IVF & Beauty Regimen

derrian · March 2016

I've decided I'd like to try switching out my normal beauty regimen to more natural/organic products during IVF. With the idea to rid my body of some of the chemicals it absorbs from these products. This will be our Third Fresh cycle (if the upcoming frozen does not work) and I figured, why the hell not

I'm not looking forward to it too much lol, but if it helps us have better chances (or more eggs) I'll try it. My question is, has anyone else looked into this? I'm not that familiar with the healthy products to fully understand what I should avoid. I know parabens and aluminum from chatting with my mother.

I'm currently researching the Aubrey and Jason brands and looking to switch out:
toothpaste, mascara, eye shadow, makeup remover, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, face wash, lotion.

Anyone want to clue me in on products they like in these areas??

wifeinraleigh28 · March 2016

Sorry, I have no suggestions but just want to follow this thread because I'm also interested!

msirni0 · March 2016

I switched to Acure shampoo and conditioner and LOVE it, plus it's not nearly as expensive as some other natural brands. My hair actually feels so much better using it. I also use that brand lotion and body wash. Face wash I use Andalou naturals and really like them. They have different lines depending on what you're looking for (age defying, sensitive skin, clarifying, brightening). I also use their toner and moisturizer, and BB cream. Their makeup remover is decent. For makeup, I know shea moisture brand is paraben and pthalate free. I'm not sure how good their mascara is, but im planning on buying it so I can let you know! The nice thing is that all of these brands are available at target! (Although Andalou only has a limited amount of products there).

derrian · March 2016

That is perfect thank you! I was just at Target, so will need to check those items out. I know 'natural trend' is big now, so lot more stores carry these products which is great! But I also don't want to break the bank, so that is a concern.

I'm finding a lot of things on Amazon, which is good since we buy from them alot. And I know Trader Joe's will carry alot of this (nice thing about being in a big city).

Here is a list of items I'm going to compare to others. (Mainly Jason brand), I got mommy approval on these, lol. Since she knows this realm better then I do.

She also said to check our Vitacost website for pricing on Natural products, they can be better then Amazon even!

I haven't done too much in way of 'do people like these products' yet. But I'll do that soon.

I love personal experience so will definitely look into the Acure stuff.

toothpaste

https://www.jason-personalcare.com/product/powersmile-whitening-toothpaste

mascara

https://www.dermstore.com/product_Lash+Defining+Mascara_53929.htm

https://www.amazon.com/Pure-Ziva-Mascara-Resistant-Paraben/dp/B013Z7WCEQ/ref=sr_1_3_s_it

eye shadow

https://www.amazon.com/Lauren-Brooke-Cosmetiques-Creme-Eyeshadows/dp/B00F0O2Q44/ref=sr_1_4_s_it

makeup pad

https://www.jason-personalcare.com/product/makeup-remover-pads

deorderant

https://www.jason-personalcare.com/product/apricot-deodorant

shampoo

https://www.jason-personalcare.com/product/aloe-shampoo

conditioner

https://www.jason-personalcare.com/product/aloe-conditioner

face wash - ache

https://www.jason-personalcare.com/product/facial-cleanser

https://www.jason-personalcare.com/product/c-effects-cleanser

lotion

https://www.jason-personalcare.com/product/cocoa-butter-lotion

chapstick

https://www.burtsbees.com/Wild-Cherry-Cause-Lip-Balm/792850896680,default,pd.html

msirni0 · March 2016

Vitacost is great! Also, a little trick...put stuff in your cart but don't check out. In a day or two, they'll send you a 10% or 15% discount code. I saved money on CoQ10 that way

NicWalker10 · March 2016

****TRIGGER WARNING*** BFP & LOSS MENTIONED
Hi @derrian I have done two IVF cycles and for my second I did a full overhaul of my personal care products. To start, I read up a lot on the impact of "toxins" on making eggs--and good quality eggs! I read:

It Starts with the Egg: How the Science of Egg Quality Can Help You Get Pregnant Naturally, Prevent Miscarriage, and Improve Your Odds in IVF,

Rebecca Fett;

Making Babies: A Proven 3-Month Program for Maximum Fertility,

Sami S. David, Jill Blakeway;

Yes, You Can Get Pregnant: Natural Ways to Improve Your Fertility Now and into Your 40s,

Raupp MS LAc, Aimee; These were all very helpful for background. I learned a lot about phthalates --a chemical that's in SO many products!!

