Whew! As you may already know, I saw Good Hair this weekend. Y'all, when I saw what sodium hydroxide, the active ingredient in chemical hair relaxers, did to that poor innocent piece of chicken? It made me wonder how many of us actually question the ways in which we systematically poison our bodies and those of our children knowingly or unknowingly. I only used chemical relaxers for about 6 years, between age 13 and 18...and twice over the past 12 years during my natural hair journey. I'm glad to be off relaxers completely now, but can't help but wonder what, if any, long-term effects exposure to those chemicals may have caused me. Is that a major downer or what? Basically, I said all that to say, I'm inspired to go natural...for a minute.
Today's Makeup Monday post is not about makeup...or hair for that matter. Relaxed or natural, we can ALL go natural without sacrificing a good hair day. I love my lotions and potions containing ingredients that I can't pronounce as much as the next girl, but let's think about taking a break. I'm talking about giving our hair and skin and insides a break--even just for a day--and getting back to the basics of natural beauty. Walk with me.
Here are a few of my natural favorites that have me feeling as one with nature as Eve before the apple:
Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap- Add a capful of this oil-based liquid soap in Peppermint to soak tired feet, use some in Lavender to a relaxing bath, deep clean your scalp with the Tea Tree oil version or just get plain clean from head to toe using the fragrance-free Baby Mild solution.
Olive Oil- Go ahead and use it like they did in the bible days! Cook with it. Dress your scalp and hair with it. Caress your body with it. You'll be like butter from head to toe. Naturally.
Jojoba Oil- This is the oil found in nature that most closely mimics the oil naturally produced by your scalp. So it's the oil that your hair likes the most, so give it some! Then go ahead and use it on your cuticles, lips and face at night for amazingly soft and healthy skin.
Bigelow Organic Green Tea- Thank goodness this natural leaf hasn't been outlawed. Buy it openly and in abundance. And drink it often. Never mind that green tea has been used for thousands of years in Asia medicinally, regular consumption has been proven to lower cholesterol and support weight loss. Hello? Weight Loss.
I'm not suggesting going 100% natural all the time (although I know some beautiful ladies who do make that awesome commitment and trust me, they GLOW), but I am suggesting taking a day or two...like Saturday and Sunday, to give it all a rest and get back down to basics, inside and out. Your body will love it. And it won't hurt!
I use all of the mentioned and you are sooooo right. Olive oil=love. I use that stuff for EVERYTHING. Holla!
Posted by: Brittany | October 26, 2009 at 03:46 PM
A friend of mine says she's been using olive oil instead of lotion or body butter. Now I love my Cocoa Body Butter from The Body Shop. There is none like it on all the earth. But, she says she's been using the olive oil for months now and she loves it. I use it for cooking, for my hair, and for some products that I make but I never thought about substituting it for lotion or body butter.
Posted by: SLY | October 27, 2009 at 09:52 AM
I agree with all of it. Im all about the natural too. olive oil and sheabutter are my number one staples for hair and skin. good post.
Posted by: Sandra (hicksgirl93) | October 28, 2009 at 05:59 PM
You are definitely right! Thanks for the advice, go natural!
Peter Harman
Posted by: best natural skin care products | January 27, 2010 at 10:37 AM