We’ve become a society focused on putting only good things in our bodies, so it only makes sense that we apply the same practices to those things we put on our bodies too. Unfortunately, something that seems to make so much sense is easier said than done. On any given day, we head out to our local markets and do our best to decipher the different levels of “organic” produce and other products available to us. Despite our best efforts however, we often end up feeling one step behind, as it seems like what was good for you last week might not be healthy this week. In short, our drive to keep our bodies – our temples – healthy and pure is quite like a dog chasing its tail. That’s why I can appreciate where a company like All Good is coming from with their line of natural sunscreens, lip balms, deodorants, and the like.
Started in the late 1990’s via their “All Good Goop” Healing Balm, All Good is dedicated to maintaining any and all USDA/NOP Organic standards, while remaining environmentally active by taking on the burden of all that tail chasing for us, All Good is ahead of the curve in terms of what’s organic, what contains GMO’s, what a quality organic product is, etc. In short, it’s their mission to provide us with skin care products that we don’t have to wonder about. It’s a moving target that they have willfully set their sights on so that we can continue to use their products without questions, without worry, and knowing that our money is being well spent.
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with the folks at All Good to talk about their practices, inspirations, and goals and they were kind enough to leave me with a variety of their products to try out for myself with my family. Now, for provisions that are guaranteed to be this good for you, you’re going to pay a premium price. But in the case of All Good products you’re not paying for fancy packaging and wild marketing campaigns; instead you’re paying for quality products and the continuing research that goes into those products. That being said, here’s a few things I don’t mind spending my money on:
Deodorant
For years I relied on Tom’s of Maine to keep me fresh and clean, but a change in their recipe caused a seriously bad reaction that burned my skin. So I had to jump ship rather quickly. Ever since, I’ve been bouncing around to find the right aluminum-free deodorant that not only is effective, but also smells good. The deodorant that All Good is putting out is probably some of the purest stuff I’ve ever used – and I think it’s safe to say that I’m going to stick with it for a while. Aluminum, paraben, propylene glycol, and phthalate free, their product is super effective and has kept me extremely fresh and clean for the past few weeks in temperatures that have reached 100⁰F or more. I’m still a little gamey after a day on the trail, but I shine up nice for the office.
Scent of choice: Cedarwood & Spruce
Natural Sunscreen
As a parent of two young kids, sunscreen is probably one of the most annoying purchases my wife and I have to make every summer. The crap we all used as kids has unofficially been deemed toxic, so you can’t put that on them, even though that’s stuff that most of the stores sell. So, we’re kind of left in a jam – especially when you want to find a sunscreen that works for the whole family (because sunscreen, in general, isn’t cheap). Thankfully, All Good has a line of Zinc-based sunscreens that work from age’s six-months and up and are actually effective. The one drawback to using something that is free of all of the standard bonding chemicals found in most common sunscreens is that you need to apply All Good’s sunscreen more frequently. We have found that these more frequent application times can be cleverly disguised as a snack break, so it turns out to be a win/win in the end.
Product of choice: Zinc Sunscreen SOPF33
Product of choice for those insanely bright winter days on the mountain: Sunstick SPF30 – Coconut
Herbal Freeze with Arnica
For a guy who has used and abused his body for physical activity since I came out of my mother’s tummy thirty-five years ago, All Good Herbal Freeze has been like a blast of golden sun on a rainy day. Bordering on homeopathic, this stuff relies on arnica which is a root used to control aches, pains, and swelling. After a long day of kicking ass in the outdoors, I spray the Herbal Freeze on my knee and shoulder and within minutes you get the same reaction that you would from Bengay or Icy Hot, staving off soreness long enough for me to get a couple of craft beers into my belly. Fair warning: a little bit goes a long way. Oh, and keep it away from your crotch! This stuff makes Tiger Balm look like Kitten Spit.
I wish we all lived in a world where we could rely on everything we see on the shelves at the market, but unfortunately those days are over. We don’t eat 100% organic in our households and we’re not raising our kids to be 100% crunchy by any means. But we are concerned people and parents who want to make sure what we’re eating and what we’re using on our skin isn’t going to do any long term damage (or short term for that matter, yikes!). As I said, you’re going to pay a little more for All Good products, but what you get out of them – ultimately – is peace of mind in knowing that this stuff isn’t going to backfire on you. By going with All Good you’re applying salves, balms, and creams to your body that completely lack any of those unpronounceable chemical ingredients that are so common in most of the other crap on store shelves.