I found a lot of good products on drugstore.com (good prices). I have been using a method pure naked body wash, neutrogena naturals face wash, alba body wash, cream and body scrubs. I started using biokleen laundry detergent, ecover dishwasher detergent, eco-me dish soap. For Make up, most estee lauder owned brands are pthalate free ( you can get a list of their brands on their website) so i started using a lot of estee lauder make up products. I also switched to all natural deodorant--without question the hardest thing to find! I"ve finally settled on LaVanilla Sport. Someone on here also recommended primal pit paste but i never tried it. I also started using Zoya nail polish. Which i now love--it lasts WAY longer than the regulars in the nail salon! Shampoo and Conditioner i have been using bumble and bumble. Dropped perfume completely.

Along the same subject (toxins!), but not relating to personal care I stopped using all plastic tupperware and switched over to glass.

I added acupuncture, COq10 and DHEA and a Probiotic to my regimen for my second cycle also.

I know everything i've listed sounds insane and extreme, BUT i can tell you that the difference in my 2 cycles is astonishing. First cycle: 11 eggs, 8 mature, 4 fertilized and 1 PGD normal. we transferred that, got a BFP and it was a chemical. Second cycle: 34 eggs, 30 mature, 15 fertilized and made it to blast stage--ALL came back PGD normal. transfer resulted in a BFP (fingers crossed it sticks). There was zero change in my medication protocol with the exception of stimming 1 more day and priming with estrace rather than bfp. So, while i HATE all natural deoderant, I'm thinking all of this may have played a factor in my difference in results. I just wanted to share to give you a little boost of encouragement in making the switch.
Sorry for the long post and huge font!
GOOD LUCK!!!

msirni0 · March 2016

@NicWalker10 you got a BFP?! Congrats!! (You're the reason I added CoQ10 and DHEA to my regimen and cut out the few "chemical" products I was still using....your story is absolutely incredible!!)

NicWalker10 · March 2016

*********BFP TRIGGER WARNING********
@msirni0 Yes I did!! Thank you SO much!!! We are not over the hump yet, but we've made it to 6.5 weeks with a heartbeat! Fx things continue to progress. It feels pretty unbelievable after how badly the first cycle went. I was completely devastated after that and I really never thought we would get any good eggs. I really hope all of the changes work for you too!!! I forgot that i had also added in a probiotic at the recommendation of my acupuncturist. It helps with "gut" health which is a big deal in chinese medicine. You can get a good one on amazon--it definitely cant hurt and wasnt as expensive as the CoQ10!
I'm so happy my story has given you help and hope! Sometimes i want to just keep reposting so that everyone feels like the next cycle can be a better one. I will keeping my fingers crossed for you and wish you the very best of luck for the upcoming cycle!

susykat77 · March 2016

There is an app called Skin Deep https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/app/ and it rates beauty product on various levels. There is so much green washing out there that I would be hesitant to buy a product that claims to be natural as this doesn't really mean anything. A few things to avoid are parabens, phthalates, Triclosan, Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) / Sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), formaldehyde, toluene, propylene glycol, synthetic colors, and fragrance.

KLake42 · March 2016

I focus on avoiding phthalates, which means I'm avoiding almost everything with "fragrance" or "parfum" listed as an ingredient. I was already using mostly fragrance-free products due to sensitive skin, though, so it's not a huge shift. I'm leaning on Tom's of Maine and Burts Bees products, though I'm still looking for a good shampoo that doesn't either dry out my hair or leave it looking oily.

derrian · March 2016

@NicWalker10 Thank you! I read a similar story (unless it was yours lol) and that is where I decided to try it out. I have such large Endo cysts (1inch and 2inch) that we don't have a lot of room and our follicle count has been low (5 follicles leading to 3 eggs the first time, and 10 follicles leading to 7 eggs the second). So I'm hoping that we might get a few more trying this

I will read everything you mentioned! How much time did you use the natural products? What was the time between cycles. We'll have a little time, and I'm hoping it will be enough to get the chemicals out.

