Here's the latest nitty gritty on my research re detoxifying our lives. In particular, I have given info. on the products I have tried so far for make-up, make-up removal, nail polish, nail polish remover, sunscreen, after sun balm and shampoos/conditioners (I also have a great website for all natural Henna to color your hair without all the toxicity). All of the products and websites I am referring you to are for TOXIC-FREE, CHEMICAL-FREE, PARABEN-FREE, SULFATE-FREE, ALL-NATURAL PRODUCTS and usually 100% ORGANIC.
Who-hoo....... and you thought you HAD to use products with chemicals in them cuz you had no other choices, well, good news is, I'm here to tell you, that is not the case and I've done the legwork for you on where you can start to check out some of these FABULOUS truly ALL-NATURAL products.
BELOW are all my TOP PICKS and some reviews on them as well.... along with the websites you can find them at!
I will categorize by typing in CAPS and BOLDING the text to let you know the product I use, prior to listing some info. about it and the website I get it from. Just scroll down for more info.
NOTE: All of my website reviews and info. are separated by asterisks ********.
I hate to say it but even the top of the line shampoos/conditioners that you buy in the store, such as Pantene and/or those you buy in salons, such as Redkin (and ALL other leading brands in the super market or your favorite salon) are full of paraben and/or sulfate which are actually very bad for us!!! Sure the shampoo "feels" great and we may even like the results we get afterwards, but that doesn't mean it's good for us.
If you are willing to completely detox, I strongly suggest getting paraben-free and sulfate-free shampoos, conditioners and all other hair products you use (ie - hair spray, gel, mouse, spritzers, de-frizzers, shiny oils, styling balms, etc.... anything that touches your hair and scalp).
I also feel the same about anything touching my skin (ie - lotions, creams, facial creams, eye creams, hand creams, feet creams, sunblock, makeup, oils, etc).
Bottom line, if it's a mainstream product, question it big time.
Anyway, not trying to force you to change your habits or abruptly change everything in your bathroom, but I am putting little seeds in your brain so you can research on your own and figure out what works best for you.
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SUNBLOCK
I was about to look into getting some all natural sunblock cuz the stuff sold mainstream actually contributes to cancer instead of helping us avoid it. In reality, we should NOT be blocking the sun from our skin on a daily basis (but then that brings up the issue of make up with sun block already in it, like most foundations on the mainstream market). Due to all this unnecessary extra "sunblock" we are using, and campaigns to keep ourselves "covered" from the sun, we are depleted from natural "Vitamin D" that naturally is absorbed into our body through our skin when we "expose" our skin to the sun.... NOT when we "block" the skin from the sun. (See Dr. Mercola's website for a great all-natural "Vitamin D spray"). I found an all-natural sunblock, the brand is called "Badger sunscreen" and "Badger after sun balm" (you can find it online as well as in your local Whole Foods).
Check it out:
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LAUNDRY DETERGENT
(all-natural - only need 1/2 cup/load)
FEMININE PRODUCTS
(100% organic cotton - NOT wood)
SHAMPOO/CONDITIONER
(paraben-free & sulfate/free)
VITAMIN D SPRAY
(most of us are lacking it - all-natural spray)
MELATONIN SPRAY
(all natural sleep-aid)
Dr. Mercola is in Aurora , Illinois
SHAMPOO/CONDITIONER:
I no longer use the shampoo/conditioner (not because it's not good, but because I found something even better).... I now get my shampoo/conditioner from Morocco Method, it's 100% "vegan" and 100% "raw" (so it hasn't been processed at all), but I will admit, it's got a "gritty" feeling to it and it takes some time to get used to but my hair is benefiting and changing and becoming so much healthier now that I use MM's products regularly (see below for more info).
If you are like most people and believe that your shampoo/conditioner should "lather" in order for it to work well.... then you will love Dr. Mercola's shampoo/conditioner. While it is not "raw", it IS completely paraben-free and sulfate-free which is the no.1 thing you should make sure any shampoo or conditioner you use is free of!
