Lawren’s Product List

(updated 10.21.07)

I’ve been asked by many of you in recent months about those “iffy” ingredients in personal care products.  If you haven’t already read my page on Personal Care Products, click here for a primer on the subject of ”iffy” ingredients such as parabens, sodium laurel sulfate, and toluene (this will open a new browser window).

Here are the personal care products we are now using in the Coope household.  If you have any questions about a particular brand or product that I list, please post a comment at the bottom of this page and I’ll get right back to you.  The process of finding safer products has been quite a bit of trial and error, so I’d love to help make your search a little easier.  When researching a new product to try, I look first to see if it has been rated on the Skin Deep website.  If not, I use the Skin Deep site to look up any product ingredients that I’m unsure of.

Baby care/Little Kids

California Baby shampoo and body wash (sensitive skin)

Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Lotion (I will most likely not buy this again, because of the artificial fragrance)

365 Everyday Body Lotion - grapefruit scent (Whole Foods brand) – it is a little sticky, and when my daughter’s legs were really dry, it made her skin sting.

Tom’s Natural Toothpaste – silly strawberry (this contains fluoride)

California Baby Sunscreen SPF 30+ – no fragrance, face & body  

Dental Care

Tom’s of Maine Natural Whole Care Anticavity & Tartar Control Plus Whitening Gel (fluoride toothpaste) – I like the cinnamon-clove flavor, but it will knock your socks off.

Preserve Toothbrushes - Made from recycled Stoneyfield Farm yogurt cups!  When you wear your toothbrush out, you can send it back to the manufacturer using their postage-paid label, and they will recycle it into composite deck material.  They also make razors, utensils, and dishware.

Face Care – All MyChelle Products

Everything that I’ve tried from MyChelle has been stellar (with the exception of the sunscreen).  They are based in Colorado and seem to have perfected skin care for dry climates.  However, the eye care products I would recommend for anyone.  I use all of the following:

Fresh Eyes – a serum for dark circles and puffy eyes – it is PHENOMENAL.

Fabulous Eye Cream – a soothing eye cream for the delicate areas around your eyes and upper lip.

Deep Repair Cream – a cellular repair cream for “mature skin” – yikes! that’s ME!  I use this daily, under my sunscreen.

Revitalizing Night Cream – a “hydrating wrinkle treatment with hyaluronic acid, D-ceramides, alpha-lipoic acid and resveratrol”.

Honeydew Cleanser – a soothing, creamy cleanser and eye-makeup remover.

Bamboosa bamboo washcloths – they were 10 for $10 (the irregular ones), and they were well worth it because of their softness.  Now I can use one every night, throw it in with the wash, and not have any excuses for NOT washing my face each and every night (my new year’s resolution for 2007!)

MyChelle SunShield with ZinClear SPF 28 — This was not my favorite.  It came off in little white rolls on my face when I tried to apply light makeup over it.  I am still searching for a good sunscreen for my face. 

Hair Care

Giovanni Sunset Styling Lotion (to help straighten my crazy-curly hair) – this is a liquid rather than a gel, but it works better than any I’ve tried so far.

Giovanni Frizz Be Gone – anti-frizz hair texturing balm that is really AWESOME.

Max Green Alchemy Scalp Rescue Styling Gel - James really likes this.  He first tried Kiss My Face Upper Management medium hold styling gel, and it wasn’t his (0r my) favorite.

Shampoo/Conditioner:  I have been using Avalon Organics Therapeutic Shampoo (Volumizing Rosemary, I’ve also tried Lavendar) and Conditioner (revitalizing peppermint), and really like them so far.  The shampoo leaves my hair feeling drier than when I’ve used past shampoos, but once I condition it feels great.

Lotion – Hand and Body

Avalon Organics Hand and Body Lotion – Aloe-unscented – HUGE FAN of this.  I’ve now started using it on Ripley.

Burt’s Bees Thoroughly Therapeutic Honey & Grapeseed Oil Hand Creme 

Badger Body Butter – cocoa vanilla flavor (this is very oily/greasy, so I don’t use it every day)

Makeup

Gabriel Color Mascara – not water proof – the stuff that makes a mascara waterproof is an ”iffy” ingredient, IMHO.

Jane Iredale Amazing Base Loose Mineral Powder - I am totally sold on this.  With mineral makeup, you spray your face with hydration mist (I’m using one from Mineral Fusion Cosmetics) to “set” your powder makeup.  Looks really light and natural.

Badger Cocoa Butter Lip Balm — creamy cocoa flavor

Burt’s Bees beeswax lip balm

CHI Ceramic Nail Lacquer – formaldehyde, toluene and phthlate free.  My favorite colors so far are “ring around the roses” (shell pink) and “miss shops ALOT” (red).

Shaving

For Men:  Earth Science for Men After Shave Skin Soother

For Women:  Avalon Organics Moisturizing Cream Shave Aloe-Unscented — this works fine but I’d like to find a shaving foam.  I’m searching for Avalon’s Hair Bath and Body Shave in peppermint, so I’ll keep you posted.

Sunscreen

California Baby SPF 18 moisturizing sunscreen, no fragrance – I use this on my body, and it works great but it is very shiny-looking.

MyChelle SunShield SPF 28+ with ZinClear – As I mentioned under Face Care, I am not a fan of this one because of its tendancy to “roll up” when I try to apply anything over it.

California Baby SPF 30+, no fragrance – I use this on Ripley.

Feminine Products

I left this for last, so as to not freak out the guys.  I use all of the Natracare organic cotton products. 

I’ll do my best to keep adding products to the list, as I try them.  If you have a product that you love, please share it by posting a comment below.