Vegan Beauty Archives • Cook the Beans

5 reasons you should switch to a natural deodorant

The health and beauty industry is one of the fastest-growing business sectors internationally. But there is now an ever-increasing population of ethical consumers who are turning their back on the mainstream cosmetic giants in favour of clean beauty brands.

Not only are people looking for high-quality products, but there’s also an increasing demand for brands to be cruelty-free and to demonstrate an awareness of their impact on the environment. Around 10 million animals suffer and die due to cosmetic testing every year, and so there are now many cruelty-free products on the market hoping to challenge industry standards. One of these more ethical products is a natural deodorant, and here are five compelling reasons to choose it when you next go shopping:

5 reasons to switch to a natural deodorant

1. No nasty ingredients

If it hadn’t already occurred to you to check the ingredients on your deodorant, maybe you should. It turns out that antiperspirants are full of ingredients that could potentially harm you, such as aluminium. The aluminium salts contained within some deodorant formulas are formulated to actually block your sweat ducts. Preventing moisture from forming on your skin.

Aluminium has been linked to the development of certain cancers as well as Alzheimer’s, so by choosing a natural deodorant, you are reducing the risks associated with this particular ingredient.

2. Sweat it out – it’s good for you!

Whilst most antiperspirants block the sweat from exiting your body. Natural deodorants allow you to sweat whilst preventing the unpleasantness of body odour.

It is healthy and natural to release sweat while exercising. As it releases toxins and can help boost your immune system.

When you prevent sweat from leaving the body, this can cause build-up beneath the skin – resulting in painful and irritable bumps under your arms.

Natural deodorants allow you to sweat, however, they prevent the bacteria on your skin from reacting with the moisture you produce, preventing nasty body odour.

3. Goodbye sweat stains…

As mentioned before, most regular antiperspirants contain aluminium as a means to prevent you from sweating. However, as well as being harmful to you, aluminium can also react with your sweat and clothing to create unsightly sweat stains. By choosing a natural alternative, you are less likely to ruin your clothes.

4. It’s the ethical choice

With as many as 36% of women only buying from brands who don’t test on animals, it is clear to see that the beauty industry is changing – it has never been easier for consumers to go cruelty-free.

By choosing a natural deodorant, you are reducing your impact on the environment by not contributing to animal testing. Health and beauty brands now have alternative tests at their disposal, as there are more than 50 forms of non-animal related tests which have been validated for use.

For those who are conscious of animal welfare and want to make a difference, natural deodorant is the best choice. If a product is cruelty-free they are usually certified by companies such as PETA or Cruelty Free International.

5. Natural deodorant is good for your skin

Natural deodorants tend to contain natural oils and other ingredients that can actually condition and moisturise the skin beneath your arms. Unlike regular deodorants, they treat your skin sensitively whilst working effectively.

Choose the best bar shampoo for you (made in the USA and Canada)

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Choosing to use a bar shampoo instead of the traditional ones, has lots of cons. They are environmentally friendly a fantastic way to avoid plastics, they are perfect to travel and are packed with natural ingredients, plus finding vegan options is quite easy.

Although it’s important to look carefully at the ingredients first. Because some companies use not-so-natural ingredients which make their products more similar to standard shampoo.

The brands mentioned here are the ones I like the most and the ones I highly recommend without any reserves.

Both companies have a philosophy that agrees profoundly with my ethics. So what you will read here is an honest review about my experience. That means that I’m not being paid to write this article, and I will not receive anything in return if you purchase any of the products below. This article is a mere recommendation to start you off on your journey to find the best bar shampoo for you.

The bar shampoos mentioned here are cruelty-free, eco-friendly, free from palm oil, and are from conscientious businesses ??

Soap Cauldron

(USA ?? )

I’ve gone crazy and tried all their range of hair products and it’s practically impossible to find the words to describe it. Can I just say WOW ?.

I found all the products truly outstanding, from the impeccable design, packaging, to the ingredients in each shampoo.

My journey to find a good bar shampoo that agrees with my hair has not been easy. Apparently, I have a very picky hair, that doesn’t like change or natural products ? (this makes me so sad..)

When trying other bar shampoos my hair wasn’t looking very happy, despite after a while my hair and scalp ended up accepting other shampoos I had to keep insisting until it started to work for me. BUT not with these ones ?

My hair just felt in love for these shampoos, mostly by the Rosemary and Orange shampoo. They left my hair full of life, shiny, and with a healthy look. This bar gently clarifies adding volume and silkiness, perfect for my thin hair.

It doesn’t lather like commercial soap, what is going to be something that you will need to get used to (if you are not yet), but that just means that they don’t have any detergents.

All the three bars were wonderful on my scalp. With some shampoo bars, it is common for the hair to have a wet-greasy texture after washing. I didn’t have that with these ones. I also found the smell amazing, not overpowering at all.

I’m really glad I found the Soap Cauldron. Compared to other brands, the quality and performance are outstanding!