LAUNDRY DETERGENT (I LOVE DR. MERCOLA's)! The laundry detergent is fabulous and a little goes a long way!!! Just 1/2 cup per load. AND, if you buy the "2-pack of laundry detergent with 2-pack stain remover" you're set for a couple mos. And guess what.... because there's no chemicals in there.... your clothes do NOT need "laundry softener" or "dryer sheets" (extra wasted money, just to get us to buy more products). Once I started using his detergent, I quickly learned that my clothes no longer felt "hard" or not "fresh", why?,.... cuz there's NO chemicals in there, hello!!!! (So, why are the mainstream detergents made this way, you ask? Because they want us to spend more money on more unnecessary products, that become necessary because they've made the detergent that way). THE SOLUTION: Use all-natural chemical-free laundry detergent. Dr. Mercola's is FABULOUS!!!!
FEMININE PRODUCTS - 100% ORGANIC COTTON (I LOVE DR. MERCOLA's)! Did you know that ALL the feminine products in the mainstream are made of WOOD particles, NOT cotton!!! Oh yeah women, it's unfortunate, but true. Just watch Dr. Mercola's video on his website (under feminine care) to find out the real truth and understand why it's imperative that we use "organic cotton" products ONLY!!!
And think of how sensitive that part of our body is. So guess what, those products, whether you use tampons or pads, are touching that area, irritating that area and in turn making us bleed MORE! Hence, we have to use MORE of their crap products. THE SOLUTION: Use all-natural chemical-free, bleach-free, 100% organic cotton feminine products that you can find on Dr. Mercola's website.
VITAMIN D SPRAY: Almost all of us are low on Vit. D. Why? Cuz we've been brainwashed to "protect" our skin from the sun. We use sunblocks daily and/or cover our arms and face on a regular basis to "protect" ourselves from the sun.............. THE SINGLE MOST HEALING energy on this planet!!! It helps to GROW things, heal things, warms you, gives you natural Vitamin D and yet, we want to block ourselves from it. WTH??? Watch Dr. Mercola's video on Vit. D and/or read my other blog on it to get more info. (blog #11 - archived under April 2011).
MELATONIN SPRAY: Are you having troubles sleeping? Well, like most of us, it's due to stress, long working hours, troubles with finances, troubles in relationships, lack of love in our lives, improper diet and the list goes on an on. The good news is that "melatonin" is something our body naturally creates when it is in the "dark" (ie - when we lay down to sleep). Bad news is, when we are over-stressed we may not produce enough or simply we need more. Good news is, you can find it in an all-natural form at Dr. Mercola's website. Forget the "pills" you find in your local "health food store" and look for "liquid" or "spray" forms that will quickly and naturally absorb into your body. Dr. Mercola's site has a great deal for a 3-pack so you get more bang for your buck. You only need 3-5 sprays a night to help you get to sleep. NOTE: If your brain is on overload and you can't stop "thinking" when you go to bed, the melatonin might not kick in right away. Here are some helpful tips to alleviate that issue: 1) stop using all electronics (computer, iPad, phones, tvs, etc) at least one hour before bedtime, 2) read a book or magazine and put on some dim light in the room, not the main light to start to transition your body, 3) take out a notepad and write down some short notes on the things that you can't seem to get out of your mind (whether they are concerns, duties, to-dos for the next day, etc), and if you still feel like once you lay down you still have more on your mind, keep that notepad and a pen on a nightstand by your bed and jot down some notes as they come to mind, so you can free your mind and sleep. Try not to turn on a bright light when you do this. 4) "black out" all light in your bedroom (cover the alarm clock, cover anything that is charging and has a light on it, even if it's very small and use "black out curtains" for your windows to block any light from the outside coming in. 5) get a ionizer/humidifier for your room to circulate and clean the air. 6) open the windows regularly to circulate fresh air. 7) Put some drops of essential lavender oil on your pillow or put some dried lavender inside your pillow case. Then, last but not least, take some Melatonin spray and close your eyes and go to sleep.
His site is: www.mercola.com
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SKIN CARE
HAIR CARE
BATH & BODY
EYES
LIPS
All-natural, organic, chemical-free and toxin-free! Many vegan choices and the rest are all vegetarian. NO animal testing!!!! Skin care line has: lotions/buttercreams, oils, dark spot removers, etc.
I love, love, LOVE this website!!!! They are now one of my TOP pics.
It's called 100% Pure.
