Right after Drake was born I started looking into "clean" products and making some healthy swaps for our home. I had never really thought about clean products and I just assumed that everything out on the market was safe. When friends and family started recommending safe products for our new baby it made me stop and think. If the products I have in my home aren't considered safe for my son then why would I want to use them on myself? Since then I have been doing my own research, finding new resources and slowly making changes.
Before we go any farther, I feel that I need to define what I mean by "clean" and why this and so many other market terms can be misleading or confusing. When you go to the grocery store and pick up an apple that is marked "organic" that tells you that the apple has been grown in soil that has not been treated with synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. The term organic is regulated by the USDA and in order to use the word organic on your products they have to meet certain federal guidelines. (Full explanation & regulations can be found here.) Unlike organic, the term clean has no such federal oversight. If you walk down the aisle at your local grocery store, Target, Sephora, Walmart, etc. you will see words like clean, natural, plant derived, real fruit, free & clear, etc. But in reality these words don't really have much meaning. This is especially true in the personal care industry where there is little to no regulation on ingredient selection, safety or the terms used to market these products.
Moral of the story? Whatever product you have in your hand - turn it over. Actually read the ingredient list. Did the front of that yogurt say no sugar? Look on the back, I bet you'll find an artificial sweetener listed. Does that body wash say natural? Turn it over. Do you see "fragrance" listed? There can be thousands of chemicals that make up the fragrance of a product and legally they don't have to be listed. It's an unfortunate reality, but the good news is that when you know better you do better. You have the ability to make small changes for yourself and your family that overtime will add up to a healthier lifestyle.
So what does "clean" mean to me? To me cleaner products are free from harmful chemicals and ingredients that have been linked to negative outcomes such as cancer, hormone disruption, eczema, etc. Are the items in my home (or on this list for that matter) perfect? No. Do I believe there is such a thing as living a 100% non-toxic lifestyle? No. But, the key is to make small changes where you can and reduce your toxic load without letting it take over your life.
These seven items are easy swaps that you can make today to start living a healthier lifestyle.
Dryer Balls - Ditch your chemical laden dryer sheets and make the swap to wool dryer balls. Dryer sheets are completely unnecessary and can actually clog up your dryer vents over time. On the flip side, the dryer balls will save you money and can even speed up your drying time.
Laundry Detergent - Such an easy swap. The easiest thing is to look for a "free & clear" product. Take it a step further and do some research on the ingredients list. Like I said earlier, no one is monitoring the use of the term "free & clear," so that can mean different things to different companies. If you don't mind a powder form, then Molly's Suds is a great option.
Candles - Stop with the crazy scented candles! Scented candles emit a ton of toxins that can cause allergic reactions, skin irritations, asthma and even cancer-causing chemicals. Look for a candle that is 100% soy or beeswax and that uses 100% naturally derived ingredients for fragrance. Again, the word fragrance is tricky. Be sure that you know what's in it.
Glass Food Storage Containers - Research has shown that plastic food storage containers leak chemicals into our food & drinks that can harm our health. You've probably heard of BPA and maybe BPS that have been shown to have hormone-mimicking properties and have even been linked to breast cancer. Making the swap to glass is not only better for your health, but glass containers last longer, wont warp in your dishwasher and keep food fresher.
Cookware - This topic has been popping up in the media recently and I was definitely guilty of this one. When I got married back in 2014 and registered for pots & pans I had never even considered that they could be harmful. The ever-important non-stick factor is what will get you. Many non-stick pans are coated with teflon, which breaks down due to high heat and wear and tear. This causes harmful chemicals to be released into the air of your home. There is a lot of clean cookware on the market right now. Figure out what's most important to you (non-stick, heat tolerant, etc.) and then do your research.
Reusable Baggies - This is not only another step away from harmful plastic it's also a step closer to a cleaner environment. Many reusable options are made of silicone, or cloth and are often dishwasher & microwave safe. One reusable sandwich bag can take the place of hundreds of plastic ones, preventing them from ending up in landfills and oceans.
Personal Care Products - If you know me then you know that I love Beautycounter and have swapped out 100% of my skincare and 99.9% of my makeup to this brand. The personal care industry is very tricky when it comes to the way products are marketed and there is little to no regulation on what ingredients can be used. I wrote an entire blog post on switching up your personal care products. You can read it here.
