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Health & Fitness

Skin Care & Paraben-free Products

Much like my wish to avoid the fillers in the food I consume to fuel my body, I do not want chemicals in the products I use on my body.

I get fixated on certain things.  Last week while on vacation to Texas, I ended up spending nearly 30 minutes in a CVS trying to find a paraben-free lotion that was also free of oatmeal byproducts (to which I am allergic) that also came in a 3 ounce travel size container.  Needless to say, my boyfriend could not quite grasp why these requirements were of so much importance to me.  To him, the decision was simple – if it smelled pretty good, then that was the one…done!  Fortunately, I have a very patient, kind boyfriend who quickly realized I was stuck; transfixed on finding the precise body lotion I needed, and so he began to call out different options from the multitude of rows carrying everything but what I desired.

Much like my wish to avoid the fillers in the food I consume to fuel my body, I do not want chemicals in the products I use on my body. “Parabens,” according to Wikipedia, “are a class of chemicals widely used as preservatives in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. They are becoming increasingly controversial, however, because they have been found in extremely low concentrations in breast cancer tumors (an average of 20 nanograms/g of tissue).  No causal link between parabens and cancer has been established, however” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paraben).  Why can’t these big-name companies keep their products simple?  Ingredients I cannot pronounce and a list of nearly twenty cause me to be weary of the unintentional affects of these elements.

So, eventually I found a body lotion that met my requirements. Had I been shopping at a place like Grass Roots Natural Market and Kitchen in South Pasadena (www.grassrootsnaturalmarket.net/) or a local Whole Foods Market (www.wholefoodsmarket.com/), I would also fill my basket with sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner, everyday face lotion with an SPF of 15, the deodorant crystal (free of aluminum) and unscented body soap.  According to a former Neutrogena employee, unscented soaps are best to use in private areas in order to avoid the growth of bacteria.  Anymore of these tedious searches and I might soon be making my own soap from a vat of lye. 

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However, if my attempt at making homemade soap is anything like my attempt to make my own dresses, then the result will clearly be me…disheveled, moderately clean, and in an unflattering pillowcase dress barely sewn together.   Needless to say, I appreciate the manufacturers who understand my need for simple, chemical-free products.  Thankfully in our area, there are many places that carry just what I need. 

Until next time, may you shine from the inside out.

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