In the history of the world, it is only within the last hundred years that natural bath and body care products have taken a back seat to "unnatural" bath and body care products. Not because synthetic ingredients are better for us, but because many manufacturers decided to use chemical preservatives to lengthen the shelf-life of their products.
Some may say, "Who cares if there's chemical preservatives in my bath and body care products? There's natural ingredients in there too!"
Well, we all need to care, and here's why.
Synthetic chemicals that we put on our bodies have a similar affect on our skin and hair as the pesticides we ingest with non-organic fruits and vegetables. They're poisons and inflammation is the immune system's response. This inflammation creates free radicals called "oxidants" which destroy cells. That's what causes wrinkles - the more cells you lose, the more your skin shrinks and folds.
Instead of irritating, inflaming and aging your skin with chemical preservatives, you can protect it with natural soap, body washes, bath salts, lotions, body oils, shampoos, conditioners, lip balms, perfumes and other natural bath and body care products.
To soothe and heal the skin, look for natural bath and body care products with aloe vera, burdock, calendula, chamomile, gardenia, guava, grapefruit, kukui, lavender, lemon grass, lime, mango, mint, oatmeal, passion fruit and pineapple.
To moisturize the skin, look for natural bath and body care products with coconut, macadamia, pikake, papaya, plumeria and sandalwood.
To tone, firm and restore the skin, look for natural bath and body care products with banana, mandarin, strawberries, vanilla and ylang ylang.
For best results, your natural bath and body care routine should include:
Morning skin care. Start the day out right by ridding your skin of the toxins that have surfaced overnight. Remove these toxins with a natural facial cleanser and body wash, followed by a natural facial cream and body lotion to lock in moisture.
Evening skin care. You can wash away the toxins your skin has collected throughout the day with the same cleansing and moisturizing bath and body care products used for your morning skin care routine.
Body bath. At least once a week, soak your skin in a relaxing bath filled with healing bath salts. After your bath, be sure to lock moisture into your skin with a natural, nourishing body lotion.
Foot bath. Your feet are filled with nerves that carry stress. Just a 10-minute foot bath filled with healing bath salts can draw out that tension, while also releasing toxins from your body.
Considering how important our skin is to our health - keeping us cool or warm, healing its wounds, absorbing vitamin D through sunlight, and protecting us from disease - it's essential that we give our skin the best care possible, so it can do the same for us.
