not contain synthetic fragrance or parabens. It's vegan, soy and gluten-free, non-gmo, and never tested on animals. It's loaded with neem and papaya making it an antioxidant rich everyday moisturizer for all skin types. Alaffia is a part of fair for life and uses certified fair trade coconut, handcrafted.

It's light, fresh, and leaves my skin super soft. It's also ultra moisturizing. Under makeup, it almost acts as base and helps my skin glow. A tiny bit goes a long way making the 12 ounce bottle seem like it lasts forever. It's less than $10 for the whole bottle so it's a bargain!

This lotion may not be for everyone. The zinc oxide leaves your face tinted white if you don't rub it in all the way. When I say a little goes a long way, I really mean it. You only need a tiny bit to cover your whole face or you will wind up looking like a mime. It takes a little effort to rub it all in so if you don't mind that, definitely give it a try. I got mine at a Wegmans but I'm sure you can buy it on Amazon.
Everyday Coconut Face Lotion

Acne

Acne...we have all had it (or still have it) and we all hate it. Acne is caused by overproduction of oil, which becomes trapped in the hair follicle, causing bacteria to thrive, resulting in inflammation. Everyone gets acne for different reasons. If you google 'face mapping' there are tons of articles that explain why you get acne in certain areas of your face. I'm not going to lie, I never had a face full of acne during my teen years. I do however get zits every now and then. The older I get, the worse the zits are. They are big, hurt, and take forever to go away. Lavender and tea tree essential oils are my go-to when I get these zits.

Lavender oil - lavender oil has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-fungal properties that can fight the bacteria that cause acne. Add a drop or two of lavender oil to your nighttime moisturizer. You can also apply a dab a drop of the oil directly on the acne as a spot treatment. Do this every morning and every night before bed as soon as the pimple appears. It will be gone in 2-3 days.

Tea tree oil - tea tree oil is known to be just as effective in fighting acne as benzoyl peroxide. The only difference is it doesn't leave your skin dry, red, and peeling like the peroxide does. Mix a few drops of tea tree with witch hazel. Apply directly to the acne with a cotton swab twice daily.

DIY acne fighting toner
2 Tbsp witch hazel
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
15 drops lavender essential oil
1 tsp jojoba oil
Mix all ingredients in a small spray bottle. Spray directly on the skin or on to a cotton pad and wipe your face. Shake before each use. Apply toner twice daily to fight acne.

DIY acne fighting scrub
2 Tbsp baking soda
1 Tbsp coconut oil
7 drops tea tree oil
5 drops of lemon oil
Melt coconut oil and add baking soda, tea tree and lemon. Apply the scrub in circular motions to freshly washed skin. Massage the scrub on face for a few minutes then rinse with water.

Konjac Sponges

Have you ever used a konjac sponge? If you haven't, you really should. They are all the rage in Japan and Asia and I can totally see why. This little sponge will change your life..

What are konjac sponges? They are little round sponges usually white, black, red, or green in color. They are hard (until you wet them) and usually attached to a little string. The fibers of konjac, a starchy root vegetable native to Asia, are used to make the sponge. The sponges are handmade, 100% natural, biodegradable, and extremely gentle.

The sponges make an excellent exfoliator, makeup remover, and overall cleanser. As I mentioned above, they come dry and hard. You need to run the sponge under hot water until it's soft and squishy.  You can use the sponge alone, or with your favorite cleanser. Use the flat side of the sponge in circular motions around your entire face for a minute or two, then rinse with warm water. I use my sponge with my charcoal soap and it leaves my skin super soft and glowing.

The sponges need to dry out between uses. Once you are done, rinse it with cold water, squeeze the excess water out, and let air dry. They only have a shelf life of a few months so be sure to discard as needed. The good news is they are cheap enough to replace several times a year.

You can buy them everywhere now, Sephora, Ulta, Target, Amazon, and even TJ Maxx. I found a two-pack at TJ Maxx for $4.99. Just be sure to read the label and make sure the sponges you buy don't have any dyes or additives.

