Natural Hair Care and Skin Care from Bright Body

The Ins and Outs of Natural Hair Care and Skincare with Bright Body

I was really excited when my hairdresser, Shannon of Moore Street Studio, sent an email to introduce me to Gabi Day. Gabi is the founder and owner of Bright Body. For someone who has been struggling with allergies and eczema her entire life, her line of natural hair and skin care products called to me. Gabi herself developed the line to help manage her own chronic illnesses. Like any good Boss Babe, she needed a solution to a problem she was having, no one else was offering up the right stuff, so she came up with a solution. And thank goodness she did.

Let’s Start with Hair Care

During my last cut and color (bye bye, pink!), Shannon used Bright Body products on my hair. I didn’t ask many questions, but I loved the scent. Upon meeting Gabi, I learned a whole hecka of a lot more about this new way to approach hair care.  She sent me home with the Oat & Aloe Straight Hair Cleanser and Post Wash Herbal Lemon Rinse. It was well timed as I explore new ways to manage my eczema and be a boss babe at the same time.

Hair care is important to consider for someone with eczema for a few reasons. Firstly, your scalp is a major area of discomfort, cosmetically and physically. Treating it with gentle, yet effective products is really important. Otherwise, you have an itchy, dry scalp to show for your drug store shampoo.  Also, if you think about it, when you wash your hair, whatever you’re washing out goes all over your body in the shower. If your scalp isn’t sensitive to a certain agent, then the rest of you might be.

While I’ve recently made new diet adjustments, I’ve also been looking on my bathroom shelves and makeup drawer for answers. The strugglers are very real, ya’ll. Natural hair care products from Bright Body were just the right answer.

It’s Kind of Tricky, But Worth It

I have thin, straight hair that is also chronically oily. I use a lot of this dry powder. The first week or two of using the Hair Cleanser and Lemon Rinse were a struggle. The natural hair care products didn’t quite get the oil out of my hair that I wanted. I kept returning to my Bumble & Bumble, but remained committed. Gabi writes that it takes 3-4 weeks to get your hair to a normal equilibrium.

I revisited Bright Body’s website, which has plenty of helpful videos and directions. This is important, because you don’t wash and rinse as usual with these hair products. You use the cleanser first like you might shampoo. But then, you apply the rinse and let it sit on your hair for several minutes. Like I would leave conditioner in, I wash my body and shave while that sits. When it’s time to rinse, I use a comb to make sure I get it all out. I learned to leave it in longer for better results.

Over time, I noticed less oil in my hair overall. I also noticed a less itchy feeling on my scalp, which gets worse for me during the winter. While I’ve been talking a lot about my skin, I also have newly bright blonde hair.   Thanks to these products, I have healthier ends, too! I just make sure to use a treatment on my hair once a week and use a protectant when I blow dry. I love Aveda’s Smooth Infusion. Just put it on the tips if you don’t want to lose volume.

Now, On to Skin Care

I loved reading Gabi’s Philosophy to Bright Body.  She didn’t just dive in and use anything organic or plant-based. She worked hard to discover “real, empirical reasons why we would want to exclude certain ingredients.” The result are products that work, not just products you can eat if you get stranded on an island. I’ve used all kinds of natural products on my skin, but sometimes they lack a the punch that I crave.

Gabi knew I struggled with dry skin, but still wanted some help in the cleansing department. I am 30 now,  after all. For the past month, I have been using the Gentle Toner and the Whipped Facial Cream. These are a lot more straight forward to talk about than the hair products… I hadn’t found a toner in a while that didn’t totally turn my face red. I actually kind of stopped using toners because I was so frustrated. I was glad to add this back to my vanity.

To use the toner, I either wash my face in the shower (I’m currently using Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser) or I use Aveeno Face Wipes. I keep cotton squares in a tea cup to reach for when I’m done. I shake the Bright Body toner bottle and squirt some on the square. I rub it all over my face except for my eye lids. I let it dry for a minute or two. Then, I open my facial cream tub.

This stuff is thick! While some people may only want to use it at night, my dry skin wants it twice a day. To  use it, you want to scoop up some with your finger tips and kind of rub it around. It’s really thick, so you need to warm it up so it spreads smoothly on your face. Let it soak in a bit if you are planning to apply makeup. When you’re skin is supple and moisturized, your make up always looks better!

For Those With Curly Hair and Oily Skin…

Bright Body has all the goods for you, too! From curly hair specific products to light facial creams, make sure you hop around her site to see if you can find a fit for you. Gabi has curly hair herself, so you can be sure those products work! Start shopping here. 

USE MY CODE SWEETSAUCERVA TO GET 15% OFF!

Got questions about battling dry skin in the fall?

Trying out the hair care products and want some pointers or moral support as you make the transition?

Shoot me an email: sweetsauceblog@gmail.com.

I’m here for you, girl!