In our decades-long journey to find healthy alternatives to common household and personal care products, we’ve learned a lot, and in hopes that we could save you some time, we wanted to share what we’ve learned with you. Here are some general guidelines to help you navigate the tricky world of “healthy” products.
- Just because a product’s label says “healthy”, “non-toxic”, or “natural” doesn’t mean it is. In order to really know, you’ll need to read the ingredients, and research each one individually.
- If you wouldn’t put a product in your body, don’t put it on your body (or in your home).
- Environmental Working Group is a great resource. They’ve done a lot of the legwork for us, the consumers, so that we wouldn’t have to. You can look up virtually any product or ingredient on their website, and find out whether it’s going to be healthy for you and your family.
WHAT GOES ON YOUR BODY AND IN YOUR HOME ENDS UP IN YOUR BODY
The most important thing to remember is that whatever goes onto your body or into your homes inevitably end up inside your body. It does this in one or more of three ways:
You unintentionally ingest it.
You unintentionally breathe it in.
It enters you body through your skin (transdermally).
For example, people use fabric softener sheets, which are highly toxic, and then wipe their dishes, their hands, and their mouths with napkins and dishcloths that are covered in these toxins. When drying dishes with these fabric softener covered cloths, the toxins are transferred to their dishes, then transferred to their food, and then transferred into their bodies when they eat the food.
Another example is spraying something like Tilex in your shower. Unless it’s very thoroughly rinsed off (which is very difficult to do without a detachable shower head, which many people don’t have), the next time you take a shower, you’ll be inhaling Tilex, which is highly toxic (not to mention the fact that you’ll be inhaling it while using it).
The good news is that there are healthy alternatives to these toxic products, so you can enjoy the same convenience without harming your health, and that’s why we’ve created this handy guide for you.
PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS
Here are lists of what we have found to be the most wholesome, least toxic personal care and household products on the market. For a greater selection of products that are relatively non-toxic (you’ll find that there’s a spectrum of toxic to non-toxic, and few products are truly non-toxic), please refer to EWG’s excellent guide, which you will find on their website, at ewg.org.
Bar Soap
Griffin Remedy Moisturizing Body Bar
Kiss My Face (all varieties)
Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Bar Soap (all varieties)
100% glycerin soap, any brand
Hand Soap
Griffin Remedy Foaming Hand Soap
Dr. Bronner’s Organic Pump Soap (all varieties)
Body Wash
Griffin Remedy Body Wash
Griffin Remedy Shower Gel
Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Liquid Soap (all varieties)
Shampoo
Griffin Remedy Shampoo (all varieties)
Aubrey Organics Shampoo (all varieties)
Conditioner
Griffin Remedy Conditioner (all varieties)
Aubrey Organics Conditioner (all varieties)
Hair Styling Products
Aubrey Organics B-5 Design Gel
Dr. Bronner’s Organic Hair Crème (all varieties)
Andalou Naturals Argan & Sweet Orange Smooth Hold Styling Cream
Dental Floss
Desert Essence (all varieties they offer)
Shaving Cream
Dr. Bronner’s Organic Shaving Soap (all varieties)
Mouthwash
Nature’s Answer PerioBrite Complete Oral Care
Nature’s Answer PerioWash
Toothpaste
Nature’s Answer PerioBrite Natural Toothpaste (all varieties)
Deodorant
Green Tidings All Natural Deodorant (unscented or lavender)
Moisturizer
Dr. Bronner’s Organic Lotion
Griffin Remedy Body Lotion (all varieties)
Sunscreen *
100% Pure Everywhere Sun Stick, SPF 30
Badger Baby Sunscreen Cream, Chamomile and Calendula, SPF 30
Joshua Tree Sun Stick, SPF 30
Aubrey Organics Kids Natural Sun, SPF 30
Aubrey Organics Natural Sun, SPF 26
*It isn’t safe to inhale sunscreen, so to avoid breathing it in or causing people nearby to do so, be sure to avoid spray-on varieties.
HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS
All Purpose Cleaners
Sun & Earth All Purpose Cleaner, Light Citrus
Ecover Cream Scrub
Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Soap (all varieties)
Baking soda
White vinegar
Kitchen Cleaner
BuggyLove Organic Multi-Surface Kitchen Cleaner
Sun & Earth All Purpose Cleaner, Light Citrus
Powder Cleanser
Bon Ami Powder Cleanser
Glass Cleaner
Sun & Earth Glass Cleaner, Light Citrus
Aspen Clean Glass Cleaner
White vinegar
Bathroom Cleaner
Green Shield Organic Bathroom Cleaner
Seventh Generation Natural Tub and Tile Cleaner
Seventh Generation Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Green Shield Organic Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Mold/Mildew Remover
Concrobium Mildew Control
Attitude Bathroom Mold and Mildew Cleaner
Floor Care
Simple Green Naturals Carpet Care
Martha Steward Clean Wood Floor Cleaner
Furniture Care
Truce Wood Cleaner, Citrus
Martha Steward Clean Wood Floor Cleaner
BuggyLove Organic No-Wash Stain Remover
These products were finalized and selected for an episode of the CNN show Morgan Spurlock Inside Man, when Peter’s work was featured in their episode “The Truth About Toxins.” In the spring of 2016, it was also printed as a brochure for parents at the Autism One conference.
The response to what we’ve shared has been tremendous, and we are so heartened to know that such a large number of people are learning about the importance of safe and natural products for their bodies and homes. Though it takes a bit of research and discipline to make sure the products you buy fit the criteria we’ve outlined here, you’ll find that it’s well worth the effort given the benefits you’ll reap in your health and well-being.
