OT - Cleaning the Natural Way - You, Your Mask, Your Home

Offerocker · Post by **Offerocker** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 10:06 am

Babette wrote:Good tip Offerocker!

BTW, have you looked into our links for the Oil Cleansing Method? We're using food grade natural and organic oils for the most part. Jen and I are new to it but loving it!

Cheers,
B.

Thanks!
I used Erno Lazlo products for a while, and the first step was to apply what appeared to be similar to Olive Oil, massage it in, then use their soap. Then, splash your face about 40 times with basin of water. Change water midway (so it's clean). That helped moisturize also. I REALLY liked the results. No drying effect, and my skin didn't feel like it was 'shrinking' afterward. It used to be sold only in high-end stores ($$), but now only online, for some reason. The 'soap' bar was aimed to your skin type also. I still have some of the products, and will probably go back to it after I deplete the Garnier, which I also like - it exfoliates very well.
My mother never used a facecloth, but plain soap & water, then splashed it off...old Swedish school, I guess (or didn't want to wash the facecloth, who really knows) - but - it was the better method. She had lovely skin. I ALWAYS need a moisturizer; have dry skin. And that's why the 'other' products felt good, because of the OIL!! (mineral).

You all are lucky to be so informed and interested in trying natural products - you're doing a better job, and saving money in the long run too. I need to read all the entries in this thread, but one question I have is: How long can you keep your recipes/concoctions (meant as a good thing)??
Do you need to refrigerate? Do you put an expiration date on them, HA HA.

Good luck, and I'll make time to 'catch up' on what you've learned and attempt to apply it myself.

Hey, does anyone know of any remedies for those dreaded dark spots that we get on our hands? (you're probably too young, but now is the time to be aware of it). Mine appeared suddenly last year - all at once! I DON'T LIKE THAT! Of course, I should have been wearing GLOVES all my life, ha ha. Mr. Sun = Bad News. .

Thanks for this interesting post topic!!
Kathleen

socknitster · Post by **socknitster** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 10:13 am

Good point about the mineral oils. Can you believe people who don't know about this are slathering mineral oils on their BABIES! (baby oil is mineral oil with a scent!). I used Burts Bees "Baby Bee" on my boy when he was small.

Good to know about nutritioniste because I like to do some extra exfoliation.

I have been using a papaya enzyme exfoliating mask made by alba organics from the health food store. Before OCM it stung and was uncomfortable. Post, OCM I don't feel anything at all. To me, this means my skin is in better shape now. I also like a seaweed/clay mask by the same company because seaweed is very soothing and calming and brings down inflammation. The clay helps to get stuff out of the pores too.

This is my first month using ocm and I have to admit I still broke out during my monthly pms time as usual, however it was a smaller breakout and is healing faster. Normally I'd be finally getting rid of the last batch of blemishes by the time the next cycle caused a new batch. I'd only have a few days of completely clear skin. Between the OCM and the zeno, my skin looks awesome and I'm still pms'ing. Sorry if that is tmi!

After 2 late nights in a row combined with PMS, my MOOD is another topic altogether . I took a xanax last night before bed because I felt so bitchy yesterday. Today I feel far more mellow! Now that I'm almost off the prozac and (Down to 10 mg from 40) I need to SLEEP to keep my moods stable. I don't have the pharmaceutical backup! Which is exactly the way I want it, but it takes some getting used to and more self control!

Jen

socknitster · Post by **socknitster** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 10:18 am

I keep all my oils in a cool dark closet and bring them out occasionally to mix up about 6-7 oz of oil which I keep at room temp in the bathroom. I have had all my oils about 6 months and none are rancid yet. Some of my oils come straight from the cupboard (olive and grapeseed) and are very fresh because they are used and replaced on a regular basis.

Some people here say they refridgerate, but I haven't found that to be necessary. Heat and light are the enemies of oils, especially essential oils.
Probably a stable cool temp is enough to keep moist things for about a year or more. You will know if they go rancid--the smell is terrible!

