Natural Body Products: Gypsy Scents Deodorant

Guys! I am so thrilled. Remember in my 5 Happy Things post, I promised I'd share about my happy deodorant discovery? Well, today I am making good on that promise.

Deodorant has been a pretty persistent problem for me since I started my all-natural product shift, and it's one of the most important ones too! Most of the deodorants/antiperspirants on the shelves in stores are so bad for you. Aluminum has been linked with breast cancer and Alzheimers (though this has not been conclusively proven, as far as I can tell), and even the simple act of blocking your pores from sweating sounds like a really bad idea when you step back and think about it.

It's been a bit tough though, since most of the all-natural deodorants I've tried so far have a) made me need to re-apply throughout the day to keep back the stink b) required me to rub it in to my armpits with my fingers to actually get it to smooth out c) given me some super itchy pits or d) forced me to avoid white shirts at all cost for fear of yellow stains. So, all-natural? Yes. Practical? No. After over a year of trying out different brands, I was thrilled when I came across Gypsy Scents at a market I was participating in as well, and that I tried out a small sample size of her deodorant. Because guess what? IT WORKS.

I can go a full day with out any stink, I've worn white shirts without it staining, and I don't have to rub it in with my hands. And this particular scent, Lavender, is absolutely my favourite! I just love it! And Kimi, the mind and hands behind Gypsy Scents, is such a lovely soul - we arranged a drop-off date since she would be traveling through the area and was so accommodating and lovely to speak to. Thanks Kimi!

It does need a bit of a rub with the deodorant stick itself to get absorbed on my pits, and I do find that I have to clean up the edges of the stick when I'm done to make sure I don't waste any of the deodorant that goes to the sides, but that's not all that different from any other type of deodorant - and it's worth it for a product that works!

You can check out what other scents and products Kimi makes on the Gypsy Scents Website

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(Disclaimer: I am NOT being compensated for this post. I really like this product and simply want to share for any of you who are interested and who are looking for functional, all-natural body product alternatives.)

Natural Body Products: Sam Wish Deodorant

(Photo property of Sam Wish)

When I first began my adventure into all-natural living, I was very worried about deodorant. Moisturizers and hair-care etc. seem incredibly straight-forward when compared to the task of dealing with under-arm funkiness! Especially when it comes to all of the expectations we place on deodorant: long lasting, invisible, smooth, nice smelling... It's no wonder the big-brand ones are packed with nasty chemicals to try and meet these expectations. But with the idea floating around that aluminum is linked with an increased risk of Alzheimers/dementia, I physically cannot bring myself to knowingly put it on my body, ever again.

It has been very tough to find a deodorant that actually worked - I think I have gone through 5 unsuccessful ones before this! My last one wasn't so bad, but I had to reapply and ended up keeping it in my purse at all times. It was also a liquid roll-on deodorant, so it would be pretty uncomfortable to put on unless I did so a while before putting on a shirt.

I've been a supporter of Sam Wish long before she even dove into body products - she used to be all about the thrifty clothes (a lady after my own heart!). One thing I really love about Sam's products is the way that ingredients and their respective information are listed on her site. It's always really nice to have a proper understanding of what I'm putting on my body. I was eager to try out her deodorant when my last one ran out. I'm SO glad that I did.

The Sam Wish deodorant  is all natural, handmade, organic, AND functional! I ordered the smaller sample size (pictured above) and really wish I had bought a big one - I love it so much! But Sam Wish is located in Texas, so it costs a lot in shipping for me all the way here in Canada. Sadface. I wish I could drop by the various shows and markets Sam does - I highly recommend you do if you're ever in the same area as them!

The only downside to this deodorant I've noticed is when I wear a white tshirt, it seems to leave some yellow in the armpits. I know that sweat does this on its own, but I'm fairly sure it wouldn't all happen at once like this! That being said, I don't wear much white, so it's not that big of an issue ;)


What all-natural/aluminum free deodorants do you use? I would love any recommendation you have!


xo

Natural Body Products: Boo Bamboo Face Wipes

I've been using these Boo Bamboo 'skin balancing' make-up remover wipes for a few weeks now and I've found them to be a really good buy.

Boo Bamboo appears to have started off as a hair-care centered company, as that's all they really talk about in their 'about' section. But I did a little bit of digging and it seems they are another Canadian company focused on organic, all-natural, and cruelty free beauty products!

The make-up removal wipes in particular are also a good find: biodegradable, unbleached, and free of all sorts of bad things like parabens, sulphate, and DEA. In terms of their effectiveness, I find them useful. I can see on the wipe itself that it clears off my makeup quite effectively. Mind you: I don't wear a lot of makeup. A dab of concealer here and there, a little care to my eyebrows, and some mascara are usually the extent of my routine. I use these wipes as more of an end-of-day cleanser to clean up whatever guck I might have gotten over the course of the day. Also, they do not do a good job of tackling my waterproof mascara. In fact I don't think they remove any of it. And my eyes water a lot from wind and things so I really do need waterproof mascara most days. However, my skin is doing great and I believe having these in my routine is a helpful step in the process!

I may or may not purchase these again - only because I'd love to find a wipe that removes my mascara, seeing as that's the only real makeup I wear, and it's really hard on the eyes to not remove it entirely.

What face wipes do you use? Do you have something effective for removing tough waterproof mascara?

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Check out previous Natural Body Product reviews:
Andalou Naturals (For Hair!)
Green Beaver (For Face!)

