Do you think somebody's regulating personal care products? Nope.
All we want as parents, neighbors, friends is to do the best we can for those we care about. We want to give gifts from the heart and make sure our littles are protected, despite how big they get! We try to buy the best quality, but what happens when companies can advertise however they want with no standards? We get "green, organic, clean" labels on toxin containing packages.
You are the regulator for your family. Some tips to protect your home and friends:
Read the ingredients, if it says organic- look for the company who certified, and if it looks all-natural and markets itself as such see if all the ingredients are listed OR if it's just the key ingredients. If they don't list all the ingredients, there is a reason why.
Dirty Lotions + Body Butter
I don't use many body butters, but I am a sucker for a good lotion! It gets worse though... I'm a sucker for buying lotion as Christmas gifts. One of my favorite gifts to give is a stocking stuffed with lotions, bubble bath, and lip balm- the things most women forget to treat themselves to throughout the year.
However after learning about the ingredients, I realize I'm doing more harm than good to the people I love. Even if my intentions are good.
The first ingredient listed on my most recent lotion purchase is fragrance, the same fragrance we have talked about manufacture's adding to bath bombs and soaps. Remember? The 3000 chemicals that mix together to give a "scent"... yeah, that fragrance.
The second ingredient is BHT, which I had never seen before. I did some digging and learned that it is the same as Butylated Hydroxytoluene. If you haven't heard of it before, it is a food additive, used to preserve fat. In Canada this product is on the "Hotlist" for restrictive usage. The health impacts are the fact that it is possible this could cause an allergic reaction, and the fact that it is a possible carcinogen. It is definitely a carcinogen when ingested.
Then, we have the ingredient Diazolidinyl Urea. This is used to allow the chemicals to penetrate deeper into the skin and can increase your risk for dermatitis. It has also been known to release formaldehyde- a known carcinogen. This is the most commonly used preservative after parabens. Another risk is eczema and allergic reactions.
Dirty Kid's Lotions
It gets worse, I put baby lotion on my daughter and have since she was born. I have always bought with the intention, "only the best for my little love." You can guess where this is going.
The best is actually one of the worst. A conscious mama purchase, has been less than conscious.
The lotion I use for Elizabeth claims to be organic and fragrance free, which is great! Until you read the back. This BABY lotion contains phenoxyethanol. Phenoxyethanol is a common synthetic, antimicrobial preservative that the FDA named a potential neurotoxin. Yup.
It is just as scary as it sounds; it can depress the central nervous system and may cause vomiting and diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration in infants.
That is just one example of a good, "clean" kid's product that has been greenwashed and could potentially harm our littles.
Young Living Simple Swaps
Young Living body butters provide incredible moisture to help revitalize and rejuvenate dry skin while improving skin’s texture. Unlike general store lotions or body butters, these are made with 100 percent plant-based ingredients and without parabens, phthalates, petrochemicals, synthetic preservatives, synthetic fragrances, and synthetic dyes and colorants that we find on the labels that fill the shelves.
Natural Ingredients
Therapeutic-grade essential oils
No mineral oils
No synthetic perfumes
No artificial colorings
No toxic ingredients
No Secrets Here
My mission at JPF is to be authentic and transparent with you. No secrets, no gimmicks. It's just that simple. I feel that if you love what we have to offer- whether products or resources, you'll join in and help your family by creating a clean lifestyle. I believe what you give, you receive back, so even if I'm not making a killing, I'll support my family.
That's why I'll continue to show you how it's done, I'll pave the way, in hopes you'll join me on this journey and continue helping your family know and do better.
DIY Body Butter Recipe
1 3/4 Cup Shea or Cocoa Butter
1/2 Cup Refined Coconut Oil
1/4 Cup Liquid Carrier Oil {I used grapeseed but jojoba is also great for skincare}
30 drops of Essential Oils
Instructions:
Place all ingredients except essential oils into a double broiler. Place them on indirect heat to allow oils to melt slowly. It should only take a few minutes. Stir to make sure all the ingredients are combined.
Once melted, remove from heat and stir in essential oils.
Allow ingredients to cool by placing in the refrigerator overnight or for 2 hours in the freezer. You can add your essential oils and stir to combine.
Once all oils have combined and cooled, to solid state, whip on medium high until whipped consistency.
Add in more essential oils to your liking for the smell.
*Images compliments of Life's Ahmazing
DIY Perfume Roller Recipes
Fill a 10ml roller bottle as directed and then top with Fractionated Coconut Oil or carrier oil of your choice.
Happy Day Perfume:
10 drops Valor
10 drops Stress Away
10 drops Orange
Kenzie's Balanced Mama
10 drops Lavender
10 drops Peppermint
10 drops Frankincense
I top mine with almond oil.
What is a Carrier Oil?
Carrier oils dilute essential oils, making them last longer and soak into your skin over time, rather than all at once. Here's a breakdown of the most popular kinds.
Join Us
Show us what's first to switch for you! Use the hashtag and us in your photos #JPFDitchandSwitch on social media.
The Challenge
For the next 3 weeks, we will be looking in our homes for these toxic chemicals that are free ranging in our homes- from the bathroom to the kitchen cabinets and even sitting on your counters delivering your senses a wonderful aroma that could be harming your littles.
We challenge you this week to take a good hard look at all the things in your bathroom you use every day, those things you use to clean your skin and make you smell nice, they may be causing you and your family harm.
Join the challenge for FREE!
Schedule
Week 1: Bath and Body {Sept. 9-14}
Wednesday: Young Living Simple Swaps- Body Fragrance
Thursday: DIY Lip Balm with Lauren + Young Living Simple Swaps Lip Balms
Saturday: DIY Fall Sugar Scrub Virtual Workshop {get your kit here}
Week 2: Household Cleaners {Sept. 16-21}
Blog with info coming Sept. 16th
Week 3: Home Fragrances {Sept. 23-28}
Blog with info coming Sept. 23rd
Want to learn more about oils?
JPF Oils Made Simple Club
Join our oily community, where I'll take you on an exclusive journey of learning about all the essentials of an oily life.
Includes:
💧 Samples of each of the 12 oils in the Premium Starter Kit
✨ DIY Materials for Starter Units
✨ Thieves household cleaner sample
✨ Exclusive self-paced course with how-to's for benefits and oil uses
✨ Regular DIY recipes, blogs and free resources
✨ First look and dibs in our virtual DIY Workshops
*This community is only available for non-young living members.
Become a JPF Oils Made Simple Member for just $25 today!
Happy Switching,
Kenzie and Lauren
References: Young Living Whole Foods Market Premium Body Care Standards Unacceptable Ingredients, National Eczema Association, Toxinet databases on Phenoxyethanol, US FDA