My sister-in-law was recently tested for allergies and learned she is allergic to cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB). CAPB is used in many "natural" products because it's derived from coconut oil. Hearing about her allergies has renewed my interest in ingredient reading.

I think I'm pretty aware of what goes in and on my family's bodies, but to be honest I can't police everything. Some things are purposefully overlooked just so I don't beat myself up over the facts that M had a piece of artificial-everything candy or that Fox drinks formula. Back to the crunchy part of our lifestyle...

My old recipe. The Fels-Naptha is way too fragrant, I switched to

Dr. Bronner's castile bar soap

I alternate between homemade and Seventh Generation liquid laundry soap and making our own, but checking out ewg ratings, I noticed Borax that really brought the score down; boy did I feel ignorant. A quick search for alternatives and found out the possible danger was old news! A little more searching and I found a recipe by Amy Bayliss for a Borax-free version. After I run out of my current batch (that I just made yesterday) I'll have to try her version.

In the meantime, what else should I try making? What do you DIY or trust a natural brand to do for you?