Summer Rain

This blog is about everything allergy. Not just about food. So I thought I’d share some info on natural beauty products. I’m often called a hippy by a friend of mine who goes to school in Boston (he jokes that my name would be Summer Rain)  because I like natural and organic foods and products. But, once you learn about it, it’s hard to ignore the risks associated with toxins and enter back into the Standard American Diet and overall lifestyle. Ignorance is what deteriorates our health. So these are the things I’ve learned about beauty products.


Lots of products contain traces of gluten/wheat, sugar and just plain nasty things like sulfates, and dyes. Your skin is an organ, so anything you wouldn’t put in your mouth, is not something that should be applied to your skin. If a label warns against ingesting, think twice about applying. Sulfates in the very shampoo you use every day to look your best have been shown to cause damage to roots and result in hair loss. Not to mention your body begins to compensate for being stripped of all of its oils, so it produces in excess which causes you become dependent on washing with these products every day. So I researched homemade, natural shampoos. I discovered that using baking soda in water on the scalp cuts down grease, and apple cider vinegar in water acts as a conditioner.

1Tbsp baking soda + enough water to make a paste (massage gently, this will not create a foamy lather, b/c it does not contain sulfates)

2 Tbsp ACV + 1 cup of water (pour over the ends of your hair)

I feel as though my body is already working overtime when it comes to allergies and stress, so I don’t need to overload it with more toxins than necessary. These methods are inexpensive and environmentally friendly. I’m sold.

On this site you can enter the beauty products you use every day and see how their ingredients rate on a scale of 0-10 in toxicity levels. One of the connections this site checks for is between chemicals and Allergies/immunotoxicity.

Although the idea of making soap sounds like fun, some might not be that excited about the mess and playing with ingredients such as lye. I recommend these products.

Dr Bronner’s Fair Trade, Organic, All-in-One, Pure-Castile Soap (1-2 toxic level)

Crystal Body Deodorant  (0 toxic level)

Jojoba oil – as a facial moisturizer

On a side note, the only medication that has worked to prevent my cat allergies from affecting me, without putting me to sleep, is Claritin. I also vouch for Hepa Filters. I have a small Honeywell air purifier, and my future mother in law has a Hepa vacuum. Also, Peppermint oil can ease a sinus headache and a stuffy nose. These things help me survive weekend visits in their three cat home.