Face

 Original post date 2/24/09

Here are more products that I've found and use. My a.m. regimen is the face wash, the"clarifying lotion" you remember right? My camo eye cream AND this moisturizer, Aubrey Organics, Vegecol with Aloe, Moisturizing Cream, This does well for senstive, breakout prone, rosacea. Rating, 1. It absorbs quickly and my skin does feel firmer when using it as opposed to other moisturizers. I also have beauty without cruelty's oil free moisturizer and I tend to use that more in the summer but I think the Aubrey's does more for my face. One thing I'm stuck on is finding a moisturizer with spf that rates low hazard. I''m currently using aveeno I got last year I don't think it rates very good but I'm using it up before buying something else.

One of my latest finds is this Aubrey Organics, Natural AHA Fruit Acids, Exfoliating Mask with Apricot. Rates a 3. I use this once a week and I think it's helped my skin from breaking out so much. It leaves your skin exfoliated and really soft. I've reviewed the products on these links, you can tell which is one is me probably.

Other stuff I use:

Avalon Organics, Lemon Hand & Body Lotion with Beta Glucan, 12 fl oz RAtes a 3. I think it would've rated lower but the database didn't like that it said other unspecified essential oils.

Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps, Hemp Almond, Pure Castile Soap, 32 fl oz (944 ml) this I use for hand soap, it smells SO good, sweet almond. I get those foaming dispensers so it goes a lot further. Rates a 2.

Jason Natural, Powersmile, All-Natural Whitening CoQ10 Tooth Gel, Peppermint Flavor, 6 oz (170 g) rates a 3, contains Sodium Monofluorophosphate 0.76% (Fluoride)

Aubrey Organics, Men's Stock, Spice Island Face Scrub, 6 fl oz (177 ml) Mitch has used this, a cheaper scrub but I dont like it as well as my Jason brand for me. Rates a 3.

Sometimes it's good to look at the details as to why something is rated what it is. Things I always avoid are Fragrance and parabens. I don't need anymore endocrine disruption than I've already had. (parabens are en. distruptors)

*update:  to save money intially and from what I have read online, I have started, just this week to, to... not wash my face in the morning- insert high pitch scream- this goes against everything I hold right and true.  But it's been two days and things are going ok... I also am preparing to try the oil cleanse method, google it, it will freak you out at first.  I will give more links and info on that soon, hopefully.  My castor and flaxseed oil are in the mail. ;)  I will say, it is nice to scratch off a to -do. off my list in the morning.

Kids Products

 Original post date 2/24/09

Here are the products I use on my kids. Look up on the database all the " gentle" baby crap and you'll see how wonderful it is. Again my goal, finding safe, effective, afforable products. So here they are.

Jason Natural, NutriSmile Toothpaste, Orange, Cinnamon & Mint Flavor, 6 oz (170 g) rates a 2-3. contains Sodium Monofluorophosphate 0.76 (Fluoride) which rates a 6 for the ingredient. I think the kids should have fluoride in their toothpaste at this point too, although if your kids are younger they do make this flavor without and this brand has specifc kid toothpaste that rates a 2 and I would assume they don't have fluoride. Anyway I chose these toothpastes for us because they contain Sodium Monofluorophosphate instead of Sodium Fluoride which rates an 8 aka high hazard. Most toothpastes you find at walmart have that in it.

Stony Brook Botanicals, Body Lotion, Fragrance Free, 16 fl oz (470 ml) I can't find this product on the database but I did look up all the ingredients individually when I bought this and if I had to rate it myself I would guess a 2.

Earth Science, Fragrance Free Shampoo, 12 fl oz (355 ml) Rates a 2. Go type in Johnson and Johnson's into the database for fun to compare. I will say with this, I don't think you can just let the soap run in their eyes expecting it not to sting a little so I would be careful there. I saw they also have a conditioner and might look into that for Isabelle.

For washing their bod's I just use Dove soap or the suds off their shampoo if we're washing hair that night.

If you go chemical free with one area, I would do it with your kids, since they are smaller and absorb this stuff more. If you check past posts you can get more info, go to the labels regarding fragrance, bpa etc;

*update: I have totally fallen off the toothpast wagon and need to research it again!  Any suggestions are appreciated!!  Also now that my kids are older (8,6,2) I let them use my shampoo, I don't have to worry about them getting it isn their eyes.  I've been using Nature's Gate, but some of those ingredients vary and they will say fragrance *phthalate free.  but what else could be hiding... I recently purchased Everday Shea Vanilla mint from IHERB, so I will give my 2 cents on that one once it comes in the mail.