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Archive for the ‘Deodorant’ Category
We realize that some people are in the fluoride camp and some are against it. Either way, finding a safe natural toothpaste can be a challenge especially if you’re trying to avoid sodium laureth sulfates and fluoride. The lovely woman who owns and operates Nayla Natural Care, based in Canada, sent us a couple toothpastes to try out.
The Green Beaver Company has a line of natural toothpastes that are flouride free and completely natural. They have a bevy of interesting flavors, which is key for me because natural toothpaste reminds me of dirt (Yes, I’m talking about YOU Tom’s of Maine) but this is definitely not the case with The Green Beaver Company.
Their flavors include Cilantro Mint, Green Apple, Star Anise and the two I tried Frosty Mint and Zesty Orange. If you aren’t used to natural toothpastes it’s an adjustment no matter what. No natural toothpastes behave the same way Crest does but they do still have the same desired effect. This is no different and the suds factor is lower than traditional pastes, but the clean factor is not lacking. And they don’t taste like dirt! The Frosty Mint is a nice minty flavor and cleans along with natural mineral whiteners such as Silica and calcium carbonate. They also add calcium ascorbate, which contributes to the normal development and maintenance of teeth and gums. The Zesty Orange is a nice departure from usual mint flavors and is totally invigorating.
With the lack of flouride and all that other icky junk, these are safe for toddlers and children since they can safely swallow it without harm. (They should be supervised but still.)
Find these and other great safe products here: Nayla Natural Care! Her store is adorable and has great products. This is the perfect place for our Canadian readers to stock up on the products we review on SafeMama.com! She ships to the U.S. too!
Posted by admin • add a comment •
Categories: Deodorant, Green Beaver
I have switched to natural deodorant recently, with no real trouble. However, I have yet to find anything that cuts the mustard for my manly husband, especially in the Texas summer! Not to mention most of the alternatives I have found smell rather girly. Any suggestions? Do your husbands use natural deodorants, and have they found one they can count on?
We are shamed to say it, but our husbands are pretty stubborn when it comes to switching their products over to natural products. My husband was pretty annoyed when I tried to switch his toothpaste over and now secretly looks forward to business trips because I know he keeps a secret stash of Colgate in his toiletries bag. So he still uses his trusty old Axe. You can lead a horse to water and all of that (although, I did get him to switch his chemically enhanced shampoo to Dr. Bronner’s. Baby steps).
However, we do tell people that it definitely takes time to switch over to have it work properly, and men are no exception. We did post some tips on switching over, you no doubt have read (and I’ve also tried to drill into my husband’s head as well), but they bear reposting:
Be patient. You’ll need at least 2 weeks to adjust (and sometimes longer), so if you go a couple days on a new deodorant and you smell this could mean your body is still ridding itself of toxins. You might have to try a brand or two to find the right one for your body chemistry too, so give it some time.
Exfoliate. Its a good idea to GENTLY exfoliate your armpits once in a while to remove any dead skin blocking your sweat glands and pores. Use a really soft washcloth and gently massage the area. Don’t use scrubs or salts as this might damage the delicate skin of your armpits.
Sweat! The reason deodorant makers put Aluminum in their product is to prevent you from sweating. There is a major problem with this in that you are supposed to sweat, sweating is your body’s way of ridding itself from toxins and impurities. Once your body is used to not having antiperspirant it can actually regulate your sweating. Since switching to Weleda I have not noticed being “wet” unless I am huffing and puffing on the treadmill, in which case who cares. What matters is I don’t SMELL like sweat.
And of course, to add another:
Hydrate Hydrate Hydrate: The more water you consume, the less likely you are to smell as water flushes toxins out of your system.
And of course, diet also has a play. If you’re going to eat stinky foods, they have to come out somehow, and going to the bathroom isn’t the only way your body excretes waste. Which is why you tend to smell like an 18 year old brewery after a night of drinking heavily. Garlic, onions, red meat. It’ll also come out in your pores as well. Which makes me wonder if I’d smell like vanilla cupcakes if I lived on a diet of them…. hmmm food for thought…
As for brands, we personally like both Bubble and Bee’s Pit Putty (they have other varieties as well) and Weleda. Weleda’s deodorant is more of an alcohol base which might help curb odors for your husband, better than Bubble and Bee, and I know my husband has said that the original Bubble and Bee is a little bit too feminine smelling for him. Weleda makes a Sage variety that isn’t girly smelling. I’ve used both Bubble and Bee and Weleda doing yard work in the hot summer sun and while, yes, I did sweat, I didn’t smell at all. I would say to buy a couple of varieties, find what works and then rotate based on your needs. Guys tend to be simpler with their body care needs, but sometimes, they need to go the extra mile to find a product that works for them too.
We need YOUR questions. Submit them to “Dear LovelyMama” today!
Posted by Statia • add a comment •
Categories: Ask LovelyMama, Bubble and Bee, Deodorant, Dr. Bronners, Men's Skin Care, Weleda
It’s no secret that I pretty much hate my hair. I could link to countless reviews of conditioners and the like, and you’ll see that I have impossible hair. Only made more impossible by the lack of chemicals that keep it looking like a brillo pad and of course, pregnancy.
I also generally don’t take too much time doing my hair as having a toddler doesn’t allow for countless hours of primping. And I’m ok with that. I get the time to shave my legs, and for that, I’m thankful. It’s the little things, you know?
So when I actually do get some free time to blow out my hair and make it look hot and sexy, I try to stretch it out a day. One problem I have though, and that’s oily roots. I generally must wash my hair every day, but when blowing it out, it’s not only time consuming, it’s taxing on my hair.
