Ideas for Non-Toxic Body Wash

Go Green in 2014: Week 43

I know we've gone over this already, but it's important enough to say again: Everything we put on our bodies is absorbed through the skin - our largest organ - through the pores. And when we take a warm, steamy shower, our pores open to soak up even more of the products we use to clean our bodies.

Although soaps and shower gels are meant for cleaning the skin, they often contain chemicals that pollute our bodies, potentially causing health issues in the long run. So you might feel clean on the outside, but inside is another story.... This doesn't mean you need to completely skip washing up in the shower, though. Don't worry. We're not doomed to a lifetime of body odor in exchange for "going green".

Gentle, non-toxic body wash ideas

There are various green body wash options. Here are just a few of the ideas I have come up with. If you think of others, please share!

1. BomaSense Face & Body Wash. This is what I currently use; it is $15 a bottle, and can be ordered from www.bomasense.com. It may not lather as much as your usual shower gel, but it contains safe and gentle ingredients such as green tea extract, aloe vera gel, and various other nourishing components.
2. Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap. This versatile soap comes in a liquid or a bar. I personally use the liquid for washing my face and washing dishes, and the bar for handwashing in one of my bathrooms, but it can be used as a body wash, as well. You can order it here (affiliate link).
3. Various kitchen ingredients. Yes, you can combine items found in the kitchen and around the house to make your own body wash. I don't have my own recipe, but here's one I found online to share with you: Nourishing Homemade Body Wash from Live Simply.

I'm guessing most of you use a loofah or washcloth to apply your body wash. Personally, I got sick of buying new scrubbies all the time and started using my hands to rub it into my skin. However, after a while I began to miss the skin sloughing effect...so I decided to give dry skin brushing a try.

What is dry skin brushing?

The idea is to use a natural fiber body brush to slough dry skin prior to showering. I purchased an Earth Therapeutics brush from Amazon.com for around $7. Simply use long strokes to brush your skin toward the heart.

Dry brushing has many benefits, including softer, smoother skin. It can help to get your circulation moving, and some even say it can help reduce the appearance of cellulite. But let's not get into too much detail right now - that's a post for another time!

If you don't have a skin brush, you can always go back to Week 15, when I shared a homemade body scrub recipe for naturally smooth skin.

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Disclosure: This post may contain some affiliate links, but all opinions are my own.

Your challenge: This week, try out a green, non-toxic body wash in the shower.

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**This post is part of a weekly challenge {Go Green in 2014}, during which the author has challenged herself - and you - to find 52 ways to lead a greener life in 2014. You can follow the weekly posts on this page.**