Back in the late spring early summer I started reducing chemical exposure in my skin and body products when I kept getting what appeared to be an allergic reaction to my toothpaste or lip balm, or something. We still haven’t figured out what it was. At first I switched from Sensodyne (which I really miss, my teeth are noticeably more sensitive now) to Tom’s of Maine thinking it would be SLS free (because that was what we supposed my problem to be). I later discovered that the “all natural” TOM’s still has SLS in it -_- After talking with some clients one suggested I try JASON toothpaste and that is what I’m using these days. It is SLS free and I haven’t had any resurgence of the allergic reaction/rash so I’m sticking with it. On top of the new toothpaste I used this LUSH Lip Service lip balm exclusively for about 3 months before I even considered trying any other lip balms (I’m now back to using EOS lip balm as well).
October 2017 Update: I have now some back to usng Sensodyne. After a LOT of trouble shooting it looks like I was allergic to Zuchinni of all things that was causing the rash. The JASON toothpaste just wasn’t quite good enough for my sensitive teeth, but if that’s not an issue for you I still highly recommed it!
In the midst of these woes I started really trying to nail down what I might be still doing that is keeping my estrogen levels high and my progesterone levels low. I’ve now discovered those with Fibromyalgia frequently have lower than usual progesterone which means I need to be especially careful about keeping my estrogen in check. Without getting too technical on you the just of the matter is there are thousands of xenoestrogens both natural and chemical based that will disrupt your endocrine system and your hormonal balance. A xenoestrogren is something that imitates estrogen which is why many women in this day and age are estrogen dominant. You might wonder how that can be, doesn’t your body know the difference? In short – no.
I heard this said once and it was the best way I’ve ever heard to describe it: Your endocrine system is like a very promiscuous person. It’ll sleep with anyone who has the basic equipment they are looking for, no questions asked. So anything and everything you touch with xenoestrogens in or on it are going right through your skin and into your body.
If you want more in-depth version of what a xenoestrogen is (as well as a list of some common chemicals that are endocrine disruptors) you can find that here.
Before I go any further I want to say that I am not an expert on this topic by any means, I only know whatI’ve read and learned. I also want you to know that I am aware that a number of the products I use still have chemicals and possible endocrine disruptors in them. The point is, what I choose now always has fewer disruptors than what I would have chosen in the past. I don’t feel like I can realistically remove ALL of them from my life (even just touching a sales receipt brings you in contact with endocrine disruptors), but by purposely choosing to limit my exposure when I can, I feel like I am making a difference.
So without further ado, here are a few of the other products I use on daily basis in the morning and at night!
In the bath/shower I’ve used Aveeno Pure Renewal shampoo and conditioner for well over a year. I first started using it when my beloved AVEDA shampoo and conditioner no longer seemed to be getting my hair clean so I tried this. Not only did it get my hair clean, but it was about 1/3 of the price for twice as much! This line is sulfate-free but does still have other chemicals in it. I’m sure there is an even “cleaner” option out there, but I’m quite happy with this.
Update: I’ve now been using Live Clean Fresh Water Shampoo and Conditioner for the past couple years and love it even more than the Aveeno.
For body wash I’m using Honest Shampoo + Body Wash (but I’ve never tried it as a shampoo). Honest is the company that Jessica Alba co-founded and while at the time this was originally published you had to mail order the products, they are now sold at Shoppers Drug Mart and I’ve also seen them at Costco!
I’ve talked about LUSH Charity Pot before, I really love this product. It smells so good and a little goes a long way. I use it mostly has hand cream and have had my small container for over a month and use it everyday but have barely made a dent in the pot! And for all over body lotion I use Honest Face+Body Lotion. This too goes really far. I’ve had this bottle on the go for well over month and you can see I haven’t used much of it yet.
I’m currently back to using a regular deodorant but ADORE this natural spray deodorant from Saje. The floral smells lovely and it works wonderfully except on those super smelly, sweaty days.
On my face I often go for SIMPLE skin care products as seen below,
but also use the Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water and a Bioderma Sensibio eye cream.
And finally, when I ran out of my beloved Clinique eye make-up remover and replaced it with a combination of the Micellar Water and these makeup removing cloths I got at Sephora which are straigth up AMAZING. I’ve also seen them at WInners and convinced my friends to buy them and have been giving them out as gifts. They are fabulous.
Feminine Care
Without getting into details, I’ve also switched up the products I use during my period. Previously the brand I used wasn’t natural at all and to put it mildly, my skin wasn’t a fan. I didn’t even realize that was I was experiencing was probably an allergic reaction until a couple of months ago. Sure enough, the very month I switched products, my problems disappeared. Amazing. I haven’t switched over 100% as there are still times I use the old products when my flow is really heavy or something, but even reducing the use from 100% to probably 20% has made a huge difference! I really like the NatraCare line which is available at my local Superstore. When you start looking into the chemicals that are in traditional tampons and pads it’s really quite disturbing. Even cutting back on their use by as little as half the time would reduce your exposure dramatically. I wish I could wrap my head around using the Diva Cup because I know lots of people who do and love it, but I just can’t do it…
So there you have it, this is my go-to line-up for personal care these days. Like I said above I know I’m still getting chemical exposure in some of these products, but it’s far less than what I was getting perviously. It’s really quite scary when you stop and look at what’s in some of the things we use everyday.
Just remember, what you put on your skin effects you just as much as what you put in your mouth…
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