In my previous post in this series, I created a great run-down of all of the products I use in the shower that are incredibly safe for those of you healing from cancer and concerned about detox. I also suggested that you check your current products for toxicity and safety on the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep rating system.
On to today’s post where we’ll conquer a boatload of hygiene and beauty products you typically use (and leave) on your face and skin.
MY CANCER FIGHTING SKIN AND FACIAL PRODUCTS:
Face Wash: Hands down, my favorite way to cleanse my face is the Oil Cleansing Method. I wrote an entire blog post about that several years ago, but the science behind it is solid. Typically, using a store bought face wash strips your face’s natural oil, leading to overproduction of your body’s natural oils to compensate. The cleansing oil (I use castor and olive oils) dissolves excess facial oil, but it won’t overstrip your skin of its moisture. You finish by steaming your face with a warm cloth. This is easily my favorite part of my nightly cleansing routine. As a bonus, it also takes off my makeup.
Make-Up: After over 5 years of using Bare Minerals line of makeup, I still love it and for the price and its low ratings (remember low is good!) on the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep rating scale. I continue to stand behind it for a budget-friendly more natural makeup. There are many more expensive alternatives, such as Dr. Hauschka, but it’s obnoxiously expensive. My daily Bare Minerals favorites: Faux Tan Bronzer, Definition Curling Mascara, Daily Foundation, Eye Shadow. You can purchase Bare Minerals makeup at your local mall and more readily at Ulta stores.
Toothpaste: Jason’s Powersmile Whitening Toothpaste. With a 1/ 10 on the Skin Deep rating scale, you can’t do better for the price. I also like how it whitens my green tea stained teeth. See the benefits of green tea for cancer HERE.
Lotion: For the price, I like Avalon Aloe Unscented Lotion. A 2 / 10 on the Skin Deep rating scale , it comes in a giant bottle that lasts forever and the ingredients are pretty basic and natural. I also use this on my face as a foundation primer because it isn’t too greasy.
Deodorant: I love my Homemade Coconut Oil Deodorant. Read my post about it and understand my love for this deodorant. I have gotten more people hooked on this than on Phonics. Ok, bad teacher joke! Who got it? (:
Hand Soap: I LOVE homemade vanilla foaming soap (pictured above) made with Dr. Bronner’s Unscented Castile Soap. I empty out an old foaming soap container and then add about 1/4 cup Dr. Bronners, 1 Tbsp vanilla extract and then fill to the top with water. We walk around sniffing our hands in our house…and that doesn’t include huffing yucky chemicals.
Cleaning Retainers and Mouth Guards: I use warm water with 8 drops of Grapefruit Seed Extract. This disinfects and gets any odor out and is WAY healthier than a store-bought denture cleaner.
Contact Lens Solution: I disinfect and soak my lenses with cleanser that does NOT use thimerosal or formaldehyde and then rinse with SALINE solution. Clear Care is one of these options and is hydrogen peroxide based. I use Sensitive Eyes saline solution to wash my lenses.
Sunscreen: We use Alba Botanical Natural Emollient Sunscreen. It’s affordable compared to most non-toxic sunscreens and WORKS! For my daughters, we use Alba Kids. Both are 2/ 10 on the Skin Deep rating scale. The only downfall might be that they can get a little pasty if you lather on too thick. I don’t get too bothered by this and don’t have to worry about the sun or chemicals causing cancer.
Blemish Care/ Facial Clay Mask: I rarely use this, but if I get a small blemish, I use Evan Healey Green Tea Mask (I bought it as Whole Foods about 5 years ago and still have half the jar!) Let it sit on the affected area overnight and wash off with a warm wash cloth.
***One way that you can help support Green Drink Diaries and also get $10 off some of these products is to order from Vitacost.com through this link HERE. I order from Vitacost.com every month. I LOVE Vitacost because it leans WAY towards the natural side of the product spectrum AND it has reviews and product information right on the product page. All orders over $49 include free shipping.***
I love Everyday Minerala for my makeup. It’s similar to Bare Minerals but cheaper and much less toxic. I also LOVE Think Baby sunscreen! It smells amazing, goes on smoothly, and works great! Most importantly it rates as a 0 or 1 on the Think Dirty app!
Hi Cortney,
I was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. My onco suggested chemo, but I am on alkaline diet past 2 months. My skin is incredibly dry and now in this peak winter, its gone dry pale and lifeless. Am using organic coconut oil to my face and body. Any better suggesttions would be helpful.
P.S- love ur website and appreciate your sharing of such a valuable information.
I’m not very knowledgeable about salt intake. Check with your doctor on this one. It can vary from protocol to protocol. For example, Gerson pays great attention to salt intake.
For amazing non-toxic (absolutely no junk!) please take a look at http://www.avaandersonnontoxic.com
I was introduced to it by a friend and never looked back. I haven’t used one of their products that wasn’t wonderful! Ava is starting to make some make up now too. I buy what the company has and also buy http://www.100percentpure.com make up.
