When you choose personal care products for you and your family, it’s essential to educate yourself about the ingredients in the items you use. Today, consumers have more choices than ever that offer safe, wholesome, natural ingredients. Unfortunately, there are also many personal care products that include dangerous elements that can be hazardous for your health.
But you can protect your family by being vigilant about selecting health and beauty products with natural components. To help, we’ve compiled this list of personal care ingredients you should seek out and which to avoid.
Shampoo
Trustworthy natural ingredients
The best natural shampoos include ingredients you can easily pronounce. Today’s natural shampoos use things like coconut oil, aloe, honey, royal jelly, or fruit and plant extracts to keep your hair clean and healthy. If you have an oily hair type, look for a shampoo with a plant-based lactic acid to clarify oils or product build-up instead of harsh sulfates.
Ingredients to avoid
Watch out for the many types of sulfates that frequently appear in shampoo. Also, avoid parabens, phthalates, and unnatural sources of fragrance and color.
Deodorant
Trustworthy natural ingredients
You can get a deodorant that uses safe, natural ingredients that still gets the job done. The most crucial distinction is that natural deodorants are not antiperspirants. Commercial antiperspirants prevent your body from sweating with toxic agents like aluminum. Natural products use arrowroot powder, baking soda, kaolin clay, corn starch, coconut oil, and essential oils to keep you dry and smelling fresh.
Ingredients to avoid
Aluminum is the main culprit in deodorant products to look out for. Also, avoid parabens, triclosan, propylene glycol, talc, stearates, and TEA/DEA (triethanolamine/diethanolamine).
Lotion
Trustworthy natural ingredients
Lotions are made to moisturize and act as emollients for your skin. Natural moisturizers may have ingredients like:
- Coconut oil
- Jojoba oil
- Almond oil
- Shea butter
- Essential oils
- Fruit or plant extracts
Ingredients to avoid
Make sure you steer clear of these ingredients in your lotions:
- Sulfates
- Parabens
- Phthalates
- Petroleum chemicals
- Mineral oil
- Synthetic fragrance or dye
- PEG compounds
Hand soap
Trustworthy natural ingredients
Soap is another product that can include wholesome ingredients. Natural soaps can be vegetable-based with ingredients like vegetable glycerin and plant-derived oils like calendula, castor, olive, and almond oil. Shea butter is also common in natural soaps.
Ingredients to avoid
Look out for sulfates like sodium laureth sulfate or sodium lauryl sulfate. Also, avoid triclosan (an antibacterial agent), parabens, and artificial fragrances and dyes that may irritate your skin.
Toothpaste
Trustworthy natural ingredients
Because you might ingest small amounts of toothpaste, it’s vital to use one with safe ingredients. Most natural kinds of toothpaste avoid fluoride, which some experts argue is bad for you. Some good toothpaste options include glycerin, peppermint oil, tea tree oil, and green tea extract.
Ingredients to avoid
Avoid nasty components like parabens, sulfates, sweeteners or dyes in your toothpaste as you may ingest them while brushing your teeth.
Shaving Cream
Trustworthy natural ingredients
Look for soothing oatmeal and shea butter as key ingredients in your shaving cream. Natural choices also may include aloe vera or beta-glucan to make it easier to shave. You’ll also want to look for healthy oils for your skin like jojoba or tea tree oil for its antibacterial properties.
Ingredients to avoid
Shaving cream can have the same ingredients as many other personal care products like sulfates, parabens, phthalates, petroleum chemicals, mineral oil, artificial fragrance or colors, and PEG compounds.
Facial treatments
Trustworthy natural ingredients
Your face has some of the most sensitive skin on your body. Natural ingredients in facial products are a must. Look for these ingredients to get the most out of your facial treatments:
- Aloe vera
- Tea extracts
- Coconut or Jojoba oil
- Arnica
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Honey
Ingredients to avoid
It’s critical to avoid putting harmful chemicals on your face to avoid irritating or drying out your skin. You should avoid these harmful ingredients when looking for a new face mask or treatment:
- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Petrochemicals
- Fillers
- PEG compounds
- Synthetic dye/fragrance
- Phenoxyethanol
Take the Time to Find Natural Ingredients
There are many natural personal care products with safe ingredients. If you know what things to look for and what to avoid, you can provide your family with healthy and wholesome natural products that keep your skin happy and healthy.