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(Disclaimer: I am NOT being compensated for this post. Boo Bamboo doesn't even know I exist as I write this. I just want to share for any of you who are interested and looking for good alternatives to the usual handful of options for body products.)

 

Natural Body Products: Andalou Naturals for Hair

I've always battled a bit with my hair. I am not an anomaly - I know these same words are uttered daily by women and girls around the globe. I still battle with my hair - but there are some things that help me embrace my crazy hair instead of battling it. The Andalou Naturals hair products have done pretty well at taking care of my big ol' mane so far.

The Andalou "Argan & Sweet Orange" Shampoo and Conditioner are what I have been using for about 9 months now! I initially picked them out because I had a moisturizer by Andalou that I really liked, and then I got one whiff of their scent and it was decided! They kind of smell like candy, very much like an orange creamsicle. Yum yum.

My hair is a thousand different textures on one head: I get little curlies at the nape of my neck, some straight areas mixed in all around, and some waves and frizz thrown into the mix too! It's a crazy town when it can't make up its mind. I find that with this shampoo & conditioner combo, my hair won't necessarily choose one way to be, but all its various parts are happy and behave with these products. My hair generally feels healthy and soft and good.

Andalou as a company seems pretty great - they balance profit and philanthropy (their words, not mine!), and take a generally sustainable approach to making their products. Not only do they stuff their products full of good, mostly natural things (I don't think it is 100% natural, unfortunately) they also source the ingredients from sustainable, good sources.

"We value knowing where our ingredients come from, the farmers who grow them, and connecting the human chain of hands that make every step possible from farm to bottle, soil to skin, and botany to beauty."

I think that's pretty awesome. 

One thing that there is controversy over is the use of "Fruit Stem Cells"in the products, as though they help to rejuvenate and regrow things.  Some people argue this is a misconception because the cells die and therefore do not perform the function we expect them to. It does however seem as though, at the very least, the "stem cell" ingredients included offer other pluses such as antioxidants. I've had some trouble finding articles that explain why stem cells don't function in beauty products, as most of the writing out there are trying to encourage the purchase of the products and are all for it. The doubt about plant stem cells is briefly mentioned here and here. 

Stem Cell stuff aside, the product has been really good to me and I will probably continue to use it. 

ALSO! I did find out that the store I normally goes to is seriously upping the price - so I found an alternative that sells it for several dollars cheaper. Make sure you double check when buying pricier products that they aren't being sold more expensively than they already are!


What natural shampoo/conditioners have you tried? 

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(Disclaimer: I am NOT being compensated for this post. Andalou Naturals doesn't even know I exist as I write this. I just really like them and want to share for any of you who are interested and looking for good alternatives to the usual handful of options for body products.)

 

Natural Body Products: Green Beaver

Along with my general shift towards sustainable living, I have become hyper aware of my use of body products. It is so bizarre of a concept to me that, without thinking, we rub moisturizers and creams and other various products into our skin yet these products are comprised of icky chemicals and ingredients that are harmful to our bodies. We are quite simply, straight-up giving our body chemicals to absorb. There are also numerous horror stories floating around of people using acne products that make their skin worse, and products that your body learns to rely on so you spend more and more and more money on them and then you're stuck. It's scary how easily these things become nothing more than a money-making product as opposed to a functional one!

Without going into too much more of a rant (hehe), I just want to emphasize how important natural products have become to me, and how much I'd like to advocate them for others to use. Which brings me to this post! I'm going to start sharing the natural/ethical products I have found to hopefully help others find products that work for them, if you're inclined towards a more sustainable route in your body/beauty routine! I'm excited!

One of my first finds in my foray into natural products is Green Beaver products. This company is awesome on multiple levels: one of which being that they are a Canadian company, which is bonus points for me since I also happen to live here, ha! I also really like their 'philosophy' as stated on their website:

"We believe that each of us has the opportunity to create a positive impact in this world, and for us that means creating products that do not harm animals, do not harm the earth, and do not harm you. Our philosophy comes from years of research about the harmful effects that chemicals have on our bodies and on the environment, driving us to infuse all-natural goodness into everything we do."

Totally speaks to me, ahhh! But really.
So far I have tried two products by them: the Green Tea face moisturizer, and the Grapefruit Bamboo face scrub. 

The face moisturizer is great because it is light and doesn't make me feel like I'm greasing up my face even more. It is soothing and fresh and one tube has lasted me at least 5 months!

The facial scrub is super cool - I LOVE that it uses bamboo bits (the correct term is 'micro fibers') instead of plastic bits that then pollute the waters. This scrub is also suuuper gentle and I somehow trust it not to be tearing away at my skin. It leaves me feeling soft but not damaged.

These are two products I have now bought twice and will in all likelihood buy again and again! Also, I totally had way too much fun taking these photos. Is that normal for review posts? To take your own photos of the products? I don't know. I've never done this before. But I saw that little bamboo in my bathroom just as I was about to take these photos and thought it went perfectly well with the product, since it also includes bamboo, and decided to include it for prettiness. Thoughts?


What are your favourite all-natural, earth friendly brands? Any good ones I should try out?

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Ps. I just realized all these photos show the french side of the packaging, I didn't realize, sorry! Go to the Green Beaver website for more if you want more info!

(Disclaimer: I am NOT being compensated for this post. Green Beaver doesn't even know I exist as I write this. I just really like them and want to share for anyone interested and looking for good alternatives to the usual handful of options for body products.)