@susykat77 Thanks for the list of chemicals. I'll put that against some of the products I'm looking at.

cmm012 · March 2016

I think there is another thread about this. Someone recently asked a similar question. Organic Doctor from vitamin world is a good brand. Toms of Maine and Burt Bees are also good. Makeup- Pacifica Beauty

NicWalker10 · March 2016

@derrian --it was a little less than three months for the product switch and acupuncture. I highly recommend trying both. It definitely cant hurt! Good luck for your upcoming cycle--hoping for lots of good quality eggs for you to get your wish! fx for you!

kaityh1 · March 2016

I definitely recommend reading "It Starts With The Egg" by Rebecca Fett. I just got the book and am reading through it and making changes as I go. I really like the Honest Company and Acure products so far. I also found a deodorant that I like - Schmidt's. I've been able to find everything at Target and Meijer. Good luck and fingers crossed for you!

derrian · March 2016

I have like 4 boxes being delivered to my home this week lol. I think I bought everything I needed. We'll see how I like them all once they get here!

I did try a couple things from Trader Joe's. They have a Tea Tree Tingle Shampoo and Conditioner that I'm actually really impressed with. I don't even need the leave in conditioner I normally use (though I already bought some). I might forever use it

I also got their brand of fluoride free toothpaste and it was HORRIBLE. I realize it is the fennel in it. Tastes like Black Licorice. Needless to say I have another brand (Jason) on the way.

Next I think I'll get this book you mention

"It Starts With The Egg" by Rebecca Fett

derrian · September 2016

Older thread, BUT I wanted to give an update.

In July 2014 I had surgery to see just how bad my Endometriosis was. It was pretty bad. All over and large cysts on both ovaries. One tube was blocked. SO I decided to change my beauty regimen over to natural for this reason and the fact that I have been doing very low egg counts during stims (3 then 7).

I started this in Feb 2016

In June 2016 I had the same surgery and the differences were AMAZING! All my endo spot are about gone, just a few pin size spots now, instead of the big spots I had all over. The Cysts were literally dying where they sat. The doctor said they crumbled away as she tried to remove them. And both tubes were free flowing and usable!

Now was this a result of the beauty regimen change? I'm not positive. I did a couple other things during this time. Big diet change which dropped me about 20 lbs. Acupuncture 1-2 times a week, and then the all natural products.

Just means I'm not stopping

I probably never will. I love all my natural items the same if not more then what I was using before with the exception of deodorant. But I use two kinds at once and it seems to do the job well enough.

Now we have stims coming up next month. We'll see if there is an egg count change as well

Kp214 · September 2016

I would be interested in which products you use. Is it just beauty products or household also?

derrian · September 2016

@Kp214

Both!

I think this list is about right as for what I am using now. I ahve liked everything so well. I might stay using them.

toothpaste

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BD4DEK/

mascara

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XRUJ1O6

eye shadow

https://www.amazon.com/Lauren-Brooke-Cosmetiques-Creme-Eyeshadows/dp/B00F0O2Q44

makeup pad

https://www.amazon.com/Acure-Organics-Cleansing-Towelettes-Unscented/dp/B00H31NIAS

deorderant

https://www.amazon.com/Toms-Maine-Natural-Confidence-Deodorant/dp/B00UB6ZUHQ

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BUFFPO

shampoo

https://www.traderjoes.com/fearless-flyer/article/1241

conditioner

https://www.traderjoes.com/fearless-flyer/article/1241

face wash - ache

https://www.burtsbees.com/Natural-Acne-Solutions-Pore-Refining-Scrub/00179-00,default,pd.html

lotion

https://www.traderjoes.com/fearless-flyer/article/596

https://www.acureorganics.com/energizing-body-lotion.html

chapstick

https://jet.com/product/Burts-Bees-Hydrating-Lipbalm-Coconut-and-Pear-015-Oz/b0e480b81dc6458caf72be086ca8d49c

Dishwasher soap

https://jet.com/product/Ecover-Zero-Dishwashing-Detergent-Powder-Fragrance-Free-48-Oz/9babb50d0ac44425b1da3c30993a9b4c

laundry soap

https://jet.com/product/Biokleen-Laundry-Liquid-Free-and-Clear-128-HE-Loads64-Standard-Loads-64-Fl-Oz/63644711b92847389725854463e0ff6b