Jen

Babette · Post by **Babette** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 10:37 am

BTW... I used some ANCIENT EVOO I had in the kitchen. Expiration date was 2004... Gee, I wonder if that was contributing to my mix not making me 100% happy?

Well, I bought NEW EVOO last night, and threw out the old bottle, and am continuing to use the DILUTED MIX and we shall just see.

I keep all my oils in a cupboard. Dark is my main thing - try NOT to put them in the cupboard over the stove... duh...

I've got my OCM oils in the bathroom cupboard now, with the "mix" bottle in the medicine cabinet over the sink. Again, dark, relatively cool (it IS summer). I might try fridging it for the summer, to see if evening washing with cold oil is fun. I really enjoyed the cold rinse this AM!!!!

My mother WAS a big devotee of Erno Laszlo. I was introduced to it in high school. It was such a long boring regime... And I never REALLY thought it worked particularly well for me. I still broke out.

Mom does the oil before the new beige soap - gave up on the black soap some years back. She taught me that years ago. She uses straight Jojoba oil, which she buys from Bronson. Mom is a Ph.D. biochemist and a big devotee of Linus Pauling and takes TONS of vitamins.

http://www.bronsonvitamins.com/

I swear she gets a box from them every week...

Offerocker, TRY the OCM method. You've got EVOO. You can use that straight. You don't need to add essential oils. I'm not a big armoatherapy fan - most of the stuff makes my sinuses ache and causes other headaches. I don't mind the smell of the non-scented oils I'm using. I understand the healing powers of some EO's, but haven't gone there for OCM yet.

Cheers,
B.

Babette · Post by **Babette** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 12:03 pm

THERE'S SLS IN TOOTHPASTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh *(&#$#*(&$!!!

http://www.vermontsoap.com/sls.html

Okay, I'm switching toothpaste too. I've used Tom's and like them. Sigh...

I'm sorta regretting going down this road...
B.

socknitster · Post by **socknitster** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 1:22 pm

Babette, You can try going 6 months on a natural toothpaste, but you might pay for it at your next cleaning. This is where I, unfortunately, have to draw the line.

I used colgate baking soda/peroxide with tarter control for YEARS. The hygeanist (sp) was always pleased with the teeny amounts of tarter on my teeth. With the whitening craze of the last few years, colgate added whitening to the formula and I couldn't get it plain anymore. After a short while on the whitening version of this type of paste I started having a bad reaction in my mouth. Yikes. So I went to a more natural toothpaste.

Then after 6 months of this I had my teeth cleaned--a long and arduous process with tons of tarter. So, I searched until I found Crest had a plain tarter control toothpaste and I'm back to easy 6-month visits with the hygeinist.

Just MY Humble Experience. See if it makes a diff for you! Some folks just make more tarter than others. So, while I would RATHER not have all these chemicals in my mouth, I rather feel that in my case a healthier mouth is more important. Everyone has their own personal line that they have to draw.

Jen

Babette · Post by **Babette** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 1:52 pm

Hmmmmm.... I am currently using Crest Pro Health. I've used their tartar control formula since it came out. I usually ignore whitening claims. I like the Pro Health because it has a stand up cap. How lame is that? It just fits into my bathroom configuration really well.

I'm seeing the dentist on Thursday. I usually have very quick cleanings. I might time it, then do a switch, and time the next one.

Cheers,
B.

Babette · Post by **Babette** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 1:53 pm

BTW, have you ever tried tooth powder? I have, and it WORKS, but you need to be gentle. You can really tear up your gums if you scrub too hard with it. Wonder how it would work for tartar control?

Cheers,
B.

Babette · Post by **Babette** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 1:58 pm

Hey, Tom's has a tartar control product!

http://www.tomsofmaine.com/toms/product ... _id=TP-TCW

Maybe I'll give that a whirl. I like Tom's well enough. I started using it when I found it at our local liquidation store. Love stocking up on good stuff cheap.

LOL,
B.

Babette · Post by **Babette** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 2:06 pm

Hmmmm.... Tom's has SLS:

http://www.tomsofmaine.com/toms/ifs/sls.asp

But they do have a very interesting page about how they feel these "internet rumours" are unsubstantiated. I kinda feel like the ping pong ball between companies claiming it's bad, and companies claiming it's fine.

