Switching to Natural Personal Care - My personal journey

I learnt about why I should use natural personal care in a workshop I attended called "Rethinking Development" which was about environment sustainability, It is through this workshop that my passion for environmental sustainability sprouted and I began my journey of exploring natural personal care.
I began using many alternatives but a complete switch did not happen, there were still days I would go back to my regular shampoo or other cosmetics.
The convenience and comfort that I had with my regular products were preventing me from completely switching. In terms of time and convenience using a regular shampoo was much easier than hair wash powder. My mind blocks were stopping me from completely letting go of the toxic products in the bathroom.

The following year, I was part of the facilitating team of the same workshop. I happen to be taking the session "Toxins behind our cosmetics". For this session I did a lot of research, this really moved me. A spark of motivation hit me, and my New year resolution for 2016 was that I will only use natural and safe personal products. I am proud to say that it happened, I went through with my resolution and I never turned back since then.
Making and using natural products for personal use flowed into Dhanak - selling and sharing them with others. Through my journey in Dhanak, My understanding of making and using natural products really widened and deepened.

Personally, for me the easiest switch when it comes to leading a natural and sustainable lifestyle was menstrual hygiene products, I was very smoothly and comfortably able to switch from sanitary napkins to cloth pads.
I feel taking small steps is a good way to transit into a natural lifestyle, especially natural personal care.

I began with an easy switch, replacing my lip balm from vaseline to natural beeswax lip balm.
Then I switched from toothpaste to toothpowder and from soap to bath powder.
I was lucky to live in a place where I had access to good toothpowder and plenty of trees for datun(tree twigs to brush like neem)

and so on went on switching products.

The most difficult switch was shampoo, Hair wash powder requires your time and patience. To have a good and efficient wash one needs to apply the paste and leave for 15-20 minutes before washing off while the shampoo is an instant wash.
I had to change my mindset for this switch, Work an attitude of natural living within and stop telling myself that is time-consuming. Now I look at it as a self-care time and have no difficulty using hair wash powder even when I am travelling!

Initially, when I would travel I did not use natural. I would convince myself, that during travel it's tough to use natural products like oil for moisturizer or hair wash powder so let's carry shampoo and cream.
However, once I got comfortable with natural personal care at home, I was able to challenge myself to do it on travel too.

A big change for me in this journey has also been embracing my natural beauty. Loving my self for who I am. Now bathing, washing my hair and caring for my body has become a self-care ritual and  I developed a loving relationship with my body.

I was never really fond of makeup, though I enjoyed putting nail polish and occasionally makeup. Once I understood how toxic this is for my physical health, emotional health and the planet. I cannot use any commercial cosmetic or personal care product.

Volunteering during Lockdown

APRIL-MAY 2020

Amidst the chaos of Covid-19, Safe and secure in my house during lockdown I felt helpless. I could see the challenges that the country was facing. The frontline workers, the migrant workers, the common man was going through tough times yet I was sitting at my home.

Some friends were volunteering by going out and distributing food in the cities, but I live in a village where that's not required. How can I be of help?  More news I saw, more unsettled I felt with the privilege and comfort I felt during the lockdown.
Personally, for me, Lockdown had been an amazing time. Break from my business gave me an opportunity to do so many other things. I was thoroughly enjoying my lockdown but how can I be happy when so many people are going through bad times.

This gave rise to the opportunity of Online volunteering. Having the ability to speak Hindi, landed me into volunteering with migrant workers who came to the southern states from north India to work. My work was to speak to them over the phone, listen to them, understand their problems and then find ways to support and help them out.

It was a tough job, to listen to their problems and not get emotionally effected and keep my mind straight. To not take on their problems onto me or get drained by the helplessness of the situation.

My phone would be buzzing the whole day with calls.

Access to food, money to pay rent and a way to travel back home to their native villages were the most common issues. Unfortunately, these were the most difficult to solve!

