Olly Olly Toxin Free Part III: Bye-Bye Body Wash & Oil

I have suffered with fragrance and chemical sensitivity for as long as I can remember. Consequently, I learned over the years to be mindful of the products I bought and used. I purchased brands like Ahava and Aveeno because of their claim to be moisturizing, fragrance free, and to contain “active naturals.”

My wash routine was like most, I imagine….a squeeze of liquid onto a shower poof, wash and rinse. Believing I had dry skin, I would then follow this with baby oil (egad…I know!) and in the days following I would apply body lotion to continue combating dryness.  

On the surface, I thought I was doing pretty good. But when I took a closer look at my health, I realized my allergies and sensitivities weren’t getting better, if anything, they were getting worse.

So after changing shampoos (see Shampoo Shakedown) I decided to tackle my bathing products. As before I did some research and here’s what I found out:

• Store bought products that claim to be natural, have “natural” on the label, or use eco minded packaging are not necessarily good for you. In fact, they are just as likely to be filled with largely unregulated chemicals as any other. Not only do you need to read carefully, you also need to know what all those ingredients actually are and how they might impact you. Click HERE to read more articles about harmful ingredients.

• Products that claim to be moisturizing often contain chemical ingredients that actually zap your skin of moisture then add more chemicals to simulate moisture. In the end the bad does not outweigh the whiff of good they may offer.

• Alcohol and emulsifiers are found in most products to prevent clumping. These might make your lotion and body wash creamy but its wreaking havoc with your skin by stripping it of natural oils.

• Fragrances are another source of unnecessary and harmful chemical additives. Usually they are alcohol based and manufactured in a factory rather than by mother nature.

I knew I needed to ditch the commercial body wash and lotion, and definitely the baby oil immediately!

First, I replaced the body wash with natural bar soaps. Using soaps with natural ingredients and frangrances eliminated the negative effects body wash was having on my system in a very short time.

I like to buy small batch, locally made soaps containing organic ingredients and fragranced with pure essential oils. My favorites are The Yellow Bird Eucalyptus Spearmint and Sunflow Studios Orange Hibiscus. Both smell amazing and clean my body without drying my skin. Now I don’t need baby oil or body lotion! But more on that later.

Here are my pros and cons on switching from body wash to natural soap.

Pros: natural, often organic ingredients, many varieties to choose from (especially now they are becoming easier to find), good lather, no residue, usually earth-friendly packaging, no chemicals or toxins, long lasting, don’t create a film or scum on shower surfaces.

Cons: For me none. However, some people may find the price of handcrafted soap more expensive than their bottle of body wash. When you consider that bottled body wash is nothing more than water and chemicals, I believe the price is worth your health.

Now let’s circle back to baby oil and body lotion.

When I changed to natural soap, I found I no longer experienced dry skin and therefore didn’t need the added oil and lotion.

But….I really liked finishing my shower with the oil, I just didn’t want to use a petroleum based product any longer.

I decided to try my hand at making my own body oil and 3 years later I’m still using it! In fact, it’s the same recipe I use for my face (more on that next month). A Sweet Almond and Coconut Oil base with some luscious essential oils added. I cannot adequately express how much I love it; my skin is supple, soft and super nourished and I rarely need to use moisturizer anymore.

Here are the pros and cons of ditching baby oil and commercial body oils:

Pros: natural, often organic ingredients, no chemicals and toxins, relatively easy to make yourself, eliminates need for lotion

Cons: oil based products can make surfaces slippery and leave a residue; if you opt to make your own, there can be considerable upfront investment for the ingredients.

Like I said, I rarely need lotion anymore, that was until all this excessive hand washing started! Even using all natural soaps and hand santizers, my hands can get a little dry.

The Bee’s Knees Body Butter is my go-to when my skin is feeling parched. Not only are the ingredients good for your skin, it also smells amazing and it’s also an awesome massage butter. Some butters can be greasy, this one is not.

I prefer butters over lotions because of ingredients. For a lotion to be a lotion it needs emollients, usually made from petrolatum, wax, silicone or animal fat, all of which are no-nos for me. You can find lotions made from plant and mineral oils, or shea and cocoa butters, but its hard to find them without other chemicals and toxins added. Always be sure to read the labels carefully and know the ingredients.

Here are the pros and cons of replacing commercial lotions with all-natural butters:

Pros: natural, often organic ingredients, no harmful emollients-chemicals-toxins, natural frangrances

Cons: can be greasy, may need to be applied more often

I hope this series is inspiring you to take a hard look at your hair and skin care products and that you are excited to try some healthier options.

Next time on Olly Olly Toxin Free, Part IV: All Abount The Face