Aloe Vera

There are few plants known to soothe irritated skin as well as aloe vera. Many use the plant internally and externally to reduce red, inflamed tissues.

I like to use also vera gel as a moisturizer for my body and face, and I also use it as a hair gel. Many companies make aloe vera juice, a known remedy for digestive discomfort.

The best part? Aloe vera is naturally gluten free and has very few ingredients.

I find that using aloe vera on my face at night reduces redness and swelling at cyst sites without clogging my pores. I usually wet my fingers and use a pea sized dollop of gel.

The juice is great when I have a little contamination messing with my tummy. I like to mix about 2 oz of juice in a big glass of water, sometimes with a lemon or lime wedge. This is a good detox drink first thing in the morning, but I may drink several glasses a day if my system is stressed.

Not every GF beauty product (or food item) has to be spendy or complicated. Some simple, time tested ingredients have always been GF. While some aloe vera gels and juices can cost a lot, you don't need to spend that to get results. FYI-- the Vitamin Shop brand that is very runny and cheap isn't great. A 16-32oz bottle of organic juice costs between $10-25, and a tube of organic gel is about $6-10. You can find both at your local health food store and most mainstream drug stores carry aloe vera gel--especially for sunburn season!

California Baby Calendula Cream

California Baby makes a ton of great products for the allergic and sensitive.

One of my favorite products is their Calendula Cream. The scent is light, and it is a great hand, body, and face moisturizer. I especially like it on irritated skin, and they recommend the product for people with eczema (FYI-- a GF diet helps with eczema, too).

I use this as my eye cream or on dry areas of my face. It does not clog my pores, but it is a touch heavy for warm days. This will be my salve-ation when I make cold weather trips to Chicago and New York! My face gets horribly wind chapped, and I do not care for petroleum based moisturizers on my face or hands.

The scent is really light and nice without being flowery or earthy.

My one wish is that this product came in a purse friendly, air travel friendly 2 0z tube rather than a small jar. Dipping fingers into a jar can contaminate your product, spreading nasties on your face every time you go in for more.

Check out the trial and travel kits from California Baby. Everything they make is amazing!

California Baby Calming Hair Conditioner

California Baby has many products that are great, and I am now a huge fan. They are well crafted, effective, and a good value.

Their Calming Hair Conditioner is the first GF conditioner I tried that worked. In fact, it turned my hair around 180 degrees! I trashed my hair dying, lifting, redying... it was dead. This conditioner rinses well, leaving my hair soft and manageable. I like to use a little as a leave-in for my ends, but I have thinker hair that can take that sort of weight.

The scent is really nice -- very soothing. It is appropriate for men, women, and children. It doesn't linger or clash with your perfume (if you wear it). When my migraines are raging, the smell doesn't bother me at all. Wow!

I am in love. And, my stylist was shocked at the difference.

A little goes a long way. For under ten bucks, that is a good deal!