SFIC Soap

Once upon a time I attempted to create a fragrance-free skin care business. Due to a number of factors I was never able to get that business off the ground. One of the products I sold was SFIC soap and it is the bar soap I use today. I try many varieties of fragrance free soaps. Dr. Bronners is my favorite liquid, and this is my favorite bar. SFIC is the soap of choice for crafters who use melt and pour bases to make their own creations. They take very well to colors and scents, but I obviously prefer the bar in it’s natural fragrance-free state. There are no synthetic ingredients in these soaps. The are 100% pure soap and they come in a variety of kinds: Aloe Vera, Clear, White, Olive Oil, Castile, Goats Milk, Oatmeal, Shea Butter, Hemp Seed Oil and Cocoa Butter just to name a few.

The clear soap formula ingredients are Coconut Oil, Palm Oil, Safflower Oil, Glycerine (kosher, of vegetable origin), Purified Water, Sodium Hydroxide (saponifying agent), Sorbitol (moisturizer), Sorbitan oleate (emulsifier), Soybean protein (conditioner).

The complete list of formulas can be found here:

The one problem with SFIC is their minimums are high for the average customer. They specialize in bulk sales, private labeling and custom soap blending. I placed an order and my minimum was 250 lbs. I figured out that I will have enough soap for 20 years, but according to the company their soap has an indefinite shelf life, so I am good with this.
If you would like smaller quantities, go to wisterialane.com. They sell SFIC soap in with no minimum quantity.

I highly recommend SFIC soap. It is soft, luxurious, and lathers very well.

SFICSoap.com
Photo credits: SFICSoap.com

Andalou Shampoos

I’ve been trying to incorporate more natural, organic scents back into my life.  I’ve become so accustomed to everything in my life being fragrance-free, I now have to make an effort to incorporate real scents back into the products that I use.

I found Andalou shampoos at Whole Foods.  These products are

“made naturally without GMO’s, gluten, paraben preservatives, petrochemicals, phthalates, sulfates, synthetic colors, dyes and fragrances. Verified Gluten-Free 100% Eco-friendly, Vegetarian & Cruelty-Free.”  The fragrances they use are organic essential oils and I tolerate them very well. The scents smell very pure and not over powering at all.  Unfortunately, they do not make a fragrance-free version, so if you have reactions to essential oils, even organic essential oils, do not use these products.  I use the Argan & Sweet Orange, and the Sunflower & Citrus.  I haven’t tried the conditioners yet because I’m really happy with the conditioner I currently use.

Andalou products are available through Vitacost, where you can buy them for a better price than Whole Foods.

Avocado and Olive Oil Hair Treatment

 

Here is a natural recipe for your hair.  Avocados are rich in healthy fats as well as Vitamin E and C.  Olive oil also provides generous amounts of healthy fats and Vitamin E.

 

Blend or mash one avocado with ½ cup of olive oil.  Add egg yolk, honey or aloe vera gel for added moisturizing benefits.

 

Apply to dry hair, cover with a shower cap and towel over top of that.  Leave the mixture on for 20 minutes, rinse and then shampoo.  Condition if you would like.

Scent-Free Dryer Sheets

I don’t use dryer sheets. I’m really not bothered by static cling, but for those of you who are and do not want to use toxic fragranced dryer sheets, here are some suggestions.

Several companies make fragrance-free dryer sheets. Seventh Generation is one of them.

Photo by Seventh Generation

Purecosheet is a non-disposable option. It is a reusable cloth dryer sheet that contains no chemicals. It is good for more than 500 loads.

Photo by Reuseit.com

Another option is to use a damp cloth in your dryer cycle. Also, a ¼ cup of white vinegar in the washer is known to reduce static. I use vinegar to freshen my laundry so I am also getting the anti-static benefits as well.

Chlorine Free Bleach

Don’t use chlorine bleach.  It’s toxic.

I’ve used Seventh Generation’s Free and Clear chlorine free bleach.  It is a non-toxic oxygen bleach, meaning it uses hydrogen peroxide.  There are no harmful fumes and won’t discolor clothing.

Seeing as this is a hydrogen based bleach, you can also hydrogen peroxide.  Vinegar and citrus acids, like lemon juice, are also effective alternatives.

Treating Depression Naturally with Sam-E

Over the past decade I’ve suffered through bouts of depression. Within the past year I felt myself spiraling into a depression that I was unable to pull myself out of. I had started seeing a therapist but I was beginning to be open to the possibility of taking anti-depressants. I have never taken anti-depressants before except for a very brief (one week) trial of Lexapro. At the time I decided to stop taking Methadone, which I was taking for an injury. The doctor at the pain clinic that prescribed it to me insisted it was much better than morphine for my type of injury. It wasn’t and she’s a liar. When I came off the Methadone I had such a horrific withdrawal that I decided to stop taking the Lexapro because if I had to have a horrible withdrawal, I wanted to get it all over at once. I made this decision on my own, and in the end I was glad to be off of everything.

