Saturday Morning visit with my buddy @DougMcNish & @candice_mcnish at the #brickworks - looking… instagram.com/p/ZdUqe8K9Ae/
Green Beauty Advice from Abby
August 3, 2011
Since I’ve started down this natural, healthy eating/living path, I’ve learned tons about what NOT to put in your body. Chemicals, colours, genetically modified anythings and more. In the last few months I’ve slowly started to extend this way of living into my beauty routine. I’ve been using naturally based products for a while, but I’ve recently taken things to another level.
Last month my tried-and-true JASON deodorant ran out. This was the only natural deodorant I’d ever tried and had it work (and I was never a particularly smelly gal anyways). Standing in the health food store, I noticed a couple of crystal deodorants. I’d heard a few girls in school talking about them, but in my head I always just assumed that was “taking things too far”. Come on, who wants to risk being the smelly one at the outdoor wedding this summer? But I decided to give it a shot. The label even said, “Yes… It works!” (I got the Northern Harmony brand).
I was shocked – it really does! I put it on right after a shower and very rarely do I need to reapply later in the day (maybe after a day in the sun, or walking around downtown for a few hours). Plus one stick is supposed to last up to a year ($7 on deodorant all year? Amazing!) It’s important that I also stress how when you eat clean, you don’t smell as bad 
. You can find it at your local health food store and even Shoppers Drug Mart! Because it’s obviously chemical free, you’ll see some with the “Breast Cancer Society Approved” label on it. It doesn’t end here.
A few months ago I started to get breakouts around my neck and hairline, and determined it must be my new Aveda shampoo and conditioner. So I switched to ones by Giovanni, a natural organic line that’s been around for years. I was pretty happy with them. That is until a few of weeks ago when my friend Emily told me she’d stopped using these products all together. This friend of mine is not the hippie/”natural” type that I thought would stop using shampoo. It’s summer, there are events to go to and humidity to battle! But she insisted that her hair didn’t feel greasy, have that “dirty hair smell”, or feel weighed down – it actually had the natural volume she’d spent tons of money on buying products for, and took less effort than ever. Okay, I thought, I’ll give it a shot. The benefits are huge – fewer chemicals in our water system, fewer bottles to fill with hair product, plus the whole idea of shampoo and conditioner is simply supply and demand (I’m pretty sure there wasn’t a stone age Pantene Pro-V line). By washing our hair all of the time, we’re stripping our scalp of its natural oils. These oils are there to moisturize our hair and give it pliability (that’s why your hair is always easier to style the day after you wash it). It’s also why you need conditioner if you use shampoo – to add moisture back into your hair after stripping it all away. Shampoo is basically just detergent for your hair.
And if I wouldn’t put it IN my body, why is it going ON my body?
It’s been about two weeks now. I’m still kind of in the initial gross period while my scalp is figuring out to how much oil it should be producing. I’ll wait as long as I can to use 1 tablespoon of baking soda (my new “shampoo”) followed by 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar (my new “conditioner”) on my hair in the shower. Let me tell you – this stuff works! I was skeptical. I had my little Dixie cups in the kitchen, measuring out my “shampoo” and “conditioner”, wondering when I’d turned into such a granola. I mean I still sport form-fitting Lululemon shorts, wear bras and shave my armpits, but here I am, turning into a green beauty ambassador. I work out 5-6 days a week, sweat, go out at night, and work 2.5 jobs, and I’m confident enough to tell you all that these natural remedies really do the job.
Update: try using coconut vinegar instead, and use a little less than a tablespoon!
If I’m being honest, I still have one green-beauty faux pas – my make up. I am making some good steps though. I found this awesome lip balm line called Crazy Rumors. They make vegan lip balm in fun, Bonne Bell-type flavours like Black Cherry Soda Pop and Gumball. I haven’t seen it in Canada, but I order from iHerb.com (use RUL924 to get $5 off your purchase). Do you guys have any tips or product suggestions to help ease the transition to natural makeup? Have you tried going without your favourite chemical beauty product – deodorant, shampoo, whatever? Comment below!
Abby
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The best from the #brickworks #farmersmarket thanks @DougMcNish @kindgreens & chocosol for #lunch… instagram.com/p/ZdSeMuK9Mt/
Riding down to @EvergreenCanada #brickworks #farmers #market, who am I going to see there in 1 hour?
Abby I love your green beauty advice! I have been shopping around for natural deodorant for a while, someone recommended Lavilin but I haven’t had a chance to pick some up yet so maybe I’ll try the crystal first. How often are you using the baking soda and apple cider vinegar in as shampoo/conditioner?
Right now I’m trying to do it twice a week, and I’ll wait as long as I can to do it! I’ve found that having an absorbing powder (arrowroot, corn starch – non GMO and organic, of course – or even dry shampoo if you need) is amazing for when you’re in a pinch. – Abby
I switched my makeup bag to 100% natural ingredients and I’m SO glad I did! I started off slow by replacing a new mascara, lipgloss, and then worked up to eye shadow and bronzer. My favourite is Jane Iredale, which is now used by many makeup artists. I also swear by Pure+Simple make-up.
I’ve heard of the baking soda/apple cider vinegar combo and have yet to try it..I might give it a go now that summer is approaching here in Melbourne.
Thanks Jess I’ll have to check them out
Yes definitely try it… You might want to use some coconut oil on your ends (after your shower) just to smooth things over for a little while. It’s just as your hair adjusts to not having conditioner and your natural oils make their way down to the tips. – Abby
Have you ever tried ilike organic skin care from Hungary? It is a whole food, cold processed full skin care line that uses the whole plant and not just extracts or oils. This allows all the vitamins, flavanoids, minerals and fats to work synergisticly together in order for improved assimilation and health of the cell. Preservatives are derived from Vit. E, limoneen and benzoyl alcohols naturally occuring from Jasmine and Ylang Ylang. This stuff is amazing and holds the ecocert and BDIH organic seals which are much stricter then the USDA. You can find it at the Rejuvenation Room downtown T.O area, or order it from Saffron Rouge website. It looks like the Eminence line, however ilike is completely certified organic where Eminence is not.
Jane Iredale is fantastic as well, it is not completely clean, however for a makeup that is health conscious that actually works and wears nice it is the best. The dimethicone found in Jane is naturally occuring from the mineral, not synthetic. Also the minerals are cut in circular patterns so it does not absorb into the cells as easily as cheaper brands that are cut in spheres.
I am an organic skin care specialist and educator for ilike. If you ever have any questions with the beauty industry and going organic or better yet clean with your choices I can always give you in depth advice.
Cheers,
Aimee Van Meeteren
Amazing advice Aimee thank you so much!! -Abby
Hi Abby,
A friend of mine just gave me an “Arbonne’ Catalogue. Arbonne products are promoted to be healthy, botanically based and inspired by nature. You can check it out at Arbonne.ca
I haven’t tried any of the products so am not sure how well they work.
Anita
I stopped shampooing my hair over three years ago. When you tell people that, they get this really funny look, but then they realize my hair looks great – and, in my case, it stopped falling out and eventually grew back, for the most part.
I too, use baking soda and apple cider vinegar, might I suggest you consider condiment bottles? It makes is a lot easier to apply in the shower. I just premix in a little water and make sure the two bottle look different so I know which one is which.
Oh, and I also have customized my baking soda by adding drops of essential oils: lemon, lavendar, tea tree and rosemary.
…and I’m not a tree hugging hippy either…