It all began after a doctor’s appointment for my yearly physical that shifted my entire perspective on my health. My blood work came back with high levels of heavy metal & chemical toxic overload which concerned both myself and my doctor. She gave me in depth details on the long term side effects that this causes, one of those being cancer, if I didnt eliminate or avoid certain services or products that contained toxic chemicals. That scared me straight and was the very thing I needed to shift things into high gear. Let’s be real here, working in an industry where I am constantly around chemicals, it’s hard to fully avoid them. However, because I took this news seriously, I started to eliminate specific services that exposed me to a high dose of chemicals, like formaldehyde from smoothing treatments, and I now only carry products free of parabens, polyethylene glycols & sulfates just to name a few. The most important thing I needed to focus on as well were the products I was putting on my skin. Given that it is our biggest organ that absorbs everything we put on it, in turn going into our bloodstream, I knew I had to be mindful of taking MAJOR inventory of all the products I had (I’m a product junkie), reading all the labels and bringing awareness to myself what was really being put on my body to truly help me on this clean journey. Fast forward to today, I have become obsessed with discovering clean beauty products, knowing I’m consciously buying something that was thoughtfully curated to benefit & nurture my body as it continues to heal and no doubt makes me consistent on this journey.

Here are some of the things I did to support my detox:

First things first as mentioned above, I went to my naturopathic doctor and she ran several tests to see what specific toxins appeared in my body. From there, she prescribed me several supplements (I wont list these because not everything works for everybody. Contact your doctor for recommendations based on your needs.) that were going to help support my body as we started the journey to detoxing & getting it back to where it needed to be. The following below are a few steps that helped flushed things out:

• Drinking warm water with fresh organic lemon juice: Drinking 4 oz first thing in the morning.
  This helps to reduce the acidity in the body, as well as support liver and bowel functions to get things moving.

• Filtered reverse osmosis water: 4oz. of water every hour to maintain proper hydration with pure H2O. This water has been filtered several times and has reduced contaminates such as chlorine, bacteria and mercury, and additionally reduces sediments like rust, sand and particles that are sometimes found in drinking water. You can purchase a Berkey Water Filter or fill up water jugs at WholeFoods reverse osmosis water station

• Epsom Salt Bath: I use food grade Epsom Salt, placing 1-2 cups in a bath and staying in for at least 15-20 minutes. I don’t shower afterwards; I just dry off and go directly to bed. This increases the body’s temperature which will cause lots of sweat, helping the detoxifying process.

• Organic Castor Oil (cold pressed): Apply a small amount (dime size) over your liver, lungs, or abdomen nightly. Castor oil rubbed over these specific areas daily, can increase lymphatic drainage from our lymphatic system, which acts as the sewer system for our body. This is where toxins, infections, metals, dead cells and debris from all over the body are collected and cleaned up. Detoxifying this area is so important for the body and strengthens the immune system, improves bowel movements, reduces food sensitivities, decreases inflammation and prevents disease enhancing overall health.

• Colonics: I’ll leave out the details.. Just do your research and know this will change your life. I’d reccommend going to Tummy Temple

• Infrared Sauna Once Per Week: Sweating is one of the body’s preferred ways of getting rid of toxins. That’s why sauna use is an excellent way to naturally detox your body. By sweating profusely, you flush out toxins, heavy metals and even mold. Studies have also shown and suggested that using saunas frequently can reduce your chances of catching a common cold by up to 50%. I love going to City Sweats or Float

My Top 5 Clean Beauty Products That Support My Body From Harsh Chemiclals:

Handmade La Conner (Local small business)

I discovered this small business after asking my doctor for some of her favorite clean beauty products that she uses and this was one of them. I love supporting local, women-owned businesses so this was an easy one to support after reading the rave reviews

My Faves: Eucalyptus + Mint Body Butter or Whipped Moisturizing Cream, Bow Hill Blueberry Scrub, Recover Best Hand Cream, Woodsy Body Wash and Lavender & Rosemary Body Wash. 

Detox Box Subscription

I have been subscribing to detox boxes for a few years now and these boxes are a great way to discover one or more green beauty products from their selected brands. Ranging from Goop, Vintner’s Daughter, Ursa Major and more! The subscription is $68 dollars a month & worth every penny for what you get!

Eminence Skincare Products

I was first introduced to this Hungarian line after my facial by my Esthetician Jessica, owner of Spa Noir. I have very sensitive skin and almost always break out after receiving facials but not with these products. My skin had a glow I haven’t seen in a while and I had no irritation, which is very rare for me. The added plus was all the beautiful aromas each product had.

My Faves: Mangosteen Daily Resurfacing Cleanser, Kombucha Microbiome Foaming Cleanser, Monoi Age Corrective Night Cream, Stone Crop Oxygenating Fizzofoliant.

Pai Skincare

I first discovered this line in a Detox box and was instantly impressed on how moisturizing and soothing their oil cleansers were and for once it didn’t break me out. As someone who has very dry skin, it’s hard to find a product line that would keep me moisturized for a long period of time but I found the holy grail with this one. This women owned business is B certified and all products are 100% natural with at least 70% of (non-water) ingredients being organically grown and harvested. This line is in my rotation.

My Faves: Light Work Rose Hip Oil Cleanser, The Anthemis Chamomile Soothing Moisturizer, Rose Hip Biodegrade.

Davines Haircare

This products is the definition of luxury clean beauty! I love Davines for so many reasons from the packaging, quality, smell and their values when it comes to sustainability just to name a few. All Davines products are designed, formulated and manufactured in their headquarters and laboratories in Parma, Italy. They have such a wide variety of products for all hair types and they continue to evolve constantly. I have been using this product line for years and my clients have continued to rant and rave about how good this line has been for their hair. Davines does not aim to be the largest company in the world, but to be the most beautiful and the most ethical. They are also proud to be a B Corp company.

My Faves: OI all in one milk, OI oil, OI shampoo, OI Conditioner, OI Butter