Safer Personal Products for Women with PCOS

Did you know that it only takes about 15 minutes for the skin to absorb what is put on the body and enter the bloodstream?

 AND

Most personal products are chock full of endocrine disruptors, aka harmful chemicals, that mess with your hormones.

Your skin is your largest and most delicate organ. You need to protect it! It is your first line of defense.

You deserve to know what goes into your body daily. This list is meant to inform you of possible dangers and empower you to be a smart consumer. There are options on the shelves that are safe, gentle, and effective without the consequences of hormonal imbalance, reproductive health problems, toxicities, and cancer.

After doing a lot of research and making changes in my own life, I found these products and brands to be the safer alternatives we have been seeking when it comes to detoxifying a personal care routine. 

1.      Tampons

As if that time of the month didn't already come with its own hazards, you need to think twice about the feminine hygiene products you select. Did you know that tampons have odor neutralizers, dyes, pesticides, and fragrances in them? They even contain small amounts of dioxin (a noxious chemical known to be a human carcinogen) a by-product of the cotton being bleached. Fear not, there are finally better options on the market.

·        Seventh Generation Not only does this company have a good sense of humor- thank you, Maya Rudolph- but they were among the first in the organic tampon space. They use organic cotton, are chlorine-free, and do not use fragrances or deodorants, "who needs that stuff in their hoo-ha". If you haven't seen Maya's "vajingle" 😊 please take a moment to enjoy it below. 

·        L. is a lesser-known brand with a commitment to protecting women with their products and their profits. Their tampons are free from synthetic pesticides, fragrances, and dyes. L. believes in giving back. For every product purchased, they provided access to health products to girls who need them. That's what I call a win-win.

·        Cora is committed to using pure, ethically sourced ingredients. Their tampons are free of GMOs and pesticides. Like L., they are committed to giving back globally. For every month’s supply of Cora you purchase, they help provide a month’s supply of pads and health education to a girl in need.

·        The Honest Company- How could you not love Jessica Alba and her company? She founded The Honest Company because she wanted safe, effective products that perform. Their tampons are no exception. They are made without rayon, polyester, fragrances, deodorants, glues & adhesives, phthalates, chlorine or chlorine dioxide processing, polypropylene, myreth-3-myristate, synthetic zeolites, alcohol ethoxylates, glycerol, glycerol esters, polysorbate-20, or antibacterial agents. Well done, Ms. Alba.

2.      Soaps

A lot of soaps contain sulfates such as sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) which, when bonded with other chemicals, can be carcinogenic. You can also find parabens, which if you aren't familiar, are preservatives that can mimic your hormones and disrupt their functioning in the body. Ureas found in soaps can release the chemical formaldehyde.

·        Dr. Bronner’s pure castile soap is a good alternative. Dr. Bronner’s products use organic fair-trade ingredients. There aren’t any synthetic preservatives, detergents, or foaming agents in their products. Don't worry about the suds, you are still getting quite clean!

3.      Moisturizer

There are a ton of chemicals in moisturizers. They contain parabens, preservatives, fragrances, phthalates, fragrances, retinyl palmitate, and retinol, and the list goes on! I could write an entire article just on moisturizers. For this post, I have limited it to two: something general and something richer with an anti-aging tilt.

·        Jojoba oil- on the other hand, is a perfect moisturizer to use. It works well for your face, neck, hands, or feet. It is completely natural and contains no chemicals.  Jojoba oil is similar to the sebum found in human skin which makes it less likely to clog pores in acne-prone skin. The oil is quickly absorbed so it won’t leave you feeling greasy.