Dry Brushing

What is dry brushing? It's exactly what it sounds like, brushing the bare skin while it's dry. You exfoliate your skin in the shower right? This is similar but without the water and with more health benefits. Dry brushing is an ancient practice that has been around for centuries to keep the body healthy. It only involves two things, your body and a brush. The benefits include:

     Exfoliation - dry brushing helps slough off dead, dry skin. It's a very simple
     and natural way to exfoliate. Your skin will feel softer after one brush and look
     healthier after a few.
     Reduces Cellulite - dry brushing is known for reducing cellulite. Cellulite is
     basically toxic fat buildup under the skin that results in a wrinkling effect. Dry
     brushing the area can help stimulate the skin and break up the toxic material.
     Stimulates the Lymphatic System - dry brushing stimulates the lymphatic
     system and aides in detoxing. The lymphatic system plays a major part in
     moving toxins out of the body. Dry brushing can help move the waste along
     through the lymph vessels below the skin
     Boosts Circulation - dry brushing is similar to a massage. It increases
     circulation and also feels good.

Use an all-natural bristle brush. I got one with a handle so I can reach my back, but the handheld brushes with the strap are great too. Start out with gentle pressure on the brush and over time you will be able to use more pressure. Don't forget to clean your brush. Wash it once a week with soap and water and let hang dry, preferably in a sunny area.

The best time to dry brush is in the morning. I actually get in the shower, dry brush (so the dead skin falls into the shower and not on my bathroom floor, ewwww) then turn on the water and shower. You should always brush towards the heart. Start at the feet and brush up. Brush several times in each area but always remember to brush towards the heart.

Don't brush too hard or for too long. It's not supposed to hurt or break the skin. Don't brush your skin if you have cuts, burns, or rashes. You might not want to dry brush if you have super sensitive skin. I read a few reviews from women who successfully dry brushed for years, had hormonal changes to their skin, and could no longer dry brush. So listen to your body ladies, dry brushing might not be for everyone.

I personally love dry brushing. I have noticed a huge change in my skin. It's one of the easiest and cheapest ways to get glowing, healthy skin.

Laundry Detergent

What you wash your clothes with is very important. Clothing is in constant contact with the skin. Our skin absorbs what we put on it, especially when we sweat. We all want our clothes to smell fresh and feel soft. In order to obtain this, the manufacturers use chemicals, and lots of them. These chemicals help remove stains from your clothes but they also leave behind toxins that seep into your skin. So is your laundry really clean if it's been saturated with chemicals after it's been washed?

I struggled with making my own laundry detergent. I tried dozens of recipes and didn't love any of them. I finally found one, and it was the easiest to make out of the dozen. It doesn't foam, which took me a while to get used to, but it does clean my clothes and contains only two ingredients.

Homemade Laundry Powder
3 bars of coconut oil soap - Kirk's Castile Soap
6 cups of Washing Soda - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
Grind the bar soap into powder (I cut the bars up and threw them in my Ninja because I don't have a food processor)
Combine the soap powder and washing soda into a large container
Add 2-3 Tbsp to each load

Helpful tips
- when washing in cold water, add the powder first to hot water so it dissolves then switch the water back to cold
- add a few drops of essential oil directly into the water as it fills the machine. Lemon is a great degreaser and lavender's deodorizing capabilities can work wonders on your laundry
- fill your fabric softener compartment or Downey ball with white vinegar. It softens and fluffs naturally

Waxing

Waxing at a salon can get expensive. You also have no idea what they are putting on your skin. When I lived in NYC, a co-worker got an STD in her eye while getting her eyebrows waxed. I will spare you the details, but I'm sure you can imagine how that happened. Yuck! With the cost, the chemicals, and the risk for infection, you should just wax yourself at home.

