One of my goals this year is to go totally green. For the last few months, I have been using my reusable bag to the grocery and have been refraining from taking plastic bags from shops and boutiques. Hopefully, everyone would follow suit and become aware of the harmful effects plastics can do for the environment.

Good news or bad news? It depends. If you’re the business owner or manufacturer, this is good news. It means no extra expenses, manpower, liabilities etc. So what does this mean for the rest of us? Bad news for the consumer who is always on the lookout for safe and effective personal care products. We are oftentimes misinformed or misled.

There is a lot of confusion about “natural” products. If it contains orange extract or aloe vera extract, is it natural already? What about the other ingredients mixed in?

Ingredients of my former shampoo: Water (Aqua), Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Ammonium Laureth sulfate, Cocamide MEA, Ammonium Chloride, PEG 5-cocamide, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Fragrance, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Tetra Sodium EDTA, DMDM Hydantoin, Citric Acid, Aloe vera extract, Vitamin E acetate, Blue 1, Ext. Violet 2.

This is a deep cleansing shampoo with natural ingredients. Yeah right. There are a couple of natural ingredients thrown in but I’m actually paying for those two actual ingredients I need and artificial additives they call parabens that my computer does not even recognize. What more my hair and body?

Have you heard about the dangers of parabens? I’ve recently switched to paraben-free products. Why the switch? To lose weight, of course. This is my no. 1 goal if you haven’t noticed yet. No, just kidding. But it is partly true. Parabens can mimic the hormone estrogen, which can interfere with the production of the body’s natural hormones leading to weight gain. But more importantly, parabens can play a role in the development of breast cancers. Parabens can be found in shampoos and conditioners, moisturizers, underarm deodorants, shaving gels, toothpaste and other personal care and pharmaceutical products. So, look for products that don’t contain any parabens or ingredients starting with words like methyl, propyl or butyl.

Now, let’s compare that to my shampoo today: Aqua, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Wheat Germ, Sodium Chloride, Glycerin, Citric Acid, Arctium Lappa (Burdock Root Extract), Panthenol Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Hydrolized Soy Protein, Rosmarinus Officinale (Rosemary), Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender), Citrus Reticulata (Tangerine).

This is a shampoo for normal to dry hair. No artificial ingredients and colors and best of all, it is paraben-free. After using these products for a week, I’ve noticed that I have less falling hair and the fragrance and softness stay longer. Aside from my shampoo, I’ve added a few extra to my personal hair and body care.

These products are available at Whole Foods Market. For store details, click here. At Whole Foods, you can be sure that they’ve screened all products and they only carry those which are considered natural and safe for you and the environment. And they even raised the bar in the industry by coming up with their Premium Body Care.

Be conscious of what you use for your body. What goes on the body, goes in the body, too. Never doubt that for a second.

: art by mike monteiro

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