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All-Natural, DIY Beauty Products
When it comes to making your life eco-friendly, one often over-looked but important and easy way to decrease your impact on the environment is through using all-natural, DIY cosmetics and beauty products. Traditional, commercial cosmetics are made with many synthetic chemicals and toxins, including parabens, which have been linked to digestive and hormonal issues as well as breast cancer, and phtalates, triclosan and benzophenone, all of which disrupt the function of your body's endocrine system. These chemicals are not only harmful for you and your family's health, they also are released into the environment each time they are used, impacting wildlife and ecosystems. But, with just a few all-natural ingredients, you can start to create your own beauty products from scratch, removing chemicals, toxins and negative effects on the planet from your beauty routine! Read on to learn how to make everything from shampoo to deodorant, sunscreen, lotion, lip balm and more.
You can replace almost everything in your bathroom cabinet and cosmetic bag with a mixture of these staple ingredients.
Coconut oil—coconut oil is incredibly versatile. It is antibacterial and anti-fungal, plus it's a great moisturizer. It can be used to deep condition hair and tame frizz, or as a make-up remover, shaving cream, deodorant, moisturizing lotion, lip balm, to sooth sunburn and more.
Cocoa or shea butter—both have high levels of vitamins and anti-oxidants to nourish your skin. They work to moisturize, soothe and soften, and make great lotions, shaving creams, lip balms, body butter and more.
Liquid castile soap—castile soap is an all-natural soap made from pure oils. It includes no artificial ingredients and cuts out all of the toxins found in commercial soaps. Castile soap is a staple in DIY, all-natural cosmetics and can be used in making body wash, hand soap, shampoo, and can also be used as an all-natural home cleaner.
Baking soda—baking soda works to stabilize and regulate pH, making it an efficient way to deodorize and clean your body (and your home too!). It can be used to make everything from deodorant to toothpaste to an exfoliator to a shampoo as a part of the no 'poo hair treatment process, removing build up and synthetic toxins from your hair.
Honey—naturally antibacterial, honey is a luscious way to care your skin and hair. It cleans, exfoliates and softens skin, making it a great ingredient for acne treatment, soothing skin cleanser, and lip balm. It also naturally moisturizes and makes a sweet and decadent hair conditioner.
Avocado—The ultimate super food, avocados are also an incredibly useful ingredient in DIY cosmetics. The healthy fats and oils in the avocado help to moisturize and condition skin and hair.
Essential oils—essential oils are not, per se, essential in DIY cosmetics, but they can add a pleasing fragrance or aroma therapeutic benefits. Choose lavender or chamomile for a soothing effect and lemongrass to purify skin.
Sources:
http://sunflower-press.com/use-natural-cosmetics/
http://yesmissy.com/coconut-oil-uses/
http://www.littlehouseliving.com/uses-for-shea-butter.html
http://www.flusterbuster.com/2013/01/exfoliating-moisturizing-on-budget.html
http://www.liverenewed.com/2011/04/the-many-uses-of-castile-soap.html
http://www.thankyourbody.com/uses-for-baking-soda/
http://www.indianbeautyspot.com/2014/06/amazing-benefits-uses-honey.html#_
http://premeditatedleftovers.com/naturally-frugal-living/7-uses-for-avocados/#_a5y_p=1068237