Five Easy Products to Switch Out First (Non-Toxic Lifestyle)

Hey, hey! Welcome back! 

If you're here, then you probably read my previous post about how your daily products can impact your fertility. If you haven't read that post yet and just randomly stumbled here first, then I encourage you to give that one a read as well. 

But let's go ahead and dive right in about how to switch out your toxic products and my recommendation for the easiest ones to do first! 

Let me start by saying this- if you're trying to switch out your products then CONGRATULATIONS and just know that I am so excited for you, but please don't ditch it all at once! That may cause you more stress and overwhelm than what you actually need.

Instead, let's take this a step at a time. As you're starting to get low on a product, I encourage you to start looking into cleaner versions. That way when you run completely out, you have a game plan of what you're going to replace it with. The more that you start running out of products, the more switches you'll be able to make over time. This also gives you the flexibility to find a clean product that you love versus stocking up on a bunch of clean products that are just "meh."

I know it can be overwhelming, but I am here to help! Below, I've listed out five easy products that you can switch out first and I've also given you some great recommendations on a cleaner version!

1. Ditch the Dryer Sheets!

This is the FIRST thing that we switched out and it was SO easy to do. Did you know that a majority of big name dryer sheet companies are poorly rated on EWG? Some were rated at a C, but most of them scored a D or F. The main reason being that it stirs up issues with the respiratory system and have been linked to worsening conditions like asthma.

All of these companies use "fragrance" as an ingredient in their dryer sheets and this is a major red flag. Companies can push and shove thousands of harmful ingredients into a product and claim it under the umbrella term of "fragrance" or "perfume" and they don't have to disclose what it is.

This is alarming. 

So instead of fluffing your clothes with toxic and hazardous ingredients, I encourage you to make the switch to 100% pure organic wool dryer balls. You can find them on Amazon, Etsy, and there are TONS of other companies out there that offer great quality products. I can't give you a specific recommendation because the ones that we use have been purchased from a local farmer's market. 

We have three dryer balls and I have honestly LOVED them. They were about $20 and have lasted us for YEARS! I haven't missed dryer sheets for a second since we kicked 'em. But I get you still want that clean smell to your laundry . . . it's so easy! Snag one of your favorite pure essential oils and add a few drops to each dryer ball before starting your load. Switch out your scent for different seasons or holidays, etc. 

It's THAT easy!

2. Prefer No Perfume!

Some of you may get upset about this one because you loveee a good perfume or cologne on your man. Believe me, I get it. But y'all, there is a reason why you get headaches or coughing fits or overwhelmed by the fragrance center at a shopping store. It's because it's too much! 

Just like I said before- companies can put whatever ingredients they want into your products and call it "fragrance" or "perfume." So why, WHY would you want to put that ingredient as a whole on your body at all? I understand the argument of spraying it on your clothes and not on your skin, that's a great first step. But you're still breathing in the toxic fumes and scents from the perfume/cologne and it is still causing harm over time. 

I understand the want to smell good, especially if you're going to a fancy date or event, but I highly encourage you to step away from the cologne and perfume. You're welcome to do further research, but studies have shown that these products can actually cause serious reactions called, "perfume poisoning." People have had such adverse reactions to perfume and think about it- this is just from a topical product. You're technically not ingesting it (eating or drinking), but just from spraying the product on you or your clothes, you're still breathing it in and it's still causing serious harm to your body. 

See this article from Healthline for another behind perfumes and colognes. 

So what should you do instead? Yep, you guessed it. Use essential oils! They are pure, all natural, and the smell of certain oils have been proven to HELP you! For instance, lavender is a calming scent while wild orange boosts your mood. Find a reliable source that uses pure essential oils (I recommend Young Living or Doterra) and make a diluted roller ball to help you smell good and feel good on your big night out!

3. Cap the Chapstick!

If you know me, you know I LOVE a good chapstick. Lol except does a "good" chapstick even exist? If you're like me and think "wallet, phone, keys, chapstick" before you leave the house, then you NEED this one. 

Did you know that a majority of the ingredients in your chapstick are actually drying out your lips and not moisturizing them? Yep. It's true and it's been proven. That's why chapstick companies make so much dang money and that's why you think a brand of chapstick doesn't "work" like another because you have to reapply more than normal. But in reality, the chapstick IS working and doing the job it was designed to do. It's making your lips dry AF so that you keep reapplying and rebuying. 

