After going through my personal care products and finding almost everything had toxic ingredients, I had to find a few quick replacements.

Before going through everything, I had tried my shampoo with no conditioner for one day, and found that my hair wasn’t as dry as it usually it. I was amazed, having grown up with the shampoo/rinse/condition/rinse routine for years. But I actually liked this one.

I recently got a DivaCup, despite thinking that it would take some getting used to. And it did… all of 36 hours. (Update April 28, 2010: This is a great, short blog that one woman wrote about her initial experiences with a Mooncup, which is a different brand of menstrual cup. Wish I had read that before starting to use my DivaCup because I went through many of the same thoughts. Very honest and real.) The DivaCup is a great reusable alternative to pads and tampons.  The DivaWash, which was made for cleaning the DivaCup, is also marketed as being good for the face and body. It’s concentrated, so a tiny bit goes a long way when mixed with some water. I actually tried the DivaWash as a shampoo before getting a “real” alternative. I used it just once, but someone actually thought I had gotten a new hairstyle that day because my hair looked fantastic. Again, my hair was less dry, but surprisingly it was also less oily. Usually my scalp gets oily after a day or two, but this was three or four days before it got oily. (Yeah, I don’t shower every day. I’ve actually read that it’s better not to shower and wash your hair every day. Plus it saves a lot of water!)

A few days ago I was at the grocery store and picked up Burt’s Bees Raspberry and Brazil Nut Shampoo (“more moisture” which I figure should be good for my dry ends) and the matching conditioner. I tried them tonight. The raspberry scent is pretty strong and even after rinsing my hair smells yummy like the berries. My hair is still wet, but brushing it felt good. It’s clean, but not that too-clean feeling I get from most commercial hair care products. Many synthetic products strip hair of the natural oils, which is why your body makes too much to overcompensate. Natural products don’t do that, so your hair is less oily. (This is all stuff I have heard and should be citing but I’m not, so I could be wrong on this. But I don’t think I am.) The dry test will have to wait until tomorrow when I can assess it. So far, these are keepers. I did order shampoo and conditioner from another company (bought these while I wait for those to arrive) so I’ll review them when I get the chance.

As my shower gel replacement, I started with the DivaWash for that too, and it was fine. My skin is always dry, so I still need to find a lotion alternative. But that’s not one of my top priorities. Then after going through my products, one of the few things I could still use is Burt’s Bees Peppermint & Rosemary Body Bar (soap). I forgot how much I love this stuff, which explains why I had two new bars from several years ago. It’s amazing. It’s not a smooth bar, due to some of the ingredients being gritty, so it’s naturally exfoliating – no need for a loofah or washcloth, it’s built in! My skin feels softer already. Even my elbows, notoriously dry like the cracked earth of a desert, are improving after just two showers. And I know it’s still early to tell, but I think my skin is retaining more moisture than it usually does. Again, I also have a different soap to try out and will review it when I do.

My final review is another thing that was at the top of my replacement list, and that is toothpaste. Ya gotta have toothpaste! I wanted one that is SLS-free (Sodium Laurel Sulfate), as I’ve read that that’s important. I admit, I didn’t do much research on this one. I read that Crunchy Chicken was looking at Tom’s of Maine SLS-Free Anticavity plus whitening (with fluoride) (see comments at that thread) and ultimately liked it, so that was enough for me to try it. Open the tube and it’s like, “Whoa, Peppermint!” Very strong smell, but I’m happy to report that the taste was rather gentle. Because there is no SLS, it’s not as foamy as most toothpastes are, but I think that’s a plus. I hate foamy toothpaste. My teeth feel as clean as they are when I leave the dentist’s office, and my mouth is not burning from an intense flavor. And they are definitely whiter than they were before, but it might not be as noticeable to others as it is to me. Or maybe I’m just wishful thinking on that one! Overall, I am a convert on this one as well.

I don’t wear makeup on a regular basis. Not even one favorite product like some women do. So it’s not at the top of my replacement list. Eventually I will have to get a couple products to try, probably when I’m going out and dressing up (the only time I really wear makeup), and I’ll be sure to review those too.

I don’t know if anyone actually reads my blog, but I’m sticking with the “whatever floats my boat” theme instead of just one topic. So if you want to read more like this, click on the tags. I will be using them more as I write more related posts.