The MLP Arena

Pony Talk => Off Topic => Topic started by: wystearya on May 24, 2012, 03:06:22 PM

Title: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: wystearya on May 24, 2012, 03:06:22 PM
I've been thinking about switching to chemical free body products for a long time now, and I think I am ready to start.  Thing is, I don't know where to start!  So, I am hoping to find opinions and recommendations from you!

I am just wondering what brands you like, what ingredients to look for or to avoid.  Online stores to get these things would be great to know too.

I'm aware this is not going to be cheap, but I do hope to stay fairly reasonable on prices.. if possible.  LOL!

Anyway, any tips or products/brands you could recommend would be a great help!

Thank you!
~Wystearya
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: BrightSide on May 24, 2012, 03:12:21 PM
LUSH.

http://lush.com

I don't think you have The Body Shop over there, but it's one of my favourite stores..
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: Kiwi on May 24, 2012, 03:18:11 PM
I'd suggest checking out a local health food store :) at least to check out brands and products.
There are a lot of all natural products available - soups, toothpaste, shampoos, mouthwash, etc etc etc.
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: kaoskat on May 24, 2012, 03:50:19 PM
I have no clue! But I wish you luck! I wonder if something like this would help my overly allergic to everything mom.....
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: Roccoriel on May 24, 2012, 04:55:09 PM
I wear:
EcoGlo mineral makeu (http://www.ecoglominerals.com/)p - I love it.  It works great, the woman who owns the company is awesome and it's cheap!
KissMyFace Deodorant- (note, this probably won't work if you sweat a lot.  I usually wear the normal stuff if I am doing a lot of field work that day or something.  It's perfect for 95% of the time for me though.  I tried Toms, but it made my underarms peel and that was gross.)
Tropical Sands sunscreen
Toms Toothpaste
Redman's or Burt's Bees shampoo
Burts Bees chapstick, sheer lip colors and daytime sunscreened face cream
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: Tenar on May 24, 2012, 05:00:17 PM
I've heard of Soapberries as a natural laundry detergent but I haven't tried it myself
http://www.soapberries.com/ (http://www.soapberries.com/)
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: Eviecorn on May 24, 2012, 05:20:24 PM
Alba!  Their products are amazing!  I love their lotions, lip balms and face washes especially.

I switched to chemical-free or natural products years ago, for both the health benefits and for my necessity of my products to be cruelty-free.  I'm a fan of Tom's of Maine for deodorant.  It's the only natural deo that doesn't leave me smelling like a locker room at the end of the day.  I also use Jason Powersmile toothpaste and the 365 brand body wash at Whole Foods (which is a great place to find all these products - but they sell Alba at Target as well, and Kroger stocks Tom's and Jason products.  Some Wal-Marts have them too.)

ETA: For clothes detergent, use Charlie's Soap!  You'll never need another detergent, ever.  A little goes a long way so it's pretty cost effective.  I use cloth diapers on my kid, and Charlie's even takes care of that.  ;)
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: hyenacub on May 24, 2012, 05:30:46 PM
If you have a Whole Foods nearby, they often have loads of natural beauty stuff.  Or you could make your own!  There are online tutorials.  C:
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: Elisto on May 24, 2012, 06:17:32 PM
Not exactly a body product, and you'll still have to find a synthetic-chemical-free soap you like, but you can also make your own laundry detergent. You can just Google homemade laundry detergent (I prefer a powder type).
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: teresat on May 24, 2012, 07:29:48 PM
Just a note of caution, if you have allergies (like our house) be careful of individual ingredients. Chamomile is my big allergen and it's in many, many natural products.

That said, I like Tom's for a lot of stuff. Drugstore.com has them.
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: kaninchen on May 24, 2012, 08:15:14 PM
being a science nerd, i have to say that chemicals can be perfectly natural. ;)

that said, i know what you mean, and absurdly second the LUSH recommendation. amazing stuff! ...unless you're a fellow naturally ringletted hair snob.
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: bewilderness on May 24, 2012, 08:27:47 PM
I've been wanting to do this for awhile.  There's a lot of people on etsy that sell natural products.  I've bought handmade goat's milk soap on there before and loved it.

Here's a recipe for orange-vinegar household cleaner that I made recently (haven't tried to clean with it yet though):  save your orange peels and cut them into thin strips and put in a glass jar or plastic container with a lid.  Add vinegar (the recipes I've seen online called for plain vinegar but I used the apple cider vinegar I had on hand).  Let sit for two weeks.  Remove the orange peels.  You're supposed to be able to use it either full strength or diluted with water (1 part citrus-vinegar to 1 part water).

These are some recipes I haven't tried yet, but I've been thinking about experiementing with them for gifts for Christmas next year.