Several months ago when I was researching psychiatrists I came across SAM-e. I had purchased some and kept it for many weeks because I was actually scared to take it. Some of the potential side effects include anxiety and insomnia, and I am very afraid of anything that might cause me not to sleep. But since I was on the verge of taking an anti-depressant, which have much more side effects than SAM-e, I figured I better exhaust the natural route and give it a try.

I can only speak for my experience, but within a week of starting the SAM-e, I noticed the heavy sadness in my heart lifted a significant amount. I was better able to handle stressful events and my mood felt lighter in general.

“SAM-e (S-Adenosylmethionine) is an amino acid derivative that has been clinically proven to benefit brain and joint function. Found in all living cells, SAM-e is also called “activated methionine” since it is formed by reacting ATP and methionine (an essential amino acid).*” (Jarrow)

Sam-e has been used throughout Europe for over 20 years. It is sold as a prescription drug over there.

Clinical trials have shown that SAM-e may help with depression, joint pain, as well as liver function.

Here is a NY Times article from 2010 that discusses SAM-e’s beneficial use in treating patients with depression who do not respond to prescription anti-depressants.

For more information read “10 Things You Should Know About SAM-e.”

Jarrow Formulas makes the brand of SAM-e that I take. I get it at Vitacost, where it is much cheaper than other online outlets or health food stores. There has been a surge in SAM-e’s popularity because many companies are out of stock and Jarrow is trying to keep up with demand. As I said before, this has been my experience. I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice. I am a big proponent of exhausting natural and alternative therapies if modern medicine and prescriptions can be avoided.

Here is a video from Bastyr University’s Living Naturally Series entitled Overcoming Depression and Anxiety. It is an hour long lecture on natural ways to treat depression and anxiety.

Microbe-Clean

I found a product called Microbe-Clean in my local Whole Foods several years ago.  It is a multi-purpose cleaner and odor eliminator that uses the power of non-pathogenic microbes to clean and remove odors.

Microbe-Clean is capable of cleaning and eliminating odors from food waste, animal waste and human waste.  It’s also fragrance-free.  The smell is hard to describe, but it is not strong or offensive whatsoever.  Here is the description from the website:

MICROBE-CLEAN is environmentally safe and based on nature’s own cleaning invention—microbes. Common stains and odors result from organic residue (food, beverages, urine, etc.). MICROBE-CLEAN puts billions of naturally occurring, non-pathogenic microbes to work, cleaning and removing odors in the same way microbes do in nature, leaving the environment clean and fresh smelling.

MICROBE-CLEAN is more effective than enzyme or surfactant products because microbes biodegrade the residue, removing it (which the others cannot do). This is especially important in porous materials like carpet, wood, or hard-to-get-to areas where residue is not accessible with normal cleaning techniques. MICROBE-CLEAN can be used full strength or diluted and can also be used in a carpet cleaning machine to resolve all sorts of problem issues.

I use Microbe-Clean primarily to clean up after I sauna.  I spray my sauna mat with it and I have never had any issues with odor from sweat on my mat.  I also will throw a cup in the washer if I have some laundry that is less than fresh.  You can also use this to clean your carpets and I will be doing so as my dog has taken to peeing on my area rug.

My local Whole Foods doesn’t sell this anymore so I order it directly from the website.
Microbe-Clean

Nature’s Gate Natural Toothpaste

I try to avoid toxins wherever I can, which is why I upgraded my toothpaste. I’m currently using Nature’s Gate Natural Toothpaste. I like the Crème de Mint and Crème de Anise flavors. The main reason I use this toothpaste is because it’s fluoride free. There are several natural toothpaste brands that still contain fluoride and I wanted to avoid that. For more information on the dangers of fluoride, click here.

Not only is Nature’s Gate toothpaste fluoride free, it is also paraben free, sulfate free, contains no sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate, no artificial colors, not artificial flavors or sweeteners and no animal by-products or animal testing.

Nature’s Gate

I Can Breathe Mask

Image from National Allergy

This is the mask I own and carry with me wherever I go. I ordered it from National Allergy and it has helped me in many a perfumed circumstance. Most of the time I use it when I’m in a public restroom that has air “fresheners.”

The mask comes with an activated charcoal filter that is secured inside the mask with Velcro. The filters are replaceable and it is time for me to order a new filter because I’ve noticed that my mask has been less effect lately.

I Can Breathe Mask

Charlie’s Soap Laundry Powder

I found Charlie’s Soap laundry powder at Whole Foods and I really like it.  Most of the time I use Ecos Free & Clear laundry liquid but someone had recommended Charlie’s Soap to me so I wanted to give it a try.

Charlie’s Soap laundry powder is non-toxic, biodegradable, and truly scent-free.  You do not need fabric softeners with it.  In fact, they are not recommended.  It is HE machine safe, and one scoop per load means you get 80 loads out of a small 2.64 lb container.  Charlie’s soap also makes a liquid laundry detergent, as well as an array of other laundry and cleaning products.

Charlie’s Soap