I've been gradually transforming my lifestyle into a more natural one. Taking one step at a time to either buy a new natural product or make my own, I'm starting to replace my old products filled with harmful chemicals with new, safer (and even more effective) alternatives! It sure feels great to live a cruelty-free, cheaper, safer, and more natural lifestyle where I can feel more wholesome and one with our planet and mother nature. I personally vouch for all these products and concoctions if I personally use most of them daily!
Mouthwash
Screw the artificially blue colored and alcohol filled minty mouth burning liquid you normally swish around in your mouth, try one of these instead:
- Diluted hydrogen peroxide solution. I know hydrogen peroxide is not "natural" but it's less harmful than other products used for the same purposes it has. I SWEAR by this one because I have been doing it for about 3 years, every single day. Swish around hygroden peroxide (I had been using it straight and undiluted for a long time before being scolded by my dentist; it can make your enamel erode away over time and cause extra tooth sensitivity) however diluting it 50/50 with water in a small cup is safe and still effective. Swish around in your mouth for a few minutes or even longer while you're in the shower. The stuff will kill off plague causing bacteria and quickly whiten teeth too. It's also effective in preventing and treating canker sores in the mouth. I used this method religiously to whiten my teeth before my wedding. For a quicker tooth whitening method (not to be used too often) create a paste with baking soda and brush your teeth with it. Safe to do about once a week regularly or less, no more unless you're looking to quickly remove stains and whiten teeth fast (then do it every day but for no more than a week straight!)
- Oil pulling. For a more natural method (this is my new mouth washing method) you can swish coconut oil around in your mouth for about 15-20 minutes each day. This is best to do in the shower or while getting ready in the morning. Coconut oil kills harmful mouth bacteria and is also antimicrobial (kills fungi and viruses in addition to bacteria). It makes my teeth feel super clean and smooth (a similar feeling I got back in the day when I first got my braces off!) and it helps reduce plaque buildup. It is supposed to help whiten teeth as well. I try to do it almost every day and have definitely felt that it keeps my teeth white and stain free, and keeps my teeth feeling cleaner than ever before (you know how you can sometimes feel that nasty biofilm layer forming over your teeth.. especially after eating sugar or something sticky? This removes that and it will make your mouth feel amazing!) Definitely a 100% natural method that has no risks associated with it and will cause no harm to your teeth. Less harsh than the peroxide, but also very effective (coming from someone that has seen great results from both!)
Toothpaste
So this may sound crazy but I now make my own toothpaste. I just combine baking soda and coconut oil. The abrasion of the baking soda against your teeth helps remove plaque buildup and stains, and the coconut oil (as described above with oil pulling) is amazing at killing off harmful microbes that live in the mouth. This toothpaste has whitened my teeth more than any other product I have ever used.. without the harmful chemicals often included in toothpaste. If you're worried about getting your fluoride (I have mixed feelings on this.. I have heard both sides of the argument- that it's necessary for enamel protection but then that it's also very toxic), my suggestion is to get a fluoride treatment that may be offered from your dentist which can last for many months, or use a natural toothpaste (try Tom's or Trader Joe's) that contains fluoride half of the time, and the homemade toothpaste the other half.
Makeup
I literally sifted through all of my makeup products a couple weeks ago to toss anything that has parabens, excessive dyes, artificial chemicals I can't pronounce, and ingredient lists longer than the last book I've read. These products are clearly not suited to be soaking in through my pores, or yours either if you care about what goes into your body. I've gradually been replacing items in my makeup drawer with natural items, or more natural alternatives. I'm loving the Honeybee Gardens eyeliner I got recently from our local supermarket, it's all natural, cruelty free and is soft and glides right on. It was also on sale for 5 bucks.. score! The coolest thing I've been doing has actually been using an edible item on my skin these days... yes.. chocolate! I've been using raw cacao powder as a bronzer and it works amazing. I just use a large blush brush to layer it onto my skin. Layer up to get it as dark as you'd like for a natural hue of bronze and a mild scent of chocolate too. My only complaint is it comes off easily with sweat though (not good for Florida summers!), so on sweaty days I layer it over an SPF bronzer I already have and love (it's not natural) but I want to use it up at least. Here are some more amazing recipes for homemade makeup that you'd never think of. If putting chocolate or fruit on your face, or using all natural products just isn't your thang try Wet N' Wild cosmetics or Urban Decay.. my two favs... one super cheap and one more pricey, for cruelty free quality makeups (that do unfortunately have some nasty stuff in them though!)- but if you just don't care about that, at least they don't test on animals! Urban Decay has a naked line that is more natural, and also completely vegan as well.
