Keeping Mother Nature Clean: Toxin-Free Bathing Products

Keep your body, hair and conscious clean with eco-friendly bath products that lack the chemicals found in many mega-brands. Most bottles of shampoo or bubble bath contain ingredients only biochemists can pronounce. These toxins are absorbed through your skin and then flushed into the environment when you pour them down the drain. Ditch these chemical-carrying products and seek out alternatives that are healthier for you, your family and the planet.

Shampoo/conditioner
Your head absorbs chemicals faster than any other part of your body. That makes it essential to select hair care products that contain as few toxins as possible. Look for shampoos that are free of synthetic fragrances (these are potential allergens) and detergents (known to cause rashes and eye irritation). Many big-name commercial products also contain a number of chemical combinations that are possible cancer risks. Avoid TEA (triethanolamine), DEA (diethanolamine), or MEA (monnoethanolamine) in your hair products. Try using Terressentials Fragrance Free Shampoo.

Toothpaste
Most commonly used toothpastes contain the toxic ingredients fluoride and troclosan. Look for toothpastes with Bicarbonate of soda (BoS) or baking soda. BoS helps to regulate pH levels (levels of alkalinity and acidity) so it has versatile uses in cleaning, including your teeth. Many companies offer toothpaste options that do not contain toxic ingredients, such as Young Living and Tom’s of Maine.

Bubble bath
Those suds aren’t very relaxing once you realize the potentially harmful chemicals they contain. Most organic bubble baths don’t create thick layers of foam because they lack sodium laurel sulfate, a nasty toxic ingredient. But that doesn’t mean you can’t add some bubbles to your children’s bath. Try products by Tiny Tribe, Gaia or Aromobaby. But if you’re looking to unwind after a hard day, ditch the bubbles completely and use Epsom salts instead. These have been known to lower blood pressure, ease stress, and raise energy levels – all without the chemical fragrances and artificial colors of many common bubble baths.

Body soap
Many commercial soap manufacturers include potentially toxic ingredients to boost the product’s appearance and to make it lather better. Many organic alternatives won’t create the same rich foam we’ve become accustomed to, but they will leave you just as clean. Actually, the chemicals in some commercial soaps can leave your skin dry and looking less healthy. Look for organic castile soap made from an olive oil base, which is free of potentially harmful ingredients. You can even add a few drops of scented oils to create a fragrant body wash. There are a number of high-quality organic bar and liquid soaps on the market that use few, if any, chemicals. Check out products from Jason Natural Cosmetics Organics and Burts Bees. There are also a number of organic soaps marketed for babies, including Waleda’s calendula baby soap and Dr. Bronner’s Baby Mild Organic Bar Soap.

About the Author: When he isn’t writing about temporary water storage tanks, Mike Zook can be found working on his garden in his backyard.