After having our daughter, we went down the rabbit hole of learning all about everyday ingredients and materials that are harmful to our bodies. We want the best for our daughter, and through this learning process, we have made a lot of changes at home!
We wanted to share some of our easy swaps and recipes for personal care products in part 2 of this series!
1. Moisturizer - Hippie Dippie Tallow Balms
No surprise here, but our favorite moisturizers are our own. We use our All Over and Face Over daily on us and our toddler. One of the main reasons we prefer tallow to commercial lotions is the simplicity of the ingredients. There are no drying alcohols, no chemical preservatives, and no synthetic ingredients. Plus, the glass packaging helps eliminate the risk of any chemical leaching or phthalates getting into our skincare.
Tallow is the most similar to our natural skin oils, so it is absorbed deep into the dermis, unlike other moisturizes that only work on the epidermis, not really treating the dry skin completely. Once you try it, you won't go back!
2. Body Spray/Perfume - Witch Hazel + Essential Oils
This is the best combination I have found for a perfume replacement! I use a 1oz spray bottle and fill it with witch hazel. The WH helps preserve the fragrance of the essential oils better than water or alcohol would. You can find essential oils in many scents! I love vanilla and warm smells personally so I add 5-10 drops. You can also adjust the fragrance level by adjusting how much EO you add. Some people add a splash of alcohol as well, to help it dry faster, but I haven't found that necessary.
3. Bug Spray - 1oz Witch Hazel + 3 Drops of Each Essential Oil: Lemon Eucalyptus, Geranium, Rosemary, Clove, Citronella, Peppermint
This is a new recipe we started using this year! The ticks and mosquitos are getting worse each year and we didn't feel comfortable putting deet on our daughter. This recipe is easily made and works GREAT! Mosquitos love my daughter and I and we usually get at least a couple bites if we are outside at all. We get ZERO bites when we use it. I am so impressed by how well it works.
The upfront cost to this is a little pricey, to buy all of the oils. However, with one 1oz bottle of each oil, you can make like 30 batches of this bug spray, so it's actually about the same price as conventional bug spray!
4. Deodorant - Hippie Dippie Odor Over
Again, not shocking that our favorite deodorant is Odor Over. This deodorant is aluminum-free, baking soda free, and comes in paperboard tube. It truly is the best option we have found to limit our synthetic exposures in deodorant. Before, we tried other brands like Native (contains baking soda, which can be irritating to many and plastic packaging) and Pit Liquor (didn't work for Tori and was expensive) and others. We didn't love any of them, so we made our own!
And if you're wondering if it works....Bryce's sweaty jiu jitsu friends and my postpartum hormonal BO both respond well to it - so I would give that a hard yes.
5. Vitamins
When it comes to supplements, they are highly unregulated. We use Pure Encapsulations. They use no additives/fillers/binders, are free from most allergens, and use the highest quality and bioavailable forms of vitamins and minerals. Vitamins like D3 and B12 are essential for our body's homeostasis and proper functioning, so this is the brand we prefer to use for help with that.
6. Sunscreen - Hippie Dippie Zinc Tallow Balms
Each year, more and more research comes out about the horrible effects chemical sunscreen has on our bodies. Not only are the chemical sunscreens possibly carcinogenic and hormone disrupting after they absorb into our skin, but all of the other synthetic and toxic ingredients in tradiaition sunscreen is a big no-no for us.
Zinc sunscreens stay on top of your epidermis and reflect UV rays.... versus chemically altering our epidermis to absorb the UV rays and release heat like chemical sunscreens. They are also the only sunscreens the FDA has deemed safe as of 2019.
Our Zinc Tallow Moisturizers take our normal moisturizes and add in the benefits of zinc. AKA they are the perfect summer option. Another benefit we've noticed is no peeling! I am they type of person who peels after being in the sun even if I don't burn, but since switching out our sunblock, I haven't really peeled at all! The moisturization of the tallow helps counteract that and keeps your skin hydrated while in the sun.
8. Hair Care - This is where I go Low-Toxic and not Non-Toxic...
IDK about you, but my hair is the one thing I am willing to be a little more flexible with. As someone in the healthcare field with curly hair, I need to look professional and have a reliable hair care routine.
I have tried SO MANY hair care brands. I prefer and recommend limiting things like sulfates, silicones, phthalates, parabens, and fragrances in your products. There are several brands that do this! I have tried some handmade small brands, like Bright Body, and while I love their mission, packaging, and ingredients.... my curly hair was too unpredictable with it. I have finally landed on Innersense for my hair care. They are an organic, low-toxic brand. Do I love every ingredient? No. But they use limited ingredientes and they are rated safe. Do I love the plastic packaging? No. Am I willing to compromise a little for my hair to be more predictable and look decent daily? Yes.
9. Body Soap - Hippie Dippie Ohio🤫
We are currently working on a tallow body soap! It lathers amazing, has no residue, and leaves your skin feeling so moisturized all day. We are still working on perfecting the recipe, so it will be coming soon!!