Where to search on unknown ingredients of un-organic products?

[KindRedSpirit]

Please share with me where I can find out the laymans terms for ingredients and their properties and effects.I know the info is out there somewhere.Thanks

[KindRedSpirit]

To answer my own question,I found a couple sites-wikipedia.com is great and naturalbath.com is very cool for anyone who makes their own stuff.Keep it comming

[late-night nan]

there is a searchable website at www.ewg.org (environmtl working group). click the link on the bottom left "How Safe are your Cosmetics?" you can also look up shampoos, toothpaste, etc. from that database, we realized there are almost no safe shampoos, or the ones that have a low (safe) score are very expensive, which convinced me to go no 'poo. now using baking soda and ACV, and very happy with it. also surprised that plain colgate or crest rated better than many of the natural toothpastes.

[KindRedSpirit]

Thanks nan,I'm exited to check it out!

[MeghansDad]

whats ACV? and whats the recipe you use to make your shampoo?

Thanks!

[KindRedSpirit]

ACV is apple cider vinegar.There is a whole FANTASTIC thread here on no (sham)'poo recipies.I just played with it every day,a handfull of bs and a squirt of (I use red wine vinegar,cos my hair is red...)vinegar with my heart's content of grapefruit oil,lavendar EO or orange EO-essential oil.

[HB2]

Wow. this is interesting. Thanks for sharing!

[Rebecca]

I have this book. Consumer's dictionary of cosmetic ingredients. There are similar books for food additives/ingredients too if you're interested.

[MeghansDad]

thanks for the 'poo recipe. can you premix the vinager and EO?

[late-night nan]

here's what I do for my regimen: in our bathroom I have a clear plastic canister with flip-top and rubber seal for storing the baking soda. It was something I purchased from Target to store grains or cereal, but I later learned it's the "bad plastic" that leaches toxins into foods (though I imagine perfectly safe for storing things for external use).

Anyway, so I have this container on a shelf near the shower and keep a long scoop (orig from Oxy Clean container? and washed) in there. I put in some baking soda and about 6-7 drops of essential oil--currently using Sweet Orange--which I stirred up and let sit to infuse. Also near the shower, I keep a wide-toothed comb and squirt bottle with a 50-50 solution of apple cider vinegar, also scented with EO to make it smell nice.

When I shower, I just take out a scoop or two and work it into my scalp on top and from the base of my neck. It makes my hair gritty, which is great since I end up removing any loose hairs that get caught in my fingers. Now the hair doesn't end up on the floors all over the flat, so this has saved a lot of cleaning time for me--i'd rather that they all end up in the drain, which I can clean in one fell swoop rather than having to sweep the floors all the time.

Anyway, I rinse and comb this out, then apply the ACV solution and rinse/comb. FOr my final step, I use some natural conditioner from Trader Joe's, mostly because I like the scent and I always have tons of conditioner around the house that I need to use up anyway.

Eventually I'd like to work in either a beaten egg or some honey into the regimen on occasion, but so far this is working great. My hair feels just as clean as with shampoo, if not healthier, and I'm saving a lot of money without worrying about SLS (sodium laureth sulfate) etc. HTH!

[chasmyn]

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