A Beginner’s Guide to Safer Home and Beauty Products
I’ve spent the past few years slowly switching my home and beauty products to safer, “cleaner” options, so I know firsthand that it can be really overwhelming when you’re first starting out. There are more and more companies claiming to sell “natural,” “organic” and “non-toxic” products, but many of those products still contain harmful ingredients! My goal is to clear up the confusion and help you know exactly where you need to start, and exactly who you can trust!
Today, I’m sharing the first 5 things to switch out if you’re just starting to clean up your home and beauty products. This can give you a little direction of where to start! You don’t need to do all of these at once, just start switching things as you run out of what you’re currently using.
1. Hand/body soap.
Think how often you’re washing your hands each day (especially right now #covid). And if that soap is filled with artificial fragrances, parabens, SLS, triclosan, etc., that is A LOT of harsh ingredients absorbing into your body every time you wash your hands or take a shower.
An easy swap is to buy a few bottles of Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Castile Soap. I use it directly on my loofah for body wash, (they also sell bar-soap form if you prefer that) and I dilute it in foaming soap dispensers for my hand soap.
*Hand soap recipe: 1/3 cup unscented Castile soap, 2/3 cup water, a few drops of essential oils (I like melaleuca for my hand soap because of its anti-bacterial properties.)
2. Dryer sheets.
Surprisingly, dryer sheets are one of the most toxic products in our households. They contain synthetic fragrances and chemicals that are known carcinogens. Those chemicals are absorbed into our clothes, rubbed off on our bodies and vented into the air that we breathe. Beyond that, they are incredibly wasteful and can get expensive!
Swap them out with some 100% wool dryer balls. You can even add some drops of essential oils to them to make your clothes smell yummy, and they work great for reducing static and aiding in drying. I keep 6 of them in my dryer always…they last you forever!
3. Deodorant.
If you’re still using anti-perspirant or deodorant containing aluminum, STOP. There is research suggesting that aluminum can heighten your risk for developing cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, antiperspirants block your pores to prevent you from sweating…which is an incredibly important part of our body’s detoxification process! Let yourself sweat! Just use a safer deodorant to prevent the stink. Your friends will thank you. 🙊
My favorites (and believe me, I’ve tried A LOT of deodorant) are Primally Pure‘s charcoal deodorant, and for a baking-soda free option, Schmidt’s Sensitive Deodorant with Hemp Seed Oil. (Baking soda is the best for absorbing smell, however some people – like myself – are sensitive to it and can develop rashes, which is why a baking soda-free option is better for some.)
4. Makeup you can inhale or eat.
While eventually you’ll want to swap out all your makeup with safer options, a great place to start is with makeup you can eat (i.e. lipstick) or inhale (i.e. powders, such as bronzer or blush). You have to really do your research with makeup companies, because often even “natural” makeups contain heavy metals. By far my FAVE makeup company (for many reasons) is Beautycounter, that’s why I decided to become a consultant for them. But I’ve also been impressed with Mineral Fusion. I use their bronzer every so often and love it.
5. Last but not least, face wash and moisturizer!
If you’re regularly washing and moisturizing your skin, which you should be to take good care of your glowing complexion, 😉 it’s important to use a safer option because like I mentioned with #1, your skin absorbs everything you put on it. I’m a HUGE fan of Beautycounter’s skincare products. (They have literally transformed my skin from dull, dry and covered in zits to healthy, hydrated and mostly clear – read more about that story here).
Based on your skin-type, here’s what I recommend for face wash and moisturizer. *These links are for the entire regimens, which include face wash, toner, treatment and moisturizers. You can also purchase these items separately if you don’t want to commit to the entire regimen right off the bat.
Aging/very dry skin: Countertime line.
Normal/sensitive skin: Countermatch line.
Oily/acne-prone skin: Countercontrol line.
*Note: The products from these regimens can be mixed and matched for your specific skin goals. Send me an email if you’d like an individual recommendation for your specific skin concerns!
I’ve tried A LOT of “natural” skin care and Beautycounter is what finally worked for me. That’s not to say it’s the only good “safer” skincare option out there, but it’s what I use and love and trust.
Insider’s Scoop Alert!
Beautycounter always has a great Black Friday sale, so if you want to be the first to know about it, sign up for my Safer Living Tribe Email and you’ll get the insider’s scoop on all the sales!
So, there ya have it. A Beginner’s Guide to Safer Home and Beauty Products! Start with baby steps, and before you know it, your health and home will be transformed.
Do you want to learn more about incorporating safer products and ingredients into your life? Join our Safer Living Tribe email list for tips on safer home and beauty products!
*This post contains affiliate links, which means if you purchase a product from a link, we receive a portion of the money. This doesn’t affect your price in any way, and we appreciate your help to keep Kiwi and Carrot up and running!