HERE ARE MY REVIEWS ON THEIR PRODUCTS I'VE TRIED SO FAR:
HAIR PRODUCTS:
Honey Coconut Shampoo (I'm not a fan of honey, so the smell turned me off, but if you like honey, you might really enjoy this cuz the texture is really nice - I ended up giving it to my tenant, cuz I'm not a fan of honey, don't know why I picked that one, just didn't expect it to really smell like honey, but duh, there's honey in it, so why wouldn't it... ha, ha)
Smooth & Moisture Hair Balm (this is supposed to add shine and it does, it's just a little thicker than I expected, but all you need is a few drops, so it will last a long time and should help with fly-aways or frizzy hair as well)
BATH & BODY:
Bath & Body/scrubs
French Lavender Body Scrub (love, love, love it!!!!.... so fabulous)
Blood Orange Body Scrub - Just got this as a "freebie" and will be trying it soon.
My next pick will be "Mangosteen Body Scrub" (because it is the "Queen of Fruits" and a major "super food")
Bath & Body/soaps
Coconut Butter Soap (OMG... in LOVE, love, love!!!! - soooo smooth, so fabulous... think of Dove but wayyyyy better)
Bath & Body/baths
Yummy Ice Scream Bubble Bath - mini (I got it, smelled it and realized, this is totally for kids... ended up giving it to my tenant cuz she nanny's kids. IF YOU HAVE KIDS... they will LOVE this... and so will you, since you're not putting any toxic crap on them and remember, the "skin" is our largest organ so anything that you put on it will absorb straight into your bloodstream.... all the more reason to think twice on your children's behalf).
Hydrating Body Wash
Cocoa Kona Coffee - it smells just like chocolate. I'm a chocolate lover.... but at first, it was kind of weird to think I was slathering my body with chocolate (and coffee, btw), but you know what... I love it and so does my skin!
Hand Creams
French Lavender Hand Buttercream - I love, LOVE, love this stuff.... soooo smooth, such a wonderful smell, hydrating, fabulous!!!! What more can I say. There are many wonderful flavors to choose from other than just this one.
SKIN CARE:
SKIN CARE/SERUMS:
Organic Argan Oil - I loooovvveee this oil!!!! I use it on my arms, hands and chest. It's pricey, but when you start seeing your arms and hands dehydrating and/or wrinkling, you'll know it's worth it. (Much better than going to a Clinque (or other name brand) counter and wasting tons of money on their chemical-ridden crap). You can use this on your face, but it might be a little heavy for the face, so if you want a lighter oil for your face, see my notes below on the "Nourishing Facial Oil".
Organic Aqua Boost - OMG...... TRUE LOVE!!! Chicago
Nourishing Facial Oil - So I spoke with a wonderful rep from this company through "live chat" and told her my skin care issues and she suggested that I use the "Argan Oil" on my body and use the "nourishing facial oil" for my face as it's a bit lighter than the Argan Oil. I love this oil!!!! Contrary to popular belief.... putting "oil" on your face does NOT make your facial skin "oily". In fact, since the "skin" is our largest organ in our body and it "absorbs" everything you put on it right into our bloodstream, not only are you nourishing your facial skin, but you are feeding your body with nutrients that are very good for you!
SKIN CARE/MOISTURIZERS:
Coffee Cherry Sun Damage Corrective Cream - Wonderful! Light and absorbs quickly. I am seeing a difference in the skin discoloration/sun-spots I have on my cheeks and forehead, since I started using this product.
Brightening Night Balm - Ok, I have to be honest, I've always had an aversion to lotions on my skin since I was a kid when my mother would slather me in sunblock cuz my skin was so pale and easily burned. So, when I got this night balm, I was excited. And while I know that "balms" in general are a thick consistency, I was hoping that when I put it on it would simply feel like it immediately seeped in and didn't feel "thick" at all. If you like thick consistencies, which I know some people do, you will love this product, but for me.... I had to return it. I put ever so little on, but then realized right away that I would never consistently use this cuz it was so thick, so I returned and exchanged it immediately. They have a GREAT exchange and return system. Again, don't let my experience discourage you.... if you're used to using balms, or love the feeling of something thick and rich penetrating your skin, you may love this product, so try it out. I know it's a great "compliment" to the product I listed above (Coffee Cherry Sun Damage Corrective Cream), as they both "lighten" your skin and if you have any skin discoloration, this is a great NATURAL way to address that in lieu of super expensive "laser treatments" or "whitening/bleaching creams").
