herbal tooth powder

we’ve talked about tooth powders and pastes before, but i wanted to get back into DIYing my oral care routine. why? because i really want to try more herbal-based tooth powders, and i couldn’t find one that fit everything i wanted and didn’t want.

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please note i am not a dentist or in any way trained professionally in oral care.

what i don’t want in my toothpaste (please do your own research):

  • fluoride
  • SLS / foaming agents
  • glycerin
  • eucalyptus essential oil
  • wintergreen essential oil
  • baking soda
  • artificial colors
  • artificial flavors

what’s in my tooth powder:

  • bentonite clay
    • high mineral content
    • absorbs impurities
  • calcium carbonate
    • helps with remineralization
  • white oak bark
    • supports healthy gum tissue
  • neem bark powder
    • reduces gingivitis
  • peppermint, clove, and oregano essential oils
    • cleansing; targets decay; safe orally in tiny amounts (NOT to ingest)

recipe:

  • 3 tablespoons bentonite clay
  • 1 tablespoon calcium carbonate
  • 1 teaspoon white oak bark powder
  • 1 teaspoon neem bark powder
  • 2 drops peppermint eo
  • 1 drops clove eo
  • 1 drops oregano eo

put dry ingredients into a small airtight glass jar. shake until mixed. add EOs 1 drop at a time, shaking between.

do you use herbal tooth powders or pastes? please share your preferred ingredients below!

XO, ALEXRAYE

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advice on starting your “green” life: reboot

the landscape has changed so much over the last 5 years, and you can buy pretty much any “green” beauty product you want nearly anywhere. when i started this blog in 2012, that definitely was not case; hence why i DIY’ed everything.

now, the “green” beauty world is FULL of options. it’s really easy to get overwhelmed! i remember when i first started and how i felt like an electronic hoarder of ingredient safety information and peer-reviewed research. i soaked up everything i could.

but now, with so many different opinions on “natural” alternatives, where do you begin? how do you begin?

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be an educated consumer

there are SO many “green” options out there that you’ll need to sift through countless offerings to find what works for you. research the available options, research ingredients, research companies, research product reviews, etc. don’t ever stop learning! being an educated consumer is my top priority in anything i share with you all.
when in doubt, reach out!

take baby steps (or don’t)

just because you’re switching over doesn’t mean you have to throw everything away and start completely from scratch (although you most certainly can). don’t overwhelm yourself! if you get too overwhelmed, it’ll be ‘easier’ to become more unmotivated to stick with the transition. you’re putting yourself through a lifestyle change. give it time! try to have patience. start with the basics. save money by not buying everything all at once.  give yourself time to learn as much as you can about each category of options before you switch.
my suggestion? start by switching out your shampoo/conditioner, then toothpaste, then deodorant. if you wear makeup, that’s an easy switch nowadays! i’d leave skincare last, as it’s the most intricate and expensive.

find a “green” community

you’re making a complete lifestyle change and there are like-minded people out there doing the same. we all have frustrations, we all have those “aha!” moments when things work beautifully, and we all have questions! don’t ever ever ever hesitate to reach out. this whole “green” community is full of people that have “been there, done that” and it’s a tremendous source of wisdom. learn from others and help others! i think supporting each other in this journey is so important! what other group of strangers will talk openly about their armpits with you just to save you from stinking?

this includes finding bloggers and instagram accounts to stay “in the know” and keep connected to the community.

stay open-minded

you’ll more than likely come across concepts and uses for things you’ve never heard of before. for example, water-only washing and brushing your teeth with charcoal. you just gotta keep an open mind and keep in mind that just because one thing doesn’t work for you, doesn’t mean that nothing will work for you. for example on hair care, some people love co-washing, some love clay, and some love 100% pure’s line. it just takes time and patience.

don’t be afraid to DIY

don’t be afraid to mix things up or experiment. i really think that’s the fun side of venturing into “green” self-care. it’s like you get to play mad scientist. you’ll know exactly what’s in your products. you’ll be able to tailor everything to meet your specific needs (and those of loved ones). and lastly, you’ll probably save money.
my suggestion: oil cleansers, facial serums, and hair oils are great starter DIYs, that also ensure you learn the fatty acid composition of different oils and how they interact with your skin. knowing this will allow you to filter out products that won’t work for you, solely based on reading an ingredient label. it’s really empowering! this blog is also full of DIY ideas. poke around!

be proud

be proud of yourself. seriously. you’re putting yourself through a complete lifestyle change and you’re going against the socially acceptable norm. how many people do you think have the drive to completely change the only ways they’ve ever known how to care for their bodies after 20/30/40/50 years? YOU, my friend… YOU. so pat yourself on the back, and pamper yourself with a coconut oil scrub foot massage and a papaya face mask. you deserve it.

sending love,

XO, ALEXRAYE

my current beauty routine

wow… it’s been 3 years since i shared my beauty routine with you.

i don’t know about you, but i love seeing what other people use to take care of themselves. do you?

let’s dive in –

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as always, nothing linked is an affiliate or benefits me in any way.

please share your current routines below! i really love to hear from you guys.

HAIR

i use both shampoo and conditioner now, due to living in a very dry and very polluted environment. it is what it is.

SKIN

TEETH

this hasn’t changed much, if at all, over the last few years.

DEODORANT

  • schmidt’s – geranium
    • i was using the lavender but my stank would come through before i left the office

PERFUME

we all know tsi-la is my ride or die, but here in mexico, sandovalis has stolen my heart!

NAIL POLISH

i’ve switched to exclusively using Zoya. they’re 10-free and vegan – rejoice! but, i buy off amazon. sometimes it’s $1 cheaper per bottle, but i’m just amazon-loyal to be honest.

