The Outside In.

The way we take care of our inside is important. We have to nourish it with good, clean food. We have to hydrate it. We have to exercise it. But we also don't want to forget about our outside, too.

Here is a list of some of the beauty products I use. Most of them are natural, a lot of them are paraben-free, some of them I have searched and searched for.

1. My face wash. Yes to Tomatoes Clear Skin.

This is the one that I dug for. I've used higher-end products, I've used bar soap, I've used middle-of the road and lower-end products. I have never been satisfied with them. I also am very displeased by the long list of ingredients, including a lot of parabens. (In case you don't know what parabens are, here's a great article on the L.A. Times website. In short, they're chemicals that preserve soaps, shampoos, etc. and have been linked to scary things like breast cancer.) I even looked through all of the options at my local coop and on almost every single one of the (overpriced) products they had to offer, there was a paraben. So then I hit up Walgreens. Because I had to. And there it was. $8 for a product that says "paraben-free" and "96% Natural Product" on the front of the package. I'll take it. And it smells AMAZING.

2. The soap I got from my friend Sarah. She makes it in her kitchen.

Not only does it smell fantastic, it works better than Irish Spring (my husband's soap of choice before we got this great stuff from Sarah.) It also works better than any body wash I've ever used. And it doesn't sting my nostrils like body washes. I don't know a lot of details on her soap, but she does have a shop on Etsy where you can get more information and buy a variety of different scents of her soaps. You can also contact her with any questions.

3. My hair products by Euphora International. Let me say something here. I'm a cosmetologist. I have A LOT of hair products from numerous brands. I love Redken products and Paul Mitchell products. I love Moroccan Oil (it is a MIRACLE PRODUCT.) BUT. My friend Meredith (also a cosmetologist) recently told me about Euphora products. I am hooked. A direct quote from their website, "Eufora products are known for quality ingredients, but almost as impressive are the ingredients missing from Eufora products. We don’t use synthetic fragrances, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, carcinogenic or suspected carcinogenic ingredients in any of our products." Seriously. And once again, their products smell good. Until about a year ago, I believed that all "natural" products (or "hippie products" as my husband refers to them) smelled like the inside of a health food store. I LOVE that smell. But I don't want my hair to smell like it. Just not my style. Euphora's products DO NOT SMELL LIKE THE INSIDE OF A HEALTH FOOD STORE. So neither will your hair.

4. And finally... The one thing that I'm still searching for. A good, inexpensive deodorant that is paraben and aluminum free. I have yet to find this. It's mythical thus far. I recently found this article on the supposed "9 Best Natural Deodorants." I still have one bar to get through that is completely ineffective, but I just can't bring myself to throw the $10 thing away. The other option (and the one I'm probably going to end up with inevitably) is to use essential oils as deodorant. Here is a decent article on doing that on the ever-so-helpful Livestrong website.

One final thing. I'm fast-becoming a person who believes that we should be respectful of the things we eat and use. That means trying to eat meat that had a decent life. Using cruelty-free makeup and household products. You know, all that. Anyway, here is a HUGE LIST of products that are cruelty-free. Check it out. You'll be surprised!