Frustrating, isn't it?

Well then, you're not gonna like this. Did you also know that a majority of ingredients in your chapstick are extremely harmful to your health, too? Yep, it's true and it's been proven. Ingredients found in some chapsticks can irritate your skin, disrupts your hormones, and in extreme cases- cause cancer! Like I'm sorry WHAT!? 

Y'all, this stuff is scary- I know! But this is why I'm sharing this and THIS is why I stocked The Warrior Shop with clean products. Because the last thing an infertility warrior needs is another freaking thing to disrupt our hormones or cause harm to our bodies. 

I found a great quality lip balm and immediately knew I needed to put it in the shop. I've been a long time user of this specific lip balm and I personally love it. I noticed a drastic shift when I switched from a big company chapstick to this lip balm. I didn't have to apply nearly as much as I was and now I only apply once a day before bed!

Shocking, right?! 

I've seen the change, I've experienced the change, and I want to help you make a change, too. Give our lip balm a try and I'm sure you'll love it just as much as I do. Plus! Check out that ingredient list!

4. Burn the Candles! 

But not literally! I mean "burn" as in GET IT OUT! If you have a Bath and Body Works Candle or maybe even a scented candle from Target, you may want to rethink before burning it again.

This has been in the news before and a lot of studies have been done to show you that candles are- again! - filled with harsh chemicals and ingredients that are damaging to your health. Wanna know the common ingredient? Yep! Fragrance. If you have walked by a Bath and Body Works, Yankee Candle, or White Barn store and have immediately gotten a headache- that's a reaction to the scents that they use! 

It's the overpowering smell of all the crap that they shove into their products to make them "smell good" and it's negatively impacting your health. Yeah, they may smell "good" but what is giving them that strong scent? Do you know? Heck, I bet the company that makes them doesn't even know anymore. And if they do, they aren't honest about it. 

Certain fragrances, waxes, and wicks have been proven to do more harm than good when burning a candle in your home. It's disrupting your hormones, giving you headaches, and causing irritation in your body. The toxic fumes may smell nice, but it's not nice for your health- it's damaging! 

Instead, I highly encourage you to do your research before you buy or burn. If you're super stuck on candles (that's great!), but choose a clean one with ingredients that you know and trust. Ingredients like "natural scents" aren't specific and therefore, raise a red flag. Like what the heck is the natural scent? Instead, I'd look for things like "orange essential oil or pure soy wax" etc. It's straight to the point. 

I am proud to have some clean candle options in The Warrior Shop that have a strong and honest ingredient list. AKA- you know what the ingredients are! 

If you want to steer away from candles, then I would always recommend diffusing pure essential oils in your home. The best part is that you can switch it up every single day and use certain scents to help boost your mood or put you in the holiday spirit!

5. Dirty Detergent!

If you're catching a theme here, then you'll already know what I'm about to say. Just because your liquid detergent cleans your clothes and doesn't exactly *touch* your skin, it's still harming your health. 

One of the most harmful ingredients found in liquid detergent is 1,4-Dioxane and is a probable human carcinogen. YIKES! It causes all sorts of nasty issues with your respiratory system, kidneys, and throat. 

THAT IS ALARMING AND SCARY! 

But that's also why when you look up normal detergents like Gain or Tide on the EWG app, they score a big fat F! They are so incredibly dangerous and toxic and if this is something you're using now, I highly encourage you to stop. 

You're welcome to read more about the toxicity of detergent and how it's also an issue for pollution here. 

Even "clean" companies like Babyganics and Seventh Generation have low scores of a D or F on EWG. Using the app is so very simple and I encourage you to not only scan the detergent that you're currently using, but to scan the detergent IN the store before you ever buy your next one. 

That's honestly the best way to switch your detergent. Scan before you buy and be educated before you use! We've noticed that a huge contender is obviously the scent and smell. Don't buy anything for the scent or smell! Otherwise, you're probably buying fragrance or perfume and we've already talked enough about why you shouldn't do that. 

We've also found that switching from a liquid detergent (laundry and dish) to a powdered pod has received better ratings for overall health and environmental impact. 

I truly hope that this has been helpful and enlightening for you. I know how intimidating these changes can be, but making small changes here and there will be beneficial to you in the long run! 

Thanks for coming by today!

xoxo,

SAB