From clean eating to getting to the gym, many of us will be conscious as to what we put on our bodies and how we treat it, so this may lead us to a greener, cleaner beauty regime. When starting to clean up our beauty routines, we often go straight for the skincare and makeup first, but how about the products we reach for every day in the bathroom? There are so many products we use on a daily basis without a second thought, such as toothpaste, cotton pads and sanitary products but what's the point in cleaning up our skin beauty routine if the other items we use on our body still contain questionable ingredients? We've taken a look at some of the main products you may find in your bathroom and how you can turn them into the safest and healthiest options available. Oral Hygiene Brushing our teeth is something we are taught to do from a very early age and an action we should be practising morning and night. So you would think oral products such as toothpaste and mouthwash would be free from harmful ingredients as chemicals can be rapidly absorbed through our gums, but this is not always the case. There are several toxic ingredients which can be found in toothpaste such as Triclosan, SLS, Diethanolamine as well as plastic microbeads and artificial sweeteners which are no good for teeth, health or in the case of the microbeads, our environment. Triclosan is an antibacterial chemical, used by one of the biggest oral health companies in the world due to its uses to help fight plaque and gingivitis. However, it is also linked to concerns over antibiotic resistance and hormone disruption. This chemical has been banned in the use of other products. However, it may still find its way into other conventional toothpaste, which is a bit of a head scratcher! There are many natural kinds of toothpaste available which are void of these nasty chemicals and environmentally damaging microbeads, such as Green people, Weleda and Jason Natural. Deodorant Another product we use every single day, hopefully, without a second thought, is deodorant. Many conventional brands use questionable ingredients such as aluminium in their antiperspirants as this part effectively blocks the sweat ducts in our underarms, which stops us from sweating. This prevents the body from ridding itself of toxins and regulating the bodies temperature - which is far from ideal. Natural deodorants have unfairly gained themselves a reputation as not being as effective as your usual deodorant, but this is simply not the case anymore! There are now many brands proving that natural deodorants are not just for the free-spirits amongst us or those slightly less active days, it is simple to make the swap. Natural deodorants now cater for the active, those with sensitive underarms (look out for deodorants which are bio-carbonate free such as the Natural Deodorant Co Gentle Deodorant Cream Unfragranced) and in a variety of different formulations. Salt of The Earth uses a transparent layer of natural mineral salts which do not block the pores but prevents bacteria from multiplying and will not leave white marks on your clothes. You've got your balm deodorants from the Natural Deodorant Co, Schmidt's and Soapwalla who use shea butter and a blend of essential oils to provide protection and neutralise odour. If you can't get your head around cream deodorants which you apply with your hands or a spatula, then your regular conventional sticks, sprays and roll-ons are still available from natural favourites Lavera, Jason Natural and Madara. There is now an option for every person and every occasion! Disposables & Intimate Face wipes: Whether you love or loathe them, you can't deny that when you're in a rush, travelling from place to place or just feeling a bit lazy that reaching for a face wipe is a lot easier than conducting a full on skin cleansing routine. However, conventional face wipes are typically drenched in chemicals to keep them all moist for a long time and contain incredibly drying and sometimes damaging ingredients, not to mention they only clean the very top surface of your skin anyway. However, if you're having a lazy day and you find yourself reaching for the face wipes, to prevent adding further waste to our landfills, look out for bio-degradable cotton face wipes such as Ecocare Organic Facial Wipes Apple & Honey. They are made from 100% Certified Organic Cotton, meaning they are free from pesticides often found in other cotton materials, and they do not contain skin-drying alcohol, chlorine or parabens which can be found in regular face wipes. Keep them for emergencies and on the go travel, but remember to never flush down them down the toilet! Cotton Pads & Cotton Buds: As with the face wipes, if you cleanse your face with toner and use cotton pads to remove the residue of a cleanser then take a look at organic cotton. These will be free from pesticides and added chemicals which are found in other cotton products and will be gentle enough to use on your skin, without the annoyance of the material breaking up. Great examples of disposables which are good for you and the environment are the biodegradable Organyc Cotton Wool Pads and Organyc Cotton Buds. Tampons and Sanitary Pads The issue with safe feminine hygiene is not often discussed but is something which should never be overlooked. Our skin is highly permeable, and anything that comes into constant contact with our skin is likely to find itself into our blood stream and distributed around your body. If you shop organic food to avoid the added chemicals then why ignore the pesticides which are often sprayed on cotton fields? We are told very little about the ingredients and chemicals which go into our sanitary products as manufacturers aren't required to disclose the ingredients used, as feminine hygiene products are considered 'medical devices'. Not very useful! So what exactly is the problem with the tampons and pads you find in the supermarket aisle? First and foremost, have you ever wondered how they are so ultra white? This is usually due to the products being bleached with chlorine! This is not the only added ingredient to be wary of, just like the cotton pads and buds we mentioned before, the cotton used will likely have been exposed to pesticides when growing as well as genetically modified organisms (GMO's). If this isn't enough, manufacturers then pile on the odour neutralizers, artificial fragrances and colours, and adhesives linked to hormone disruption such as polypropylene and propylene glycol. As if we didn't have enough to worry about when that time of the month rolls around! So what's the alternative? If you want to avoid synthetic materials and feel safe and fresh, then look to replace your popular brand with the 100% natural and 100% organic, biodegradable products from Organyc. They eliminate the health and environmental risk of dioxin pollution caused by chlorine bleaching and the use of pesticide spraying on conventional cotton. Plus, they work just as well! Hair Removal Ladies, we don't have it easy do we? Chemicals in our intimate products and now there's the whole hair removal situation! Products such as depilatory creams which work by dissolving the hair just under the skin level, are quick and convenient but will often smell highly offensive due to the chemicals used to remove the hair. These kinds of products can also cause irritation or sensitivity as the chemicals are mainly burning the hairs out of your skin. Then, of course, you have the options of shaving (get rid of those disposables and invest in a long-term use razor to eliminate your waste if this is your hair removal option of choice) and waxing. Oh, waxing. We didn't sign up for the pain, but as a relatively quick and longer lasting method, this is the route we're going down today. If you don't have time for a trip to the salon, then an at home hair removal option is your answer. Acorelle provides 100% natural, organically certified and hypoallergenic ready-to-use wax strips for body, underarms, bikini line and face with soothing aloe vera to calm sensitive skin. They were also the first brand to develop an organically certified and 100% natural no strips hot wax, which eliminates the use of disposable strips altogether! I'm afraid they do not remove all of the pain! However, you'll be better off knowing it's good for your skin and the environment! Ready to give your bathroom a detox? Shop here for everything that you need: Naturisimo
