Shampoo, Soap, Toothpaste, and Deodorant suggestions

Dr. Bronner's is what I use for a good all-purpose soap and shampoo.  It works well for me.  I use the bar as a body wash.  The liquid I use as shampoo, as well as a dish cleaning and hand-washing solution.  I have a 21 month old and I use the mild form for her soap and shampoo.  I've never had an issue.  I haven't tried the other 16 uses, though!
I've had absolutely no luck with finding a good "green" deoderant.  I've tried several brands and none of them help in any meaningful way.  So it comes down to the "bad" stuff or I might as well take the truly natural approach and use nothing!

I like Bronners too and it does work great for seriously everything. My favorite shampoos and conditioners are the basic organic ones in the bulk section at my local natural grocery store, because I can refill bottles rather than buying new. You can get Bronners in bulk too which is a perk.

If you like bar soap I'd go to your natural grocers or whole foods or somewhere like that and look at local bars. I've lived in three states in the last ten years and all had grocers with natural and organic soaps made locally. Local is good plus many times these locally made bars come totally sans packaging. You just buy them in blocks.

 

Another bar soap idea is LUSH. LUSH is pretty darn awesome. They make bar soaps that double up as shampoo and don't test on animals and use natural ingredients. The stuff they do package is packaged in eco-friendly materials and they have a ton of green policies in place at their company.

Toothpaste - I haven't found a brand I love. I'm currently using Toms of Maine I don't like mint anything, so I use the cinnamon kind or the kids orange kind. You can recycle the tubes which I like. I also use Preserve toothbrushes, which are made from recycled yogurt cups and they're recyclable too. You can buy Preserve brushes in bulk at Amazon too which is handy.

Deodorant - I'm with Captaint on this one. I've literally tried dozens of 'eco' deodorants and NEVER found one that actually stops sweat and makes you smell nice. I know some people don't care, but if I have to go interview someone or have a business meeting, smelling funky or sweating is not so cool. The closest thing I've found to a workable deodorant is Burts Bees Herbal Deodorant but it's not an antiperspirant AND last I checked Clorox still owned them which I really don't like. Most eco deodorants just plain don't work. I'm still looking though because trust me I feel bad when I buy something like Secret.

On the deodorant issue, I ran into this last year and finally settled for Crystal body deodorant roll-on and Jason deodorant stick (Tea Tree scent).

The Crystal says it is for men or women, but I have discovered that it doesn't work to great unless you shave. It almost creates this protective barrier, and although you might sweat a little, somehow it miraculously doesn't smell bad. It is non-scented and doesn't have the aluminum chlorohydrate. My favorite part, it is clear and it doesn't destroy my clothing.

On other days, I use the Jason's deodorant stick, which does nothing to stop sweat but at least gives you a nice scent to start with and doesn't leave a lot of white residue like most do. Some days I put on the Crystal and let it dry, then put on the other. (I have no air conditioning in my car and we have serious humidity in the summer, this is the best I've found so far)

I've rested on Kiss My Face toothpaste, I also use their lotion and hair products. I like the toothpaste a lot, it is foamy without SLS, and the tubes are #2 recyclable. I've used the Sensitive and the Triple Action, and loved them both. (Warning it is bright green -Aloe vera is a main ingredient)

I had Dr. Bonner's bar soap once, I really liked it. I've tried a few different brands and I currently have a Whole Foods generic milk bar, it is a great soap and facewash too.

A product you may wish to consider trying is handmade soap--something that you may find locally or from one of many Internet sellers.  I find these delightful (even have my 79 year old stepfather using them) and (like prior comments) I like the idea of not buying something "corporate" like more of the natural companies are becoming.  It's great if you can find something rated by the environmental working group or if going small and local look for something that is scented with essential oils rather than synthetic fragrances. 

Have you tried Bubble and Bee products? I think you would really like the Pit Putty deodorant. They are handmade in Utah, and Steph is a real stickler about her ingredients. They have a lot of great products including shampoo and bar soaps, and they're working on a toothpaste. Take care and good luck with your shopping!

Jason products are great, Lush are not as green as they seem, sorry. Full of Parabens , and other hormone disrupter ingredients, which is such a shame because they smell so good!!! If you use a Lush product just make sure it is not one of those, not all products have Parabens or synthetics, but a large percentage do. Synthetic perfumes are also damaging to our bodies.

A natural collection - Weleda -Biodynamic no synthetics, no Parabens and carbon footprint low. Urtekram, (Trying to think of USA products as I come from UK ), I use Dr.Bronners for my floors, hair, washed the car with it, shampooed the carpet with it. I reckon you could find 18+ things to do with the soap. It is a basic castille soap, very natural, with essential oils. And Fair Trade.

