My Favorite Resources for Switching to Non Toxic Products
Hi ladies! Today I’m sharing my favorite resources to use when evaluating the ingredients in my current products and finding non toxic alternatives. It’s been almost a year since I shared this blog post about my initial thoughts on switching to safer beauty products.
Since then, I have successfully replaced the majority of my beauty products with non toxic options that work just as good, if not better than the products I was previously using. I have also switched over the cleaning products in our home to plant based, non toxic options and couldn’t be happier with the results!
If you are just starting your journey to natural living, it can be super intimidating. Considering the FDA only bans 11 ingredients from being used in cosmetic products (where as Europe bans 1,300+), it is up to us to do our own research and determine what ingredients are and are not safe. So, where do you start researching? Here’s a list of some great resources that I’ve found to be super helpful when ditching & switching from toxic to non toxic!
THINK DIRTY APP
You’ve probably heard of this one, but the Think Dirty App is a great way to find out what's in your current products and if those ingredients are harmful or not. The app rates products on a scale of 0-10, 0 being not toxic at all and 10 being very toxic. You can scan the barcode on your products or type in their names, and can then read further about each ingredient. If some of your current products are super harmful, the app does provide options that are clean which is nice!
EWG.ORG
The Environmental Working Group has an app called Healthy Living powered by Skin Deep and Food Scores. They also have a website. The concept with the app is similar to Think Dirty, where you can scan or search your products, see their rating, read about the ingredients, and find safer alternatives. I like EWG a little better than Think Dirty because it also includes info on food! Their website also has TONS of articles and guides to help you make informed decisions!
FOLLAIN.COM
Follain is a website as well as brick & mortar store where you can shop for clean beauty products. Every brand they sell has to go through their approval process. They also have a list of restricted ingredients which is nice. You can read about their standards here. They are a great resource because you are able to shop confidently, knowing that you can trust they are selling brands who use clean ingredients in all of their products. They take the guess work out for you just in case you don’t feel like doing the research on your own!
THE DETOX MARKET
The Detox Market is another online & brick and mortar store where you can shop for clean beauty products. They partner with brands who fit their standards and pass their approval process. They also have a list of restricted ingredients. Again, they take the guess work out and you know you can trust them! Read more about TDM here.
ABOUT PAGES & BLOGS
As you come across brands you may want to try, make sure you read the about pages on their websites. After reading the about pages, you will have a pretty good sense of the brand and if you can trust that their products are what they claim to be. You will also be able to compare brands once you read a handful of about pages. Some may impress you more than others and some might be super basic, making you question their reliability. For example, I came across the brand Lawless on Instagram. When I read their about page, I was sold. I knew I could trust that their products are super luxe but also clean!
Another great resource to utilize when looking at a brand's website is their blog. I love the One Love Organic's blog because I found SO much useful information in their posts as I was doing my research. Another great blog is the one by Primally Pure. If a brand's site has a blog, read it!
A few bloggers I follow are really into clean beauty which is AMAZING. It’s so hard to find genuine reviews of clean products from bloggers. I feel like most bloggers aren’t aware of what’s in their products, and if they are they just don’t care enough to make a change. Here are two bloggers who do a great job with clean beauty reviews: Jess Ann Kirby and Jenna from Visions of Vouge.
One thing I have learned is that slow and steady wins the race. As you run out of current products, replace them with cleaner options. You DON’T have to ditch & switch everything at once. That can be super expensive and end up creating more waste than not. Another thing I have learned is that as long as you are doing the best you can for you, that’s all that matters. I have not fully transitioned all of my products over yet, and that’s okay! I’ve been on this journey for a year now and it’s definitely a work in progress. But, when we know better, we can do better. It all starts with research!
As always, thanks so much for reading! Feel free to reach out with any questions you may have.
& if you’re not already, follow my new lifestyle Instagram account @pinebarrenliving <3
xoxo
