How many of you still use shampoos with sulfates? What about styling products with cancer-causing parabens? Phthalates? Mineral oil? Silicones?
I’ll wait…
Right, not many of you guys. Most naturals and even people with relaxed hair are well aware of the chemical dangers of the ingredients in hair products that many of us grew up using. If you’re not, let me quickly recap for you:
Sulfates are effective cleansing and foaming agents used in beauty products. They are generally used in toothpaste, shampoo, and washes. The most common sulfate is sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). The concern with this ingredient is that it was found to have a degenerative effect on the cell membranes because it breaks down proteins. Other studies have also noted that this chemical leaves residue in the heart, lungs, and brain. So it is unknown, in the long-term, if it will have negative effects on a person’s health. There’s also possible skin irritation, eye irritation, and damage to the hair follicle when using sulfates.
Parabens are the most common preservative found in cosmetics, including makeup, moisturizers, and hair care products. One study found parabens in breast tumors, but did not indicate that parabens actually caused the cancer.
Phthalates are chemicals used to make products more pliable. They’re found in toys, food packaging, and some beauty products, including nail polish, shampoo, and soap. Two studies suggest phthalate exposure during pregnancy may lead to abnormal development in male infants, including low hormone levels and small genital size. (Source: WebMD)
Granted, some of the research has been contradictory, and some experts say that sulfates, parabens, and phthalates are fine in low levels, but many people are taking a better safe than sorry approach – especially for black women who high higher rates of breast cancer. All that said, regardless of whether you’ve been conscious of it or not, chances are that the hair products that you use boast that they’re sulfate-free, paraben-free, silicon-free, and/or phthalate-free.
If most naturals so concerned with the chemicals in our hair products, why don’t we care about the ones in our skin and beauty products?
I quietly came to this realization a few weeks ago, and it led me to turn to an all-natural face regimen. As some background info, I had a lot of hyper pigmentation and acne throughout college, and tried all types of face washes and fade creams (spot treatments only!) trying to address the issue. My last straw was a visit to a black dermatologist – whom I was convinced was going to revolutionize my life with some new insight – but he just diagnosed me with hyper pigmentation and prescribed Retin-A. After reading up on the side effects of the treatment, I decided I couldn’t fight my face woes with more chemicals. So for the past year, based on recommendations from Natural Chica, K is for Kinky, and my mom, I’ve been using THREE completely natural products on my face, and I’m happy to report that all my dark spots are gone, and I rarely ever get pimples anymore.
African Black Soap
African Black Soap Base, African Shea Butter Certified Organic, Oats, Aloe, Plantain Extract, Vitamin E, Essential Oil Blend, Vegetable Glycerin, Palm Ash, Rosemary Extract, Iron Oxides
Thayers Alcohol Free Rose Petal Witch Hazel Toner
Purified Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice (Certified Organic Filet Of Aloe Vera), Glycerin (Vegetable), Fragrance (Natural Rose), Hamamelis Virginiana Extract (made from Certified Organic Witch Hazel), Rosa Centifolia (Rose) Flower Water, Citric Acid, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Seed Extract
Egyptian Magic
Egyptian Magic is made of Honey, Beeswax, Olive Oil, Royal Jelly, Bee Pollen and Bee Propolis.
While I’ve only done the switch with the products I use to cleanse my face, clean my body, and moisturize my lips, my plan is to slowly phase in all-natural lotions, deodorants, and even my tinted moisturizer, as these products stay on my body the longest, and I use them most regularly. The Environmental Working Group’s Cosmetic Database has a great array of scores for lots of beauty and hair products, so feel free to check them out before making any purchases.
I am very particular about natural hair products for my hair. I never gave a second thought about products for face.
I thought this was a great post! As a natural hair blogger, I found myself organically making the switch to more natural products for my face and body. As you start reading more ingredients and understand what they do, it’s easier to choose healthier products, in my opinion. I use african black soap for my entire body (including my face and body), argan oil as a facial moisturizer, and bentonite clay as a facial mask. I notice less pimples when I follow this regimen.
Thanks for sharing!
Victoria Sallie
http://www.talktresses.com
In looking for more natural, less ingredient/chemically processed hair products, I have come across a lot of other natural products. I’m using face soap from the same person I get my shampoo bars from(Bobeam). I’m using the Thayer’s Rose Petal toner. I’m using coconut oil to moisturize my face at night with vitamin C to work on hyperpigmentation. I use vatika oil on my hair and as a body moisturizer. I get a lot of my home “remedies” from The Indian Makeup and Beauty Blog (http://makeupandbeauty.com/). They have a lot of recipes for using different clays and muds, just like we do on our hair.
You’re making me real interested in trying Eden Bodyworks leave-in. I’m experimenting with different leave-ins to get ready for Black Friday purchases. How do you use the Egyptian Magic? Can it be used as a lip balm? I would like something other than petroleum jelly for that. I’ve been using a crystal natural deodorant, but just like the big name brands, it works for a while, stops, then starts working again. The “clinical” kind didn’t work for me as well as the crystal does.
I put the Egyptian Magic all over my face, lips and all.
my face got a lot better once i started using shea moisture’s raw shea butter lotion. i had bad acne in high school and half of college and it helped a lot. shea moisture has a good body wash collection too and their sugar scrubs are divine. I have problem skin tho (on the rest of my body) and I use a mixture of natural products and conventional lotion bc otherwise i will be itching and dry all day long..still looking for a solution to that.
i’ve found that nature’s gate creme de mint toothpaste works just as well/better than regular toothpaste. and the natural mint taste is so much better than the synthetic mints in regular toothpaste.
deodorant…for almost a year i’ve been looking for a natural alternative that works. i cannot tell you how much money i’ve spent on all these natural ones, to no avail. Even the foolproof ones i could find no bad reviews about did not work for me and i am not really a stinky person to begin with lol. i tried making my own too and burned the crap out of my pits.
the ONLY thing that has worked well is lemon! regular deodorant only stops sweating but you still smell bc of bacteria and fats and hormones and other substances secreted from those apocrine glands…lemon outdoes all of that. it works! and unlike regular deodorant it doesn’t leave a dirty gunky film ewww haha
have you looked into lotions with oatmeal for your itchy and dry skin? Aveenos helped me a lot one time when I was having a weird reaction. I don’t know when I’ll be ready for natural deodorants lol, the way my body is set up…
This post is spot-on. I did a similar one about 10 days ago. I recently chucked my body wash, the last thing in the way of an all-natural face and body care regimen.
I’m making the transition to an all-natural product life and it’s going well finding replacements. I think the hardest is makeup because I live in Nigeria. It’s a process.
Great post.
naijagirlnextdoor.blogspot.com
Please share any makeup finds you come across!