·       Christina Moss Naturals Facial Moisturizer- This one gets high marks for its certified organic ingredients and exclusion of toxic petrochemicals and petroleum. A family-owned company that makes all their products in small batches to ensure freshness and eliminate the need for chemical preservatives. In addition, this face cream is formulated without SLS, SLES, Propylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol Derivatives, Parabens, Sulfates, Dyes, and Synthetic Fragrances. It is also cruelty-free! You can keep your skin looking beautiful without putting your health at risk. This is the one that I currently am using and loving! :)

4.      Shampoo & Conditioner

Hair products are often filled with sulfates, dyes, fragrances, parabens, phthalates, etc. Most people use them almost every day and, with the scalp skin being on the thin side, you are giving your body a daily dosing of chemicals. For that reason, swapping out these shower staples can have a big impact. Luckily, there are fantastic options at your fingertips.

·        The brand shea moisture is a good one to check out. They have so many different shampoos and conditioners based on your hair type. The company believes in safe and uncompromising beauty. That means you can trust their products to be free of parabens, phthalates, mineral oil, DEA, petroleum, formaldehyde, and propylene.

·        Another company to explore is Acure. Their products are not tested on animals and are free from parabens, sulfates, phthalates, synthetic fragrances, and artificial colors. This family-owned company stands behind the quality of its certified organic ingredients.

·        Juice organics With a slogan of "Healthy Beauty. It’s the only way”, you know you can find some non-toxic personal care gems. Parabens, phthalates, sulfates, silicones, propylene glycol, artificial colors, or synthetic fragrances are banned from their products.

·        If you suffer from hair thinning or loss, then check out this article about PCOS hair loss.

If you are pregnant or planning on getting pregnant, then you NEED this guide. It details the products that you should avoid that you might never even think of.

5.      Acne products

Unfortunately, acne products are some of the worst offenders on the market. Companies tell you that you need these potent chemicals to kill the harmful bacteria that is causing those zits. Have you ever had success with these products? Me either! Hormonal acne doesn't need any help from products filled with endocrine disruptors. 

6.      Anti-perspirant

While there is no proven evidence between antiperspirants and cancer, I just want to limit any sort of chemicals that are considered questionable. Anti-perspirants work by clogging your pores and preventing you from sweating. Your body is trying to remove toxins, but the chemicals are essentially trapping them in. Many antiperspirants contain aluminum, parabens, propylene glycol, artificial colors, or synthetic fragrances. I gave up antiperspirant when I wanted to get pregnant. I prefer natural deodorant now and I have ZERO plans on turning back.

We use deodorant every single day. That makes it another swap that can make a real impact on your exposure to harsh chemicals. 

·        Native is an all-natural deodorant made right here in the USA. They pride themselves on using ingredients you can pronounce. On top of not being tested on animals, Native excludes aluminum, talc, and parabens from their sticks.  This is what I am currently using, and I LOVE IT! It really works!! Plus their customer service is awesome. Try for a month and if you don’t like it, they will refund you. That’s how much they believe in their product.

·        Crystal Mineral Deodorant is made without aluminum chloride/chlorohydrate/ zirconium, parabens, phthalates, silicones, petrolatum, artificial dyes, or artificial fragrances. It dries quickly and doesn’t leave any residue. I used this when I was pregnant and I was happy with it.

·        Schmidt’s is another excellent alternative. I think it smells great and works well.  Made in the U.S., Schmidt's is certified vegan and cruelty-free, as well as, gluten-free. Their deodorants are free of aluminum, propylene glycol, parabens, and phthalates.

Finding natural products can be challenging but there are good alternatives out there. Give them a try and see how your body reacts to them. You will likely find, you don't miss those chemical-filled, hormone-disrupting products at all!

Don't fret about changing your entire routine; start a little at a time. As you use up a product, try replacing it with a healthier alternative. You can make the change as fast or as slow as you want. Before you know it, you will be using healthier, more natural products.

Stay tuned next week for the second part of this post, which will focus on natural beauty options to try!!

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Have you had success with any products that I should know about? Leave me a comment below! 

The items listed above are accompanied by affiliate links, meaning I earn a small commission if a purchase is made through my links. This has no impact on the cost to the consumer. I link to products this way whenever possible, and it has no bearing on the products I choose to review or recommend.

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