I don't like the idea right this second of it being in a product I ingest. Hence, my worry that trace amounts of soap residue on my dishes could have a cumulative problematic effect. The toothpaste trace swallowing also worries me.

But I'm a worrier, IN CASE YOU COULDN'T TELL.

I'll keep looking...

Don't mind my anxiety disorder, please.
B.

geoDoug · Post by **geoDoug** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 2:19 pm

I'm very happy with Shaklee's all natural Dish Wash Concentrate for cleaning my CPAP equipment.

Doug.

Babette · Post by **Babette** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 2:22 pm

Doug! You moved? You're in CA now? No more Oly? When did you move?

Gotta go look for Shaklee now...

BTW, why do not like Distilled Water? You made a remark about it on another thread but didn't follow up. Are you using something else in your HH?

Thanks!!!
B.

geoDoug · Post by **geoDoug** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 2:29 pm

Babette wrote:Doug! You moved? You're in CA now? No more Oly? When did you move?

I moved to CA when I graduated from college in '92.

Babette wrote:BTW, why do not like Distilled Water? You made a remark about it on another thread but didn't follow up. Are you using something else in your HH?

I think there's a miscommunication somewhere. Distilled watter is the only thing I use in my HH. Which comment are you talking about? If you point me to it, I'll clarify for you.

Doug.

Babette · Post by **Babette** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 2:34 pm

Oh silly me... I guess I never noticed you had CA in your profile on the left there before...

Oh, it was in the thread about JenMary trying the vinegar cleaning... Something about Safeway had a sale on DW and you said "So you're paying me to take it off your hands?" and I got the impression you meant it wasn't a product you wanted.

Sorry! I can admit to confusion! Remember, I'm sleep deprived...
B.

gasp · Post by **gasp** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 2:39 pm

Babette wrote:Had a funny feeling about the Seventh Generation soaps. I've used their laundry and dishwashing soaps over the years, and after reading up on soaps on http://www.soapsgonebuy.com and Dr. Bronner's website, I became suspicious.

Check this out - MSDS on their "Free & Clear" Diswashing Liquid:
http://www.seventhgeneration.com/upload ... r_dish.pdf

2nd ingredient down: Sodium lauryl ether sulfate

Okay, scratching THAT ONE from the list....

Ditto the Lavender scented version:
http://www.seventhgeneration.com/upload ... vender.pdf

Going to check into some other "natural" brands as well.

Just thought I'd share.

BTW, here's the MSDS on their laundry powder:
http://www.seventhgeneration.com/upload ... derNCS.pdf

Hard for me to tell what it's ingredients are from this. I'd say, right this minute, I'm not feeling alot of 'transparency' from the Seventh Generation folks. I see smoke and mirrors. Not real happy....

Cheers,
B.

I read your post and thought arrrrgggh - Almost all my products are Seventh Generation. After doing a bit of digging, I feel secure in continuing the use of these products. I called Seventh Generation and they intend to get back to me regarding how they use SLS/SLES safely. I will feel even more secure after receiving their response.

Here is a bit of what I found:
"Earth Friendly Products does not use any of these chemicals in their products. Seventh Generation, another popular “green” brand, does use SLES; however, at the end of the reaction involving the ethylene oxide, the chemical is stripped to safeguard against toxic contaminants. Martin H. Wolf, director of product and environmental technology for Seventh Generation, told me in an e-mail that this is not a standard procedure, but other companies may also do it."

http://www.naturalfamilyonline.com/go/i ... l-sulfate/

I recommended to Seventh Generation that this information should be on their website so consumers can feel confident in their ingredients.

Mask	Humidifier

Additional Comments: Pursleep, Padacheek, Regenesis™ Pillow, Neti Pot, Travel Buddy hose hanger

Mask

Additional Comments: Encore Pro, Encore Pro Analyzer

Mask

Additional Comments: Encore Pro, Encore Pro Analyzer