Having a lack of resources on hand and having no understanding of the ground reality added to the difficulty of helping then as a volunteer. The whole experience really pushed me to be resourceful, To go beyond my comfort zone and talk to strangers, To handle emotions and above all be consistent and dedicated to the work no matter what obstacles.

I experienced good and bad, Black and white, Hope and despair. Which gave me a realization that this the reality, nothing is perfect and we all are human.

Lockdown and volunteering taught me handling myself in unpredictability, not letting emotions pull me down and living in the present 

Many times I was able to offer support, find resources to help, but sometimes I wasn't able to.
The times I was able to support and do something about the problem was what gave me strength.
The thanks that I received from the migrant workers was worth all the effort and time I put.

It was also amazing to be part of the group energy, be part of the volunteering group. I t was beautiful to see how if a group of people come together with the intention to create change and contribute it is possible to do it despite the challenges. 

Some stories - One help seeker had a pregnant wife, due at the end of May. With no work, he was running out of resources. I was able to provide him with support through finances, rations and emotional support until his wife gave birth to a baby boy and came back home. A picture of the cute newborn was enough for me to know I could contribute to someone's life.

I also did the whole tango of organising a private bus for a group of migrant workers to travel to their home in the north from south. Pass, permits, money and other dimensions of getting this was a challenging task to do. When they reached home, all the effort was worth it. 

Of course, the whole situation and problems were much larger than me, but these small actions were important to me.

I am left with so much gratitude and admiration of the hard work that the countless people - government officials, NGO's, volunteers and others did. They have done so much, worked countless hours to support people in despair. It is just breathtaking to witness.

I am glad I have been able to contribute and be part of the solution not be part of the problem.

Dhanak celebrates 6 months!

Dhanak celebrates 6 months!

Phew! 6 months have gone by so fast yet I feel like Dhanak has been part of my life since forever.
I feel a sense of achievement and satisfaction. Personally its a milestone in life and in Dhanak.

After 6 months of the initial set up, figuring out and learning about the first things of doing an entrepreneurial business I feel a sense of flow and settlement in the work. In the metaphor of learning to ride a cycle "The initial falling off the cycle has passed and now I can balance. Now it's about enjoying the cycle ride, cycling long distances and trying tricks!"

I feel a sense of joy to know that I am doing a small yet significant work in my life.
There are small joys of reading good reviews of my products, have interesting conversations with people around natural cosmetics and sustainability, getting repeat orders and seeing a positive account sheet at the end of the 6 months.

Some challenges I am facing are packaging and courier. Finding the right packaging material for my products - something that is environmentally sustainable, good quality and easy to courier via India Post. Working alone and doing everything by myself has both challenges and perks.

In the last month, I have spent time in deepening my learning on natural cosmetics. I have learned Aromatherapy through an online to understand Essential Oils better. I learned about formulating cosmetics, understanding oils and their comedogenic value. I have also learned some new recipes that I am looking forward to experimenting with them, implement my new learnings and curate more products. Looking forward to launching some new products and creating a new product catalog for the new year! The journey never stops, there is so much done but still so much more to do. That is where the joy for me lies.

A lot of gratitude for the people, resources, and opportunities that have continuously supported me in this journey. 

Tips to use hair wash powder

​Hair wash powder is different from shampoo, here are few tips to help you use the hair wash powder.

An average shampoo contains many ingredients that are designed to give you a convenient easy wash. Many times these ingredients are harmful. They can in the long term cause hair fall, dandruff, damaged hair, and some chemicals that are linked to diseases like cancer, reproductive disorders, and other issues. Natural ingredients are mild and gentle and need your patience to care for your hair. It can take a few washes for you and your hair to get adjusted to the hair wash powder.