Homemade shampoo (apparently this turns out pretty watery but one of the comments said you can thicken it with xanthum gum; might could put it in a spray bottle too):  http://www.instructables.com/id/Homemade-Shampoo/#step1 (http://www.instructables.com/id/Homemade-Shampoo/#step1)

Homemade body butter:  http://www.rawmazing.com/homemade-body-butter-recipe/ (http://www.rawmazing.com/homemade-body-butter-recipe/)

Citrus salt body scrub:  http://www.pauladeen.com/recipes/recipe_view/corries_kitchen_spa_citrus_salt_body_scrub (http://www.pauladeen.com/recipes/recipe_view/corries_kitchen_spa_citrus_salt_body_scrub)
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: hyenacub on May 24, 2012, 08:40:05 PM
I love natural stuff.  Luckily my allergies are  hay fever and animals and dust and the like--so I've not come across a natural ingredient that disagrees with me yet.  Chamomile rocks.  I make chamomile and lavender scented stuff as gifts, myself.  The girls in my life love em. (Hell I use 'em too, but I prefer sage.)
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: bewilderness on May 24, 2012, 11:22:21 PM
I prefer the manly smell of rose for my body products.  XD
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: wystearya on May 25, 2012, 03:23:03 AM
Wow, thank you all so much!    I have a lot of reading to do over the weekend now!   <3

Please feel free to keep adding tips, links, whatever!  I do also want to try to find natural (chemical free) make-up.   Just really foundation and blush, as this is all I use anyway.   I have sensitive eyes and cannot wear eye make-up.  My Mom is the same way.
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: Vintergatan on May 25, 2012, 05:46:58 AM
I also use Lush and I´m happy with their body product :) Their shampoos thought don't work for my demanding hair and I´m still trying to find a natural shampoo that will :(

Some great tips here though :D i´ll be keeping my eye on this thread ^^
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: Eskara1862 on May 25, 2012, 07:10:17 AM
Oooh... One of my favorite topics.  I've recently been turning into a hippie, and there's nothing wrong with that! 
 
On my quest for clear skin (is that even possible?), I have stopped using most lotions/cleansers/toners. Now, I use the oil cleansing method (http://www.theoilcleansingmethod.com/), which is working great!  My skin is the clearest it's been since I started puberty. I use 75% Sunflower Oil and 25% castor oil.  After a shower, I dab a little on my face for a moisturizer. No, it does not leave my skin shiny/oily.  No, it does not cause more zits or blackheads. Yes, it makes my skin look glowy and awesome!
 
I clean my toilets with 1 cup white vinegar and a scrub brush.  It does a great job getting rid of the hard water build up!  Oven gets cleaned with baking soda and vinegar- does the job and no fumes. I use the Aroma-All Purpose Cleaner  (http://www.wholelifeessentials.com/cleaning.shtml)for my kitchen counters and sink.
 
A note on Burts Bees.  For those of you who have been using it for years, you may have noticed that the quality isn't quite as good as it used to be.  That's because they were bought out by Clorox in 2008 (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/06/business/06bees.html?pagewanted=all).  While Burts Bees is crulty free, their parent company is not.
 
Now, if you reaaaaaaaaaaaaallllly want to go natural, stop using maxi pads and tampons.  This part is spoilered because some may find this topic a little gross/embaressing.

Spoiler

I don't use pads or tampons!  I use the DivaCup (http://www.divacup.com/en/home/faqs/). It's a little silicone cup that you insert you-know-where during your period.  It does take a little getting used to how to properly insert it and knowing if it's sealed properly.  When it's in right, you don't feel it at all and it doesn't leak. This thing is HEAVEN for traveling; no worries that you might spot if you can't get to the bathroom on a plane or road trip. I will admit, it took about three months for me to get the hang of it.  I had to trim the stem down so it wasn't poking me, which is apparently a common thing.

 
This is something that you should really research before making a decision on.  It may seem pretty gross at first, but once you get over the fact that your fingers are going to get a little bloody and realize that it's all natural and coming from you, you can handle it easily. Handling your period this way also helps you get to know your body a quite a bit better.

