One thing you can count on is a day, week, or month dedicated to a special cause, awareness, or holiday. A few years ago, “No Shave November” became a huge thing amongst the social media community, and now “NOvember” appears to have stolen the show. NOvember has given us all the opportunity to let our no’s mean no, and our yes’ mean yes. So, in honor of saying no to toxic people, actions, and more, let us also say no to funky ingredients! We’ve all had accountability partners when it’s come to diets, fitness challenges, reading the Bible, and more, so grab your best friend, rally up the members of your group chat, and gather your family together for “NO Funk November.” 

We’ve all been doing the work on being able to identify toxic traits in ourselves and other people, but can you identify toxic ingredients that you’re placing in and on your body? One rule of thumb is if you can’t pronounce it, it most likely shouldn’t be in it. You should be able to read and know exactly what ingredients are in the products you’re investing in for yourself and family. Here are some of our big NO’s for November:

• Parabens: Anytime you see the words methyl-, isobutyl-, propyl-, and a few others. This ingredient is known to be a hormone disruptor. We go through enough monthly for our cycles and then on to menopause. We don’t need anything else messing with our hormones!

• Methylisothiazolinone and Methylchloroisothiazolinone: Let me know if you were able to pronounce either of those correctly on the first try. ☺ These are some of the most common chemical preservatives that cause skin irritation and allergies. 

• Polyethylene glycol: Indicator is seeing the letters PEG. These compounds can be contaminated with chemicals that are known to be carcinogenic (cancer-causing).

• Synthetic Fragrance: In other words, the fragrance ain’t natural sis! It’s engineered in a lab that can contain over 3,000 chemical ingredients that may disrupt your hormones, or flair up those skin sensitivities. Unfortunately, synthetic fragrances are protected under federal laws, which allows companies to keep the true ingredients undisclosed.

• Sulfates- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES): This is another ingredient that will cause allergies and skin irritation. 

The list goes on and on, but let’s stop there. Check the ingredients of your favorite national brand of deodorant. Take a moment and research what some of those ingredients that you can’t pronounce really are. If you see any of the ingredients from the list above, toss it sis! Go a step further and do a sweep of your mama, auntie, sister, and cousin’s toiletry cabinets as well.  We’re saying no to toxins and smelly pits, and yes to good health and Play Pits!

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Tiana Gurley

@queen.tiana on IG

Tiana Gurley is a wife and a stay-at-home, homeschooling mother to two beautiful girls. In addition to those two major roles, she provides editing and proofreading services through her business Queen Scribe Editing & Consulting, and enjoys sharing through her blog Queendom Wife and Mother. You can read more from her by visiting her blog at https://queendomwifeandmother.com.