Au Naturale- Hygiene Edition!

When my aunt casually mentioned several months ago that soap contains endocrine disrupters, the thought stayed with me.  It haunted me.  Every time I washed my hand, body or hair, I wondered what it was doing to my cycle which is already so delicate.  In February, I was learning the merits of coconut oil and was encouraged to try it on my face instead of lotion.  I was skeptical, but the thought of those endocrine disrupters motivated me.  So when Lent came around, I decided it was prime time to give it a try.  Here's what I'm doing these days.  I'm in the baby steps of experimenting, but so far things are going great!

1. FACE CARE:  I stopped washing my face.  ME!  I have ALWAYS struggled with acne and have had constant break outs since I was twelve.  So to stop washing my face was a bold move.  In an even bolder move, I began to add OIL to my face!  Coconut oil, that is.  Twice a day, I rub my face with a wash cloth (I wear minimal make up) and then add a minuscule amount of coconut oil on my face.  The result?  MY FACE IS CLEAR.  For the first time EVER, my face is CLEAR!
   
2. BODY: The coconut oil worked so well on my face that I decided to use it on my body, too!  It's awesome!
   
3. SUN CARE: Instead of chemical based lotions that are absorbed into your skin (yes, I know everything is a chemical, but you know what I mean!) I have switched to mineral based.  Best news of all?  I found Johnson & Johnson's Baby Daily Face & Body was rated (almost) as high as California Babies. And it's available from Amazon's subscribe and save for a great price! (12 ounces for $22.43 instead of California Baby's 3 ounces for $17!)
   
4. HAIR CARE: Good by shampoo!!!  No more sodium laureth sulfates, parabens or phytalates in my hair!  Instead?  BAKING SODA!  I filled an old shampoo bottle with water and dumped in several spoonfuls of baking soda.  Twice a week I rinse with apple cider vinegar which moisturizes!  (Who knew?!)  My hair is tangle free and CLEAN!  (Thank you, Aunt Julie, for this valuable information!)
   
5. DEODORANT: I thought I might be crossing a line here, but while researching hair and skin, I kept reading about the dangers of aluminum in deodorant.  I didn't think my current deodorant worked that great, so I decided to try this, too.  I mixed 1 part baking soda to 3 parts corn starch in a little tupperware.  After my shower I add a dash of coconut oil under my arms, then use a cotton ball to apply the soda/starch mixture.  The result?  I sweat now, but am thinking that's probably a good thing!  But I don't stink!  It does wear off by the end of the day, but I don't mind and neither does J.
   
6. FOR LADIES ONLY: I bought a reusable feminine product and decided to try that, too.   It's called the Keeper and is a little cup.  It's supposed to last TEN YEARS.  I'm not going to detail my reviews here, but if you're interested, email me.
   
7. NEXT UP?  Dr. Bronner's soap.  I've ordered a couple of bottles and am anxious for them to come in for my body.  Does anyone know if you can use this instead of anti-bacterial soap when washing hands?  

Stay tuned for Au Naturale- the Nutrition Edition!