Bar Soap Organic

There are many harmful ingredients in soap. Here are some dangers in soap and good reasons to keep your bar soap organic:

• Sodium tallowate is often used to make bar soap. It is the fat renderings from meat processing. Hormones, antibiotics and toxins are stored in animal fat and then this fat is used to make soap.
  
• Sodium lauryl sulfates are added to soap to make it lather more. This chemical can cause skin irritation.
• Fragrances are used to give soap its scent. There are over 200 reported chemicals used in fragrances but none have to be listed in the ingredients because they are cloaked under the word "fragrances".

Look for ingredients that are certified organic and use plant oils to make the bar soap not animal fat. The scent should come from essential oils which come directly from the plant. Healing herbs also contribute to the overall scent of the soap.

Head To Toe Organics wants to help you keep your bar soap organic by offering 25% off organic bar soap. Eleven scents available.

Karite Shea Butter

What is the difference between karite shea butter and African shea butter?

They are the same thing. Shea butter is extracted from the fruit of the karite (or shea) tree in Africa. It grows naturally in the wild. These fruits are harvested, dried, then ground into powder. The powder is boiled where the oil rises to the top and collected and then solidifies.

This super hydrating butter has a high degree of healing properties and is excellent for dry, chapped lips and skin, eczema, burns, wrinkles and insect bites to name a few.

Most shea is refined to take out impurities. Many commercial companies use the chemical "hexane" to refine which removes most of the healing properties. Certified organic shea is filtered through earthen clay and never uses any chemicals but still retains a high degree of healing qualities.

If you are feeling the "winter dry skin", your best defense is karite shea butter that is certified organic.

Body Scrub Organic

Keep your body scrub organic. Why? I'll give you three very good reasons:

1. If your scrub is certified organic it won't contain harmful toxic chemicals. Scrubbing removes dead skin cells and toxins from our skin. What's the point of using chemical laden products that put toxins back on our skin?
2. Many body exfoliates use petroleum based polyethylene. These plastic micro-spheres end up in our sewers, streams, lakes and oceans and kill aquatic animals. Organic scrubs that are certified use natural ingredients of jojoba beads, finely ground coffee beans, coarse sugar and oatmeal to exfoliate your skin.
3. Using organic scrub is environmentally friendly. There are no polluting chemicals to harm our planet.

It's easy to keep your body scrub organic. Be a label reader on products so you know what you are buying. Taking small steps towards a healthier lifestyle will reap big rewards.
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sodium lauryl sulfate

Do you enjoy richly foaming shampoo, body wash and shaving cream? The reason for all that lather is the chemical sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). It is an ingredient in car washes, engine degreasers and floor cleaners. It is also found in toothpaste, shampoo, body wash and shaving cream.

Reports have been published that raise a number of health concerns. Studies have shown SLS irritates skin and eyes.

There are healthier alternatives. Organic saponified oils of coconut and olive, jojoba oils, shea butter, sunflower oil, aloe, vitamins C & E, white tea and essential plant oils gently clean, nourish and soften skin. So take a closer look at the ingredients in the skin care products you are buying and avoid sodium lauryl sulfate for healthier skin and body.

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Green Lotion

Many consumers are looking for greener products today and green lotion is no exception. There are some guidelines to follow when shopping for eco-friendly skin care products.

*Look for certified organic ingredients - the plants (cocoa butter, shea butter, olive oil, etc.) were grown without the use of synthetic chemicals that pollute the planet.
*No synthetic chemicals were added - phthalates and parabens are used in many skin care lotions. Not only are these chemicals toxic to you, but they are also harmful to the environment.
*Minimal packaging - look to see if the plastic can be recycled and that the product doesn't come in a lot is excess packaging.

If we all took small, simple eco-friendly steps, what a difference it would make. Take that small step with green lotion. It is healthier for you and easier on the environment.

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Phthalates Cosmetic

"Phthalates cosmetics" shouldn't even be put in the same sentence. Phthalates are industrial chemicals used to make plastics. They are found in things like toys, rain coats, shower curtains, and food packaging to make plastic flexible. Companies use this chemical in nail polish, shampoo, lotion and hair spray to stabilize fragrances. It has an oily texture that makes skin feel soft. The chemical name often doesn't appear on an ingredient list because retail products aren't required to list the individual ingredients in "fragrances".

Companies are free to use whatever chemicals they want in beauty care. They advertise the "wonderful scent" of these products and we, as consumers, buy them based on how they smell unaware that this "scent" is stabilized with phthalates.

This chemical has been found to disrupt the endocrine system which is a system of glands that secretes hormones to regulate our body. Concerns consist of the development of the reproductive system where children are most at risk.

There are healthier options available. Essential oils are oils extracted directly from plants and give skin care products clean, healthy aromas in shampoos. lotions, etc.

What can consumers do? We can send a clear message to companies by leaving those chemical laden products on the shelves and choose products that are made with natural and organic ingredients.

http://www.headtotoeorganics.com

Body Exfoliants From Polyethylene

The cosmetics industry never ceases to amaze me. The latest news is body exfoliants from polyethylene. These are finely ground pieces of petroleum based plastic. They never biodegrade (well not for 2 thousand years) and they are too small for sewer filters to catch so they wash down the drain into our sewers, rivers and oceans. They pollute the environment and are harmful and deadly to aquatic critters.

A healthier option for our bodies and the environment would be to use jojoba beads, ground coffee beans, oatmeal, grape seeds and coarse sugar. All are biodegradable but still do a wonderful job exfoliating your skin. Products don't have to be complicated to work well. In fact, simpler is often times better. Many toxins in skin care products dry and irritate the skin. Keep it natural and organic, your body will thank you!

http://www.headtotoeorganics.com