Parissa Organic Wax which is available on the Parissa website, on Amazon, or at Ulta, is made with USDA certified organic cane sugar. It only contains five ingredients, sucrose, aqua, citric acid, glycerin, and chamomilla recutita flower extract. This washable hair remover is gentle on the skin and the environment. Suitable for medium & fine hair types, it can be used everywhere on the body for smooth skin that lasts for weeks. It only costs $20 for the whole jar which is the same price you would pay to get your eyebrows waxed once at the salon.

I know the idea of waxing at home might seem scary, but it's a lot easier than you think. I have been waxing myself for years. It's convenient, safe, and chemical free! Here are a few tips I learned along the way:
     Never double dip with the stick
     When you run out of sticks, replace them with popsicle sticks from Michaels.
     After waxing, your pores are open so stay away from direct sunlight, swimming
     pools, saunas, jacuzzis, hot tubs, and steam rooms.
     Apply a drop of lavender essential oil after waxing to soothe the skin and
     prevent redness.
     Invest in a wax warmer. Parissa Wax Warmer For $15, it's totally worth it. I got
     this on Amazon but Ulta now carries them.

Give it a try... You will be shocked at how easy it is!

Fragrance

Fragrances are chock-full of toxic ingredients. Fragrance is considered a 'trade secret' so companies legally don't have to list the dozens or even hundreds of synthetic compounds it contains. According to EWG, fragrance secrecy is legal due to a giant loophole in the Federal Fair Packaging and Labeling Act of 1973, which requires companies to list cosmetics ingredients on the product labels but explicitly exempts fragrance. By taking advantage of this loophole, the cosmetics industry has kept the public in the dark about the 3,100 ingredients in fragrance, even those that present potential health risks or build up in people's bodies.

It gets worse. Fragrance usually contains some sort of animal urine, whale vomit, or even paste secreted from the anal gland of the civet cat. These are used as the base of the fragrance and act as odor carriers. Some companies stopped using animal ingredients in the 90's, but a lot still use them. 

Fragrance mixes have been associated with allergies, dermatitis, respiratory distress, and potential side effects on the reproductive system. They are also linked to cancer, birth defects, and nervous system disorders. 

If you can't part with your perfume, spray it on your clothes instead of on your skin. Stay away from roller balls and splash bottles. Stick to spray bottles and spray it on your shirt and never directly on the skin. Many cosmetics labeled "unscented" still contain fragrance so always be sure to read the label.

Happy 1st Year Blog Anniversary!

Exactly one year ago today, I started this blog! My vision was to create a centralized space where I could store all the information I had gathered on chemicals in cosmetics. My friends and co-workers used to constantly ask "what can I use for this?" or "what I can I replace this with?" I thought a blog would be the perfect place. Although I had never blogged before, I thought how hard can it be? Well, it wasn't as easy as I thought. A lot of blood, sweat, and tears went into this blog. A huge thank you to all my followers and everyone who reads my posts. Year two will be just as fabulous! Happy 1st Year Blog Anniversary! xoxo

Hand Sanitizer

Hand sanitizer is used my millions, every day, as a way to wash their hands when soap and water isn't readily available. Hand sanitizers are believed to kill bacteria but they also have a very dark side. 

The active ingredient in most hand sanitizers is alcohol, either ethol alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, or a mixture of both. This is what kills the germs. The problem is that alcohol in the sanitzers are mixed with lots of harmful chemicals. Alcohol enhances the absorption of other ingredients. This means anything mixed with it will move through the skin and into the bloodstream more easily. Let's look at some of the hand sanitizers on the market.

Bath and Body Works Sweet Pea Hand Sanitizer
Active Ingredient: Alcohol 68%
Inactive ingredients: Water (Aqua, Eau), Isopropal Alcohol, Fragrance (Parfum), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Honey Extract (Mel, Extract de meil), Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Extract, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Extract, Dimethicone, Hydroxyproplcellulose, Dimethiconol, Laureth-23, Laureth-4, Glycerin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Alumnia, Isopropal Myristate, Aminomethyl Propanol, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Red 33 (CI 17200), Yellow 5 (CI 19140).

