Anyone who wants to start reducing the toxic load accumulated from your daily products, this list is for you! It can feel overwhelming in the beginning because there are so many items that we use on a daily basis. It might feel like everything that is better for your overall health is more expensive (which is generally true) and you may not be in the financial position to make swaps on everything right now. That’s perfectly okay! I personally haven’t transitioned fully into the lower toxic realm either – it’s a process that takes time and intention. Start small, with one thing at a time, and go from there. Also, there ARE better options available at your typical store (Target, Wal-Mart, Costco, Amazon) that don’t have terribly painful price tags, and that’s why I created this list! Below are examples of good swaps for each item. The items on the left are examples of originals/starting points, the middle items are better options, and the items on the right are even better! *Note: I am only linking the better/even better options. Consider whatever you’re currently using the “original”.
Deodorant: A fantastic place to start buying the less toxic option. We apply deodorant directly to one of the most sensitive areas of skin on our body! The pores in our armpits absorb a lot; Not to mention our armpits are essentially portals into our lymphatic system because we have lymph nodes right below the surface of that skin. This means what we apply to that area REALLY MATTERS.
Secret Aluminum Free Deodorant
Shampoo + Conditioner, Body Wash, & Lotion: I know we want our hair to look and smell good (especially as women), but so many hair care products have ingredients that are just not ideal for our endocrine system and overall health. There ARE better options that still make your hair look healthy and smell fresh and clean. Unfortunately a lot of body washes and lotions have the same problems as hair care products. But don’t worry! These swaps are easy and still smell yummy 🙂
Shampoo/Conditioner:
Ursa Major Shampoo & Conditioner Bundle
Body Wash:
Lotion:
*Note: You can find other scents of Dr. Bronner’s lotion on Amazon as well but it is a tiny bit pricier.
Tampons & Pads: I could have a field day on the topic of menstrual and reproductive health, but to save us all hours of time, I’ll just state the obvious here: if we are going to insert things into our vagina or have things rubbed up right against her, the materials should probably be clean, safe, and free of dyes, fragrances, and pesticides! *Note: if you’re uncomfy with the word VAGINA, you should probably get comfy with it…you most likely have a vagina, or you like vagina, or both.
L. Organic Cotton Core Tampons
Rael Organic Cotton Cover Pads
For the final 3 items, I only have two categories: original and better. I haven’t found “even better!” options yet for these items, and I’m not sure they exist or ever will. So for now, let’s do what we can with the better options 🙂
Perfume: Another area of conversation where we could spend loads of time talking about how disruptive and totally unnatural it is, but I LOVE perfume just as much as anyone else so let’s not go there. Instead, here is a delicious smelling alternative to some of the fancy, expensive brands with long lists of scary ingredients. My husband can confirm this perfume is just as enticing 😉
*Note: Same price at both places, but maybe you have an Ulta account so you get points or have coupon codes!
White Strips: Are these necessary as part of a routine? Absolutely not. But do some people really like having a bright white smile? 100% (myself included). For years I used the “Gentle Whitening” white strips because I tend to have sensitive teeth, and considering that the “Gentle” ones still gave me zingers, I probably should have stopped or swapped a long time ago. Also if you don’t know what a tooth zinger is, you’re SO lucky.
*Note: Also on Amazon but watch the price differences!
Self-Tanner: Another totally unnecessary product BUT coming from someone who is pale as can be in her natural form, it really can help make you feel extra happy about how your skin looks. I think all self-tanners have weird smells, it’s just unavoidable. This one works really well in my opinion and has a cleaner formula.
Bondi Sands PURE Gradual Tanning Lotion
*Note: I normally buy this from Ulta, but they don’t have it at the moment. I will update if they get it back.
This is absolutely NOT a finished or all inclusive list – this is just where I decided to start with my own personal product changes. I currently use products in the “Better” category. I have done research on all the items in the “Even Better!” category and this is the direction I plan to go when time and budget permit it. I will continue to add things to this list over time as I make swaps. By all means feel free to skip directly to the Even Better items if you want and are able to, or mix and match between categories! There are no rules for reducing toxic load. No matter which or how many changes you make, they are all important and will make a difference over time.
Let me know if I should create lists for men + baby products as well!
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