The skin is your largest organ – and whatever you put on it gets absorbed into your tissue, goes into you blood stream and then passes through your blood almost as if you just ate it. When it comes to beauty products, my rule of thumb is that if I wouldn’t eat it, I shouldn’t put it on my skin either. Here are my favorite products that won’t make you sacrifice your health for beauty.
Skin moisturizer
For many years my #1 skin moisturizer has been coconut oil. Yes, the same coconut oil that I get from Nutiva brand to eat, I put on my skin. Coconut oil is rich in moisturizing fats that keep your skin soft and smooth. The only caveat is that excess oil can rub off on your clothes, so for best results, use coconut oil before going to bed. nutiva.com
Makeup
It may come as a shock, but conventional makeup products are not so pretty as they seem. They contain many harmful chemicals that can cause poor skin tone, loss of elasticity and even diseases.
I suggest we stop suffering for beauty and get the best of both worlds. Jane Iredale is one of my favorite brands. It carries everything from foundations and mascaras to gorgeous eye shadows and sparkly lip glosses. All products are mineral-based, so they won’t irritate your skin or clog your pores, letting your skin breathe. Best of all, because of that mineral base, they also work as sunblock! Check out the Jane Iredale difference at janeiredale.com
Dental products
Many people use fluoride-based toothpaste, thinking it’s good for our health. Unfortunately that may not be the case. Did you know that fluoride has been shown to act as an endocrine disruptor and has been linked to health problems like arthritis, thyroid disease, disrupted immune system and even dementia?
Why take chances when you can have your strong pearly-whites with something better than fluoride? Meet the Miami-based Dr. Sharp Dentistry line of the cleanest products on the market. They’re fluoride-free, SLS-free, paraben-free and alcohol-free. They are made with natural ingredients that will give you strong, beautiful teeth without compromising your health. I love their attention to detail – even their Green Tea Dental Tape contains anti- inflammatory, antiseptic, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties.
Deodorant
Because conventional deodorants contain harmful aluminum that has been linked to diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s, I suggest choosing a better-for-you option. Try a natural and very effective deodorant that’s made from coconut! Here is a link to a 3-minute video on how to make your own or you can simply buy one from Primal Pit Paste and don’t sweat it.primalpitpaste.com
Haircare
Hair products are often overlooked when it comes to ingredients. After all, if we’re not putting them on our skin, why should we care? The problem is that we still handle hair products with our hands, exposing our skin to chemicals. Just recently, I tried the Giovanni haircare line and must say I was impressed.
As a professional hair stylist, Arthur Giovanni noticed his hands getting irritated from conventional hair products. He decided to create his own line with products free of parabens, sulfate or animal by-products. Everything is manufactured in the U.S., and created with a base of vitamins, herbs, minerals, proteins and other nutrients. After one use of his hair products my hair was shiny and soft! giovannicosmetics.com
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About Alina Z.
Alina Z., aka “The Green Goddess,” is a certified holistic health coach, detox specialist and raw-food chef (she conducts occasional classes at Whole Foods in Boca). Prior to moving to Florida, Alina hosted her own TV show in Maryland—“Entertaining A to Z”—for people who didn’t have time to cook but wanted to eat healthy. Catch one of her web episodes at eHow.com, visit Alina’s website at alinaz.com, or follow her on Facebook (facebook.com/CoutureFood) or Twitter (@CoutureFood). The Green Goddess blog runs every other Wednesday at bocamag.com.
Whoa Dr. Sharp is excellent. Wish I knew about it before dental school.