SKIN CARE/EYE CREAMS:
Organic Coffee Bean Caffeine Eye Cream - OMG, I LOVE THIS PRODUCT & CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT IT!!!! About 10 years ago, I started waking up once or twice a week with swollen UPPER eyelids. Most eye creams on the market that address "swollen eyes" are specifically made for BELOW-the-eye-puffiness.... NOT for the truly sensitive eye area above the eyes... the actual "eyelid", which is where I SUFFER from puffiness! As the years have been passing, this happens more and more frequently for me, than not. Now it's more like 5 days a week and I'm lucky to have 1 or 2 days that it doesn't happen. Ahhh, the joys of "aging". I'm sure it means there's some sort of "imbalance" in my body, but I have yet to figure out what that is. So for now.... THIS IS MY LIFE SAVER!!! The weird thing is, for me.... for years now, I've always had the puffiness ONLY on the eyelids.... but lately, I started getting some BELOW the eyes as well, which is where most women & men experience it. The GREAT thing about this product is that since it is all-natural, it does not have any chemical irritants to hurt the sensitive eyelid area. So............ you CAN use is it on BOTH your upper eyelid area and the below-the-eye area!!! BEST OF BOTH WORLDS!!! I use it nearly every morning!!! The puffiness will usually subside in 30 min. or less. If it's a morning where I am puffier than usual, to the point I feel like my eyes are barely open cuz the eyelids are so swollen.... I'll put it on, wait about 30 min. and put on a 2nd coat and within an hour or so, the puffiness will be nearly gone. (For now, thank God, the extreme puffiness I just spoke of happens very rarely for me). LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this product!!! P.S. This product is also great for "dark circles" around the eyes AND also for "fine lines/wrinkles" on the face. :)
Organic Cucumber Eye Cream Gel - I have yet to try this, but it is next on the list!!!! I'm sure it will help with my swelling issues as well. Thinking of using it at night before bed and then using the "Organic Coffee Bean Caffeine Eye Cream" in the mornings. I bet that will be a great duo!!! I know that "cucumber" is VERY good for swollen/puffy eyes!
FRUIT PIGMENTED MAKE-UP
Lips/Glaze - This is basically an all-natural LIPSTICK!!! There are so many colors to choose from!!! I LOVE them!!! They go on just like lipstick, feel the same, but are free of the harsh chemicals like "lead" and "coal tar" (please tell me why ANYONE would voluntarily put that on their skin.... oh yeah, I know why... because the mainstream commercials show famous actresses wearing "name brand" lipstick and make-up and women are "brainwashed" to believe that "if she wears it and looks that beautiful, if I wear it, so will I". And then it's the blind leading the blind.... cuz no one bothers to read the actual labels to see the ingredients and understand that if you cannot read an ingredient, then you should know it's a chemical and probably toxic for you (check out this website for more info: http://www.ehow.com/about_5438550_harmful-chemicals-lipsticks.html). So, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, spread the word about this AWESOME website (www.100percentpure.com) and start buying your lipstick from them. AND, scroll down for my FAVORITE MAKE-UP website, "Survana". 100% pure doesn't have a lot of make-up choices, but their lip choices are fabulous and their other products are all amazing. If you want more "variety" for actual make-up, check out "Survana" below.
REMEMBER: ALL OF THE ITEMS I REVIEWED ABOVE CAN BE FOUND AT: www.100percentpure.com
P.S. 100% Pure loves to give you "free samples" with ALL your orders!!!