This website  (http://www.purenaturaldiva.com/2010/01/diva-giveaway-review-the-diva-cup/)has a really awesome review on it.  If you want to buy one, I reccommend Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Diva-Cup-Model-1-Pre-Childbirth/dp/B000FAG6X0). And, if you do get one and need help, there are a ton of websites to teach different folds and adjustments that can be done to customize it to your body.  Just google it;)

Hope that helps out a bit! I know I'm loving reading everybody elses replies.  There are a few makeup companies I'm going to go investigate now.
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: wystearya on May 25, 2012, 01:48:31 PM
I also use the Diva Cup!  I've used it for years and I would never willingly go back to pads or tampons!
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: CrimsonEtClover on May 25, 2012, 03:06:53 PM
I've been a faithful customer of an etsy seller for natural deodorant for a few years now. She was called Spa Therapy Works, but sadly, she recently retired. She gave all of her recipes to another B&B, http://www.etsy.com/shop/rachelrene

Now, I haven't yet ordered from this new girl, but I will as soon as I run out of my current hoard. My favourite scent is the pink cupcake,  then lemon cupcake, and my boyfriend is obsessed with Pumpkin Pie.  They smell so yummy and you smell good for a long time! It's made of plant enzymes that eat bacteria.
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: bewilderness on May 26, 2012, 03:31:21 PM
I haven't tried this yet, but I really really need to, my oven looks terrible.  http://diyhshp.blogspot.com/2011/11/how-to-clean-oven-glass-it-seriously-is.html (http://diyhshp.blogspot.com/2011/11/how-to-clean-oven-glass-it-seriously-is.html)
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: SurfStar on May 26, 2012, 03:49:08 PM
I get my soap from Rose of Sharon Acres. I've also got an etsy seller that makes a foundation -> though I haven't tried it, I do like her soaps. I'll grab the link when I get home.

Goats Milk Soaps (also offers tooth chips and shampoo bars, lotions, etc) - www.roseofsharonacres.com
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: bewilderness on May 27, 2012, 06:19:13 PM
This page has a recipe for homemade hairspray.  Uses only 4 ingredients.
http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/03/make-your-own-homemade-hairspray-and.html (http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/03/make-your-own-homemade-hairspray-and.html)
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: hyenacub on May 27, 2012, 07:37:01 PM
Diva Cup..  O_o  :lmao:  Okay.  First reaction was LOL...but that's actually a pretty damned good idea!  Green and cost-saving.  XD
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: bewilderness on May 29, 2012, 12:25:03 PM
I stumbled across a page the other day that had a pattern for sewing and knitting your own reusable tampons.  O_O
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: Water_Fire on May 29, 2012, 01:55:48 PM
I also have to big up Lush, I love their stuff! I use their liquid shampoos (sadly the solid ones make my hair a static horror), soaps and henna to dye my hair. Love it! They're usually very lovely in the stores too.
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: Eviecorn on May 29, 2012, 02:28:45 PM
Diva Cup..  O_o  :lmao:  Okay.  First reaction was LOL...but that's actually a pretty damned good idea!  Green and cost-saving.  XD

Yeah ... at first everyone gets that look about it, but when you're a user (or if you're a guy and just think about it, haha), you really discover how wonderful it is.  :)
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: Bee-chan on May 29, 2012, 04:10:59 PM
I've been speaking about this very topic with my local artist friend, Heather ( also a fellow pony fan! ). She introduced me to using a baking soda / water blend as a natural, non-toxic hair cleaner, and apple cider vingerar and water as a rinse / softener.

I'm still playing with the balance of baking soda to water for my hair cleaner, and have added rosemary oil. The rosemary acts as a tonic and natural conditioner, and it also helps darken the hair a bit if the baking soda starts lightening the hair.

So I guess in one week, you can say I've gone shampoo free for a month, and to be perfectly honest, my hair has NEVER felt healthier! NATURALLY healthier and clean. It's a different feeling kind of clean. With store bought shampoo and conditioners, even SALON brands, my hair would go all french poodle frizzy because of how thin it is and the natural curls I have that tend to have a mind of their own. It also ALWAYS felt and looked thinner. But that's because it was being stripped of it's natural oils and proteins.

My hair feels THICKER, softer ( took a LOT of tweaking with the ACV / rosemary oil / water mix to achieve that ), stronger, smoother, and MUCH less frizzy. I haven't had to use a flat iron to control my frizz, no need to touch the hair dryer, NO dandruff, NO itchies.

I DO have to tweak the recipes every now and then, as my hair tends to be as temperamental as a little spoiled brat, but that just means using less or more ACV or more or less baking soda. Easy peasy, and SO nice on the wallet.

