Beauty Routine Cleanup: Part 1
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Today I’m going to share with you the start of my cleanup of toxins in my beauty routine. Some of the changes are simple, and others are a bit harder to change from those tried and true products you love! To start off, I did my deodorant and face wash and moisturizer. I tried out a few different ones over the last few months and will discuss what I tried, what I liked, and what I didn’t like about them.
Before we get into that, let’s chat about why it’s so important to clean out toxins in the products we use. First of all, our skin is the largest organ we own. It protects us from bacteria, toxins, and germs while keeping moisture in. Our skin also helps regulate our body temperature. It is constantly working for us.
In return for all that it does for us, we need to do a few things for our skin. First, we need to protect it from extreme temperatures, wind, and UV rays. Sun protection is an important thing most people don’t think of on a daily basis. Second, we need to watch what products we use in our homes and on our skin. Think about when you use something questionable on your skin. That toxin seeps into your skin over time. What is that doing to your body?
I struggle with what products to choose for so many things in my, what to use on my skin or my son’s. From cleaning supplies to candles to personal care products. The research that goes into what products I choose is crazy. The most frustrating part is thinking I buy something that’s decent, only to find out later on it’s really not as good as I thought. Or the company has changed the formula and it is no longer a “safe” product.
Deodorant
Deodorant is a product I have tried to change more than once. Typically, you will go through a detox period. During this time, you can have excess sweating, lumps/bumps, and maybe some itching. It’s important to realize during this time that while you may experience these things, sometimes they are not normal. If you are unable to stand it, or it seems to be getting worse or noticing a darkening of your underarms, you need to stop with the product you are using. You could be having an allergic reaction to the baking soda (most likely) in the natural deodorant you are using or developing a yeast infection due to the wetness.
There are ways to help with the detox process your body will be going through. Remember, you have used toxins for so long and your body’s natural defense to rid of them is through sweating. You have a build up of products from repeated use.
- Shave at night to reduce the micro cuts from your blade
- Use a scrub on your underarm area
- Use coconut oil at night and/or before applying
- Try a bentonite clay mask
- Consider dry brushing
- Drink lots of water
- What your diet!
The first time I tried was a few years ago when I tried Tom’s. Immediately I broke out in a red, itchy rash. I quickly stopped and went back to my trusty stick I had always used of Dove. I jumped in without trying any kind of detox or researching the different kinds of deodorant or their ingredients. Not all natural deodorants are equally.
I recently decided to make a switch but this time I did more research and tried many of the tips above during the detox period. I also paid more attention to how my body was reacting to it and was honestly eating better than I did the first time.
Primal Pit Paste Stick: I tried this one first. It takes some getting used to as it does not slide across your skin like what you are probably used to. If you hold it against your skin for a few seconds, it will go on much easier with less irritation. I liked the smell of the lime + coconut. After working out, I felt like it handled it well and I didn’t have a terrible stink like I expected to. My problem with this one is I seemed to react to the amount of baking soda in this one. I had lots of irritation, itching, and redness even with all the stuff I was doing to detox.I noticed a darkening in part of my underarm that I wasn’t too happy about too. I held out for about a month and decided to switch and see if it improved.
Schmidt’s Natural Deodorant Stick: I am currently using this one and am liking it a lot. I had some irritation with this one initially after switching. I added the use of coconut oil at night and about 5-10 minutes before applying the deodorant in the mornings. The darkening improved as did the irritation. Getting used to feeling slightly more wetness with the natural deodorant has been an adjustment but not horrible. Hopefully, it continues that way when the weather gets hot outside.
Face Wash + Moisturizer
Full disclosure, I never had a face care system to that I absolutely loved and stuck with each time I needed to repurpose. This one wasn’t as hard for me to switch up, but there is an overwhelming about of products out there to try. I looked around and tried to see if there were any products that stuck out to help with my acne issues plus the dryness of the winter. Face products are tricky. What works for one person may not work for another. It’s similar to the deodorant trial and error set up too.
Vitamin C Skin Trio Bundle: This was the first product setup I tried. I liked how smooth my face was and my skin definitely cleared up a lot. It comes with face wash, moisturizer, and a serum. The smell was nice also and did not leave me feeling greasy. However, I did have an issue with excess drying in my T zone area and I began peeling from it. I decided this would probably be a better product for me to use in the Summertime. I set it aside after 5 weeks and decided to try another kind.
Pacifica Beauty Sea Foam Complete Face Wash: I love this stuff! I have used this in the past in a travel size when they were first rolling the product out. It held up well for my skin on that trip to a tropical island. It seems to be the perfect balance for my skin. This face wash does not leave my skin too greasy or dried out. The smell is pleasant to me too.
Pacifica Beauty Sea Rescue Replenishing Water Gel: This took some getting used to. I initially tried this product over the face cream listed below. Personally, I prefer a cream, but I did like how lightweight this was. I used it for several weeks before switching to the face cream. I will probably keep this in my arsenal for days I know I will be sweating a lot, just for a lighter weight coverage to help keep my skin smooth and healthy.
Pacifica Beauty Dreamy Youth Day & Night Face Cream: This stuff is amazing also! Again, I used this years ago in a travel size and it worked well for me on the island. However, I did only use it briefly before in hot, humid weather. Today, it is working well for my needs with this weather.
Next up, I will be working on finding hair care products and makeup. Have you cleaned up your personal care products? Where did you start? Do you have any favorite products you love?
Disclaimer: This post also contains affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
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