1. If you are finding that the powder is not removing oil, keep it applied in the hair for 5-10 minutes. Make sure you apply thoroughly on your hair and scalp and massage well.
2. If you want a slight foam in the paste, you can make a paste with hot water and leave for 15-30 minutes before using it.
3. It is in powder form to avoid adding any preservatives or chemicals in the product thus it may feel different to use. It is important to wash thoroughly with water. If any powder is left after your hair dries just shake it off the hair.
4. Make sure you store the powder dry and moisture-free. Use dry hands when taking the powder. This is important for long shelf life of the product
5. It's recommended to use hair oil on a regular basis along with the hair wash powder. 
6. If you feel the hair wash powder is drying out your hair, you can add any conditioning ingredients in the paste - Soaked fenugreek seeds paste or fenugreek powder, Gooseberry powder or fresh, Curry leaves fresh or powder, hibiscus flowers and leaves fresh or powder are some ingredients. Note I can customize a hair wash powder to suit your needs too!

Happy chemical-free hair care! Do connect with me for any feedback or doubts. 

Why and How to use toothpowder

Toothpaste has many harmful chemicals. How can we put something non-edible ingredients in our mouth? The chemicals, when put into our mouth, are absorbed via swallowing and sublingual absorption. Sublingual, meaning 'under the tongue'. From our mouth cavity substances are rapidly absorbed via the blood vessels into our bloodstream. This method is used in medical procedures also, like first aid for heart attack. We are allowing chemicals to enter our bodies through our digestive system and bloodstream. 

Traditionally toothpowder or tree twigs were used to maintain oral health and it is the time we also switch to these natural methods. So buy a natural toothpowder or make your own! It's very important to keep the toothpowder dry and moisture-free. Make sure to take the toothpowder with dry hands.

How to use toothpowder: In your palm take around 2 pinches of powder, use your finger or toothbrush and gently brush your teeth for 2-5 minutes. Rinse your mouth well. 

Some concerns around toothpowder are

1. It can abrasive as its a powder form  - It's important to use a very fine toothpowder. The best way to brush is to use your finger to brush, massaging the toothpowder on your teeth and gums. However, if you do use a brush, brush gently. When using toohpaste we brush vigorously but when we brush with toothpowder we should be gentle to make sure it's not abrasive.

2. Teeth are yellow - I have been using toothpowder for the past 3 years and I have not visited the dentist even once, because I have healthy teeth. My teeth are slightly yellow but are healthy. So I question this concept of white sparkly teeth. Has the media influenced into believing that white teeth = healthy teeth? Of course for a few people, yellowing teeth could also be some medical issue, and that should be addressed but otherwise, I don't see an issue with my slightly yellow teeth. There are natural remedies and ways also to gain white teeth like salt. Some ways are to use salt water to brush your teeth, oil pulling,  gently rubbing the inside of a banana peel on your teeth.

3. Teeth become sensitive when using toothpowder - If you are using a toothpowder that has a citrus element like amla or lemon then you can experience sensitivity in your teeth. It's then advisable to take a break from the toothpowder regularly, like for a week every month and use a not citrus toothpowder. 

4. Tooth decay or cavity - Believe it or not your teeth have the potential to heal itself. It is called the remineralization of teeth. Your saliva is the way your teeth remineralize. Your diet affects the nutrition content in your saliva and its potential to heal the teeth. Good to have vitamins and minerals in your diet. Also, a good oral hygiene is important for healthy teeth and teeth remineralization so brush regularly, cleans your tongue and rinse your mouth after eating. For cavity, some ingredients to add in toothpowder are Guava leaves, Mango leaves and Banyan aerial bark powder. 

What does Natural mean to me @ Dhanak

The word natural has many different perspectives. Each individual understands natural personal care, sustainable living and eco-friendly differently. In my journey of exploring eco-entrepreneur, I have explored what does natural products at Dhanak mean to me.

There are many degrees of natural products. Either you can use plant-derived materials or direct plant materials. Either you can use natural, safe chemical preservatives or you can use no preservatives. Chemicals are not bad, water is after all a chemical compound. However, some chemicals are harmful to us and that why we need to move away from those ones. For example, Sodium Laureth Sulphate(SLS) is a very harsh chemical that not only stirps our hair/skin from its natural oils but has been linked to diseases like cancer. Not all ingredients are bad but there are some that we need to watch out for in the ingredient list. That's why is very important that whatever product you use, read the label, research about the ingredients and know what you are using. There few harmful chemicals have led me to switch to natural personal care.

