So mom has decided to go "au natural," and ditch most commercially sold beauty products. At first I was super embarrassed, but then I realized she was on the right track. I'll turn it over to mom to explain...
For some reason, I've always founds soaps, deodorants, shampoos and tooth pastes to be super chemical rich. Something felt off about using products on my skin that ended in -oxide, -bate, -acid, let alone putting it in MY MOUTH! So, after doing some pretty lengthy research on the internet, I've decided to ditch chemicals all together. After going toxin-free for about a month, I've noticed a HUGE difference. I used baking soda like it's going out of style, teas, vinegar, lemon, essential oils, cornstarch, coconut oil, argon oil, plant aloe...that's it. Literally. AND I don't stink. Peter wouldn't know anyway since he can't smell. I suppose it's a win-win if I'm totally deluding myself.
Those chemicals freaked me out even more when I was faced with introducing them to my child. In her 10 months of life, we have used nothing but water, and a very mild hydrating cream for baths (maybe once a week). No diaper cream. No baby oils. No lotions that claim to make her sleep better. NOTHING. And guess what, her skin is fantastic! No dryness, and no diaper rash...not once. And she still smells like a cute little baby.
My hair and skin have always caused me a good bit of trouble in my life, and after stopping all of these products, my skin has cleared up significantly, and my hair is a lot less dry and frizzy.
"But some wonder if we were sold a bill of goods. That trend toward everyday cleansing might have triggered a vicious cycle, some experts say — shampoo cleanses by stripping the hair of its natural, necessary oils, causing the scalp to produce
more oil in response, making it impossible for some to skip shampoo for even one day without sprouting a gigantic greaseball."
I used to wash everyday and straighten my hair with a straightening iron. I can't believe I subjected my hair to that, or that I even cared that much! Such a waste of time! Now it's wavy and healthy, and it takes me like five minutes to get ready. Having a baby helped!
I'm not writing this to sell you on anything, I just want more people to know that natural doesn't mean stinky, and it doesn't mean that you never take showers or immediately sprout dreadlocks. It's a hell of a lot cheaper (I can safely estimate I was spending hundreds on products yearly), your bathroom stays much more organized, and you avoid chemicals that may or may not cause cancer. I'll take my chances and use more natural resources verses what a pharmaceutical company or major corporation tells me I should use. Anyway, I LOVE my new routine, and I definitely won't be going back to commercial products. EVER. Plus, now I can save up more money to buy more important things, like plane tickets to SD.
