Do you know if your personal care products are really safe?

We all love to smell good and look good, right?

So we constantly use cosmetics, lotions, shampoos, conditioners, deodorants, antiperspirants, sunscreen, and on and on.

But sadly there’s a price for all that. Many, if not most, of the personal care products on the market contain synthetic chemicals that in the long term are just not good for us.

They contain many ingredients that are petrochemical based (i.e., made from petroleum) or other types of synthetic chemicals. And as we put these chemicals directly onto our skin, they get absorbed right into our bloodstream.

These harmful chemicals include phthalates, parabens, toluene, triclosan, and lots more. Many of these are potent endocrine disruptors that can mimic estrogen and other hormones, which can cause all kinds of problems in our bodies.

Not only are they bad for us, they’re bad for the environment as well. Many of them leach into the groundwater, leading to water pollution and harming wildlife.

A lot of us try to find more natural personal care products, and that’s certainly a step in the right direction. But even personal care products labeled “natural” or “organic” can have some of these nasty chemicals in them.

So what can be done? Well, one solution is to make them yourself. It’s not hard, and in fact it can be fun!

It’s all part of a movement toward eating clean and living clean, and refusing to buy into the need for more and more chemicals.

Part of that, of course, is eating my Micronized Purple Rice powder. It’s one of the cleanest things you can put in your body!

And now, here’s a list of some of the cleanest things you can put ON your body. These six homemade personal care products can be easily made at home, or in some cases there’s nothing to do but put them on. That way you know there are no nasty chemicals in them!

1. Raw Honey Face Wash 

Raw honey has a natural antibacterial effect that soothes acne, as well as enzymes and probiotics that promote a healthy complexion.

Honey gently nourishes skin without stripping it of oils. It even helps speed healing of minor skin irritations. You can also try adding a drop or two of your favorite essential oil to the raw honey.

To use, just moisten your face and rub the honey in using small circular motions, then rinse. If you need deep pore cleansing, try leaving the raw honey on your face for five or ten minutes.

2. Coconut Oil

I use coconut oil for everything! It’s wonderful for oral health, skin care, and lots more. In fact, I like it so much that I devoted a whole blog post to it!

In that blog post, I talk about some ways you can use coconut oil in place of commercial personal care products, such as for oral health as well as a sugar scrub and skin cleanser.

3. Lemon (or rosemary) Hand Cream 

There’s nothing nicer than putting on a homemade hand cream that smells good and feels good on your hands, yet you know it’s not full of synthetic chemicals.

This one will not only make your hands soft and lovely, but it will also help with your cuticle health. Winter’s coming, so we can all use some help with that!

Here’s how you can make your own homemade hand cream:

• •1/3 cup almond oil
• •2 tbsp. coconut oil
• •2 tbsp. avocado oil
• •3 tbsp. grated beeswax
• •5 to 10 drops lemon or rosemary essential oil

Combine the oils (except the essential oil) in a small pan and gently heat until warm and well-blended. Refrigerate for a few minutes, then stir in the essential oil. Pour into a container to cool. This will be a bit oily, so use sparingly.

4. Sunscreen

Let me preface this by saying that most of us do not get enough sun, rather than getting too much. We all need sunshine for the vitamin D. That said, it’s definitely not good for your skin to get sunburned.

There are two kinds of oils that naturally protect us from the sun — red raspberry seed oil (SPF 25-50) and carrot seed oil (SPF 35-40). You can’t put these directly on your skin, but if you mix them up with carrier oils you’ll still get the effect. You can also add a drop or two of your favorite essential oil if you want it to have a nice scent.

5. Deodorant

Antiperspirants and deodorants are notorious for the harmful chemicals they often contain. These may include propylene glycol, triclosan, phthalates, parabens, and aluminum.

All you need to make natural deodorant is about 1/3 cup coconut oil, 1/3 cup arrowroot powder, 2 tbsp. baking soda (less if you have sensitive skin), and 5 to 10 drops of your favorite essential oil. Mix it together with a small spatula (add the essential oil last).

To apply, just rub a little under your arms, and wait a couple minutes before dressing so it won’t stain your clothes.

Note that this is a deodorant, not an antiperspirant. We need to sweat, and it’s unhealthy to block the sweat glands.

6. Shampoo

Of course this all depends on what type of hair you have, whether oily or dry, thin or thick, coarse or fine, but there are numerous natural ways to clean your hair without resorting to harsh synthetic chemicals.

One way is to mix a tablespoon of baking soda into a cup of water. Then just squirt onto hair, massage into scalp for a couple minutes, and rinse. This is good for oily hair or hair with a lot of buildup from commercial products. It’s not recommended for everyday use because it can be drying.

Another option is using castile soap as the base for natural shampoos. Liquid castile soap is made from olive oil and potassium hydroxide.

To make shampoo with it, add an equal amount of distilled water, then add a few drops of your favorite essential oil. You can also add other ingredients depending on your preference. Try raw honey, dried herbs, aloe vera, or jojoba gel.

Have you tried making your own personal care products? If so, what did you think? Let me know in the comments below.