The following post is from Emily of Live Renewed: 5 Beauty Products You Can Find in Your Kitchen
When my friend first told me about the EWG’s Cosmetic Safety Database several years ago, I basically did the equivalent of a three-year old covering their ears and chanting, “I’m not listening, I’m not listening!” I was fairly new to my green and natural living journey, and the idea that there were dangerous and toxic chemicals lurking in the personal care products that I used was just too overwhelming to me.
I am all about taking baby steps, and I just wasn’t ready to tackle that area of our life yet. Plus, it seemed like a gigantic leap of a change, instead of just a small step. So, I didn’t do anything to make changes to our personal care products until a few years into our journey.
Now that I have switched out pretty much all of our personal care and beauty products for safer and more natural alternatives, I still think it can be a pretty big and overwhelming step for some people.
Sure, you can check the Cosmetic Safety Database and find out how safe the products you’re currently using really are. But, researching and finding alternative products, and safer brands, takes more thought and effort, and I totally understand when people feel like they don’t have time for that.
But, what if all it took to change out some of your personal care products for safer and more natural ones was just to walk into your kitchen and open up the cupboards?
One way I determine whether a new product I’m going to use is truly safe and natural, is that I ask myself if I would eat it – my lotion, shampoo, toothpaste, etc. (Not that I would actually eat it, but slathering products onto your body is basically the same thing as eating them – they both get absorbed into our bodies) So, the opposite must be true, right? If I would eat it, then I can feel confident that it is safe to use on my body.
So, if you’re looking for an easy way to start replacing some of your personal care products with more natural ones, here are five beauty products you can find in your kitchen.
Table of Contents
Coconut Oil
I continue to be amazed at all of the different uses of coconut oil. Besides being a healthy oil to cook and bake with, you can also use it for your personal care too. It is a great moisturizer. I use it in place of lotion after I get out of the shower. I use it in making homemade deodorant, and also as a diaper rash cream for my babe’s bum. And there are so many more ways to use coconut oil – here is a great list to get you started with other ideas.
Raw Honey
Raw honey is also a great moisturizer and great for using to wash your face, or deep condition your hair. You also definitely want to have honey on hand as the winter approaches to use in your natural medicine cabinet. Here are lots more great uses for raw honey.
Baking Soda and Apple Cider Vinegar
This one may be more of a leap for some people, but you can use baking soda to wash your hair, with an apple cider vinegar to rinse. It’s called the no ‘poo method of cleansing your hair, and while I don’t currently use this method (pregnancy and post-pregnancy hormones do crazy things to my hair), I have used it in the past and loved it. If you’re interested, or maybe just curious, you can read more about the no ‘poo method of washing your hair.
Olive or Sunflower Oil
I also use the oil cleansing method for washing my face, and now that I’ve made the switch, I would never go back to regular face cleansers. Not only is it so cheap, it’s also been absolutely amazing for clearing up skin issues I was having, including chronically dry skin.
Sugar/Salt
How about a little homemade pampering found right in your kitchen cupboards? I love making my own sugar and salt scrubs and using them for a little extra boost in the shower, or just to use on my hands on a regular basis to keep them soft and smooth.
Every time I use my scrubs I feel like I’m giving myself an at-home spa treatment. I even gave sugar scrubs as gifts last Christmas and everyone raved about them and how great they were. There are plenty of recipes for scrubs floating around the internet, but if you want a resource with tons of great recipes all in one place, check out Simple Scrubs To Make and Give by Stacy at A Delightful Home.
So, go raid your cupboards and try switching out some of your personal care products for these safer and more natural options that you can find in your kitchen. And this list is just the beginning, I know there are many other ways to use these, and other, products from your kitchen in your beauty care routine.
What is your favorite way to use products from your kitchen for your personal care?
Emily McClements strives to live with compassion and caring for creation in a way that will impact the world. She is a blessed wife and mama to three young children, and blogs about her family’s journey toward natural and simple living at Live Renewed. | |