Hair highlighter
When I promised myself I would stop using harmful chemicals I forgot about dying my hair (and inconveniently made this switch as my roots were growing in strong!) I've found a natural methods to help lighten hair without the harsh chemicals (that usually contain carcinogens that get into your scalp).
Lemon juice + sun. Douse your hair in lemon juice where the highlights are desired (paint it on in streaks or spray it all over with a spray bottle). Sit in the sun for at least an hour and your hair will be lighter. Make sure you wear sunscreen and protect the rest of your body while doing so. May take many many sittings to lighten dark hair but it's possible so be patient. For the lighter parts of my hair, they were bleached to a light blonde very quickly. For my roots however, they have only lightened about a shade or so. I'm not giving up though.. many more sit ins to come, it's gradual but works.
Deodorant
I'm not yet at a point of making my own (but here's a cool recipe to do so that I would like to try one day!), because I did honestly have a hard time adjusting to using natural ones at first. Now I like them. I had to get away from the aluminum and other harmful additives to your regular deodorant so I use two products (bought them both at different times, just grab and use whichever is handy they both work, and were both affordable) Kiss My Face, and geodeo. It takes some time to get used to it, it's a lighter feel and at first won't feel like it's working if you're used to a heavy duty deodorant.. I felt a bit sweaty as if it wasn't working at first, but you have to stick it out and your body will adjust in about a week or so. After you give it time to start working it does work, and it's effective without the harmful stuff. Now that I'm adjusted, I don't want to go back to the regular, clothes staining, overly scented, thick, gross, and harmful stuff.
Hand sanitizer
Surprisingly enough, hand sani isn't quite as sani as you think. After reading about the harmful chemicals in hand sanitizers that can cause cancer, using those cute little sweet smelling artificially dyed sanitizers from bath and body works don't seem so appealing to me anymore. Especially if you use hand sanitizer before eating.. you're getting chemicals such as BPA in through your pores, and then a double dose once it spreads onto your food. Yuck! Honestly, I usually just suck it up and avoid using any now until I can wash my hands somewhere.. after all, the germs on my hands can't be as bad as the toxins coming from the sanitizer anyway. In cases where the germs are bad enough though, we bought a natural hand sanitizer, and are planning on making our own hand sanitizer. Make some by mixing together 20 drops of pure tea tree oil, 1 and a half tablespoons of witch hazel, 1 tablespoon of pure aloe vera gel, and essential oil of your choice if you want a nice scent to it. Mix with equal part water to the amount of the rest of the ingredients and store in a small spray bottle or container.
Insect Repellent
My mom is awesome and mailed me a ton of all natural bug sprays for my birthday so we are well stocked for a while (natural as in no harmful DEET). However if you want to make natural insect repellent, it's also pretty easy. Mix together 3 tablespoons of witch hazel, 2 tablespoons of natural oils (such as olive, argan, neem or almond), and 75-100 drops of essential oils such as citronella or tea tree. Mix together and store in a spray bottle. Wahlahh!
Cleaning products
I make all my own cleaning products now. The secret to life is vinegar. I have a spray bottle of ½ white vinegar ½ water, and that's used to clean most things; wiping down all surfaces, cleaning pet items (reptile bowls, dog bowls, bird cages and dishes, etc.), wiping down our faux leather couches, air freshner (good for fabric and carpet odors too) and as a good glass and mirror cleaner. It's basically great for everything. Then I have a spray bottle with straight white vinegar for really dirty issues... something crusty, hard, and/or gross that just won't come off with the other solution. Good for carpet stains if the diluted version won't work. Mix with some baking soda to get the black marks and stains off your pots and pans and add a little elbow grease. Works amazing for oven tops and appliances as well.
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