Purel Advanced Naturals Hand Sanitizer (this is marketed as a more natural hand sanitizer!!) 
Active ingredient: Ethol alcohol 70%
Inactive ingredients: Alcohol Denatured, Hydrofluorocarbon 152a, Butyl Ester of PVM/MA Copolymer, Panthenol, Glycerin, Cyclomethicone, Tocopherol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Octylacrylamide/Acrylates/Butylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer, PEG-75 Lanolin, Water (Aqua/Eau), Tetrahydroxypropyl Ethylenediamine, Amino-Methyl Propanol, Parfum/Fragrance, Linoleamidopropyl Ethyldimonium Ethosulfate, Hydroxycitronellal, Dimethyl Lauramine, Isostearate, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Sodium PCA, Butylphenyl, Methylpropional, Amyl Cinnamal, Geraniol, Citronellol, Hexyl Cinnamal.

Dr. Bronners Organic Fair Trade Hand Sanitizing Spray
Ingredients: Organic ethanol 68%, water, organic glycerin, organic lavender oil

Which one would you choose? Definitely the Dr. Bronners right? That's what I use. Or I make my own (recipe below). Bottom line is to always wash your hands with soap and water when you can. When you can't, find a chemical free hand sanitizer. The chemical ones raise real concerns, especially in children, when used frequently. 

DIY Hand Sanitizer
2oz of 120 proof vodka (any brand will work. I use vodka over rubbing alcohol because it has natural antiseptic properties from natural resources)
10 drops of lavender essential oil (I use Young Living)
10 drops of vegetable glycerin
Mix ingredients and transfer to a 2oz spray bottle. I keep these bottles in my car, purse, and in my desk at the office. 

Tips for Reading Labels

Ignore the Front

Don't waste your time reading whatever is on the front of the product. The front of a bottle is nothing more than a marketing tactic. Since manufacturers know people like natural ingredients, some are throwing a bit of aloe into the formula, then posting "aloe" all over the front of the product so you think it's all natual. Always turn the product over and read the label on the back.

The Order

The first 4-5 ingredients make up the majority of your formula. Labeling laws require manufacturers to list first the ingredients that constitute the highest percentage of the product. If water is the first ingredient in an expensive skin cream, think twice about buying it. If the most effective ingredient is hanging out at the bottom of the list, that means there is hardly any of it in the product, and you might want to re-evaluate the effectiveness of the product. Focus most of your attention on the first five ingredients and that will give you the basic story on what's in it. 

Natural Oils

Look for ingredients like natural essential oils or natural plant oils. Some great moisturizers include jojoba, coconut, sesame, almond, apricot, soybean, olive, and macadamia seed. Other oils like chamomile and aloe are soothing and healing.

Free

Look for this word on your products. Manufacturers may say “fragrance-free”, “sulfate-free", or "paraben-free." While this is a good start, there may still be a lot of other potentially harmful ingredients. Make sure you read the ingredient label on the back.

Organic

This means the product contains ingredients derived from living matter. A label stating "organic" is a legitimate claim monitored by the USDA. If it says "USDA organic" that means it was made with 95 percent or more organic materials. 

Can you Pronounce it? 

A chemical ingredient list contains mostly things you can’t pronounce. Not all chemicals are potentially harmful, but try to find formulas that contain more natural ingredients, such as aloes, plant oils, honey, shea butter, etc.

Expiration Dates

Ever see the symbol for the floating lid jar with a number and an 'M' on it? It refers to how long the product is good after opening (6 months, 12 months, etc).

Hypoallergenic 
Manufacturers claim that products that bear this claim produce fewer allergic reactions than other products. There are, though, no federal standards or definitions that govern the use of the term or ensure that these products are less irritating to sensitive skin than others.

Dermatologist Recommended
This is the most common marketing claim on cosmetics. It lets the buyer know that the product has received an MD's stamp of approval AND their recommendation. The reality? This means they got someone who calls themselves a dermotologist (they don't even have to be board certified) to recommend their product. What's even worse is usually the "dermotologist" receives some sort of reimbursement for this.