Not the sexiest products, I know. However, since you use them every day on your entire body, it is a necessary topic and a necessary switch. I am sure that your current body wash or soap cleanses just fine – it employs industrial surfactants like sodium laurel/laureth sulfate to wash away oil and grime. It will also wash away your skins natural oils, leaving you flaky and ashy. Ew. Also, I must mention shaving cream/gel here. It is a waste of money, girls. It is expensive, poisonous and dries out our skin. Just use your body wash when shaving. Your wallet and your skin will thank you.
Alert! There is something you need to know about: 1,4 dioxane. This is not going to be on any ingredient lists, so listen carefully. 1,4-dioxane is a byproduct of other chemicals in your products. According to the Environmental Working Group, it is present in about 30% of personal care products and about 50% of baby baths, shampoos, lotions, etc. They rate it a 10 out of 10 on the danger scale, and there is good reason. It is a known carcinogen. According to the EWG, to avoid 1,4-dioxane, you should read ingredient labels and avoid any of the 56 cosmetic ingredients that can contain the contaminant, including “sodium laureth sulfate” and ingredients that include the clauses “PEG” (or propylene glycol), “xynol,” “ceteareth,” and “oleth”.
Oh, I am exhausted! I know you want some easy recommendations after all of that!
DR. BRONNER’S MAGIC SOAPS
It doesn’t get any more natural than this, folks. Dr. Bronner’s uses a combination of organic extra virgin coconut, olive, jojoba and hemp oils, together with pure essential oils. These products lather and clean effectively without over-drying. They are vegetable-based, organic and biodegradable. I like their Tea Tree Oil soap for it’s natural anti-bacterial powers, but there are many varieties to choose from. A little goes a long way and it is sooo inexpensive. Cost: about $4 for a bar and $10 for 16 oz. Purchase it at any Whole Foods or here.
Ingredients: water, coconut oil*, potassium hydroxide**, olive oil*, tea tree extract, hemp oil*, jojoba oil*, citric acid, tocopherol. *Certified Organic** None remains after saponifying oils into soap and glycerin
ILA BODY WASH FOR TONING SKIN
This body wash is lovely. The scent from the apricot oil and vetivert is delicious and fresh and it lathers without drying out my skin. Cost: about $24 for 10 oz. Purchase it here.
Ingredients: aqua, potassium cocoate*, potassium oleate*, lauryl betaine**, glycerin*, sodium pca**, quillaja saponaria (soap bark) extract*, prunus armeniaca (apricot) kernel oil*, decyl glucoside**, potassium citrate**, vetiveria zizanoides (vetiver) root oil*, citrus aurantium amara (bitter orange) peel oil*, pogostemon cablin (patchouli) oil**, pelargonium graveolens (geranium) flower oil*, p-anisic acid**, glyceryl caprylate**, sodium benzoate**, geraniol**, limonene**, linalool**.
*Certified Organic
**From Organic Oils and Natural Materials (Sourced from Plants, Trees, Vegetables, Fruit, Grass and Seeds)
DR. ALKAITIS ORGANIC BODY WASH
If you want to feel like a queen when you wash that bod of yours, I recommend Dr. Alkaitis. This entire line aims to be raw health food for the skin. In fact, it is not only holistic and organic, it is so clean that you can eat it. Doesn’t that sound like a royal command? It does not lather, but it is very moisturizing. Cost: about $45 for 8 oz. Purchase it here.
Ingredients: virgin olive oil*, jojoba oil*, coconut oil*, apricot pit* oil, aloe vera gel*, vegetable glycerin, bio-pure skin complex composed of lavender flowers*, chamomile flowers*, rosemary*, lemon balsam*, benzoinº, black elder*, bitter orange*, borage*, mexican marigold*, plantain*, grapefruit, marsh mallow*, sea wrackº and atlantic seaweedº, vegetable glycerin, natural vitamin c complex and