Body Care Products

This is a post I've been eager to write and share ever since I began this health blog two years ago. Body care products. What do I mean by that? 

I am specifically referring to things like: shampoo, conditioner, soap, lotion, cream, and deodorant. Body spray, perfume, and cologne could also be included. 

What do those things have to do with health? More than you might think. 

As I shared in another recent post on this blog, our skin is the largest organ of our body. Our skin absorbs what we put on it. This is especially true about lotions and creams, along with body sprays, perfumes, and cologne. Some things only take a matter of seconds to go through our skin and into our bloodstream. Certain medical patches are worn for this reason. (wearing a medical patch or cream is another way to get something into the body) 

For that reason, body care products used on a daily basis have an affect on a person's health. Truly. 

Growing up, I remember my mom using the common "Johnson's" shampoo when she washed my hair. After letting me play in the bathtub for awhile (up to at least age 5) she would come in to wash my hair and would often ask me:

"Did you wash yourself with the washcloth I gave you?"

Sometimes my answer was a happy: "Yes, I did." Other times my answer was more like: "Oh, I forgot. I was playing kitchen."

I can still picture the fun "cubby holes" in the corner shelves of our 1980's bathtub in our little, brick home in Michigan. Those small shelves were perfect for our cups of water while pretending to "play kitchen" in the tub. Things didn't always go so well if we put our cups of water on the bathtub ledge though. The inevitable must have surely happened (water spilling onto the bathroom floor) at some point when we were young because I remember those corner shelves being the only place for our cups of water. Bath time was fun as a young child. Just as clearly as I remember those little, corner shelves, I remember the yellow-orange bottle of "Johnson's" shampoo my mom used to wash my hair with. My mom used that shampoo from the time I was a baby until I was 9 years old, I think. She let me bathe myself but always helped to wash my long hair. My hair was "squeaky" clean whenever mom was done scrubbing my scalp and hair, another childhood memory. Whenever I see that particular shampoo in stores today, it always reminds me of my childhood. I also remember the pink bottle of "Johnson's" lotion that mom gave me to use on my skin after I took a bath. 

The only time I wore perfume as a girl was for church on Sunday morning. My mom would give me a small dab of hers to put on my inner wrists and on my neck. I went to church feeling very special and all grown up because I had a little bit of mom's perfume on.     

Around the age of 12 or 13, after using other brands of shampoo, I remember my mom purchasing the common "Suave" brand of shampoo and conditioner for me. I specifically remember using their fun "strawberry" scent around that age. My shower and my hair smelled as delightful as the strawberries we grew there while living in California. 

   

I continued to use the "Suave" brand for shampoo and conditioner all throughout my teen years and throughout my 20's. I could purchase it for less than a dollar at the grocery I worked at, and Walmart sold it for a little over a dollar. Even at the age of 30, I remember purchasing the Suave "coconut" scent for shampoo and conditioner while on a 3 month missions trip to Ghana, West Africa. Coconut seemed like a fitting scent to use in a warm, tropical place like Ghana. And since I used "Suave" shampoo and conditioner, I also found "Suave" body wash, lotion, and deodorant that I liked. As long as it smelled nice, was cheap, and worked well, that was all that mattered to me.

After spending several months in a warm place like Africa, a place where it seemed like I was sweating perpetually, I questioned how I might smell to others. I was putting my tropical scented Suave deodorant to the ultimate test. While I was there, I discovered how wonderful certain body products smelled, something called "Bath and Body Works". These stores are found throughout the United States. After returning home from Africa, I enjoyed using their travel size products such as body wash, lotion, and body spray. I enjoyed purchasing their small travel sized products in "sets", and I enjoyed using them while getting ready to go to church on Sunday mornings. I would often shower using a certain body wash scent, and then I would use the matching lotion and body spray after getting out of the shower. It was just as enjoyable for me to choose which scent I was going to use as it was for me to choose which dress I was going to wear that Sunday. I enjoy smelling nice. I usually went to church on Sunday mornings smelling amazing. But, quite often, by mid afternoon, I didn't always feel so great. After I got home, I found myself eager to take a quick shower to get all the scented stuff off, while getting back into one of my every day dresses.         

