Physical aging appearance

I alternate coconut oil with a few other things.  My determined search for safe, high-quality skin care after my BC dx led me to Origins.  Their products are largely plant-based and very effective.  I have tried almost every product in their skin care line over the past four years and like all of it!

I am positively addicted to their VitaZing day moisturizer.  It is off-white in the tube, but once you put it on your face, it warms to the exact shade of your individual skin, so it gives a bit of coverage and glow.  Packed with anti-oxidants.  That, followed by their Brighter By Nature powder compact (which is spf 30 without chemicals) are what I wear instead of foundation now. 

Plus, everything in their line smells good and feels good.  That counts for a lot! 

I was told by my naturopathic doctor that hair dye is the worst thing to use.  I have been having my hair color done in the Aveda Salons and their products are supposed to be plant based.  Does anyone know if this is true?

Thanks for the tip on Origins...I am going to shift to that product as my current ones are used up.

I was taken off all of my bioidentical hormones after my dx, and I can certainly feel the difference of not having them balanced.  I don't have much energy left and feel tired all the time, with little ambition to do anything but sit around.  This definitely isn't like me!  I now have to force myself to exercise so I don't lose my muscle tone.  There has to be a better way to live after bc dx! 

Wish I could remember exactly where I read this and provide a citation, but I recently came across a study that found no correlation between hair dye and BC.

I second the praise for Origins products. There hasn't been anything I've tried that I haven't liked. 

Yes, if I stopped coloring my hair, I would immediately look like my grandmother!

Wenweb, I'm right there with you on the wine and the Vagifem!  I guess my third is perfume. Sometimes we need just a few slivers of sanity restored.

Just because something is "plant based" doesn't mean it is safe!! Black cohash, soy and crap like that is all plant based and it's bad for you.

I don't filter what I use on my body as I use so little of it. I put cream on my face MAYBE once a week!!!! I don't put cream on my body at all!

Like everyone is saying, you have to live your life or there's no point!

Barbe, you are right about plants that are contraindicated for BC, but I check all the labels at Origins and I've not found anything taboo.  You can see their interactive Ingredient Finder chart here.

I need moisturizers head to toe, but I try not to put anything on my skin that I wouldn't put in my mouth... well, except for perfume.  That is my one guilty pleasure.  

I'm always afraid of damaging my clothes, though.  I guess that's silly, isn't it?

I just wonder if it's really, truly all that bad for us. Seems like we would know by now.

I am just going to believe it's good for me, because it makes me feel good.  

Right there with you, Barbe!  I have at least 8 bottles going at all times! Stepping into my closet and getting that heady, beautiful waft of Chanel Cristalle or Gucci Rush or Coco Mademoiselle -- ahhh, that's just one of life's purest pleasures to me.

As for negatives... I haven't heard anything specific and I haven't seen any studies or anything... and certainly no doctor has ever mentioned it to me... you just occasionally hear someone question what we're spraying on our skin every day.  

One interesting thing as it pertains to ALL of us here -- I've read there was one study in Japan that concluded that citrus scents alleviated depression better than anti-depressants.  I find this very interesting because the scents I wear most in summer and fall have strong citrus overtones -- and those are the two seasons when I am least prone to depression. I always attributed my mood lift in warm weather to strong sunlight, which I'm sure has a lot to do with it... but if I get down in the dumps this winter, I'm getting out my citrusy perfumes that I usually store away in winter, for sure! I also have kept a little bottle of lemon balm essential oil in my purse at times to put in my water in restaurants -- but you know, I find myself opening the bottle to take a big whiff, and now I realize that I do that because it makes me feel good.  Interesting, huh?  Oh, and one other thing I just thought of -- I tend to buy lemon-scented cleaning supplies, given a choice. I like it in my tea, lots of it. And I often squeeze lemon juice on just about everything on my plate.

I guess I'm addicted to citrus scents, and now I know why!

Margaritas, anyone???

Jenlee, be careful what you wish for!! I am having surgery in a couple of weeks to take out the other side of my thyroid and the huge tumour attached to it. Neck surgery isn't pleasant to say the least. Swallowing, eating, and breathing all become issues.

That is a very good point!

I just avoid all parabens, pthalates, and herbs like Tea Tree, Lavendar.  I don't know if any others are estrogenic, but I tend to use only coconut oil and apricot kernel oil on my skin for lotion. I use Nature's Gate shampoo and conditioner on my hair.  I use Burt's Bees products (mainly their awesome lip glosses) as well.

shore--there is a thread on here called organic makeup? It has some really good information on it.  I'll bump the thread for you so you can find it on the active list or go to my wall and find my post.  Also you can check things out on the EWG website  http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/   they rate products on good and bad for you.  Has been very helpful to me.

Hi everyone, I know this gets posted a lot, but I double checked the Origins line on cosmetics database.  Unfortunately, like a lot of "natural" products, they have a lot of items with moderate to high health risk ingredients.  It's worth running your cosmetics through this site:  www.ewg.org.

Also, FWIW, Origins is an Estee Lauder company.  I steer clear of the companies that bought out the little guys.  For starters, EL is a major animal tester, and has dug its heels in on that issue.  And I don't quite trust the quality control for a "natural" line under the auspices of a major corporation with other toxic lines of cosmetics.

Again, FWIW.