Who loves taking a bath? Or a nice hot relaxing shower? I know I do. However, when I take a shower or a bath I want to make sure my products are eco-friendly and chemical-free.
So, I love taking baths. Especially with the little fizzy bath bombs. These seem to be all the craze right now. I've seen many brands that have started to make them. During this time, I was not aware of eco-friendly products. OR why I should use them.
Before I knew about all the chemicals one product can have, I continued to use the bath bombs. It had scents that I liked and there was a little prize in the middle. So, I bought them. I wanted to know what was inside. The element of surprise, right? It hooked me and reeled me in!
But when I used it the next time... my bath was not so relaxing. After my bath, little red bumps appeared. It was awful. It felt like razor burn. Not to mention, they were SUPER itchy. Unfortunately, no amount of lotion would help.
After that terrible bath experience, I started to think about what was in bath bombs. As a result, this led to further research into body wash and salts, too.
My Long Research Journey Into Eco-Friendly Products
My research started a little over two years ago. I did a lot of digging. During this time, I found there are MANY chemicals that go into making different products.
When I landed on bath bombs, I found out there were synthetic fragrances. These are no regulated at all. In other words, these smells are not natural. They are made up of so many chemicals. To sum it up, they are blended together to create the scent. Even more shocking was the health concerns they can cause. Talk about YIKES! Cancer, headaches, neurotoxicity, respiratory problems, asthma. That was alarming enough for me. But... I dove deeper.
Products can contain phthalates, too. These can cause hormonal responses that can increase the risk of infertility, type 2 diabetes, and breast cancer.
Not to mention dyes. Which... are in everything it seems. They are easily absorbed and can cause skin infections.
I was soaking in all these chemicals! SOAKING. My poor body was taking in all of this nasty stuff. It finally had enough and gave me a sign. The little, red, itchy bumps.
These health problems won't happen right away. But over time, these chemicals could do some damage. For instance, my little, red bumps.
3 Tips That Will Help You Choose the Best Clean Products
There are three very important tips to use when searching for clean, green, and safe products. Finding products that are eco-friendly and safe for you can be tricky. But with some research, you can do it!
Tip #1- Do the Research to Find Authentic Eco-friendly Products
This tip is super important. You have to do the research to figure out the ingredients. Likewise, find more out about the brand you want to buy, too. Buy from brands that have the same values as you do. Buy from brands that are transparent. Many brands today are switching to transparency because it is what their shoppers want.
If you don't like to do the digging, guess what? There's an app for that! The Think Dirty App. It is the easiest way to learn about ingredients in your beauty, personal care, and household products. All you have to do is scan the product barcode and Think Dirty will give you easy-to-understand information about the product and its ingredients. When you scan a product that is dirty, they will give you related items that are cleaner. Most importantly, you can shop right on the app. They have a shop button that will take you straight to a page to buy the product.
If you want chemical-free, eco-friendly products do your research. Research the brand, let Think Dirty do the rest.
Tip #2- The Importance of Labels
Always, always, always check the ingredients label. I can't stress enough the importance of this.
Many people know to check the label on food. However, many people don't know to check them on their beauty products. In other words, people just pick up beauty products. Mainly because they like the packaging or because it is a brand they've used for years.
However, beauty products can be compared to processed foods. Full of junk. Check those labels, yo.
IF you find synthetic fragrances, don't buy it. Phalates, just say NO. Dyes... put that back on the shelf!
On the other hand, some products may have an eco-friendly label or an organic label on it. These labels are eye-catching. Especially to someone who is trying to have a cleaner, greener home. I've been outsmarted by those labels, too. But... check the label anyways. Just to be safe.
So, take the extra minute to check your labels. On your beauty products, your food products, your household products. Just do it!
Tip #3- Pick Products from Eco-friendly Brands
Find a brand that you trust and stick with them.
When you go to a brand's website, take some time to get to know them. Look at their vision. What is its mission? Do you feel like they are open about their products?
Is their website inviting? What are some of the comments made by other shoppers?
Basically, listen to your gut. If a brand has the same values as you, try what they have.
For example, Acure is a brand that I trust. I buy a lot of their products. But... I did my research on them. I looked at their mission, their passion, their ingredients, and their story. It lined up with me and their label was safe.
So, I continue to buy their shampoo, conditioner, eye creams, lotions, and travel sets.
I trust that Acure will not steer me wrong. When they come out with new products, I'm not hesitant to give it a look because I trust them. I trust them to continue the good work they are doing. Similarly, I trust them to not put chemicals in their products.
Most importantly, finding a brand you trust will put your mind at ease. In other words, it takes the guess work out.
Eco-friendly Brands You Can Trust
I've done extensive research on these brands already. These are some brands that I really trust with my bathtub and shower experiences. They have not steered me wrong. They have given me peace of mind. That is to say... no more red bumps for me :)
So, I'm going to share these brands with you today. If you are struggling to find brands you can trust, check these six brands out to see if they would be a good fit for you.
Acure- hair care, face care, eye care, body care, deodorant, gift sets, and kits
Alaffia- body care, bath care, hair care, deodorants, baby/kid products, hand care, sets
Dr. Bronner's- body care, toothpaste, shaving cream, hair care, balms, hand sanitizer, household cleaners
Level Naturals- bath bombs, body scrubs, bar soap, shower bombs, candles, body mist, gift sets, auto-delivery
Shea Moisture- hair care, body care, face care, baby/kid products
Big Takeaway
Stop using chemicals on your body. Instead, choose eco-friendly products. Do your research, check the labels, and find a brand your trust. Maybe even a few brands. Most importantly, start swapping something out every month. To sum it up, get rid of those chemicals now! As a result, your body will thank you, your health will thank you, and the environment will thank you.
Your Certified Brain Health Coach,
Ashley
Owner of SustainaBRAIN