Natural/Organic Fever

 Source

Parabens! BPA! Cancer! Estrogen! Sulfates! Cetearyl alcohol! Infertility! Phthalates!! OH MY!!!!!

Since starting my natural hair journey I have been exposed to the daunting world of chemicals in food, in skin and hair products, in household items...in pretty much everything that we use on a daily basis. Along with that were the horror stories of people who suffered many years because of one chemical in their food for example and once they eliminated it, they were cured!!

Scared to my wits, I set out to purchase all natural/organic products for my hair, making sure I avoided any chemicals by all means. I searched the web and did my research on the benefits of this oil, the side effects of that portion and....you guessed it...I became inundated with information. Sigh!! Slowly but surely, this process has filtered to other areas of my life. Now I find myself eating healthier (organic if possible), drinking tons of water, and working out 3-4 times a week. There are still several areas I am yet to tackle but lately it is - my skin. 

With the skin being the largest organ, it is exposed to and absorbs more chemicals every day. I am once again on a quest to find good products and this time for my skin. Like many, I suffer from adult acne and an uneven tone and have tried several products to combat these phenomena. For years I used to use Oil of Olay or Clean & Clear with ok results. The acne was still there but not as bad as puberty years (Thank goodness!!). Then one day while using Clean & Clear, this happened to my face towel...

Regular face cloth

Face cloth after using Clean & Clear

Side by side comparison

Can you imagine what this was doing to my skin? No wonder it was always dry and lacked moisture. Funny story - I used the face wash as an ant repellant in the bathroom. Ssshhh!!! Don't tell anyone!! It worked though :) So I switched to Clinique's 3-Step which has been working great but burning holes in my pocket at the same time. I am also worried about the chemicals in Clinique's 3-Step products even though the EWG has given them a rating of 4. So what should I use? Any suggestions?

What have I learned thus far?
1. Not everything labeled natural or organic IS natural or organic
2. Not all ingredients are listed in products. Pink slime anyone?
3. Going organic can be inexpensive if you know where to look
4. What works for one person may not work for me
5. Don't jump onto the band-wagon because everyone is doing it. Learn the what, when, why, where, how, who.
6.  Education is important


What have you learned on your journey? Please share.


Here are some interesting links and videos I found in my ongoing quest

HIIT elliptical workout

Organic products 

Breast Cancer and cosmetics

Amla for hair and skin

MinimalistBeauty's beauty regimen

Benefits of raw honey

What is in your household products?