I DO, however, want to try out one of the handmade organic shampoo bars from sellers on Etsy, so I just purchased this from MilkandHoneyNaturals: http://www.etsy.com/listing/65009234/creamy-coconut-milk-solid-shampoo-all

Creamy Coconut Milk Solid Shampoo

Not really, "shampoo", though. It's SOAP for hair. Big difference! And coconut oil and coconut oil is REALLY good for hair and skin ( I use an organic coconut oil as a skin moisturizer after taking a shower ).
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: babystarz on May 29, 2012, 04:22:18 PM
I really love the Seventh Generation brand. All of their products are based on the Native American saying that before undertaking an action, you should consider how it will affect your descendants seven generations in the future. Their products are plant-derived wherever possible, avoid harsh chemicals and unnecessary fragrances, fillers and dyes, and they make a big effort to be environmentally friendly in their packaging and waste. I think everything they make is biodegradable too, they even make biodegradable diapers! Also they try to use post-consumer recycled materials. I use a lot of their kitchen cleaning stuff, and their laundry detergent is great - I have super sensitive skin and it doesn't cause any problems for me. It's also reasonably priced, it's only about a dollar more than the cheapest free & clear brands.

If you want to know more about chemicals to try to avoid and organic cosmetic recommendations, the Skin Deep website is super helpful! It has a database of all kinds of cosmetics, shampoos, and personal hygiene products with listings of their ingredients and which ones are potentially carcinogenic or otherwise dangerous: http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ (http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/).

Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: hyenacub on May 29, 2012, 04:50:19 PM
Quote
Yeah ... at first everyone gets that look about it, but when you're a user (or if you're a guy and just think about it, haha), you really discover how wonderful it is

Hehe I bet.  There's a book I recommend looking for, if you want natural stuff...it's for the home, though, not the body.  Folk Remedies for a Natural Home.  It sounds boring as heck but its one of my favorite books.  It's got cool background information, cool ideas, and cool recipes.  I'm gonna try the lavender floor polish!
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: Eviecorn on May 30, 2012, 10:40:57 AM
Oooh yeah, home-made cleaning products!  I have a cook book, La Dolce Vegan, that has a ton of home-made cleaning product instructions in there.
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: wystearya on June 01, 2012, 03:09:57 PM
I just wanted to thank everyone again for all the suggestions and tips!

One of my friends at work knew of a store that carries natural items here, and today I got some lotion (Desert Essence Organics brand) Deodorant (Crystal), and a bar of Kiss My Face lavender soap.   I think it is a good start!   They have other items there too, but I want to do more reading before I get anything else.  So far I love the scent of the lotion and soap, and I cannot wait to take my bath tomorrow.  lol!

Anyway, next thing I will be looking for and ordering some chemical free makeup.    <3
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: Elisto on June 01, 2012, 06:00:10 PM
I'm seeing a lot of recommendations for Lush, so I'm wondering just how "chemical free" everyone's looking for. I know the term doesn't actually mean anything since technically everything's a "chemical", but if you just mean synthetic chemicals, which is usually what I think people mean, well, Lush products do have propylene glycol and other synthetic compounds. Which may very well be fine (it is for me). But they're not entirely "all natural" either.
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: wystearya on June 02, 2012, 03:48:18 AM
I appreciate that Elisto!   I am trying to go as 'natural' as I can.   I didn't get anything from Lush, mostly because the prices seemed a bit high for me.   But I did get some nice things yesterday at the store my friend at work recommended.  I know that some 'chemicals' can be OK, but I think right now I want to eliminate as many man-made ingredients as I can from my body products.   ;)
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: SaphTalon on June 02, 2012, 04:43:07 AM
Ok call me lazy but I was not sure if I could read and find out if this was mentioned or not.

Anyway....

Goats milk soap any one?
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: tsukikakushi on June 02, 2012, 08:16:22 PM
I second the baking soda method. I even use it as a body wash/scrub, and my skin has never felt better! Plus I don't have to buy 80 different soaps/shampoos/ etc.
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: Bee-chan on June 02, 2012, 08:59:42 PM
I second the baking soda method. I even use it as a body wash/scrub, and my skin has never felt better! Plus I don't have to buy 80 different soaps/shampoos/ etc.

Do you make it into a paste for your body scrub? I've actually been wondering about using it instead of the body wash I use, maybe mixed with some epson salts and camomile oil?
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: tsukikakushi on June 02, 2012, 09:07:39 PM
I either just use the mixture right out of my spray bottle & just scrub really well, or if I'm feeling ambitous I'll sprinkle it on a bath poof for a little exfoliating action. I haven't really seen a difference between the 2, but I'm still experimenting a little bit :)
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: ms.unicorn on June 04, 2012, 11:01:00 AM
Dr Bronner's Magic Soap is the best! :)

http://www.drbronner.com/
Title: Re: Natural (chemical free) Soap, lotion, deoderant, etc..?
Post by: Cinnabar on June 04, 2012, 02:01:21 PM
Dr Bronner's Magic Soap is the best! :)

http://www.drbronner.com/ (http://www.drbronner.com/)

I agree!
Love Dr Bronner, you can even buy it at Target now. My favorites are the peppermint and the lavendar.
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