Why is having naturally balanced hormones important to me? It all started with my period. For years it sent me home sick once a month panicked, nauseous, and faintly. My whole life I was taught that this is normal, so I just accepted it. I had my first women's wellness exam this year and explained how distraught I was over hemorrhaging and missing 1-2 days of work every month. My doctor assured me this was not normal and no one should have to live her life this way. She slapped a birth control prescription on me faster than I could get my questions out. I started sobbing in her office, because birth control did not feel right to me. I am not ok with slapping a bandaid over a deeper problem. Birth control is prescribed when estrogen levels are higher than progesterone. In most women, estrogen is off-the-charts too high. By artificially raising progesterone, the body is tricked into being balanced again. But it's not. It's a superficial fix that only works while you are on the pill. I never filled my prescription, and instead, I started doing research on how to heal my body naturally.
The best thing I could have done was come across WomanCode by Alisa Vitti.
I borrowed it from the library and ended up practically photocopying the whole book. So naturally, I asked for it for Christmas and can't wait to get a copy of my own. One of my favorite sections of the book (pages 38-39) explains what chemicals are endocrine disruptors and where they are commonly found. I'll share some of that with you below. A word--reading this may feel really overwhelming, but I told myself to just take my time with replacing products one at a time. I've been slowly doing this for several months and still have a long way to go.
Reconsider your: nail polish, body lotion, and deodorant
Toss if the label lists: chemicals from the phthalate family (DBP, DEHP)
Why endocrine disruptors are used in the first place: to make products soft and malleable
Reconsider your: toothpaste, shampoo, bath salts, and body/shower gel
Toss if the label lists: sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) or sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES)
Why these endocrine disruptors are used in the first place: as agents and emulsifiers
Reconsider your: conditioner, foundation, concealer, facial mask, and skin cream
Toss if the label lists: chemicals known as parabens (including methyl, propyl, butyl, and ethyl)
Why used: as germicides and preservatives
Reconsider your: soap, hairspray, eyeliner, talc, shaving cream, and hair styling products
Toss if the label lists: chemicals from the anolamine family (DEA-Diethanolamine, TEA-Triethanolamine, MEA-Monoethanolamine)
Why used: as emulsifiers, pH adjusters, preservatives, foaming agents
Reconsider your: petroleum jelly and skin and lip products
Toss if the label lists: petrolatum
Why used: as a moisturizer
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Now to the reason I wanted to write this post: my shower routine
I feel super great about switching my shampoo and conditioner to Honest Beauty Truly Restored Shampoo and Conditioner. The shampoo works better than anything I've tried lately--meaning I can get my hair clean with just one use--no need to repeat. The conditioner also works great, but I believe it leaves my hair feeling just a little coarser than my old conditioner. But not by much. Believe me, I've experienced much worse. With a quick spray of a moisturizing milk, you could glide right through that hair lickety-split. I've been wanting to try Honest Beauty Beyond Hydrated Moisture Milk Leave-In Conditioner.
For your information: previous to Honest Beauty, I was using Pureology Strength Cure, which I truly loved except for I felt like I had to wash my hair 3 times before it felt clean and it contains hormone disrupting chemicals that my skin would absorb each time I used it. Also, I chose Honest Beauty Truly Restored because I color my hair about every 2-3 months. Now THAT is a chemically-crazy experience that I'm sure is not healthy for me. I often feel like I'm going to faint in the salon. Not sure what to do about that.
For my body wash, I use Honest Beauty's parent company, The Honest Company's shampoo + body wash Perfectly Gentle. It works wonderfully. I bought a two-pack at Costco and keep one in the shower and one at my sink that I use to wash my hands. The packaging at all levels of this company is A+ and each item feels and looks high-end. I really like the company and products all around. I'm impressed that Jessica Alba, its Founder, has been to congress to lobby for safer products.
I try to use my body wash lather to shave, so I don't use shave cream very often. And I haven't found a healthy replacement yet. I'll keep using what I have until I find a better option.
As I mentioned in my facial routine post, I use my Norwex Body Cloth to take off my makeup before I get into the shower. Then as part of my shower routine, I use my beloved Clarisonic and Alba Botanical Good & Clean Gentle Acne Wash. I come out with very clean feeling pores.
Lastly, before I get out of the shower, I rub a quarter-size dollop of Almond Glow oil blend to each leg and arm, focusing on my heels and elbows and any other dry areas. This means I no longer have to rub on lotions containing all those terrible chemicals.
I'll be back again to write about hair, makeup, maintaining health and beauty between showers, and more. I'm not perfect at all of this and might have more questions than answers, but I do feel like I'm making progress. I hope this can help and inspire anyone else who is interested.
