Conscious Body Care
A how-to guide — because beauty is more than skin deep.
Skin is the largest organ and is incredibly prone not only to absorbing all sorts of chemicals and toxins, but also tellingly reflects our health and vitality. Health is clearly reflected in the vibrance and vitality of our skin, hair, nails, and so on. Beauty, then, is on the inside, but it also comes through on the outside via how we treat our body.
The best thing you can do to be your most beautiful self on the outside is to start on the inside. Minimize refined and animal-based foods and consume organic fruits and vegetables. The more you choose plants for your plate, the less chemical-laden products you will need. With the money you save on excessive products, you can buy fewer but better-quality products that are sustainable, ethical, and consider the process of production, especially the impact on animals and the environment.
Becoming educated about body care is as crucial as becoming educated about health and nutrition (and for that matter clothing, furniture, etc.). It is an ever-evolving process. For more information, visit the excellent database of the Environmental Working Group. There you will find be able to search body care products to find out the toxicity and safety of their ingredients. You can also find their sources, explanations, and rating methodologies.
Check out the Think Dirty app which helps you to scan products to find out the ingredients and their toxicity.
*A Note on Animal Testing
No one should support this horrific practice. Become educated on how animals are treated. Look for the cruelty-free Leaping Bunny symbol or the Certified Vegan logo on products to ensure no animal testing has been conducted.
Daily Hygiene
Body Wash
Dr. Bronner’s bar soaps and shower gels (The palm oil is sourced ethically).
Body Lotion
Organic Fair Trade Shea Butter (e.g. Alaffia or Baraka)
Shampoo & Conditioner
100% Pure Shampoo. You do not need conditioner. It’s unnecessary.
Face Wash
Luminance Delicate Facial Cleanser
Face Lotion
Luminance Raspberry Oil Sunscreen (Daytime) & Luminance Acne Serum (Nighttime)
Deodorant
The cleaner you eat (less processed foods and less animal foods, more plants and especially raw fruits and vegetables), the less you will need deodorant. If you still feel you need one, try the Made Simple Cosmetics Chamomile Lime Deodorant. If you need something stronger, try Tom’s of Maine. Mainstream brands contain aluminum which is harmful.
Perfume & Cologne
Perfume is filled with toxic chemicals that can are hidden under a single ingredient term: “Fragrance”. If you must add scent to your body, try Organic Rose Water Spray or Organic Virgin Coconut Oil (e.g. Viva Naturals). The lotions by 100% Pure are fragrant as well. If you still want specific scents, check out Pacifica or Aromi.
Eye Care
Clear Conscience Solution is the least toxic and only non-animal tested contact solution on the market. Keep your glasses as long as you can and reuse the frames. Warby Parker is affordable and they donate a pair every time you buy one.
Oral Hygiene
Proper and consistent dental care is more effective than any particular toothbrush and/or toothpaste combination. Ideally, you should floss after every meal. Brush thoroughly twice a day.
This is something I have not tried yet, but hear is beneficial: Using a stainless steal tongue scraper (e.g. Banyan Botanicals) and oral irrigator once a day, preferably at night. You can find dental quality oral irrigators that hook up directly to your sink (e.g. Hydrocare Water Jet Dental) or shower (e.g. Denshine) for much less than the portable ones which break down after a few years.
Toothbrush
Try a gentle Philips Sonicare Electric Toothbrush or a bamboo/recycled handle brush (e.g. Brush with Bamboo or Green Root).
Toothpaste
Attentive and consistent dental care is your best tool against preventing cavities and decay. You can make your own tooth powder with a 50/50 baking soda to Himalayan salt ratio. You can also add in Charcoal Powder (e.g. InVitamin) for whitening. If you insist on a paste, try Dr. Brite or Tom’s of Maine.
Mouthwash
A sea salt or rock salt and water mix is very effective. Try 1/4 tsp salt to 1/4–1/3 cup of water.
Make-Up
Make-Up
100% Pure is my favorite brand of make-up. Almost everything is vegan (with the exception of a few products that contain beeswax) but the line is nearly all organic. The company also donates significant proceeds to a variety animal charities and do no animal testing. For other brands, check out this list from Logical Harmony.
Make-Up Tools
For make-up brushes, use EcoTools. Brushes made from animal hair are treated with harsh chemicals and often contain bacteria from the animals from which they are made.
Lip Balm
Try Badger (some contain beeswax). Or simply Organic Fair Trade Shea Butter (e.g. Alaffia or Baraka)
Sunscreen
Try Luminance Raspberry Seed Oil Sunscreen or Kabana Organics Original Green Screen
Sexual Health
Periods
A a ton of feminine hygiene products end up in landfills unnecessarily. Avoid pads and tampons as they are not only uncomfortable and impractical, but harmful to the environment. Cotton is one of the most pesticide-laden crops and applicators are a huge waste of plastic. For more reading check out this article by LiveKindly: “Let’s Save the Planet. Period”. Not to mention you’ll save money!
- Menstrual Cups: OrganicCup or Keeper
- Period-Proof Underwear: Thinx. An ingenious invention.
- Tampons/Liners: If you decide to use them, make sure they are biodegradable: NatraCare (tampons)+ Gladrags (liners)
Birth Control
This is probably the trickiest problem to solve. Hormonal birth control methods lead to higher risk of breast cancer, blood clotting, heart attack, gallbladder symptoms, mood changes, weight gain, and more. But they also tend to be more effective than non-hormonal methods. Unfortunately, doctors offer lots of misinformation about birth control, in part because not enough time has passed since the introduction of hormonal methods, so their true risks are unclear. You will have to weigh the options for yourself and decide what makes you most comfortable.
- Condoms: Sir Richards. For lubricant, try Organic Raw Cocoa Butter (e.g. Navitas) or Organic Virgin Coconut Oil (e.g. Viva Naturals)
- Fertility Awareness Method: Tracking your fertility takes time and practice, but it’s worth it to learn about your body. The book Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler is a good place to start.
- Fertility Tracking Apps: Flo or OvaGraph plus basic thermometer (You will need to track your Basal Body Temperature (BBT).
- IUDs: The non-hormonal copper IUD has been used for decades and is 99.9% effective, but causes increased bleeding for many women. The hormonal IUDs are not an ideal option, but at least with the IUD unlike the pill the hormones are localized to the uterus (for more reading check out this article from NYMag: “Which IUD Should You Get?”).
Household Products
As with body care, the the issues of toxicity, safety, animal testing, and environmental impacts are nearly identical with household products.
Hand/Dish Soap
Dilute Dr. Bronner’s liquid soaps about 1:5 soap to water in a glass foaming soap dispenser. Can also be used as counter cleaner.
Laundry/Dish Detergent
You can make your own, but I have not explored this enough yet. Recommended: Seventh Generation, ECOS, Sun & Earth, BioKleen.
Toilet/Shower Cleaner
Use Dr. Bronner’s liquid soap and dilute to 1:10 in a water spray bottle. For more intense cleaning, use a mixture of white vinegar + baking soda (check out this Organic Lifestyle Magazine article), or Seventh Generation, ECOS, Sun & Earth, BioKleen.
Reusable Shopping Bags
Use organic cotton reusable produce bags (e.g. Organic Cotton Mart) at the grocery store or farmer’s market to reduce your environmental footprint (along with large reusable bags to haul groceries). They can be washed occasionally as needed. Better yet, bike to the store!
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I am still learning about conscious body care (and trying to implement all this good advice for myself), and would love to learn more, so please share your own recommendations and I will keep updating the list!
Acknowledgements
These resources were collected primarily by my friend Phaedra, who has taught me more than anyone about conscious body care.
