Whole Body Paleo
So you’re Paleo-eating yourself clean. You’re perfecting your health from the inside-out.
Now it’s time to tackle the outside-in.
Your skin is the biggest organ you own. It’s the porous, absorbent, living, breathing, regenerating expression of your self. It doesn’t crave chemicals. It craves nourishment.
Your skin gets upset, sad, irritated, and confused because it responds to its internal and external environment. So what are you doing to take care of it from the outside?
See my Paleo Body page (http://cavegirleats.com/paleo-body/) for more info on the ingredients to avoid, and be sure to check out the awesome offer from CocoaPink for discounted, sweet-smelling, Paleo-Friendly personal care products later in this post.
Now – here’s a road map for keeping the crap off your body.
HAIR.
As far as I know, there’s no record of Herbal Essences actually causing a scentgasm – so you won’t be missing anything by ditching the drugstore crap.
The cheapest trick in the book uses simple baking soda and unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar. It requires a few weeks of adjustment, but your hair should become unbelievably self-sufficient. Check out my post on “No Poo” at http://bit.ly/eTaPjS or Google “No Poo.”
Sound too Hippie complicated? Read on for less…Birkenstocky options.
You can find Phthalate, SLS, and Paraben-free shampoos at Whole Foods, but the best quality products I’ve found are from:
-Obermeyer Naturals (they’ve got a gluten-free section): http://bit.ly/eNagPJ
-Gluten-Free Savonnerie: http://www.gfsoap.com
-Dakota Free (Great options for infants): http://www.dakotafree.com/
-CocoaPink: www.cocoapink.net (More CP recommendations at the end of this post, along with a generous discount code for their products.)
FACE & BODY.
Raise your hand if you pick your zits.
That’s disgusting. Quit it.
Get RID of them. The Paleo Lifestyle can calm even cystic acne. Trust me – I’ve been there.
I use the Oil Cleansing Method. More on this at http://www.theoilcleansingmethod.com/ and my personal regimen at http://bit.ly/ehxad.
The best facial moisturizer in the universe is Jojoba Oil (available at Whole Foods and online). Jojoba is a wax ester, and the closest thing in nature to your skin’s natural sebum – meaning it balances your skin beautifully.
For a more intense shot of moisture, apply coconut oil. (Be careful not to get it on your clothes.)
Baking soda, gently swiped across your skin and rinsed, makes an excellent exfoliant anywhere on the body.
Essential oils are also worth playing with. Tea Tree oil, diluted with water, is a potent anti-microbial. Apply a teensy drop to a zit.
MAKEUP.
First, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL. YOU DON’T NEED MAKEUP. Or at least, you don’t need to leave the house every day looking like a Real Housewife of New Jersey.
Rule of Thumb: If you’re using a whole stick of eyeliner every day, you wear too much makeup. Or you’re a raccoon with self-worth issues.
Bad makeup can ruin even the most conscientious skin-care program, and according to Hayley, the brilliant esthetician and Primal-Palate genius (http://www.primal-palate.com), most “mineral” makeups are still full of skin-hating ingredients. Hayley’s hands-down recommendation, and my favorite makeup of all-time, is Jane Iredale. http://www.JaneIredale.com. According to Hayley, it’s not just makeup – it’s an extension of your skin-care routine.
The best resource I’ve found for evaluating cosmetics and ensuring they are gluten-free is http://www.naturallydahling.com/
PITS.
If you’re convinced that smelling like a slick-haired douche-nozzle or one of the Jonas Brothers is right for you, hang on to that Axe Deodorant Body Spray. But if you’re ready to be a grown-up, please – read on.
Aluminum is the key ingredient in most conventional deodorants. It has been linked to both breast cancer and Alzheimer’s.
Look for Aluminum-free deodorant/anti-perspirants. I’ve heard great things about:
-Lush USA: http://bit.ly/6t7gyY
-Nature’s Gate: http://www.natures-gate.com. Personal care from all angles. Look out for ingredients, because some still contain Wheat Protein and a few other gnarlies to avoid.
-Tom’s of Maine: Available at most stores.
-Tropical Traditions: Coconut Mecca also has an awesome deodorant. http://bit.ly/NE5Vn
All of these ideas, from Hair to Pits, will help keep junk away from your precious skin – but a few of them take the luxury out of bath time. This doesn’t have to be the case. Enter my favorite – Cocoa Pink.
CocoaPink has the most unbelievably luscious smells – I could spend a day drooling over the scent list. They provide comprehensive ingredient lists for each product so you can pick & choose your ingredients, and batches are made fresh as orders come in. Find them athttp://cocoapink.net.
My faves:
-Princess Poo
-Shine + (protein-free conditioner)
-Glissade (perfect for curls)
-Shower Butta (incredible moisturizers)
-Custom Perfume Sprays (These are ridiculous. RI-DIC-U-LOUS.)
CocoaPink has offered a 20% DISCOUNT CODE to orders WITH THE CHECKOUT CODE Paleolove (case sensitive.) TWENTY PERCENT, folks! That’s not one to miss – these products are worth their weight in grass-fed beef. Get some.
Think of how much better you feel now that you’re eating clean. This is just another dimension to the Paleo Lifestyle – keeping chemicals, crud, and industrial by-products off of your skin. Keeping junk off your plate is a huge part of the battle, but it’s simple to dial down your junk-exposure even further by taking care of yourself, Paleo-style. Feel free to leave any questions in the comments section – I’m glad to discuss. Good luck!
About the Author: Liz keeps a Paleo-lifestyle blog at www.CaveGirlEats.com. She is CrossFit Level 1 Certified and the Nutrition Advisor for Steve’s Original – the PaleoKit folks. See her bio here http://bit.ly/dZ02Xc.