I have been eating clean for about three years now, and in that time it has gotten much, much easier for me to stay on track. When I go off track, I am completely and totally aware of what I am doing, so I made the decision to challenge myself to see if I could revamp some other areas as well; specifically my skin, hair, and home.
The first step I took was to do some research, and I was introduced to two wonderful books. The first book I was introduced to was:
Thanks Tracy at www.thelovevitamin.com for this recommendation. I always had a sneaky suspicion that my face cleanser and body wash, as well as, my face and body lotions could be contributing to my eczema flair ups, but now that I am armed with information on how to read labels and know what I'm looking for, I'm about ninety percent sure that I'm allergic to at least one of these chemicals that I have been using. So, I purged all of my every day products.
The second step was to experiment. I figured if what I was putting inside my body was so good, why not use what I had in the fridge and pantry on my hair and skin? This part was a lot of fun for me. Some of the combinations I used weren't so good, but I will share with you, the ones that worked out really well for me.
For my daily facial cleanser I use a combination of argan and sunflower oils. I put two to three drops of each oil in the palm of my hand and then wash like normal. If my skin is really worked up, I use cold pressed organic olive oil and a small bit of calamine.
For a moisturizer I use about six drops of argan oil.
I also enjoy doing masks and I discovered that honey, avocado, and blueberries all make wonderful calming and moisturizing masks, that you can make right at home, in your blender.
For my hair I use nut oil. Walnut oil is my favorite and thanks to this book, I wash my hair backwards. This means I put a small amount of oil into the palm of my hands (a dime size is fine) and work it into my wet hair. Then I use coconut oil as my conditioner. It's from the same container that I use for cooking from Tropical Traditions. The final step is to shampoo, and I've been using a combination of aloe and tea tree oils. After all of this is on my head for about five to ten minutes, I rinse it all out, and my hair is much more manageable, without all the harsh chemicals. Oh yeah and in between washes, I use just a little bit of cornstarch or coconut flour, as a dry shampoo.
As for my body, I have been using aloe to wash, and I use argan oil for a moisturizer. I have been feeling lighter and less sluggish since using these products. Plus, I think that since I use so little at a time, they will last longer, and save me money.
Best of all you can buy all these ingredients at Whole Foods as you do your regular grocery shopping, which totally saves time.
P.S. If you feel the need to do a scrub, once a week is fine, and I recommend Sugar In The Raw mixed with a bit of fresh squeezed peach juice. Just go wild in the produce aisle and let me know if you discover something I haven't thought of yet.
The second book that made me change my outlook on cleaning products used in the home was:
From reading this book I now use things like vinegar, castille soap, baking soda, and other things that I already have in my home as cleaning products. This book has excellent recipes, so I just followed them, but if I come up with something awesome on my own, you'll be the first to know. I love the fact that I don't need to use harsh chemicals to make my home feel clean and sustainable.
I am so glad I read these two books as they really changed my outlook on the everyday products that I use, and I have been telling everyone about my findings. Even though some people would call it "hippy-dippy" I feel like I can breathe easier in my home and skin, while not polluting our Earth more than it already is, and that fact alone makes me feel wonderful.
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