ONE MORE "BATH & BODY":
Body Cream/Body Butter - Haven't tried any of these yet as I use a wonderful mix of organic and essential "oils" on my skin (which I get from my homeopaths office.... sorry, he doesn't sell online, but if you're in Chicago, you can check him out.... he's AMAZING and so is his wife, in more ways than one.... and "Homeopathy" is a great way to get yourself OFF of the pharmaceutical grid.... use natural homeopathy that has been used for centuries and is the #1 leading source of medical care in many countries in Europe (instead of OTCs & prescriptions.... he's changed my life). He also sells tons of "super foods", herbs, tonics, tinctures, natural oil mix (his wife makes it, just as for "Mama's Healing Body Oil" and much more. He's a chiro, acupuncturist, energy healer and has an "infrared sauna" available for use in his office as well): Dr. Robert Selig - Back Up Therapeutic (check out his short video for info. on all his office offers): http://backupchicago.com/ And check out my blog #17 - archived July 2011 on "Homeopathy" so you can learn ALL THE BENEFITS of this natural way of helping your body to "learn how to heal itself! Stop the madness, stop using drugs and stop getting surgeries and blood transfusions, unless you have exhausted all other options).
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MAKE-UP (and they have great PERFUME too)!
All-natural, chemical-free, toxin-free, organic, LOTS of choices! What more could you ask for? Oh yeah, price.... comparable to any mainstream brand you'd buy in a dept. store.
Survana is my other FAVORITE website! They are in the UK
Here is there website: http://www.suvarna.co.uk/
BTW, since Survana is a UK based website, you are paying in "pounds" so here's a converter to convert pounds to dollars so you know how much your purchase will be before you purchase anything (in the event you do): http://www.unitconversion.org/currency/british-pounds-to-us-dollars-conversion.html
Forgot to mention that I bought all of the following from Survana for only $225 (considering I could have spent the same or more at Clinique, I was very happy with my purchase): foundation, blush, 2 lipsticks (very creamy and nice), 2 eyeliners, dual sided mascara, 5-palet eye shadow, eye make up remover, nail polish and nail polish remover. The products are great and in no way do I feel like I am missing out on anything that the name brands that have toxins such as lead in them are offering. The colors and textures of these chemical-free and toxin-free make-up and nail products are FABULOUS!!! Go UK
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HAIR CARE
HENNA (all-natural, NOT-pre-mixed, organic, raw, vegan)
Let's talk about HAIR COLOR! Ok, let's admit it, no one likes to go GREY, at the very least, not women these days. We all want to "age gracefully", and I'm here to tell you that it IS possible to do so very inexpensively and WITHOUT putting any toxins in your body (ie - through your scalp's skin). How you ask? Well, with all-natural 100% raw/vegan Henna! What does that mean? That means it is NOT pre-mixed for you and does NOT have any hidden evil ingredients that are not listed on the package and/or they are but we don't know what they are.
If you can't pronounce it or you haven't heard of it, you should question it. And remember, when it comes to your hair, you NEVER want any sulfate or paraben to be in there!
Now let me be honest about this amazing product.... the scoop is, you WILL have to put in a little "E" for Effort! Yes, but that's a small price to pay to have GORGEOUS hair that is completely CHEMICAL/TOXIN-FREE! Here's a link to check out this fabulous product (TIP: If you're not willing to do it yourself, find a smaller salon that would be willing to put it in your hair for you, if you are willing to "prepare" it and bring it in for them ready to use - that's the key for the "E" for Effort.... the preparation.... but the instructions that come with it are pretty straight forward).
Below is a link to the website with their fabulous product (my good friend, Jamie, who has a hair salon of her own and has been doing hair for a couple decades checked out my hair when I visited her in April 2012 and said she was quite impressed with the results of my hair after applying the natural henna (she even applied one round for me).
You can do it as often as you like (just a 72 hour waiting period in between henna colorings) to achieve deeper or richer looks, if you're looking to continue to change the color.
NOTE: They advise that you always start with LIGHTER shades and work your way towards darker and you can MIX the colors if you like.... in other words, if you normally go "dark brown" start out with 1/3 dark brown and 2/3 medium brown and work your way up from there. Once you go dark, it's not as easy to lighten back up without waiting awhile, so better to go lighter at first.
