My Top 5 Pregnancy Supplements for Prenatal and Postpartum Health

My Top 5 Pregnancy Supplements for Prenatal and Postpartum Health

Pregnancy is a beautiful yet demanding phase in a woman's life. A time when the right nutrition can make all the difference. From personal experience navigating through my fourth pregnancy, I've leaned heavily on select supplements to ensure both my baby and I received the best possible care. The following supplements have been instrumental in supporting our health and well-being.
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The DIrty Side of Everyday Soaps

The DIrty Side of Everyday Soaps

It's not news that we're exposed to approximately 168 chemicals every single day. Little wonder, health advocates are paying focus to "Chemical Burden Body" - the accumulation of chemicals in our urine, blood, and breast milk. So, how are these chemicals finding their way into our system? One of the culprits lies on our beauty shelves - conventional soaps.

What About Conventional Soaps?

Regular soaps and washes are fantastic for keeping our bodies clean, fresh, and sweet-smelling. But there's a dirty side to them that many manufacturers may not want you to see. Many conventional soaps contain toxic ingredients that destroy the skin, affect your overall well-being, and impact the environment. These are some downsides of traditional soaps and washes to the skin:

  • They can destroy the skin microbiome, destabilizing the healthy bacteria colony of your skin
  • Strip oils and lipids from your skin
  • Cause irritations such as dryness, itchiness, redness, etc...
  • Compromise the normal function of your skin's moisture barrier
  • Worsen skin concerns such as eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, and rashes

In addition to destroying the skin, the harsh ingredients in such soaps can penetrate your skin and get absorbed into your body. When toxic substances accumulate in your system, they can lead to health issues such as allergies, endocrine disruption, nervous system damage, miscarriages, etc. And what's more shocking is that these health concerns sometimes go unnoticed until they have wreaked havoc.

In this post, I'll highlight six common dangerous ingredients found in our everyday soaps and the "dirt" they leave behind.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

If you ever leave your shower feeling extra smooth, soft, and squeaky clean, there's a high tendency that your bath product contains the famous Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS). SLS is a chemical that is added to liquid cleansing products to form rich bubbles and boost foam.  

Studies  show that regular use of SLS-infused products can cause irritation to the skin and eyes. Also, it is suspected to cause cancer and hair loss.

Fragrance/Parfum

Scented personal care products such as soaps help to invigorate our senses, make us smell good, and even leave us relaxed. But there's a price we pay for it - our health.

According to research, the term "fragrance" is an Umbrella term that encompasses over 100 synthetic chemicals. What this means is that your single cosmetic product may contain more than 100 toxic chemicals. Now, imagine your body "gulping" all that poison. Fragrances trigger allergies, irritation, congenital disabilities, and reproductive concerns.

Synthetic Oils

A wide range of our cleansing products are formulated using refined hydrocarbons such as mineral oil and petroleum for hydration purposes. Exposure to refined oils, such as propylene glycol, has been proven to have adverse health effects, such as headaches, skin irritation, and dizziness.

Parabens

Certain preservatives in our cosmetics protect the product while attacking our health. An example is parabens. Parabens prevent the growth of microbial organisms and improve the shelf life of our body products. But do you know what else it does? It affects the endocrine system by mimicking the actions of the female sex hormone, estrogen. Studies claim that parabens have been identified in some bread cancer growths.

Alcohols

In our beauty products, alcohol acts as a penetration enhancer, that aids the absorption of certain ingredients. But how it aids penetration is where the problem lies.  Alcohol improves absorption by destroying the skin barrier. And this is why our skin feels dry and irritated after we use an alcohol-based product.

Are there Safer Alternatives?

The good news is that there are safer and healthier alternatives to toxic bath products. These healthy options are formulated using natural, simple, and toxin-free ingredients. An exceptional replacement for harsh soaps is our Ari Rose luxurious bar soaps. Our bars are gentle enough for both the face and body, while the shampoo bar is a great alternative to your conventional shampoo. Each bar is created using plant-derived oils and botanical extracts that are amazing for the skin.

Are Bar Soaps Made of Chemicals?

Bar soaps are produced using caustic soda known as lye. When lye is used in combination with fats, it is converted to soap. This process is known as "saponification." During this process, the caustic soda mixes with the plant-based oils to form a completely neutralized substance that we have come to know as soap. Rest assured that despite containing lye, a natural occurring substance in nature, our bar soaps are completely safe for long-term use.