Kindness

Dr. Bronner's is a good one to try .... as you can see by the other responses. :-)  I've started using the LUSH Trichomania shampoo bar and my hair loves it!  LUSH products were recommended to me by others -- passing the recommendation on to you!

Some Lush products aren't great, it's true, however, their solid shampoos score well at Skin Deep.

That said this is a good reminder that you have to research goods before you buy. While I do like Dr. Bronners they're still listed on OCA Organic cheaters list of products to avoid. Jason products are also on the OCA list and have many products that score 7-9 at Skin Deep which is not great at all in terms of safe body care products.

There are big differences between natural and organic products and natural vs. organic vs. safe and chemical free. You have to read labels before you buy, and while it's not a perfect system you can also check product scores at Skin Deep.

Yes you right Lush do some great products, I am not saying all bad, as you said you just have to check the ingredients and marketing value. I didn't know about Jason products being on that list? I remember a small mention re; Dr.Bronners, but thought they were going to court to stand against those claims.

I will make a promise to up date my information this week. Thanks for informing me - everyday is a school day :)

I think as long as the company is showing great efforts to be clear and (not disguise) and as consumers we look into the ingredients - then it is a step closer to a perfect solution.

Who can resist the heavenly scent of a Lush Store!!!

I agree - so long as we push for full disclosure on labels and at websites it makes it easier for consumers to make smart choices. Products don't all have to be perfect, but consumers do deserve good labeling. My boyfriend is obsessed with LUSH btw. He's like, "Let's go to the LUSH store - yippee!" He's strange.

My favorite deodorant is a mineral salts deodorant stone, It is a mineral salt mined out of the ground. It is totally non toxic and it works amazingly well. When sweat leaves your body it is sterile and odorless. But when it comes in contact with the bacteria that lives on your skin it causes the bacteria to multiply and gives off the body odor. It is actually the bacteria that smells not your sweat. The bacteria can't thrive in the mineral salts environment and therefor no odors at all. 

edited to remove link - Russ
Edited by greenlover - 3/17/10 at 11:27pm

Mineral salts also cost much less than typical toxic deodorants.

I always try to make sure that I buy organic and eco-friendly stuff for my family. It's always a worth it to invest in the health of your family as well as the environment.

when my cousin visited from Europe, she brought me towels from Nef + Co. I think it's a swiss brand. For organic cleaning and personal care items, i usually favor babyganics. It's from the US, and I'm not sure if its available anywhere else. I usually get the handsoap, which is environment friendly because it's made from plants. You can check it out here http://www.babyganics.com/.

Anybody has a suggestion where I can get an organic bed? And i mean the bed furniture itself, not the sheets. Lol

Welcome to Green Options Linda S -

Actually I've been looking for an eco-friendly bed that doesn't cost my first born for a while. I've come to think that the cheapest green route may be to go with a used frame (refinish with non-toxic finish) and spring for the organic mattress. Or I may go with a local company who deals in sustainable wood. Where do you live? It's hard to order an eco-bed.

Some places that ship include...

Tropical Salvage
The Clean Bedroom
Maybe Urban Woods
Keetsa

Thanks so much jennifer! I think I'm going to try Urban Woods as we're currently staying in bay area, CA and the company is based in Van Nuys. It seems to be the nearest one on the list.

-Linda

I recently found this all natural deodorant cream from Soapwalla on Etsy. It is the best deodorant I have ever used. It's a mixture of natural clays, vegetable powders and essential oils. The consistency is like frosting for easy application and it is SUPER long lasting. $10/ 2 ounces.

 

There are a good amount of natural and organic products for just about everything - toothpaste, shampoos, hand wipes, and so on. The only thing is many companies are deceptive in promoting their products to be organic when they are not. You have to be a label reader and know what ingredients to avoid. A good site I like is Best Organic Deals. Great organic products but a bit pricey.

Well, hunting for bargains is my hobby but as Jill state finding a cheaper shampoo could mean poor hair quality and I try to avoid any less known brands. However, I do not reflect over soap and I buy all kind of soap brands both well-known and vice versa for cleaning my mattress pads and other stuff as well.

I found the best natural deodorant - Now Foods, Long-Lasting Deodorant Cream. I have tried tons of natural deodorants, but this is the best so far. I feel completely safe all day long.

Feed your skin with the fruits of nature. Nourish your skin with this indulgent bath oil made from pure, concentrated plant-based essential oils and vitamins like lemon, sweet almond and vitamin E for intense moisture and suppleness leaving you with soft, beautiful skin, naturally. The Burts Bees oil is good and keeps your skin young.

Have you ever tried the Morrocco Method Shampoos? I personally use them and they are all natural.  I order them online and get them shipped to my home.  I use them on the kids too. They have 5 shampoo varieties and also Handmade Soaps!