Love your posts! Thank you for sharing so many great things with us 🙂
Lana
Hi Lana- I would love to try both company’s products. Anyway they do free samples? Makeup is so tricky to buy online since you’re really just guessing on the colors. (:
Thanks so much for your response – I will definitely check out 100% Pure. I don’t wear make-up much either, but I wanted to try something not quite so expensive for special occassions. I just came across your blog and I love it – I’m looking forward to trying out some of the recipes!
Just saw this…I stopped using foundation years ago and use a tinted moisturizer. My skin is glowing now. And I never had perfect skin. Close to it now 🙂 I don’t miss the foundation at all!
I just mentioned http://www.avaandersonnontoxic.com – they have a few different shades of tinted moisturizers. I use it and love it.
In the past I also used Rhonda Allison’s (http://www.rhondaallison.com) tinted moisturizer. And loved it. It goes on sooo smooth! I don’t think there’s anything toxic in Rhonda’s moisturizer. But Ava’s is definitely made our of fewer ingredients and you know exactly what they are when you read the label!
Question – I did a search for bareminerals foundation on EWG’s site and the later formulations (2012) give a rating of 7 which is quite high! There is a 2009 one that is rated a 2 – do you use an older formulation of it or am I looking at the wrong product? I had wanted to give bareminerals a try but want to make sure it is safe!
I know- I think it is wishful thinking that the foundation I use (Medium) would be closer to the 2009 formulation, but there isn’t any data on the current formulation. Try 100% Pure cosmetics to be safe if you are concerned: http://www.100percentpure.com/Healthy-Skin-Foundation-with-Super-Fruits-p/1cffcfoundation.htm.
I may be trying this line out in the near future, I’m just too busy with young children right now to be concerned about my makeup which I haven’t been wearing often anyways! (:
I just checked out the 100% Pure website. Checked ingredients in six products. They are NOT all safe. Some of them have titanium dioxide and mica and zinc oxide (I don’t know if zinc is safe or not, need to check out that one).
Just because something is advertised as “natural” or “pure” or some of the other terms, does not actually mean that they are safe and nontoxic. I would order some things from this company, but some things I would not order. They are not all nontoxic.
I’ve also been using Bare Minerals but never thought to check the labels. I see that they use titanium dioxide, aluminum, and other toxic ingredients. I’m trying to find makeup without these things, and it’s not easy, unless you want to spend a small fortune to get it. I’m researching and making a list of products that have and do not have titanium dioxide and these other harmful toxins. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in both breasts a year ago, and so far, have refused conventional treatments. Trying to do all I can naturally, still might get lumpectomies on both instead of on one and mastectomy on the other, since that tumor has shrunk just a little. I took Arimidex for a while, but quit that due to side effect of bone loss, and I already had osteoporosis. Anyhow, everyone read labels carefully, and just because EWG gives it an “acceptable” rating doesn’t mean it’s safe, as in the case of Bare Minerals and probably many others as well.
Try Ann-Marie Gianni.
BeautyCounter is also a great product with good ratings on EWG!!!
Lawnie- I can bring you some of my homemade stuff. (: Would A.L.J try it?
I just purchased (out of necessity) for my daughter her first deodorant. Remembering you advising that you stay away from many brands, I think make your own, I searched for one containing no aluminum. Found one! Not completely sure about the other ingredients, but your story and recommendations are a big help as I purchase and make recommendations to my children. Thank you!
Thank Cortney as always you are a health of information. Thanks you so much for sharing. Will get everything you suggested. God bless you and your family.
Thanks Maly! I hope everything is well with you! (:
Hi Cortney, my husband and I have completed our move to Woodstock, GA. We love it here. I wish I would have gotten to the Healing Strong Conference, but all the confusion with moving would not permit it. I would love to know if the presentations were recorded so that I could purchase them. Also, I believe you previously mentioned that you were going to post a list of medical practitioners in the Atlanta area (or maybe I was confused). I am looking for a primary care physician, probably a functional medicine doctor. I had one visit at the Atlanta Center for Holistic and Complimentary Medicine and I loved the place. They didn’t know of a specific functional medicine physician, but suggested that I check on-line, which I will be doing. Just thought I’d ask you.
Love your posts on healthy beauty products. I have been using makeup/lotions, etc. from 100% Pure. Have you tried their products? They are fantastic. They have a sunless tanner, but I have been reluctant to use it because I would think the chemicals that they use to tan your skin are harmful. Guess I should check EWG. Does the Jason’s toothpaste contain Fluoride? I would be interested in your thoughts on fluoride, especially with respect to your children.
Thanks for all of your information. Take care. Pam
Hi Pam! I love Woodstock, too. So pretty there. We live about 25 minutes south of there, “ITP” which in Atlanta lingo means “inside the perimeter”. (: The Jason’s Powersmile does NOT have fluoride. My daughter also uses it since we never gave her a “kid toothpaste”- just a smaller amount of ours. You’re the seond person to tell me about 100% Pure. I will have to check them out.