… Not all Bar Soaps Are Created Equal

Did you know that like your fingers, not all soaps are created equal? The drug store soap bars that we all loved during our childhood and teenage years were not actually soaps? Can you believe that?

Let's do a quick assignment. Check the label of your favorite soap to see if you'd find the word “soap" and I bet you, you won’t! Why is that? You may begin to wonder. It's because unlike  botanical bar soaps that are made with real ingredients, popular and cheaper, conventional bar “soaps” are formulated with almost the same ingredients that are used to formulate detergents. The FDA does not allow traditional soap brands to write the word “soap” on their packaging because that would be the farthest from the truth.

Imagine washing your body with detergents! Yucky!! To get the Ultimate cleansing experience while you shower, do yourself a favor and use a REAL Soap Bar.

For a limited time, use code REALSOAP at Checkout for 15% off all Ari Rose soap bars.

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5 Tips for Ultimate Vaginal Health

5 Tips for Ultimate Vaginal Health

Our vaginas can never seem to catch a break; periods, pleasure, pregnancy, pH fluctuations, and even perimenopause. Add poor hygiene and crappy diets to the mix, and you'll see why the vagina is easily the most stressed organ in our bodies.
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WINTER TO SPRING: 4 EFFECTIVE SKINCARE PRODUCTS YOU NEED NOW

WINTER TO SPRING: 4 EFFECTIVE SKINCARE PRODUCTS YOU NEED NOW

Winter and its biting cold are finally behind us. As beautiful trees and flowers bloom, we must shed our thick, clothing, spruce up our surroundings, and do away with our winter skincare essentials.
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Preparing For A Healthy Quarantine

Preparing For A Healthy Quarantine

Given the nature of current events, the fear and panic that’s spreading, I felt that it was crucial to share whatever knowledge and information I have to help you during this time.
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Surviving Mercury Retrograde: Part Three - Conscious Practices

Surviving Mercury Retrograde: Part Three - Conscious Practices

YOU MADE IT! Today is the last day of Mercury Retrograde. If you haven't already, be sure to check out Part One & Two of our Series. This astrological energy is almost finished influencing our emotions and encouraging us all to dive deep within.
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Surviving Mercury Retrograde: Part Two - Just Eat!

Surviving Mercury Retrograde: Part Two - Just Eat!

Every moment, nature is serving fresh dishes with items of happiness. It is our choice to recognize and taste it.” - Unknown

As we move along with week two of the "Surviving Mercury Retrograde" series, you can check out week one here, Mercury continues to influence all the feels.

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Surviving Mercury Retrograde: A Self-Care Series

Surviving Mercury Retrograde: A Self-Care Series

Self Care Tips for Surviving Mercury Retrograde is in Full-Effect

"I'm sorry for what I said when Mercury was in retrograde..." — well, that's what we used to say before we had a good self-care routine. Self Care Tips for Surviving Mercury Retrograde is a wellness series designed to help you navigate the retrograde vibes with grace, patience, and self-care.

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3 Was to Relieve Stress & Sleep Well WIth This Mineral

3 Was to Relieve Stress & Sleep Well WIth This Mineral

As a new mom again, with three children of different developmental ages, 5 months, 5 and 13 years old, my time, energy and ability to handle stress is spread (very) thin. I'm actually writing this on my phone while nursing my baby. Clearly, I did not give up multi-tasking for 2019.
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Can Water in Skin Care be Dangerous?

Can Water in Skin Care be Dangerous?

Drinking water is essential for our bodies to stay hydrated, aiding in digestion and circulation. Consuming water is also known to keep your skin from becoming too dry or flaky. However, water is a questionable ingredient that you may want to think twice about having in your body care products.
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4 Unique Ways to Reuse Your Glass Jars

4 Unique Ways to Reuse Your Glass Jars

Plastic vs. Glass? It's no contest. Plastics are filling up our landfills and oceans and inevitably making their way back to our dinner plates. Tuna tartare à la plastic microfibers on the menu? No thank you!
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Lacinato Kale Dal - Recipe

Lacinato Kale Dal - Recipe

Want to add a little kick to your holiday meal planning? Let’s talk dal. Dal is a soup prepared from lentils and/or split peas, commonly made in the Indian subcontinent. Dal is not only full of flavor, but also high in protein and many other nutrients. The dal I made this week has lots of yummy ingredients that also happen to show your skin a lot of love! Some of the notable ingredients are kale, ginger and turmeric. Are you swooning, yet?
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