It was around that time that some friends and coworkers at my work place informed me that many body care products have chemicals in them that are not so healthy for people to use. I listened to what they shared with me, but I didn't take it too seriously. If they wanted to use more natural body care products, that was fine. I was happy with what I used.

One day, the grocery store I worked in got a nice body wash and matching lotion in a lovely, light, natural scent. And it was made by a natural company. I decided to give it a try. I absolutely loved it, and ironically, I found that I didn't want to use the body products I'd previously used for years. Maybe there was a difference in certain body care products?   

Sometime later, I came across some information about certain body care products, and it shocked me. What?! After reading something like this (below), I couldn't use my "Bath and Body Works" products anymore.

 

Not only are they bad for you, they are TOXIC! And I'm not the one who wrote this. (info in picture above) 

Nearly four years ago, I got rid of all the products I had from this particular company. I will not use them anymore after discovering what is in them. Pretty eye opening and disturbing, isn't it? 

I'm not desiring to pick on any certain company, but this particular company (Bath and Body Works), as well as the common "Johnson’s" and "Suave" Brands (and many others!) are full of chemicals and toxins! Whether you realize it or not, your health is affected by using products such as these. It does not take a medical degree to know this. 

So, what do I use? 

I use more natural brands for body care products now. Natural brands, such as those sold in health stores, usually cost a little more than standard body care products found in most grocery stores. (or in places like Walmart or Dollar Tree) Unfortunately, most body products sold in stores today are very toxic. It's a sad truth.   

Thankfully, we have a discount grocery store in our area (where I used to work) where I am able to find natural body care products for a much better price. If they don't have what I need, then I will make a trip to a health store to get what I need. I rarely shop in health stores because they often cost more, but I will make a special trip if I need something. 

Sadly, many people (including me a few years ago) are putting toxins on their body without even realizing the affect that it has on their health or the health of their child or baby. 

Baby body care products are especially important! I cannot imagine using toxic products on a baby, and yet, here in the United States, people do it all the time without even realizing it! 

I use natural brands for shampoo, conditioner, body wash, bar soap, lotion, deodorant, face wash, and shave cream. I have some wonderful smelling (non toxic, all natural) "rose" body wash and deodorant that I'm using right now. I do not miss the toxic stuff I used ignorantly.

In the past, the only thing I used to wash my face in the morning was warm water and a little soap sometimes. That's it. But at 40 years old, I find that I need to use a little something on my face at times.  

For face cream, I use nothing more than a little bit of organic coconut oil. It works amazing as a moisturizer! I try not to use very much, otherwise my face could get too oily. I use just a little bit after washing my face with warm water and a little soap. (a natural face wash) Organic coconut oil is incredibly cheap compared to expensive face creams today! I found a cute, little container with a lid for $.99 cents at a local grocery store in their travel section, and I filled that container with some organic coconut oil. Coconut oil is very light and works well on skin. It is also very healing on dry skin.   

If you stop to think about it, what did ancient women use on their skin and face? Neutrogena? I don't think so. They didn't have all the products (toxins!) that we have today. When their skin was dry, they didn't have lotion to use either. Instead, they likely used some type of oil (from a plant) on their skin. Bible women would have likely used olive oil on their skin. The Bible describes many women of the Bible as being beautiful. Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel all come to mind. I believe these women were very Godly as well as beautiful. They likely used what God created - oils, spices, and other things directly from plants to use on their skin, hair, and body. 

Good health begins on the inside by making good choices in eating habits. But good health is also affected by what is used on the outside of the body. 

Stay tuned as I plan to share one more post about a specific body care product - one that I think deserves a post of its own. 

Using natural, non toxic, body care products is another important aspect of good heath. It matters, and it matters a lot! 

 

Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor, and I have no medical training. The things I share on this blog are simple, practical things that I've learned help with good health.