Human Nature's Feminine Wash and Deodorant

I recently went to an intimate dinner with the Human Nature team, including Camille Meloto (daughter of Gawad Kalinga's Tony Meloto).

Human Nature was a natural discovery by Anna Meloto-Wilk, her husband Dylan Wilk and Camille on a trip to the U.S. where they saw how natural and ethical beauty products were penetrating the market and they wondered how the Philippines' rich, natural resources could produce such beauty products but at a much lower cost.

The story of Human Nature is, in itself, something amazing. The people behind it emphasize that its goal is not simply profit since they are a social enterprise. They live by 3 principles: PRO-PHILIPPINES, PRO-POOR AND PRO-ENVIRONMENT.

Those 3 principles are strictly observed in the development of new products. All Human Nature products are 100% sourced in the Philippines unless there is no availability of certain required raw materials. Gawad Kalinga residents and communities are the targets of livelihood by Human Nature. Where the raw materials are available, communities are taught how to extract these for production and these are bought at fair prices (sometimes, even above market price) by Human Nature in order to encourage the residents to continue providing their raw materials. And lastly, being aware that they are stewards also of this planet, Human Nature products from the raw materials to the packaging are closely researched and examined to ensure that at every step of production, the materials are naturally derived and do not cause environmental toxins in the different processes. Recyclable bottles are used for packaging.

You probably know already about their very popular and always-out-of-stock Citronella Bug Spray which is DEET-free and very effective as far as keeping those nasty mosquitoes off you. And friends have recommended their Hand Sanitizer to me so much so that on my next shopping day, I bought a couple of bottles to start off.

Two new products were introduced to us: Human Nature Feminine Wash and Human Nature Deodorant.

Human Nature Feminine Wash

I am very particular about what feminine wash I use and get for my girls. And why not? it cleanses a very private part of yourself. I want to be sure that I am not introducing toxins into my body when using this. This is why I was happy to find out that Human Nature had come up with their own feminine wash product.


At Php 59.75 for a 50 ml bottle, the Human Nature feminine wash is definitely affordable and competitively priced compared to chemical-based feminine washes in the market today. Many feminine washes contain triclosan, parabens and SLS/SLES which are considered harmful chemicals. Human Nature's feminine wash has none of those chemicals. Its natural ingredients only contain the following: aloe leaf extract and chamomile essential oil (both known for their anti-bacterial, soothing, calming and aromatic properties), coconut and sunflower oils, natural cleansing agents, and rice and anise extracts that work as natural preservatives. Because it is gentle and mild and all-natural as well, it does not significantly alter the pH balance of a woman's flora as is prone to happen when frequently washing with  scented soaps and perfumed feminine hygiene products.

The table above tells you that the ingredients that go into the feminine wash actually cost much more than those that go into the chemically-based feminine wash products but by encouraging GK communities to help in the production and with the help of good marketing strategies and the direct selling network, Human Nature has managed to keep the selling price competitive.

Human Nature Deodorant

What attracted me to the description of Human Nature's deodorant were the words "natural, non-darkening".

Human Nature does not tout this deodorant as an anti-perspirant. In fact, it does NOT stop sweating. And I think that is good because we eliminate toxins from our body through our sweat. That is what I learned as a yogini practicing yoga. The more you sweat, the faster you detox. Unfortunately, I myself have resorted to using commercially available anti-perspirant/deodorant combinations because many brands I have tried could not really stop the sweat from being contaminated with bacteria and turning into body odor. The main ingredient in Human Nature's deodorant which will stop the development of body odor is chitosan, which has a natural, anti-bacterial property. It is 100% naturally-derived from the shells of sea crustaceans. It is also biocompatible, non-toxic and biodegradable.

Chitosan has also been clinically proven to promote wound healing, is anti-itching, anti-microbial and an excellent skin moisturizer. This is probably the answer to one of my girls' dilemmas. She is allergic to many deodorant brands and these would darken her skin maybe because it causes itching and when she scratches, the aluminum chloride in the deodorant penetrates her skin and causes it to darken. I'm having her try Human Nature's deodorant now to see if it is effective on her underarms.

Curious, I also asked them if they had plans for alum (tawas) to be incorporated in their deodorant products. I've been using tawas products on areas other than my underarms and they have been quite effective. The team of Human Nature however replied that tawas was not in their near future but could be worth looking at.

Next time you're about to buy feminine wash or deodorant, stop and take a look at Human Nature's. Not only will you be helping the livelihood of Filipinos but you will also save the environment as well as do your body a favor by using all-natural and organic products.

Check out Human Nature's website at www.humanheartnature.com. For orders, go to your nearest Human Nature Branch or call (02) 931-5787. You may also visit Rustans & Shopwise for a select line of Human Nature products.