There are different shades of natural ingredients. Broadly can be categorized as

1. Purely Natural: 100% Natural denotes only ingredients that are purely derived by botanicals with minimum processing (only powdering, drying, or extracting through heat mechanisms). Ex: Shikakai powder, essential oils, kokum butter)
2. Naturally derived: Naturally derived denotes that the ingredients have been sourced from botanicals but have gone through a chemical process to get them to the state they are in. They may or may not use preservatives, maybe chemically altered, and artificially colored. Example: Commercial Aloe Vera Gel, Vitamin E Capsules
3. Natural identical: Pure synthetic preparations where the end product resembles what may be naturally occurring on Earth. Example: Flavour oils, Citric Acid Powder
4. Chemical / Synthetic: Purely synthetic ingredients which may not have anything like it resembling in nature. Example: SLS in soap, Artificial Fragrance

Every ingredient, in all the 4 categories have its benefits, has its uses and properties. There is no right or wrong, no black and white when it comes to natural ingredients or Natural products.
I personally in my own life and at Dhanak want to create products that fall in the first category. I want to use Nature in its pure form for my formulations. This has its limitations but my values are very important to me.
I deeply also believe in Natural Beauty. Everyone is beautiful/handsome just the way they are. Whatever colour/size/shape, whatever lines/spots/styles are there in the body are perfect. My products also reflect that. I want to create natural products that will care for the body and support the body, keeping its natural beauty. Of course, Natural personal care also is in harmony with nature because you are not hurting the planet by using the products or making the products.

Of course, I am not perfect, I make mistakes, I make compromises, I experiment and am on the journey of understanding the world of natural personal care!

My personal journey of Dhanak so far.....

If I look back, the last few months ( May to August ) look like a jumbled up ball of yarn. A jumbled up ball of yarn that created something amazing, ‘Dhanak’. The first few months of starting an eco-entrepreneurship were super busy, challenging and very fun. 

Printing visiting cards, product photography, graphic designing, customer relationship, courier packing, product pricing, car driving, social media marketing, accounts, printing, raw material procuring and the list just goes on, I had not imagined I would have to do all these things. I just thought it was about making and selling but oh! It's much more.

What was great that even though I was alone, the sole proprietor, I had the support of my parents, family, and friends. The continuous feedback, advice, and help they gave me helped me learn and overcome all the challenges.

The biggest challenge I faced was myself. I held the high expectation of perfection from myself and of course couldn't fulfill it. I thought that I can't make any mistakes, I need to be able to do everything right, I need to make each and every customer happy, my products need to be perfect and I need to achieve a lot. These thoughts blocked me from facing the reality. 

The reality of mistakes, Some couriers arrived torn to the customer but only because of that I have now learned to parcel well. The reality that mistakes are the only path to success.

The reality that I am human and can do only so much, I have let go of some tasks from my todo list, maybe someone else can do it for me or maybe I can do it later. 

The reality that I need to accept and love my products and more importantly myself, Not every customer will like them, some will and some will not but can I take each feedback and embrace it rather than feeling inadequate about myself. 

The reality that every business has it good days and bad days, good sales and bad sales.

Slowly the ball of yarn has untangled and I am feeling like still water in a lake. Many things have got streamlined and I have got the basic hang of running Dhanak. This has given space for me to breathe. Dhanak now is flowing at the gentle pace of a river. At the moment I am not in a hurry to expand, to increase business but just go with the flow. I want to also bring balance in my own personal life, so along with Dhanak have started my side interest of Art. 

What has been so beautiful is that every day has been a learning, a blessing, and a journey and will continue to be. Dhanak is where what I am passionate about, what skills I have, the world needs and earning money comes to one common point. In japanese, it's called ‘Ikigai’.