Health- it’s not all about what you put IN your mouth, it’s also got a lot to do with what you put ON your mouth! And the other parts of your body of course. I am a girl, not quite the girliest-girl, but I still like make up, nail polish, perfume and yummy smelling shampoo’s, body washes and moisturisers. Perusing my search for the best natural hair care products the other day, I actually got fooled into buying something that said it was natural, only to arrive at my door full of chemicals. Yes, I shop online. In bed. Bliss!

I have been using a very popular US based online store for a number of my beauty product essentials for quite a few years. I am used to typing in organic shampoo, and seeing a list as long as my arm of products to choose from. But the other day I got tricked! The new product I selected had the words ‘organic’ and ‘natural’ on the label, it stated wonderful ingredients such as essential oils, coconut oil, almond oil and oatmeal extract, but I didn’t read the fine print.

When I unpacked my box of goodies, I saw the ingredients list on my shampoo and did a double take. This listed all the nasties and chemicals the item failed to advertise. I went back onto the site to do a double check, and sure enough, way down the bottom in tiny print was a full list of ingredients, the list I had been reading was simply their selling point, promotion of goodies that made up part of the ingredients. Lesson learnt.

Wandering through my local supermarket the other day I stumbled upon another lesson. A shampoo had ‘organic’ written on the label- but this was simply the brand name. When reading the ingredients there were a number of nasty ingredients, including a fair amount on non-organic products. Trade marking words like ‘organic’, ‘healthy’, ‘fresh’, and so on, is designed to mislead the consumer into believing the item actually represents these ingredients. It is no different than looking for Johnson’s in the ingredient list of Johnson and Johnson’s. It’s just a name, it doesn’t mean anything.

So what can you do? Well you could shun all commercial products, wash your hair in rainwater and apple cider vinegar, blot your lips with beetroot juice for a pink tint, exfoliate with salt crystals and moisturise with coconut oil…

But if that is too extreme for you, I have made a list of my favourite natural, organic products that you can find at your local health food store, or on line. Give some of these a go the next time you need to replace something from the girly cabinet. You might just find a new favourite!

Shampoo and Conditioner

This has been a tough one for me. I still haven’t found the one…. But here are some of the most popular products that I have tried and liked, just not loved. Remember, everyone is different, so what suits my crazy puffy thin hair, may not suit your thick, heavy locks.

Natural Instinct- this is very inexpensive, smells like lavender no matter what product you buy and has caused a friend of mine to have a bit of an itchy scalp. Not a rave review, but I know plenty of people who use it and like it so if you don’t know where to start and you have a budget- start here!

Gypsy Rose- this is the most natural of all- ingredients include that rainwater and apple cider vinegar I spoke about before. You could probably drink the stuff. It made my hair incredibly puffy and weirdly squeaky clean, but again I know plenty of people who swear by it.

Al’chemy & Akin- these have been around for ages. They are OK but I have never really been wowed by them. In all honesty, I don’t like the smell.

Giovanni- more expensive, more options to choose from, and probably one of the better ones I have tried. It also comes in handy travel sizes so you can give these a go before you fork out your money on a large size.

iRaw- this one is probably my favourite. It’s expensive, and I found the conditioner to be a bit heavy, but for people with dry hair, it might just be the ticket. They have quite a large range and they smell amazing- my favourite at the moment is the Sprouted Greens with Coconut Water.

Miessence- this one is so natural you could probably eat it. I didn’t mind this one either. Didn’t do wonderful things to my hair, but it definitely felt clean and the conditioner wasn’t too heavy.

Face Cleanser

I have had much better luck with cleansers over the years, but again, what suits me may not suit you. I have oily, acne prone skin, so I tend to go for gel cleansers. Here are my favourites.

Devita Aloe Vera Cleanser- this is awesome! Natural, organic, and it leaves your face feeling wonderfully clean without drying it out. Definitely a favourite.

Evohe Foam Wash- very natural, smelled great but I found I needed to cleanse twice to get make up off with this light foam.

Evohe Cleaning Butter- great for dry skin, although I have used it on my skin without suffering breakouts. It is creamy, dose not froth up at all and is probably best used with a face washer to remove make up. This one is great to use without water.

Acure Gel Cleanser- I love this one too! It has found a place in my shower. I find it particularly deep cleaning so will use this after work to remove all my makeup in one wash. Can leave skin feeling a little dry.

Antipodes Gel Cleanser- this is my final favourite. I love the smell, I love the feel and I love the ingredients. Not drying, gentle cleanse, may need two washes to remove thick makeup.

Antipodes Cream Cleanser- this is a thick rich cream that a friend of mine with dry skin loves! Nourishing and moisturising, it leaves dry skin rehydrated without being too heavy. For me it is too rich, so I would say avoid this with oily skin.

Moisturisers

Again, this will depend on the skin type you have, but I have tried a few and I’ll pass on what I found.

Antipodes Hosanna Hydrating serum- my favourite day wear in summer. This light liquid gel hydrates the skin without clogging pores. It is great under makeup or on its own. A big favourite.

Evohe Repair Intensive- this thick, nourishing cream is fantastic for those with sensitive skin, acne or dry skin. I find it soothing and rich without feeling heavy. I have used it in conjunction with mineral powder make up to mix together a lovely liquid makeup that is long wearing.

Devita Daily Solar Protective Moisturiser 30+- a great product, but not my daily choice. I know heaps of people who wear this under their make up daily. It is said to have been designed to be used on acne prone skin and will not clog pores or cause you to look shiny. I find it makes me look a little shiny, and I am not a fan of having it on for 8 hours. I always use this at the beach and I love it as a sunscreen alone.

Evohe 3-6-9 Oil- I overcame my fear of oil on my face to try this out and I wasn’t disappointed! It does not clog pores or cause breakouts, but I have found I can look a little oily in summer time. I keep this for winter when my skin needs more nourishment. It can also be mixed with mineral powder to make a rich liquid foundation. Lovely! Oh and it smells awesome!

iRaw Hydraplenish or Light Day Lotion- I actually use both of these depending on how my skin is feeling on the day. They are vegan, raw, full of healthy oils and very nourishing for the skin.

There are a number of products I haven’t yet gotten to, so I will have to do part 2 next time! Stay tuned for body lotion, sunscreen, make up, toothpaste, nail polish, deodorant and mens products!