Easy Ways to Go Green

You go to the gym on a regular basis, you eat organic when you can, you’re a fan of green juice but you’re not sure how to navigate the world of “green beauty” – what should you avoid, where should you start?  It can be overwhelming!  Here’s an easy way to make a few changes to start with – we’ll bump up to other options in coming months.

First off, I’d look at who’s cruelty-free – we’ll do a post just about this in the future but it’s worth checking a website to see if your fave products are tested on animals or not because, at this point in the game, testing on animals isn’t necessary or, honestly, very nice so I’d rec checking it out.  PETA and Leaping Bunny are good places to start and most companies will say if they are cruelty-free even if they’re not certified.  Cruelty-free doesn't mean vegan, but it does mean that they don't test on animals.

Photo from Instagram @meowmeowtweet

DEODORANT

Aluminum and parabens aren't awesome for your armpits so grabbing a deodorant that is aluminum and paraben-free is a great place to start (studies are mixed on if these ingredients play a part in cancer but most people who get cancer are advised to switch to an aluminum and paraben-free deodorant by their doctor so it's up to you to be the judge).  Pit Paste is a great line that works well for people who aren’t sensitive (in a jar or in a stick).  If you are sensitive, the Lemon Eucalyptus stick from Meow Meow Tweet is effective and won’t irritate or you can go baking soda-free from them and do the Grapefruit or Tea Tree options. 

LIP BALM

Okay, if you (or your husband or children) are using ChapStick, Blistex, Aquaphor, Carmex, Vaseline, C.O. Bigelow or Khiel’s lip balms chances are high that they’re petroleum based.  Ingredients to avoid in your lip products are Petroleum, Petrolatum, Mineral Oil or Polyisobutene as they all fall under the petrochemical umbrella and, long story short, you’re eating it.  You eat the equivalent of one tube of lip balm/year and it ends up being 7-9 pounds in your lifetime – it’s serious y’all!  It's what made me want to create ours which are USDA Certified Organic and come in Peppermint, Coconut, Lemonade and Lumberjack which have the slip of a petrochemical based balm without the nasty ingredients.

Photo from Instagram @drbronner

ORAL CARE

There are all kinds of ingredients in our toothpastes that are no bueno for you: Triclosan, Sodium Lauryl Sulfates, Artificial Sweetners, Flouride and Propylene Glycol are ingredients to look out for.  My current favorite is the Dr. Bronner's Toothpaste in Peppermint  (it also comes in Cinnamon and in Anise).  Mouthwash is another area where there’s Alcohol, Aspartame, Dyes (bright blue anyone?) so avoiding those is a good goal.  My two faves are this one from Tom's of Maine or this one from Dr. Brite (also avail in Strawberry). 

SUNSCREEN

I wrote a whole blog post and did a video on this but here’s the short story – you want physical, not chemical, SPFs.  What does that mean?  The FDA sees sunscreens as drugs so look at the “Drug Facts” or “Active Ingredients”.  You want physical SPFs, not chemical ones:

Most chemical SPF's are linked to unfortunate stuff , the worst being Oxybenzone.  It hurts you and the coral reefs (you've seen reef-safe SPFs) so just skip it and stick with Non-Nano Zinc Oxide and/or Titanium Dioxide, preferably in a liquid/cream format and not a powder or spray.  Want to know more?  Read that blog post :).

For a safe daily sunscreen I love our Peptide SPF 30 which is a triple hitter - SPF, firming serum and lightweight moisturizer all in one.  We've also got an SPF for body, a stick for easy application and a lip balm with sunscreen.

Aren't you glad this isn't our reality?!

PERIOD STUFF

I typed "feminine hygiene" and it sounded like I was in a 6th grade health class so I'm going to go with "period stuff" instead.  Long story short you guys, at the very least use fragrance-free tampons/pads.  At the LEAST.  Your vagina is a receptive lady and she will absorb whatever she encounters.  Fragrance is linked to endocrine and reproductive issues so I vote to skip it.

Photo from Cora

Studies are mixed on if the levels of dioxin in conventional tampons is harmful, same story for having rayon in your tampons but, to me, if we can negate even having them in the equation then let's jump on the organic tampon bandwagon.  For every purchase of a box of their organic tampons CORA  provides pads and reproductive health education to girls in need around the globe - I'm super into their situation.  You can also use a menstrual cup from Lena or the Diva Cup which you can reuse.

We'll talk about other ways you can go green but I feel like these are an easy way to start - let me know if you have any questions!

*this post contains affiliate links from products I use and love :)