Dryer Sheets

https://www.amazon.com/Trader-Joes-Lavender-Dryer-Bags/dp/B003T8B3T2

Dish soap

https://jet.com/product/Ecover-Zero-Liquid-Dish-Soap-Fragrance-Free-25-Fl-Oz/3c52800ced604f53842dce680704e3b0

Hand soap

https://jet.com/product/Seventh-Generation-Hand-Wash-Black-Currant-and-Rosewater-12-Fl-Oz/86af8d6ccb58400f879ddf457cd70330

General cleaning product

White Vinegar

Kp214 · September 2016

@derrian wow! Thank you! I appreciate you linking all of the products! I'm very excited about this. I've been using the "Think Dirty" app, and have found a face cream that I like. However, everything else has been overwhelming. I've tried making lotion and end up oily and shiny, not wanting to touch or sit on anything. This will help.

APM_SLP · September 2016

Beauty Counter products are amazing!!! i dont personally sell the products but I sometimes think about it because I love them so much!! For a limited time you can buy select items at target right now. Check out this video that explains the company.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aZfV91Ybmnc

mini-murph · September 2016

This my most favorite thread! Did you read any books on things to avoid or just things you've learned along the way? I already use sulfate free shampoo/conditioner, a lot of Burt's Bees, and try to eat as clean as possible, but this is amazing!

Any other recommendations??

kaityh1 · September 2016

@LuluMurph check out the book "It Starts With The Egg" by Rebecca Fett.

APM_SLP · September 2016

I also use I also use Better Life cleaning products. You can buy on Amazon. They were on Shark Tank

derrian · September 2016

@LuluMurph @Kp214

I did a bunch of research, found people talking about natural products and IVF and made a of Ingredients I wanted to avoid.

I have seen several 'good name' natural companies that still have these chemicals in some of their products. SO I look at the label for everything.

I 'try' to avoid anything with too many ingredients I can't pronounce, or have no clue what they are. I also try to avoid anything 'metal' in the ingredients.

Here is a list of specific ones. I thought I had more, but I can't find my list. I'll look for it and update this is I'm missing any.

Ingredients to avoid

parabens

phthalates

Triclosan

Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)

Sodium laureth sulfate (SLES)

formaldehyde

toluene

propylene glycol

synthetic colors

fragrance/parfum

kdanjou · September 2016

*loss mentioned
Just to put in my two cents, I have a chemical sensitivity and switched all of my beauty products to natural products about 5 years ago after my miscarriage.
I love the 100% Pure line, Honest company (shampoo), Weleda (face cream), Nine Naturals (deodorant, sunscreen), Nourish Organics (face creams), SW Basics (scrubs) and Tropical Traditions (lotion and soap). BUT - you have to read all the ingredients!!! That is the most important thing. Some "natural" products use fragrance, SLS, etc. Also, some herbal extracts are not safe for pregnancy so you want to stay away from those and anything with a long ingredient list in general. I love the EWG website if you are unsure about an ingredient.
Of course be prepared to shell out some $$$. These products are worth it.

mini-murph · October 2016

Again, I can't say how much I love this thread

I've got the book on order, thank you @derrian

I'm currently reading Is Your Body Fertility Friendly, it's used as a text book in the UK, and extremely dry. But very interesting stuff in it. After I finish (currently halfway through) I would be happy to swap fertility books with someone.

I went to Publix this afternoon and picked up either Tom's of Maine or Method brand of toothpaste, deodorant, body wash, laundry detergent, dish soap, hand soap, counter cleaner, and Burt's Bees Chapstick.

I am so excited for our healthier lifestyle!

derrian · October 2016

@LuluMurph
Deodorant was the hardest part for me. Aluminum is bad for you, but anything without it or with the potassium Aluminum (supposed to be non-absorbable) sucks lol. I use two at the same time now. You are a little stinky for a bit, but it got better (at least for me)

bells52000 · October 2016

Hi! Do those of you going natural also use a specific kind of prenatal vitamin? Thanks!

oxinfree · October 2016

haha I love that this thread is still going strong! @bells52000 I'm not taking a prenatal because I have a MTHFR gene mutation and can't have folic acid - need specifically folate. Anyhoo... so I take a food based vitamin... one that packs in the folate via brocoli. I'm also on Metanx...

The kind I use: MegaFood

Article on the difference if you're interested:
https://wellnessmama.com/12543/folic-acid-vs-folate/

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