MAKEUP

i don’t really wear much. i’m contemplating getting my eyebrows microbladed, and if i do, i will probably stop wearing makeup completely. if you’ve had your eyebrows microbladed, please DM me your experience! @alexraye_ae 

HEALTH

i’m still taking the same supplements that a nutritionist advised to me.

with breakfast:

with lunch:

before bed:

 

don’t forget to share what’s a part of your current routine!

XO, ALEXRAYE

travel: carry-on friendly green beauty items

hey crunchies! maybe by the time you’re reading this, my journey to rome will have begun. i’ll be there for a week! what a dream. if you’ve been or live there, please PLEASE leave me some suggestions below!

in the spirit of travel, i thought i’d share my tips with you for carry-on friendly items. yes, i know i have my official tips and guidelines here from 2015… but those are more geared towards d.i.y.-ers. this time we’ll go over purchased items i’m taking with me that are all carry-on friendly.

i fly internationally at least once a month so i promise i’ve been through a ton of security checks and have never run into issues.

for the record, anything under 3.4 ounces will be “tsa-friendly” and you can throw it in a carry-on. that us-based guideline also conveniently works for mexico airport security.

anyway. here we go.

please note none of these are sponsored. these are just what i typically pack and am bringing to rome for a week.

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  • uncle harry’s toothpaste – 3 ounce jar
  • repurposed toothpaste jar, filled with calia conditioner (i co-wash) – 3 ounces
  • dr bronner’s liquid rose soap – 2 ounces
  • badger active sunscreen spf 30 – 2.9 ounces
  • josh rosebrook nutrient day cream spf 30 – 2 ounces
  • clean well spray hand sanitizer – 1 ounce
  • tsi-la roll-on perfume oil – 1/3 ounce
  • my @kietabotanicals multi-use serum in a reused 1 ounce bottle (out for sale this fall but in an actual nice glass jar)

and –

  • north coast organics ‘death by lavender’ deodorant – 2.5 ounces

cof

 

short and sweet post, but hopefully this gave you some ideas.

what are some travel-sized items you’ve found and bring with you? please share below and on instagram (@alexraye_ae)

CIAO, ALEXRAYE

remineralizing mouthwash

good morning, crunchies!

after the post on the research behind oil pulling, we learned that oil pulling is just as effective as using a mouthwash. if you personally don’t like all the swishing, making your own mouthwash is a great alternative!

but what’s IN your mouthwash is also very important!

here’s a mouthwash recipe that’s remineralizing, healing, and kicks bad breath to the curb!

remineralizing mouthwash (oil pulling alternative)

Continue reading remineralizing mouthwash

oil pulling: the RESEARCH behind it

we’ve all seen these glorious posts and rave reviews about oil pulling, yes?

you know those really huge claims that pretty much say this one act 20 minutes a day cures all sorts of things? like halitosis, allergies, hormone imbalances, acne, psoriasis, etc…

my question has always been “where is the RESEARCH?” you can show me all the blogs in the world, but i’m gonna need some facts.

let’s look at this whole oil pulling craze and see if the benefits reach beyond having a healthier mouth!

why oil pulling doesnt work how you think it does

Continue reading oil pulling: the RESEARCH behind it

natural toothpastes you can buy

2021 edit: i no longer subscribe to or support the “all-natural” label. more here.

i’ve posted on the dangers of fluoride and why i won’t let it near my teeth ever again. i’ve also gone over my tooth powder that i make and currently use, and another homemade toothpaste.

but what if you don’t want to make your own or don’t have time? what brands can you trust?

hopefully this post will help you with that!

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when looking for a toothpaste, i look for ingredients that are supportive to teeth and gums, as well as non-coating and non-abrasive (and of course sans fluoride).  there are a lot of natural brands out there, but quite a lot of them had 1 or 2 ingredients i just could’ve jive with. so what did i disqualify some brands for?

  • fluoride. duh.
  • any form of a foaming agent (SLS variations, etc)
  • artificial colors
  • silica/hydrated silica (coats teeth and prevents remineralization)
  • glycerin (coats teeth and prevents remineralization)
  • sodium bicarbonate (can wear enamel over time)

based on those criteria, here’s my extremely picky list of toothpastes i would trust –

  • earthpaste (i’m in love this brand AND with their lemon one! it tastes exactly like a lemondrop candy! you can buy it in stores for half the price of what they advertise online. it does contain xylitol, so do NOT ingest it!)
  • …aaaand that’s it. i can’t find any brands i’m 100% comfortable using or recommending to you crunchies. can you guys suggest some brands?

but you can look on sites like etsy for homemade options. here are a few –

natural toothpastes can get pricey. i would truly encourage you to make your own!! it’ll be much cheaper and you can make your own flavors and control the ingredients.

anyone have a toothpaste they trust? let’s hear it!

*lead warning label on earthpaste – the redmond clay company (that makes earthpaste) is based in california, where they have Proposition 65. prop 65 requires labels on all sorts of things… have you ever seen been to cali and saw labels on clothing stores that said something like “this store contains chemicals known to the state of california to cause cancer and harm unborn children”? that’s why it has the label. but back to the actual lead content – bentonite clay naturally contains trace amounts of lead (as does anything from the ground… veggies, fruits, etc.). it contains less lead than organic foods, and your body can’t absorb it anyway. it’s completely safe! thumbs up from AE!

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*some natural toothpastes contain xylitol. please keep in mind xylitol is deadly poisonous to our furry 4-legged children!! and please DO NOT INGEST xylitol. we can have a post on xylitol if it’s something you guys would be interested in reading 🙂