If you’ve had the opportunity to see any of the practitioners here at Double Happiness, you know we leave no stone unturned when it comes to optimizing your health. We do an extensive investigation of what you’re eating, how you’re sleeping, if you’re getting enough of the right kind of exercise and so on. And once we have the whole picture, we are able to design a comprehensive treatment plan to help you heal most efficiently and effectively.
When partnering with you on your path to better health, one of the most important things we discuss is not just what you put IN your body, but what you’re putting ON your body. Anything you put on your skin gets absorbed and processed by your body. Common harmful ingredients like parabens, phthalates and triclosan can cause endocrine disruption and even cancer. Unfortunately, there is no law that requires personal care products and their ingredients to have FDA approval before going on the market, which means these products are grossly unregulated. Just last month, trace amounts of asbestos (a known carcinogen) were found in makeup being marketed to kids.
In order to reduce your exposure to toxic chemicals, it’s necessary to do a thorough investigation into what you’re putting on your body. This includes lotions, hair care, makeup, toothpaste, sunscreen, nail polish, etc. Once you are armed with the knowledge of what is potentially harmful, you will feel more empowered to make informed decisions about what products you can safely trust.
What’s the best way to get educated? Here at Double Happiness, our favorite resource is the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Database. This database scientifically evaluates and rates the safety of beauty care products based on their ingredient list. It’s clear and easy to navigate – simply enter the products you’re using into the database and it will tell you if there are any risks associated. If your product is not in the database, you can enter the ingredients on the label to determine its safety rating.
When it comes to finding non-toxic skincare, we are lucky to have in the Bay Area a number of wonderful companies including Annmarie Gianni, Marie Veronique and 100% Pure. But my favorite way to ensure that I’m using entirely healthy and nourishing products is to make my own food-based formulations. It takes a little practice to find the recipes and ingredients that support you best but it’s well worth the effort. To get you started I’ve included one of my favorite body butters below. Test it out and let us know what you think!
Shea Butter Body Lotion
Be sure to use organic, high-quality ingredients.
½ cup Shea Butter
¼ cup Coconut Oil
¼ cup Jojoba or Sweet Almond Oil
Optional: 10-20 drops lavender oil (or other high-quality essential oil of your choice. I get mine
from Snow Lotus)
Combine all ingredients except the essential oils in a double boiler. Gently melt on medium to low heat until the mixture is liquid.
Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature (the mixture should start to solidify).
Add essential oils and whip for 1-2 minutes until you reach your desired consistency.
Store in a jar in a cool, dry place. Use within 2 months.