There are countless powders and sprays out there to help with oily roots, because they say next day hair is sexy. Most of it though, has all the chemicals we like to avoid. And there’s always always corn starch or baby powder. I’ve had limited success with those, and there’s also the problem of looking instantly like your white haired gramma. No thank you.
I took my Weleda deodorant spray and sprayed it at the roots and in some other oily areas of my head and viola! Worked like a charm. Not only did my head smell good, but I didn’t have that heavy dirty hair feeling all day. It’s a miracle!
I wouldn’t recommend this for use every day, since Weleda’s deodorant is alcohol based, but once in awhile, it’s a great alternative use for deodorant. I’m keeping a bottle on hand as my new secret weapon.
Posted by Statia • add a comment •
Categories: Deodorant, Styling Products, Weleda
One of the first things I did when greening my beauty routine was look for a new deodorant. Upon hearing and reading the dangers of putting aluminum, parabens and phthalates on my armpits every single day, I went looking for something safer. I started off with the natural first step and that was Tom’s of Maine, which didn’t work so well for me, so I switched to JASON brand. Then I read up on propylene glycol and decided to really go for the safest thing I could find. I took a chance on Weleda Wild Rose Deodorant and am really happy with the results.
Statia weighs in: I actually have the Citrus scent and I like it. One of the things that I DON’T like about this deodorant is that the first ingredient is alcohol. It’s effective, but after awhile, it can be irritating to the armpits and if you’ve just shaved, stand back. Overall, it’s not a bad deodorant, but I don’t use it that often. The other drawback to this is that when I am wearing it, and I forget, I wonder where the hell the smell of booze is coming from, and I realize it’s not a mixed drink, it’s me! Maybe wearing this when you’re going to go out isn’t a good idea. God forbid you get pulled over…
Weleda makes 3 scents of deodorant, Wild Rose, Sage and Citrus. It’s a spray, packaged in a lovely glass bottle (if you’re ridding yourself of plastic this is awesome, some might not think so), not ever tested in animals they only use the safest natural ingredients possible. The only small downside to this deodorant is that there is a sting factor if you’ve just shaved. So far, this hasn’t been a big drawback for me… a little sting or pasting toxic chemicals on my pits. It’s a fair trade off.
A few things to remember when switching to a safer deodorant:
Be patient. You’ll need at least 2 weeks to adjust, so if you go a couple days on a new deodorant and you smell this could mean your body is still ridding itself of toxins. You might have to try a brand or two to find the right one for your body chemistry too, so give it some time.
Exfoliate. Its a good idea to GENTLY exfoliate your armpits once in a while to remove any dead skin blocking your sweat glands and pores. Use a really soft washcloth and gently massage the area. Don’t use scrubs or salts as this might damage the delicate skin of your armpits.
Sweat! The reason deodorant makers put Aluminum in their product is to prevent you from sweating. There is a major problem with this in that you are supposed to sweat, sweating is your body’s way of ridding itself from toxins and impurities. Once your body is used to not having antiperspirant it can actually regulate your sweating. Since switching to Weleda I have not noticed being “wet” unless I am huffing and puffing on the treadmill, in which case who cares. What matters is I don’t SMELL like sweat.
Let’s talk about B.O. I have read that diet has an effect on your smell so pay attention to what you ate prior to discovering your pits smelling a little ripe. Some say red meat is a culprit. Being perfectly honest, once my body regulated and adapted to my new safer deodorant I rarely if ever smell. Not even in the hot sun, not after I work out, and even if I skip a day showering. For the sake of science, I’ll admit I skip a day here and there. (What, like you never did? Don’t front…)
Get It: You can find Weleda Deodorants in our Amazon store as well as on one of our favorite retailers Saffron Rouge. Weleda deodorants comes in 3.4fl.oz and 1 fl.oz bottles.
Posted by admin • add a comment •
Categories: Deodorant, Weleda
A few months ago, while doing one of my many searches for safe skincare for myself, I discovered an awesome company called Bubble and Bee Organics. One thing I love about Bubble and Bee is that they always use organic ingredients when possible, and better yet, they never use synthetic ingredients, ever.
I love all of the products that I’ve tried. Especially their Pit Putty. I raved about Pit Putty over at SafeMama a few months ago and I stand by that review. Pit Putty is hands down the best deodorant I’ve tried. It’s very soft and powdery. And a little goes a long way. Once I used it properly, I never had a problem with white stains on my shirt and it lasts, even in the hot sun. Something I tested profusely when first tried it out (I was the girl with her face in her armpits all day).
This is a deodorant, which you shouldn’t confuse with an antiperspirant. While we think it’s great to not sweat, antiperspirant not only has awful synthetic chemicals in it, but they block your pores, preventing you from sweating. This is just not natural. Sweating is good for you. And over time, conventional antiperspirant clogs your pores making it more ineffective. Since I’ve made the switch to a natural deodorant, I sweat less and I rarely have any odor.
When I didn’t think that Pit Putty couldn’t get any better, Stephanie surprised me and came out with a new scent specifically for women: geranium lime. I was lucky enough to get a sneak preview and let me tell you, it’s awesome. I didn’t mind the scent of the original, but I know that some women want something just a little more feminine. It’s so feminine, that I’m now back to sniffing my armpits, but not because I’m self conscious. But more because it smells so good.
We give all of Bubble and Bee Organics products the LovelyMama Seal of Approval.
Get It: Be one of the first to get the new scent of Pit Putty. You can order directly from Bubble and Bee’s website and take 15% off your entire purchase using the code “lovelymom9“
Posted by Statia • add a comment •
Categories: Bubble and Bee, Deodorant, Safety Award Winners
