Less Is More

We live in a chemical-infused world.  It certainly does have some modern benefits, but there are also some drawbacks people should be aware of.  Having all these chemicals in our beauty products is one of those drawbacks.  When we ingest chemicals, they are at least filtered through our digestive system.  When we are putting them on our skin, they head straight into our bloodstream.  Also, be aware that any company can label their product "natural" without any requirements.  It's important to become a label reader.  The shorter the ingredient list, the better.

My old Fruits & Passion hand soap versus my new natureclean hand soap.

 That huge chunk is the ingredient list for the Fruits & Passion soap.  It's hard to see the size of the ingredient list on the natureclean soap because it's in black near the bottom, so I will break it down for everyone.

Fruits & Passion

aqua (water), sodium laureth sulfate, glycerin, decyl glucoside, polysorbate 80, oleyl betaine, sodium chloride, olivoyl hydrolyzed wheat protein, olea europaea (olive) fruit oil, oleth-10, parfum (fragrance), coco-glucoside, glyceryl oleate, polyquaternium-10, caramel, citric acid, methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone, yellow 5 (CI 19140), blue 1 (CI 42090), benzyl salicylate, eugenol, hexyl cinnamal, limonene, linalool, hydroxyisohexyl 3- cyclohexenecarboxaldehyde

Total: 26

natureclean

water, potassium oleate (natural coconut cleanser), glycerin (vegetable source), sodium chloride (salt)

Total: 4

Big difference!  Now this is where having a chemist for a husband comes in handy.  He can tell me what are just technical names for simple, natural ingredients, such as sodium chloride for salt in the natureclean soap, or which are unnatural, unnecessary, huge chemical compounds such as the hydroxyisohexyl 3- cyclohexenecarboxaldehyde found in the Fruits & Passion soap.  Even if you don't have a husband for a chemist, simply look for short ingredient lists with words you recognize, and you'll be on the right track.  Oh, and did I mention the natureclean soap was a fraction of the price of the Fruits & Passion soap?  It's not always expensive to do things the healthy way.

Bonus:

Today was the first day for my Walk In Her Shoes fundraiser for women in developing countries.  I walked 6 km or 8266 steps (and burned 248 calories, haha).  It was very insightful for me.  I had been dreading it all day because it snowed all morning.  I've also been getting sick so I didn't think I should go out in the cold for so long.  I still went out and did it, taking Tia along since she's a woman too.  As we were walking the slush started seeping into my shoes, I got tired, and my feet were getting blisters.  What was eye opening for me was that I am positive I was still exponentially more comfortable than those women are everyday.  I thought about having to do that walk everyday for the rest of my life... while carrying the family's supply of water!  I certainly won't be taking my everyday comforts for granted.

You can still check out my fundraising page and even make a donation if you'd like.  I'm not quite at my goal yet.  Click on the link below.  Thanks!

I'm walking in her shoes