Use this code to get $25 off your first order 🙂 Keep reading to see what for!

Ah ha! Did that title grab your attention? Are you thinking I have some mole on my face or maybe a mustache or something? A lot of times we focus on the importance of what we eat or what products we use for our babies but not necessarily what we put on our own bodies. As the famous flight attendants say “You must first take care of yourself before helping others”, maybe they say something about oxygen but you get the point. We have to take care of our bodies and we have to have a self-care routine that sets our health up for success and longevity.

Other than the “Isn’t organic food expensive?” question I get, hygiene product questions are a close second. This can range from makeup to toothpaste to lotion. Just as our food is filled with junk, so are our hygiene products. It is easy to think about the importance of clean eating because it is a physical act of either nourishing or sabotaging our health. It may be more difficult to understand the importance of clean hygiene products because they aren’t going directly into our bodies. Or are they? Did you know that the skin is the largest organ of the body. There are more pores on the skin than you would think: 2,016,000,000 to be exact (in case you wanted to know how many micro holes are on in your skin). So, think about that when you are putting on your lotion, perfume, body wash, sunscreen or tanning oil. Many common skin products contain a smorgasbord of harmful chemicals, synthetic fragrances, GMOs and heavy metals. Let’s look at a few:

Parabens – This can be in the form of methyl-, propyl-, butyl- and -ethyl. These fancy words are a shortcut around saying toxic, allergen-inducing shelf stabilizer. Companies add these parabens because they are cheap and prevent microbial growth (mold).

Propolene Glycol – Another two letter word for anti-freeze. Yep, you read that right. Look on the back of your products then, go look at your anti-freeze or windshield wiper fluid. They will look all too much alike.

DMDM Hydantoin – This one is just like it’s friend above and is also used in anti-freeze. Common irritation from the chemical release occurs in the eyes, lungs and skin.

Sodium Laurel Sulfate –  Do you love it when your soap, hand wash or other products get that sudsy texture? Well, you have SLS to thank for that! Opt for the less texture pleasing products and you will avoid kidney, bladder and urinary tract infections. You may notice when you make the switch to products without SLS that you have dry skin or dandruff, this is side effect of the product. Give it a few weeks and you’ll be golden.

Synthetic colors/fragrances – … This is just a big fat NO. Steer clear of the words synthetic or artificial as they are replacement words for fake and processed. The product is lacking a natural version of what they desire so, they create a fake version that comes with a threat to your health.

Titanium, Barium, Chromium, Aluminum – These chemicals commonly contribute to breast cancer and can be a huge step in the wrong direction if you are trying to live a more holistic lifestyle. They are poison and do not belong in our bodies. See this site for the sourcing here.

Now that we got that over with, let’s talk about the clean products that are supportive of our health and the environment! There are so many great companies out there that are in it for the long run and not just for the money. They have a commitment to the health and wellness of, not only themselves but you and your family. Products I review are free of the above JUNK and have therapeutic herbs, oils, extracts and more. I have been experimenting for over three years now and have found the best of the best products for you. Woohoo health! Also, you should feel pretty lucky that you get to see six pictures of me.. in a row! I am totally kidding and actually hate posting photos of myself on here but it was pretty necessary for this post.

Ann Marie Skin Care has a wonderful line of makeup and skin products that are organic, wild crafted, pure, non-GMO and cruelty free. They, as I mentioned above, are in it for the long run. The founders of the company were tired of trying all the different products that never seemed to work. They decided to start their own line and, with the help of their team, cultivated a clean product that I am now recommending to you. This isn’t coming only from me. They have been featured in Huffington Post, Forbes and New York Times. These are the ones I love: Mineral Powders, Neroli Toning Mist and the Purifying Mud Mask. What’s super cool is that they do sample kits where you can order.. uhh, sample kits! They are smaller portions that allow you to test out before you commit! Use this code to get $25 off your first order 🙂

These are the two kits that I used from Annmarie Skin Care:

https://www.annmariegianni.com/ashlee/minerals

All other sample kits

The shampoo and conditioner I use and have used for over three years now is Desert Essence. This amazing company caught my attention because the packaging, I’m a girl! I was even more delighted to see that their packaging wasn’t deceiving and that they were actually a clean brand. They have more than just shampoo and conditioner though. I use their tea tree oil face wipes when we go camping. They are excellent for a waterless face wash while you’re out in the woods. They also work well for removing makeup. Floss is another one of their products and I am a huge sucker for the tea tree floss. I am actually a sucker for anything tea tree because it is just THAT good. Here is where I order mine from.

Andalou is another incredible product that I use daily. They use ingredients that are easily pronounced, full of antioxidants and contain beneficial compounds. I found one of their products at Grocery Outlet after reading and researching them and I had to try it. Right now, I use the exfoliating mask that comes in a glass green container. It has a bit of roughness so it can exfoliate the skin but it doesn’t contain those harmful microbeads that are damaging to our health and the environment. Andalou carries therapeutic lotions, skin serums, rejuvenating masks and much more. Here are some of their awesome products.

I want to give you a comprehensive guide to each product I use but that will come later. For now, I will list the products I have researched, love dearly and use every day. Dr. Bronners (body wash, castile soap, bar soap), Thrive (bamboo toothbrush), Pacifica (perfume), homemade (tooth paste & body scrub), coconut oil (oil pulling, moisturizing, lip balm), Weleda (face oil). I hope these help you out a bit when you are shopping for your personal hygiene products. If you can’t build up the guts to toss out the junk, wait for it to run out and replace it with one of these clean items. You will notice leaps in your health and the health of your family.

Email me at simplholistic@hotmail.com to set up a free 15-minute consultation. We will talk about your desires, goals and hunger for change. Let’s get this ball rollin’!