These days there are all sorts of skincare, healthcare, and daily living trends that come and go. While most trends stay hot for just a few months, natural products have been one of the few that have grown in popularity over time.
The benefits of switching to natural products continue to grow and become more widespread. Want to live a more natural lifestyle? Interested in switching to all-natural products that are virtually risk free?
Here are 6 products that have natural alternatives that you must try!
1. Natural Shampoo
Chances are you wash your hair at least a few times a week. If you use a common store-bought brand, you’ve likely dealt with dry or extremely frizzy hair, even if the shampoo claims to be “smoothing” or “frizz-controlling.”
Most shampoo brands use ingredients that harm your hair. These ingredients include:
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Triclosan
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Fragrance
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Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
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Parabens
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Oxybenzone
If store-bought brands have let you down, now is a good time to switch to a natural shampoo. Common natural shampoo ingredients include coconut milk, almond oil, lavender, peppermint, and Shea butter.
2. Natural Deodorant
Have you found that your deodorant irritates your skin? Do you still sweat and have odor even when you use deodorant each day? While deodorants may smell nice for the first few hours, many of the store-bought options use harmful chemicals that do more harm than good.
Traditional deodorants work by preventing your body from sweating. This can cause toxins to build up in the body as well as an impact to your natural moisture. The fact is that sweating is a natural body process in order to cool and detoxify. By not sweating, there’s an increased risk of toxins that find a home in your lymph nodes and bloodstream.
On a healthier note, you can switch to natural deodorant to stay fresh and smelling good without clogging your pores. Natural deodorant allows your body to sweat and instead works by neutralizing odors and boosting your body’s natural deodorizing abilities.
3. Natural Cosmetics
Because cosmetics aren’t strictly regulated, companies can use all sorts of ingredients, even if they’ve been determined to be harmful. As a makeup wearer, you know the importance of looking and feeling your best. But, have you ever thought that your cosmetics may be harmful? While you’ve likely never read the ingredients label, odds are that your makeup contains all sorts of problematic ingredients including parabens, triclosan, and glycerin.
By switching to natural cosmetics, you don’t have to worry about skin irritation, dryness, redness or even more serious health issues like hormone disruption and the increased risk of certain cancers.
4. Natural Soap
Soap is designed to leave your skin clean, fresh, and smelling nice. But, the problem with most soap brands is that the ingredients are less than safe. Dioxane, triclosan, sodium laureth sulfate, ureas, and parabens as are ingredients that can cause health issues.
Certain types of urea have been linked to the release of formaldehyde. Parabens mimic natural hormones in the body and can disrupt levels.
Natural soap that’s made with essential oils, natural fragrances, and skin-soothing butters which not only clean your skin, these ingredients will also keep your skin soft, supple, and naturally youthful.
5. Natural Cleaning Products
A clean home is important, especially when preventing the spread of germs and bacteria. When you think of cleaning products, your mind probably gravitates towards bleach and ammonia. While these ingredients are quite effective in keeping things clean, they aren’t the safest to inhale.
Bleach and ammonia can all be problematic if inhaled in high quantities. This is especially true for children.
For a cleaner yet safer home, consider switching to natural cleaning products. These products use ingredients that are entirely natural. White vinegar, lemon, peppermint oil, lavender, and essential oils are all useful in keeping your surfaces clean.
6. Natural Food
Also known as real food! We’ve all had one of those days when we didn’t have time to pack meals and snacks beforehand which ultimately means that you’re stuck at the mercy of a fast food place, a cafeteria, or a vending machine. While processed food is okay in small quantities, eating a diet that’s mostly processed increases the risk of obesity and heart disease.
By making the switch to natural food, you’ll have the assurance that each of your meals has undergone the minimum amount of processing and preservation. Natural food is generally free of preservatives as well as other potentially harmful ingredients.
To shop locally without blowing your monthly budget, be sure to check out local farmers markets. This gives you a larger selection of food when compared to the grocery store and also allows you to save money by purchasing produce that’s in season.
Conclusion
Natural living doesn’t have to be the drastic change that most people think it is. You can take small steps like switching your deodorant or cleaning products to natural alternatives in order to boost your health and happiness.
