Green Thyme Workshop – How It All Started
About 5 years ago I started having problems with my skin. My skin was getting really dry and irritated all the time. No matter what lotion I used or how often I applied it, they weren’t working. So I went a step further and replaced ALL my skin care products, make-up and laundry detergent with ones that were labeled “ALL NATURAL”. There was no improvement. Then I stopped and thought about. I was using all these different products with so many ingredients. Were they really natural? Was it just one bad chemical or was it a combination of chemicals? These chemicals that I was putting ON my body would also end up IN my body. Was there some kind of cumulative effect? It was time to do some research.
The first thing I found out is that there is little to no regulation on what can be labeled Natural or Organic. So you have to look at every ingredient. I found that Skin Deep (https://www.esg.org/skindeep/) was a great resource. After researching my products, I came to the conclusion that Sodium Lauryl sulfate was the biggest problem. I didn’t realize how many of my products contained it because it goes by so many different names. Then I found that products that had chemical sunscreens were also part of my problem. Next there is the mystery ingredient “fragrance”. The FDA doesn’t require manufactures to disclose what is actually in them, so best I just avoid them. So I found the “BIG 3” that were making my skin angry. Now what?
They always say that the simplest solution is the best solution. Turns out, the simplest solution was also the most expensive one. I was paying close to $200 a month to replace all my products with truly natural, organic products. Now what”? On to the best solution that’s not so simple. I was going to make my own products.
I had to do a lot of research online. I bought books and watched videos online. I found it a very disheartening process, because if I had a question there wasn’t someone to answer them. There was trial and error, big messes and a lot of wasted supplies. If there was a Green Thyme Workshop back then, it would have been a whole lot easier.
My skincare nightmare is over now. I make all my own products. They are affordable, I know exactly what’s in them and they are customized perfectly for my needs. I get so much satisfaction knowing I never have to buy an overpriced face cream or that $7 bar of soap because I can make them myself.