The First 10 Products I Went “Toxin-Free”
Are you looking into transitioning to cleaner everyday products, but overwhelmed with where to start?
These are the ten household and daily products that I would first focus on swapping— plus some of my favorite recommendations to help ease the transition.
Have you ever felt so overwhelmed by something on your “To Do List” that you don’t do anything at all? Whether it is feeling overwhelmed by the process or just not knowing where to start, the mental barrier is often the hardest part.
That is how I felt when I decided to “clean up” some of my health, beauty, and home products. I suddenly felt like all my products were bad and that I needed to throw it all out (completely unrealistic and unnecessary).
Deodorant
Swapping out your deodorant for a healthier alternative is always a great place to start. My first reason for this being my first suggestion is that you apply deodorant every single day (hopefully). It is also directly applied to your skin in areas with large numbers of lymph nodes— meaning that anything used in these areas is absorbed into the lymphatic system and either accumulates there, or is transported throughout the body.
Deodorant is also a more affordable swap to make. Rather than spending 100’s to try out a new product, you can test out a new deodorant brand for between $10-$20. This makes it more affordable and not as big of a loss should a specific product not work for you.
Opting for a healthier deodorant option can come with a bit of a transition phase, to be honest. This can be supported by supporting your body’s natural detox pathways, adding an armpit mask to your self-care routine, and staying hydrated. If you are looking for my favorite, tried-and-true clean deodorant brands that actually leave you smelling good can be found on this post here.
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2. Food Storage Containers
Tupperware, plastic storage bags, and meal prep containers have long been made of plastic. Not only can these plastics break down and introduce endocrine disruptors directly into your food, but it is also not the best option environmentally. Instead, opt for glass containers, reusable silicone sandwich bags, or stainless steel lunch boxes.
These items are healthier for both your body and the environment, and can also save you money long-term by their longevity and not needing to be replaced as frequently. Here are some of my favorite healthier food storage containers:
beeswax wrap - a great alternative to saran wrap or plastic wrap
3. Menstrual Products
Did you know that popular menstrual products are made of plastics, chlorines, and artificial fragrances? Your vagina and vulva are highly vascularized areas of your body. So, anything put in or on those areas can be absorbed into your bloodstream.
I always try to opt for organic cotton tampons, pads, and period underwear to avoid as many chemicals as possible during my cycle.
4. Artificially Fragranced Candles
I love the ambiance and immediate romanticization of simply lighting a candle. But did you know that most conventional candles are made with paraffin-based waxes? These waxes can release volatile organic compounds (aka VOC’s) when burned, many of which are known carcinogens and endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
Beyond the wax, there is also concern with artificial fragrance. When choosing a candle, I opt for a natural wax like beeswax and brands that use natural sources for fragrance, such as essential oils. I love the Primally Pure candles— they are all made with safe ingredients, burn beautifully, and have the best scents! You can always save 10% off your Primally Pure orders with code KAELYN10 ✨
5. Cookware
Over the last few years, there has been a big shift in what is recommended to be “safe” for cookware. A couple of years ago, everyone was talking about ceramic cookware to replace your non-stick pans. Now a lot of people are changing to stainless steel.
Personally, I followed that exact pattern and would recommend skipping straight to a high-quality stainless steel option. I bought a really reputable, non-toxic ceramic brand and was disappointed in how they held up after only a couple of years. I own and love Heritage Steel pans— if you are interested in learning more, I have a whole blog post here.
6. Reusable Water Bottle
This is a great place to start if you are looking into cleaning up your toxin-burden. Plastic water bottles have been shown to leech chemicals and microplastics into the water you drink—neither of which you want in your body. When choosing a reusable water bottle, opt for one that is stainless steel and easy to clean. Personally, I have chosen to avoid straws and instead opt for open-mouth bottles just for ease of cleaning and ensuring that they are fully dry. (When straws are not allowed time to fully dry after cleaning, they are prone to growing mold and bacteria).
7. Skincare Products
Similar to deodorant, people are often applying skincare products every single day. Anything that is applied to your skin is then absorbed into your bloodstream and circulated around your body. If you are someone who uses a lot of skincare or beauty products, I would start by replacing them with a cleaner alternative when you run out. This makes it a lot easier to replace your products over than all at once.
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8. Cleaning Products
For years I wanted things to smell “clean”. I thought that if there wasn’t that harsh chemical scent, that it just wasn’t doing it’s job. Now, I cannot walk down the cleaner aisle in a store without getting a headache 😅
All the products that you spray in your home are being introduced into the air you breathe. Some of my favorite healthier cleaning brands are:
Truly Freely- I have a subscription set for most of my cleaning products and all my laundry products from Truly Freely. I love that every few months I get shipped all the refills that I need!
Aunt Fannie’s - a great plant-based cleaning brand that you can get from Amazon
9. Laundry Detergent
Similar to cleaning products, but these laundry products introduce chemicals into your clothing— which then come in contact with your skin. For my family, both of my children have very sensitive skin. We avoid all harsh chemicals and artificial fragrances because they immediately cause irritation and eczema flare-ups. So naturally, finding a clean laundry detergent was really important for us.
We started using Truly Freely because I loved that their clean detergent still smelled like conventional detergent. And while it was significantly better for my kiddos skin, we opted to use their unscented detergent to remove as many variables as we could out of the mix.
I love that their detergent works well and supports a low-waste model. When you initially purchase the detergent, they send you the jug. Then afterward they send you packets to mix with water and refill your jug at home.
10. Toothpaste
Last but not least on the list is your toothpaste—something you are hopefully using multiple times per day 😜 For our family, we choose to avoid fluoride and instead use other high-quality mineralizing toothpaste. Here are some of our favorites:
Elementa- we recently switched to this from a recommendation from our biologic dentist- so far we really like it!
Boka- This is the hydroxyapatite toothpaste that we have used previously for the last couple of years
As always, nothing on this site is medical advice. Please speak with your own healthcare providers to find what is the best option for you.
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