Looking Pretty without Parabens

In my last post I referenced how overwhelming making healthy changes is because it's not just the food.  I don't want to be a crazy "that's going to kill you" person, but reading different blogs makes me wonder what's ok and what's not ok to be putting into our bodies, using in our homes, putting onto our clothes, and storing our food in.

I'm not a scientist, and I feel like there are so many contradictions as to what's safe and what's not safe.  I don't feel like the government has our back on labeling foods processed with GMOs and artificial dyes, so I don't think they have our backs on any household products either.  Don't take my word on it - read up and make your own choices about what's being used in your house.  100 Days of Real Food and Food Babe have some interesting articles to read on these topics.

These are some products I've started using with great results.  Click each product to link to their website for more information on the product.  The cleansers I've switched to have no parabens.

• Burt's Bees Sensitive Facial Cleanser - my face is clean and feels moisturized.  I haven't had any breakouts since using the product for about 3 months.
• J Beverly Hills Shampoo and Conditioner - I like the Addbody from their Blue Line Botanically Infused Hair Care.  I buy it from a local salon.  I don't have to use any product in my hair and it stays looking nice (I'm not really a hair person, so it's good enough for me), and it smells AMAZING!
• Molly's Suds - this is an all natural laundry powder that leaves your clothes smelling like NOTHING!  Apparently clean smells like nothing.  This idea is hard to get used to; I know.  I tried this for the first time last weekend and I am very pleased with the results. Bryan's undershirts were clean and without stinky pits so that's something to brag about :).  I also bought 3 sets of dryer balls for a total of nine balls.  These were a little expensive up front, but they should last about 3 years so that's not too bad.  (Look for a coupon code on 100 Days Of Real Food.) The dryer balls are a little annoying to hear bumping around, but there were way less wrinkles in the clothes. I like what this little company stands for, so be sure to read their story.
• Nourish - if you are looking for natural bath products without the chemicals and parabens, I highly recommend their soaps (I haven't tried any other products). I found these a few years ago while on vacation in Hilton Head.  These soaps do smell, but the fragrance is from natural sources like lavender, lemon, coffee, and other earth products - you know, the stuff you can pronounce and know exactly what it is (a full list of ingredients is on their web site). You can order online or shop in one of their 3 stores while on vacation.

I feel like I'm on the path to a natural household but I still have some changes to make - the biggest one is an all natural cleaner.  I think I'm going to try this one from 100 Days of Real Food.  I've been buying a lot lately, so I just want to give my credit card a little break.  Don't worry about us breathing in toxic chemicals from traditional cleaners - I don't really clean enough for it to be a problem :).  I read in the comments that vinegar and water should be used on wood floors and furniture rather than the cleaner. I'll let you know how it works. 

Share your favorite all natural product in the comments!