Green Tips for pregnant women

Scare stories for pregnant women to avoid many products leave many with no idea what to use instead.

Read on for some easy tips on products that are easily available and green to use.

For the skin instead of chemical based creams.

Moisturizer . Coconut oil.

Easily available from local health shops and on the internet (I recommend ebay shop UK Freshskin for organic cold pressed coconut oil). There is a wealth of information on this wonderful oil on the internet and in books. It is a very ‘light’ oil that sinks into the skin leaving it smooth and supple without any greasy residue, wonderful for aromatherapy as it carries the essential oils into the skin so well.

Oil for use under makeup – makeup primer.

As a skin cream – keeps wrinkles at bay and feeds the skin. Coconut has the same saturated oils as human breast milk and is highly compatible with the natural chemical balance of the body. It is ok for use under make up foundations – just check that your foundation is oil, wax or silicone based as a water base foundation will be repelled by oil. To check put a dab of foundation on your palm and add a few drips of water – if they repel each other then the foundation is not water based.

Another option is to use Jojoba oil (actually a wax). Wonderful on and into the skin this oil is light and easily absorbed. Again easily available online and in shops, more expensive than coconut oil.

Use scrub instead of shower gels.

Make your own body scrubs up by grinding up some dried pulses/beans in a coffee grinder, remember to stop and start avoiding overheating the motor. Keep going until you get a powder and it feels smooth rather than lumpy and scratchy on the skin.

Zena’s Luxury herby body scrub.

Makes one jam jar of scrub

3/4 mug of any dried beans, lentils or rice

1/2 mug of herb

Herb 1 Lavender from the garden

Herb 2 Chamomile (from market in Norwich .70 per 30g)

Herb 3 Peppermint (again bought loose from Norwich market)

You do not need alot of scrub. If your skin is very dry tap out the scrub into a bowl then add 10ml  oil so that as you scrub the oil is going into the skin.

Deodorant natural

There are natural salt stones to rub into the underarm and neutralize any bacterial growth. Available at health shops, online and in some supermarkets there are many on the market. Google for ‘deodorant stone’. Do check that the stone does not contain any chemicals or metals.