SECOND NOTE: You should also buy the RED henna if you have grays! Yes, I said it, RED. I know, I know, no one wants their grey hair to turn RED, but here's the secret..... you do one coat of the RED on your roots/grays only and then the SAME day (you have to wait till your hair is completely dry again and do NOT shampoo - yes, for coloring grays, you CAN do the henna 2xs in one day instead of waiting 72 hours), you can then do a second coat with your actual color (or.... you can wait a couple days so you wash out the red henna the next day, let it dry, and then after that do your next round, whatever works for you).... so the red is actually a FILLER! In the end, it will look like you have NATURAL HIGHLIGHTS from the sun!!!! It looks fabulous! Trust me, and I'm not an easy sell when it comes to my hair. Yes ladies, this does mean........... NO MORE CHEMICAL HIGHLIGHTS, COLORS, DYES, etc.... if you commit to this process. But trust me, if you do, you WON'T be sorry!!!
You will need the following additional items for your henna process:
1) gloves
2) glass or ceramic mixing bowl
3) hair color brush applier
4) one lemon (preferably organic)
5) 2 tbl. olive oil (or the oil recommended on their site)
6) red henna (if you intend to cover your grays) + your hair color henna
7) I also suggest you get the "scalp massager" that is listed under their "brushes" drop down menu
8) saran wrap and/or a plastic bag
SHAMPOO/CONDITIONER
I now use ALL my shampoo and conditioner from Morocco Method's line. They have a very interesting "lunar chart" on their website that shows you the best days to "cut" your hair in order to strengthen, lengthen or make it shinier. Very interesting how the moon affects us!
ALL of their shampoo/conditioner is based on the "5 elements" (earth, wind, fire, water and ether).... so there are 5 different shampoos to represent each of these elements. What an amazing concept! If you want THE best results for your hair, simply rotate the 5 different shampoos each time you shower, using a different one each time. I line them all up in a line and then after I used on, I put it at the end of the line, so I don't forget next time which one I already used, I just use the one that's first in line again.
There are also 2 "conditioners": 1) "Chi Instant Hair Conditioner" and 2) "Pearl Essence Cream Rinse" (these are both found under the "wash out conditioners".
NOTE: If you've processed your hair by coloring, bleaching, highlighting, tinting, etc. and/or you've used shampoos/conditioners that DO have sulfate and/or paraben in them, you should consider "DETOXING" your hair. Try the "Zen Detox Hair and Scalp Therapy" under "conditioners/wash out". Try the "trial size" to see what you think. This is also listed under "conditioners/deep conditioning" so if you're looking for a "deep conditioner" this is a good answer!
If you feel you have "dry" hair and/or need some "deep conditioning" in addition to the "Zen Detox", you can try the "Euro Natural Oil Conditioner" (btw, you should use this with your Henna, if you are coloring your hair).
Here's the link to their website, enjoy:
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Here's another website I found with all-natural hair care, but I haven't tried their products, so I don't have a review for them, but you might like to try them out. This is the link for "thicker hair" care products (I haven't tried it yet, but they are on my radar because they are alcohol-free, paraben-free, sulfate-free, chemical-free and no animal testing):
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CLEANING PRODUCTS (glass, floor & all-purpose)
CANDLES
ROOM SPRAYS
DIFFUSERS
I get all my main cleaning products from this website (glass, floor & all-purpose). Love it!!!! Made from all-natural ingredients AND essential oils. You won’t smell that STRONG “lemon” (chemical) smell you used to smell, but you WILL have a CLEAN and completely chemical-free and toxin-free home if you clean with these products.
I also love their candles because you are burning all-natural ingredients instead of other toxic crap the mainstream candles have in them.
The room sprays are FABULOUS and again, no toxic extra crap.
And the diffusers are another great way to let off a natural scent into the air by using their diffuser oils and little blue contraption that circulates it into the air.
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DISHSOAP
Natural Cleaners
Bath & Body
Salt Lamps
And much, much more
I have yet to really dive into this online store. I have been to their actual location in Skokie , Illinois
I’ve use their dish soap and have bought 2 of their amazing salt lamps and one of their crystals! They have soooooooooo much more to offer!
But if you start with nothing else but the DISH SOAP, you are on the right page!!!!
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Ok, that's my tips for the day. Hope that helps! Lots of choices, you just have to know what you are looking for. And if the product does not say on it that it is "paraben-free" or "sulfate free" or "chemical free" or "toxin free", then you better believe that it DOES have those things in it. Just food for thought!!!!
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And feel free to email me if you have any questions or want more tips on how to use the henna (or any of the above I've blogged about).
My email is: sunshineandvitality@yahoo.com
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