Soap Cauldron

Creates and sells natural artisan bar soaps. They use natural plant oils, pure essential oils, and herbal ingredients to create bars that gently cleanse and nurture, bringing back the simplicity and reverence for nature with their products. They make all the products in small batches at their studio, in Sonoma County, California.

The Three Sisters Apothecary bar shampoos are free of SLS, parabens, and petroleum-based ingredients.

As part of their hair care products they also have 3 types of conditioning oils.

The oils are really moisturizing and a great alternative for the acidic rinse with vinegar or lemon.

***

Skipping Stone soap

(Canada ??)

PURE : Shampoo Bar – Unscented $9 ( 3.3 oz/92 g)

I’ve tried the PURE: shampoo bar Unscented, without any perfume or additives, perfect for sensitive skin.

The shampoo lathered up beautifully and is quite moisturizing, probably because of the plant-based oils such as avocado oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, macadamia nut oil and argan oil.

My hair took only 1 weeks to adapt completely to this bar shampoo (not much ?).

During that week my hair was a bit dry and heavy. I started to use an apple cider vinegar rinse, and that helped a lot. After that, my hair started to feel really soft, shiny and clean.

This shampoo works marvelously on my hair, it has a rich creamy lather and won’t strip off the natural oils from the hair. Plus doesn’t require the use of conditioner at all (at least for me).

I also found that works really well as a face and body soap, because is so gentle does not irritate my skin. This soap contains no synthetic chemicals, detergent, preservatives, paraben, phthalate, alcohol, urea, silicone, synthetic colorant, EDTA, TEA, and DEA. And no plastic bottles ??

skipping Stone

The skipping stone products are all handcraft with fine quality, natural, and locally sourced ingredients as much as possible. They use highest quality plant-based oils and butters, and they sell three different kinds of shampoo bars. All made in small batches using a cold process method.

I can’t wait to try all of them 🙂

?Important

For most people, there is an adjustment period of about 1 month on chemically treated hair when using a natural bar shampoo.

So if your hair doesn’t look great after the first wash that’s normal. Just keep using it until your scalp rebalance.

Shampoo bars may not perform as well in hard water. Have you tried the apple cider vinegar rinse? That might be the solution.

Find here how to use a bar shampoo.

I hope you found the post useful!! Leave in the comments box any questions or tips you may have!

Love Ana x??x

How to Remove Product Build up From the Hair

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All of those commercial products that we all have been using to make our hair “look good” can build up over time, because they often contain waxes, synthetic silicones, and silica that coats our hair.

Even if you are already using more natural products it can be iron and calcium deposits from hard water or sebum secretion on the scalp that are not helping you to have a healthy hair.

Build up can make adjusting to natural shampoo bars especially frustrating.

Bar Shampoo

These substances are hard to remove from our hair and scalp, the best way to remove product buildup from the hair is to provide a good natural in-depth cleansing.

Using apple cider vinegar is a great way to remove product buildup. You just need to wash your hair, as usual, rise with a mix of 2-4 tbsp apple cider vinegar with 1/2 litre cool/warm water let the mixture sit on your hair for 1-2 minutes and then rinse thoroughly.

You can use lemon juice just like you use the apple cider vinegar. Mixing 2-4 tbsp tablespoons of lemon juice with 1/2 litre cool/warm water.

After the shampoo, rinse your hair and massage your scalp working through your hair. Allow it to soak in for 2-3 minutes, then wash it out with a good water rinse.

Baking soda is another great way to remove product build up from hair. Baking soda naturally lifts grease and product residue from your hair.

Combine 1 tablespoon baking soda with 1 – 2 cups warm water in a spray bottle or cup and rinse on your hair and work it through. Then rinse thoroughly with warm water, then shampooing as usual.

Removing product build up is essential for keeping your scalp and hair clean and healthy.

What are your secrets to remove build up? Let me know everything 🙂 ??

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Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Rinse

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Despite the fact that sounds a bit weird to use Vinegar on your Hair, it is not a joke, it’s actually something that you should consider. If you never tried it, I’m sure you probably are a bit skeptical, to say the least 🙂

After starting making my own apple cider vinegar at home, I started to get more and more interested about its benefits for the health, hair, and skin. And one thing let to the other I said goodbye to the traditional conditioners and shampoos for god.

Now I use apple cider vinegar (ACV) to rinse my hair and works wonderfully. It is one of my favorite ways to keep my hair healthy, detangled, and shiny.And I assure you 100% that after you rinse out the vinegar from your hair and your hair dries, it will no longer smell like vinegar at all.

And I assure you 100% that after you rinse out the vinegar from your hair and your hair dries, it will no longer smell like vinegar at all.

Apple cider vinegar is simply the by-product of the fermentation of apples.

Choose the right Apple Cider Vinegar

You can do the vinegar easily at home or you can buy it at any supermarket or health store, the best ones to use on your hair are the ones that are organic, raw and unfiltered.