Your Natural Shop

If you are concerned about the health of your skin and body and that of the environment, then what you use in your personal care products regime to keep your skin and body feeling and looking smooth, soft, healthy and youthful is something you take seriously in finding the best natural products for your health as well as for that of the environment.

Why choose all-natural personal care products? You can look at it this way….wouldn’t you want to work with your skin instead of against it? This is what all-natural personal care products can do for you – ingredients derived from natural sources such as plants, minerals, vitamins, herbs, nuts and flowers have many positive healing, restorative, and supportive natural constituents to them which work synergistically with your skin and body. Conventional skin and body products contain many dangerous chemicals that are detrimental to your health and can cause irritations, allergic responses, clog pores, and can build up toxins in your system over time, thus doing more damage than it does to help.

By choosing natural and eco-friendly personal care products, you are already doing a part in reducing chemical load on the environment, but you can take it a few steps further if you also look for things such as “green” packaging: packaging that can be recycled or re-used or made from recycled materials. You can even go further in your search by looking for companies who grow and process their own ingredients using eco-friendly or organic standards, as well as those who package and ship locally which reduces the environmental impact of using oil, gas, packing materials, etc.

How do you know the products you are choosing are truly natural or not tested on animals? You can look for certifications from reputable natural, organic, or green organizations such as USDA Organic, Natural Products Association, or BDIH, a German organization who sets standards and guidelines for natural cosmetics in Europe. Most of these organizations require that 95% of the ingredients are derived from natural sources, with the remaining 5% generally made up of ingredients to keep the product fresh – though, ideally you would want to be sure the preservatives are made from natural sources as well. And to be sure the products you are using are not tested on animals, look for the “Leaping Bunny” logo which certifies the product and all of its ingredients are cruelty-free and not tested on animals. If you don’t see any of these certification logos on a product, don’t hesitate to contact the company to find out more.

Along with these certifications, reading the ingredient labels is important as well. Here is a list of a few common chemicals to avoid when choosing a natural personal care product:

• Petroleum byproducts
• Formaldehyde
• Urea
• Oxybenzone
• Benzyl enhancers
• Sulfates
• Phthalates
• Benzoates
• Ingredients ending in "paraben"

To help you make smarter more natural personal product choices, we have listed a few great products to consider when you make the switch to healthier products for your skin and body and the environment.

LOTIONS, BUTTERS & CREAMS
Organic Essence Vanilla Orange Organic Shea Cream
Why is it a smarter natural choice? This luxurious cream is made of all-natural and certified organic ingredients. And as a value-add to making better choice for the environment, the packaging is biodegradable and made of recycled materials.

Swanson Ultra Organic Unscented Body Butter
Why is it a smarter natural choice? This creamy and delicious moisturizing butter (not to be eaten of course, but made of food-grade ingredients you can pronounce) is made of certified organic and all-natural ingredients, and is free of parabens, mineral oil, and fragrance. You can also recycle the packaging.

Lily of the Desert Aloe 80 Organics Lavender Hand and Body Lotion
Why is it a smarter natural choice? This moisturizing and restorative aloe-based lotion is certified 80% organic and made of all-natural ingredients – using no artificial colors, parabens, synthetic fragrances, formaldehyde donors, or petroleum by-products, and it is not tested on animals. The bottle can also be recycled.

Avalon Organics Unscented Hand and Body Lotion
Why is it a smarter natural choice? A good choice for those desiring an unscented lotion, this wonderfully hydrating lotion is made of 70% certified organic ingredients, is also 100% vegetarian and does not contain parabens or harsh preservatives, as well as it is not tested on animals. The packaging is recyclable.

SOAP - Liquid
Pangea Organics Liquid Foaming Hand Soap – Pyrenees Lavender and Cardamom
Why is it a smarter natural choice? This cleansing and foaming liquid hand soap is formulated with mostly organic ingredients without synthetic detergents, surfactants, fragrances or anti-bacterials. The packaging is PET #1 plastic which is recyclable in most communities, and it is also gluten-free, vegan, and cruelty-free (not tested on animals).

SOAP – Bar
Dr. Bronner’s Eucalyptus Soap
Why is it a smarter natural choice? This invigorating and cleansing soap contains certified organic ingredients as well as some ingredients are also certified Fair-Trade. No ingredients are tested on animals. The company supports sustainable agriculture, farm worker health, and ecological processing methods. The paper packaging can be recycled.

Organix South TheraNeem® Organic Sweet Orange & Ylang Ylang Cleansing Bar
Why is it a smarter natural choice? This healing, restorative and cleansing neem soap contains certified oils and all-natural ingredients. It does not contain animal products, synthetic colors or fragrances, or preservatives, and is not tested on animals. The packaging can also be recycled.

SHAMPOO & CONDITIONER
Beauty without Cruelty Rosemary Mint Tea Tree Shampoo
Why is it a smarter natural choice? This energizing and cleansing shampoo is formulated with plant based organic ingredients, it is never tested on animals, contains no animal ingredients or parabens, is also S.L.S. (sodium laureth sulfate) free, and uses 100% vegetarian ingredients as well as pure organic essential oils. The bottle can be recycled.

Beauty without Cruelty Conditioner – Ylang-Ylang and Lavender
Why is it a smarter natural choice? This enriching conditioner is formulated with plant based organic ingredients, it is never tested on animals, contains no animal ingredients or parabens, is also S.L.S. (sodium laureth sulfate) free, and uses 100% vegetarian ingredients as well as pure organic essential oils. The bottle can be recycled.

LIP CARE
Badger Cool Mint Cocoa Butter Lip Balm
Why is it a smarter natural choice? This soothing lip balm is like getting a minty-fresh and delicious kiss from nature – almost all ingredients are certified organic and all ingredients are naturally derived as well as cruelty-free and not tested on animals (unless you count the “badger” workers). This company is family operated and formulates, manufactures, and ships most of their products from on-site.

Merry Hempsters Organic Hemp Lip Balm – Natural Beeswax Scent
Why is it a smarter natural choice? This unique lip balm uses certified organic hemp oil, a renewable source, as well as other certified all-natural ingredients and contains no harmful preservatives or artificial fragrances. They use environmental sustainability practices in all aspects of their business from the manufacturing, packaging, and processing to the ingredients in their products.

DEODORANTS
Lafe’s Natural Deodorant Stone
Why is it a smarter natural choice? This organic crystal stone is made with mineral salts and potassium alum – nothing else is added allowing the stone to do its natural work in keeping odor causing bacteria at bay. It is fragrance-free and hypoallergenic, no aluminum chlorohydrate and not tested on animals.

Tom’s of Maine Crystal Confidence – Citrus Zest
Why is it a smarter natural choice? The antimicrobial actions of potassium alum & zinc citrate mineral salts fight odor in a completely natural way and contains natural and organic ingredients and scents.
No parabens, phenoxyethanol, or propylene glycol is used in this product.