Clean Beauty and Household Favs
For those of you who have been following along for a while, you know that for the past 3 years I’ve been slowly working on converting all of our personal and household products to clean / non-toxic alternatives. As we run out of things, I try and always replace them with a clean option. There’s A TON of great research out there on why this is important, and I highly encourage you to do a quick Google search to read about all of the junk that’s in the products we use on a daily basis and how they’re harmful. Rather than write a novel about all of the research I’ve done, I’m going to highlight some of my favorite products I’ve found instead. Everything I’ve learned has been through the ThinkDirty app and lots of Googling - so I’m confident you can find some great info out there as well.
personal care
Shampoo + Conditioner: I’ve tried several brands and usually rotate to a new brand once I finish a bottle. Here’s a few favs!
Currently Using: R+Co Television Shampoo and Conditioner
Face wash: I wash my face about once or twice per week with soap. In the evenings, I only use a damp microfiber cloth to take makeup off. But when I do wash my face, here’s what I rotate through and LOVE:
Face Sunscreen: Instead of moisturizer in the mornings, I use a combo moisturizer/sunscreen after the shower. I’ve been using Coola for the past year, and highly recommend it. It’s lightweight, non-greasy, and really refreshing for my skin. I ordered a few new prodcuts to try this week that are tinted, so I’ll let you know what I think of those!
Supergoop Superscreen Daily Moisturizer (SPF 40) *This one was a bit too greasy for my oily skin, but great if you have dry skin!
Moisturizer (PM): After washing off my makeup with a damp microfiber cloth each night, I use a heavier moisturizer, followed by an essential oils roller I made, and then a spritz of rose water spray (my favorite part). It leaves my face feeling so nourished and I never wake up greasy or oily, which used to happen for the majority of high school and college.
What Stephen uses and I steal on occasion: Trader Joe’s Nourish Oil-Free Antioxidant Facial Moisturizer
Homemade Face Roller (All Young Living Essential Oils*): Lavender + Frankincense + Tea Tree + Copaiba (10 drops of each) and topped off with a carrier oil (I use jojoba oil for my face)
Body wash / soap / shaving cream: My legs are really sensitive to body wash and are prone to itchiness, so lately I’ve been only using the Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint bar soap for both body wash and shaving. But I have tried some great body washes and shaving creams in the past that smell amazing!
Deodorant: I’ve tried several options here, and Native has proven to work the best for me. Transitioning to a natural deodorant takes patience, but thankfully it didn’t take long for my body to adjust.
Bath Salts: Epsom Salt + a few drops of YL Copaiba Essential Oil* in the tub is great for post-workout and sore muscles!
Makeup: I’m not a big makeup person, but do have a few favorite items that I use on a daily basis!
Pacifica Alight Multi Mineral BB Cream (This was a little greasy for my skin, but not terrible)
household
To wrap things up, here’s an overview of the cleaning products we use (or have tried) around the house.
Everspring Glass Cleaner (instead of Windex)
Thieves Household Cleaner (all-purpose cleaner)
Wool dryer balls (instead of dryer sheets)
*Note on Essential Oils: As you’ve probably noticed, we use Young Living products and essential oils for a variety of purposes in our home. You can find “essential oils” all over the place in grocery stores, at Target, etc. but be CAUTIONED that not all essential oils are created equal. Young Living commits to not adding synthetics, contaminants, or cheap fillers to their oils/products (which you will find in cheap oils from drugstores). I’m not a rep for Young Living, but I am an huge fan of the company and what they stand for. If you’re looking for your own membership so you can benefit from all they offer, I have several friends that can get you hooked up. :)
We’re not perfect by any means, and there are still TONS of things in our house that need to be converted, along with a few things that just work so dang well it’s hard to find a substitute that compares (i.e. Oxy Clean, Dawn Dish Soap for oil stains, etc.). But I’m committed to the journey and will keep you updated as I find new products I love! Feel free to comment below with some of your clean/non-toxic favorites as well.
