Friday, March 15, 2013

Personal Care Products and Cleaners/Detergents

Updated March 2014

Included in this blog post is a complete and updated list of the personal care products, cleaners, and detergents that we use in our home.  My goal is to have products that are inexpensive and natural.  After much research, I have found those products.  If the products are on the Cosmetic Database, I shoot for being a 3 and under.  Those are the least harmful.  If they are not on the database (most store brands are not), I look at the ingredients and make sure that I am buying them from a trusted source.

Personal Care Products:

Shampoo, Conditioner, and Body Wash


I actually have a few different products that I use, Everyone Soap, Kiss My Face Conditioner, and Trader Joe's products.

Most of the time, my kids use Everyone Soap.  I love it because it is a shampoo and body wash in one.  It is natural and inexpensive.  It lasts a long time.  For $7.34, I can have shampoo and body wash for the kids that lasts for several months (they don't bathe every day- more like every other day).

I use this as well at times (or Trader Joe's).  For conditioner, I use Trader Joe's or Kiss My Face Whenever Conditioner.


Face Wash
I buy the Desert Essence Thoroughly Clean Face Wash, on Vitacost.  It is very inexpensive, and it is rated a 1 on the Cosmetic Database.


Toothpaste

Last year, I got a huge supply of Tom's of Maine children's toothpaste (for free), so that is what they use. Robert and I use whatever natural toothpaste we can get inexpensively.  Sometimes I buy Honest Company toothpaste (if there's room in my bundle).  A month or so ago I got Burt's Bees toothpaste on clearance at a local grocery store.  So, as long as it's natural, we're not too picky.

I'm thinking of trying oil pulling soon.  We'll see ;-).

Deodorant
This has been a trial-and-error thing.  I just recently decided that it was time to ditch the antiperspirant and go with a more natural deodorant daily.  I have been reluctant to do this because I just assumed I wouldn't find a natural deodorant that worked.  In the past, I have tried making homemade deodorant and while it worked pretty well, it was too complicated.  I have also tried several different deodorants that left me stinking and sweating up a storm.  Through the trial-and-error, I have found these two to work pretty well:

Alvera All Natural Roll-On (made in Texas!)


Kiss My Face Active Life Sport


Cleaners and Detergents:

I pretty much only use Honest Company products for cleaning now.  They work better than conventional, homemade, or any other natural products that I have bought.  For $35 + shipping, I receive 5 products OR for about $50, I receive 8 products and don't pay shipping.  I typically order about every 6 weeks-2 months.

If I'm really in a pinch financially and cannot afford to order, I make my own:

Laundry Detergent: Grate one bar of soap, place in food processor.  Add 1 cup each of borax and washing soda and pulse.  This just mixes it well.  Place in a container and use 1-2 tbsp for each load.  I place it right into my front load machine since it is a powder.  I have made liquids and never been as happy as I was with the powder.

Muli-Use Cleaner:  1 cup water, 1/2 cup vinegar, 5-8 drops of Thieves oil.

Floor Cleaner: I just fill my sink with hot water, splash some vinegar into it, and add either Thieves oil OR tea tree and orange.  Just depends on if there is sickness in the house or not.

I have not found a great recipe for dish washer detergent or soap.  Right now, I'm just using some that I bought at Costco.  The soap is natural, the dish washer detergent is NOT.  But it works for now.  When I am out, I will buy from Honest Company.  I'm not going to waste what I have :-).