How to Use Personal Care Products for Non-Toxic Living

Choosing to live a non-toxic lifestyle means eliminating any products with potentially harmful chemicals and artificial ingredients from your home. Everyone uses a wide variety of personal care products in order to keep themselves healthy throughout the day, like toothpastes and soap. These items need to be "green," like everything else, to limit Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) and any allergic reactions. Follow these steps to learn how to use non-toxic personal care products.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Computer with Internet capability

Utilize Natural Products Around the House

1. Use organic toothpaste instead of traditional brand-name pastes. Organic toothpaste eliminates fluorides and flavoring that detract from regular paste's cleaning power. Natural toothpastes feature oils like citrus, which are effective cleaners and breath fresheners.
2. Purchase natural soaps for the bathroom and kitchen. Naturally-produced soaps feature non-toxic ingredients like coconut and olive oil. These natural elements effectively clean your body and leave no toxins in the shower or sink.
3. Switch to natural lip balms. Name-brand balms are made from petroleum products, which harm the environment during production. There are plenty of lip balms made from beeswax and aloe vera.
4. Use natural skin care products for non-toxic living. Natural skin care items feature plant extracts and oils to moisturize and protect skin from aging.
5. Look for deodorants that use baking soda as a main ingredient. Baking soda is a strong natural agent used to fight perspiration.
6. Find deodorants that include natural ingredients like lemon or sage. Lemon juice is an effective deodorizer and sage is a mild cleaning ingredient.
7. Look over the label of products that claim to be made from all-natural ingredients. Companies trying to enter the growing organic product field will mix traditional chemicals with natural ingredients to make their labeling more legitimate. Locate all-natural personal care products through the "Health Goods" Web site (see Resources below).

Tips & Warnings

• Use natural personal care products in small doses. Organic toothpastes, soaps, and shampoos come in smaller containers than their name-brand competitors. They're also more expensive, which makes rationing a good option.
• Consult with your family physician before switching to natural products. The largest concern with using natural products are allergic reactions like stomach pains and cramps. If these symptoms occur, visit your doctor or the emergency room (depending on severity).