Natural Living Part 2: Health & Beauty Products
As I mentioned in Natural Living Part 1, what we put ON our bodies is important in addition to what we put in our bodies when it comes to eliminating toxins and preventing illness. In this blog post, I’m sharing some of my favorite non-toxic health and beauty products as well as some DIY solutions. Most of the products featured are rated 1-3 on the EWG Skin Deep Scale (when available). Big bonus: most of these brands are black-women owned just in time for Black Herstory/Futures Month.
Nail Polishes
Nail polishes are one of the best categories to find a wide range of truly non-toxic products. A good at-home mani is a meditative to me and I love that I can be at peace knowing the products I’m using are non-toxic. You can even put your nail tech onto these brands if they’re not already.
OOO Polish - This black-woman-owned nail polish brand is specifically created for underrepresented skin tones. Genuinely non-toxic, vegan and great products! Each nail polish name is inspired by African History; kingdoms and empires and kings and queens. I’m empowered by something as simple as wearing polish.
Selenia Beauty - Selenia Beauty is an independent vegan, non-toxic, and cruelty-free nail care line. Afro-Latinx founder Regina Bultrón Bengoa created the line as an ode to her grandmother Selenia. All of the colors are inspired by global culture, history, and travel. My favorite shade is named after Anacaona, an indigenous Taino chief and heroine from present-day Ayiti.
Mineral Fusion - Touted as America’s #1 natural cosmetics brand, this company has a wide range of beauty products from cosmetics to skincare. Their products are widely available at your local Whole Foods’, Amazon and more. My favorite nail polish shade is Barefoot Blush, a wonderful nude shade. They also have a great nail polish remover that I use.
Makeup
Juvia’s Place - I rarely wear makeup but when I do, Juvia’s Place is definitely on the list. A bold, black-woman-owned makeup line. I love their eyeshadow palettes! Like OOO Polish, their products are African-inspired and designed for our skin tones. “Created to celebrate the rebels, rulers, and queens of the African kingdoms who honored beauty through their innovative and soulful techniques that we still use today.”
Juvia’s Place
You can also check out this guide on asbestos use in makeup from The Mesothelioma Center. Asbestos-free since asbestos-contaminated talc can cause various illnesses. Talc-free cosmetics brands include Shea Moisture, Pacifica and Honest Beauty.
Deodorant
PlayPits, Queen Deodorant
PlayPits - Another dope black-owned brand. Playpits was created by mom, Chantel Powell, who wanted something chemical-free for her son to use. I just switched to their Queen deodorant stick and love it. I find that it works all day. They have options for both kids and adults.
Lemon - Yes, regular old lemon. When I run out of deodorant, I just pop in the kitchen and grab a slice. After a while, the scent evaporates and I stay smelling fresh and natural all day. Spread a thin slice of lemon under each of your armpits and give it some time to dry before getting dressed. (skipping drying time resulted in a rash for me). DO NOT try this after shaving, wait a solid 48 hours. (learned this the hard way, ouch)
Skin & Hair
DIY Shea butter mix - Shea butter is the ONLY lotion I’ve used for well over a decade now. I also use it as a leave-in conditioner for my hair. If you’re blessed to live near any African or Caribbean shops, you’ll likely find raw african shea butter there for an affordable price. If not, try this option from Bulk Apothecary.
For the DIY lovers, here’s the recipe for Sha-Sha’s Shea Mix:
1 16 oz wide mouth mason jar or other container
1 lb shea butter
2 tablespoons almond oil
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 tablespoon jojoba oil
1 tablespoon rosewater
25-30 drops Lavender Oil
20-25 drops Ylang Ylang Oil
Warm a portion of the shea butter by placing a container of it in a bowl of hot water
Mix the warm shea butter, rosewater, almond, coconut, and jojoba oils together using a hand mixer or food processor. Place in your mason jar and mix in your lavender and ylang ylang oils using a spoon. Et. Voila. Now luxuriate your skin, really taking the time to moisturize. Ashiness be gone.
Stay tuned for my natural and immune boosting skincare routine.
Share back! What are your favorite non-toxic beauty products?
- Cover photo by Youngoldman on Unsplash