Getting a mastectomy at thirty years of age completely opened my eyes to how important it is to research what I am putting not only in my body but on it. I dove headfirst into researching the personal hygiene products I use, including shampoos, conditioners, body washes, hair treatments, lotions and serums, and soaps. My findings blew my mind and seeing how minimal regulations are for what companies are allowed to put in these items is beyond worrisome. Not only did I do a slow upheaval of my products, but I also did the same for my son. The amount of hormone-disrupting chemicals and carcinogens found in products (ones that even claimed to be natural) is astonishing. Just like we are mindful about the food we eat, we need to make it a top priority to do the same about hygiene products as a consumer for ourselves and our families. It’s important that a lot of these companies may seem healthy, but once you do your own research it’s usually the exact opposite.
Think of how often you go to the hair salon. Are you just getting a haircut? Or are you also dying your hair or using chemical hair straightening products to lessen the hassle of having to do it daily? Recently, I came in contact with an employee from consumernotice.org which is a free to use website that has features of information on the well-being and safety of consumers. I was lucky enough to chat with Daniela from this website and she provided me links to share about the risk of chemical hair straighteners. Women who have used these products have a higher risk of developing breast cancer, endometriosis, and uterine cancer among other conditions according to recent studies from the National Institute of Health. In these three links Daniela graciously provided with me to share, you will find many facts about the above mentioned along with some great alternatives to chemical straightening!
Before diving into my own research years ago, and then being provided more through this information I thought it would be imperative to share this information with whomever I could. It’s so important that we minimize and avoid harmful, toxic chemicals. To me, it’s also important that the brands I use are cruelty free, do not test on animals, and are sustainable to the environment. A few products that came up frequently while searching for products paraben free, sulfate free, silicone free, synthetic fragrance free, and non-gmo included True Botanicals, Alaffia, Sienna Naturals, and Native. Some of these are plant based and vegan as well. Personally, I use Native shampoo and conditioner and love the options they have.
Doing this type of research may send you down a rabbit hole of information which can become overwhelming, especially when it comes to your health and your family’s health. A few months back I stumbled upon the “Think Dirty” app which is an awesome little tool. You can type in or scan a barcode on a product and it generates a score for how “dirty” or “clean” a product is based off the ingredient summary. It also shows their picks for products and the certifications behind their research. I am not affiliated with anything mentioned in this post, but I would love to just share it with my readers. Not only did this make me feel better about what I am using on my body, it was fun to find new products! Happy clean product hunting!
*Below is the three links Daniela from consumernotice.org provided me with to share. *
I am always checking my emails, so feel free to contact me at klkaminskas@gmail.com
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