If I can't eat it...

I'd rather not put it on my face.

This promises to be a highly crunchalicious post, so if you're only going to heap scorn upon me, you should probably stop reading. Ha.

Well, actually . . . scratch that. I can't stop you from reading, and I don't care about scorn. I shall pursue my pseudo-hippie ways regardless. :)

So, carry on!

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I have been using "natural and organic" products for quite a while, but this past year, I realized that a lot of those products still included questionable ingredients. They simply had the "natural and organic" label slapped on because they passed a certain set of government-determined standards, or because the manufacturer felt like advertising them as such.

But wait a minute. Do I trust the government with my health? Ahahaha . . . no way. Do I trust ad campaigns? Again, no.

Hmm. Time to do my own research.

The skin is the human body's largest organ. It is not an impermeable plastic barrier; what goes on usually goes in. And so I am trying to make sure our personal care products are-- in theory at least-- edible. Though I wouldn't actually care to eat most of them, I wouldn't have to call a poison control center if I did!

Though I have a long way to go, here are a few things that have worked. By the way, an unexpected bonus: naturalizing these products also means simplifying. Fewer things to buy, because so many of them have multiple uses.

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1. My face requires exfoliation but hates anything harsh or drying. Every morning I use a gentle and delicious-smelling scrub made of equal parts nutmeg, finely ground oats, almond meal, and dry milk powder. Last time I added the contents of two organic chamomile tea bags, and a few tablespoons of coconut. I love it. The original ideas came from here and here.

2. My outrageously dry skin needs a serious moisturizer. Instead of an equally outrageously expensive product from Nature's Gate (which is quite effective by the way), I just switched to sweet almond oil. Light. Pure. Cheap. The end.

3. One more note on the face: I use the oil cleansing method for makeup removal, and also to calm down the acne that randomly pops up on occasion. A 3:1 ratio of olive oil and castor oil seems to work.

4. Speaking of olive oil, it's a great all-over moisturizer. Plus, an aromatic perk: it makes you smell like the Mediterranean, especially if you add lavender . . . and I'm all about aromatic perks. Some people swear by coconut oil for this but it's too heavy for me.

5. Antiperspirants give me the willies (plugging your sweat glands?! ugh!) but natural deodorants always leave something to be desired. Enter this brilliant combination: 2-3 tablespoons coconut oil, 1 tablespoon baking soda, 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder, and essential oils to your liking. I use a combination of rosemary and lavender. Stir it up till smooth and store it in a little jar.

It totally works. I'm not kidding. After all, in the case of deodorant, this girl doesn't take chances. :) The original came from Passionate Homemaking.

6. Dr. Bronner's is great for both body wash and hand soap. It's thin but also very concentrated, so to get a nice lather and avoid waste, I use a foaming soap pump at the sink and one of these for the shower. Dr. Bronner's has a lot of varieties available but I just go with the unscented Baby Mild.

7. Taking an omega 3-6-9 supplement has been one of the best things ever for my hair and skin. I haven't needed conditioner since I began taking it, and my hair actually has some shine!

8. I usually straighten my hair, but then I have short fly-aways on top. Once upon a time I used synthetic gunk in a green bottle; now a smidgen of coconut oil does the job beautifully.

{image credit: Globalsapiens on Flickr}