We’re so excited about this post because we all want to be a little glamorous, right?
Whatever that means to you, there’s a good chance that it involves products that, upon a deeper look, are not so glamorous. We’re talking SLS, pthalates, silicone, hormone distruptors and other carcinogens that are found in hair sprays, shampoos, makeup, body lotions, literally almost everything.
Amanda from The Organic Bunny is here today to tell us her top swaps when it comes to body care. The Organic Bunny really is your one stop shop when you’re looking for dupes when it comes to any kind of healthier product for your skin, face, home, pets etc. Not only do they offer clean, safe products for every aspect of your life, they also offer FREE CONSULTS with estheticians.
With that, let’s let Amanda take it away on why and what we need to be looking for when it comes to body care products.
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Almost 10 years ago, on New Year’s Eve, I set out with a plan: to eliminate all of the toxic products and foods in my home that may be behind my various health issues. Growing up, I had a “normal” childhood, which consisted of my Mom telling me to use toxic Oil of Olay SPF to not get wrinkles at age 12, which then usually was followed by a lunch of Capri Sun, Doritos and a Little Debbie’s. While my parents weren’t unhealthy intentionally, nothing about my childhood was actually focused around health or wellness, so learning the truth of this all was a big wake up call for me.
The foods we eat and the personal care products we use are making us sick. Hormone disruptions, weight gain, hair loss, mood swings, infertility, birth defects, miscarriages, cancer, and skin irritations are just a few examples of the harm the chemicals hiding in our favorite products can cause.
So, I set out to change exactly that. I grew up very girly and glamorous, smuggling sunless tanning machines into the sorority house and gluing on layers of false eyelashes, so I wasn’t willing to go full on crunchy but why couldn’t we have both!?
So, that was the goal: To create an online clean beauty shop that offered not only the cleanest beauty products but also the most high performance, and from that idea, the Organic Bunny blog and retail shop was born. It’s been a blessing to me and thousands of others ever since.
For the last 10 years, I have been researching just about anything I can get my hands on. What preservatives are being used? How is the makeup being pigmented? Is it from mineral pigments, or lake dyes derived from petroleum? Each day, I scour the Earth for products that are clean enough to make the cut but also perform flawlessly. Now, I carry over 6,000 different items that I feel accomplish that.
Today, I wanted to share some of my favorite swaps to start with, so if you are new to this world, or perhaps wanting to get into it, you know exactly where to start.
A few things to consider is:
- What products do you use most often?
- What products do you use that cover the majority of your skin?
Our skin is our largest organ, so it must be protected. What we apply to it can absorb into our bloodstream and wreak havoc on our health and hormones, so the above will help you decide what to tackle first. Here is what that looked like for me:
Remember, any toxic ingredients you can eliminate is better than not eliminating them, so do what you can, when you can, one category at a time.
Body Wash
If you check your favorite body wash, chances are you may find toxic ingredients like sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), parabens, phthalates, synthetic fragrances, and triclosan, which can cause skin irritations, hormonal disruptions, allergies, and more. These chemicals are often absorbed through the skin and can even accumulate in the body over time, leading to potential health risks.
We use body wash daily, and we cover our entire body with it, so, for me, this was a big one to swap out first. My all-time favorite body wash that the entire family can use, even kids, is the Aleavia Body Cleanse.
Not only do I love this for the obvious: body cleansing, but I also use this to shave, clean my makeup brushes, and sometimes even use it as a shampoo. This body wash is amazing for those with sensitive skin, eczema, psoriasis, keratosis, sun spots, dry skin, irritated skin and more as it is a prebiotic body wash. This means it works hard to remove the bad bacteria and create more of the good.
Deodorant
Most of us know by now to avoid aluminum in our deodorants, but the problem is that most natural deodorants don’t work. Deodorant can be a really tricky item to replace, as it is going to come down to your personal chemistry, but I do have a best selling brand and that is the Rustic Maka.
Not only do all of their deodorants not contain toxic aluminum, but they also avoid baking soda which is a very common, natural, but irritating ingredient for many. One tip here is to know that because these do not contain aluminum, they will NOT block sweat fully. Aluminum is a heavy metal that is designed to clog your pores to physically block sweat. These will not do that, so you can still plan to sweat a little, which is healthy. If we are not sweating, we are storing toxins inside of us, so you do have to adjust your expectations a little here. I also suggest pairing their deodorants with their famous Charcoal Soap for maximum success.
Shampoo
Like body wash, our hair care products can also contain SLS, parabens, hormone-disrupting fragrances, silicones, and other formaldehyde-releasing preservatives and because our scalp is so large, you really want to make sure you are using a clean shampoo + conditioner.
My all-time favorite shampoo is the Rahua Volume as it keeps my fine hair light and bouncy and never weighed down. After I shampoo, I then condition from my ears down, never the scalp unless I am using it as a scalp treatment, with the Rahua Volume or Under Luna Revive conditioner. This stuff is what dreams are made of, as it leaves my hair so soft, moisturized + smelling like fresh jasmine.
Synthetic Scents
One of the worst products you can invite into your home is those that contain hormone-disrupting, synthetic fragrances, in fact, it is the #1 most toxic item to bring into the home for our pets. Whether you are still using conventional perfume, cleaning products, laundry detergents, air fresheners, candles (a better choice here), or Febreeze, a quick way to clean up your home significantly is by simply removing it all. Hormone-disrupting chemicals are invisible, which leads many to believe there is no damage, but did you know that they are harming our fertility at an alarming rate?
Environmental and reproductive epidemiologist Shanna Swan predicts sperm counts could reach zero by 2045 thanks to hormone-disrupting chemicals that are “everywhere.” Where would we be left without sperm? This is a huge reason to get your entire family on board with this lifestyle, as it spares no one.
For safer swaps, you can head to my website where you will find all-natural essential oils, perfumes, candles, room sprays, body lotions, and more. Hormone-disrupting chemicals are found in pretty much everything in the home, so the more you can replace them, one by one, the better. One of my favorite brands to replace toxic air fresheners is the Grow Fragrance brand as they are free from harmful chemicals like phthalates, parabens, synthetic fragrances, and artificial dyes with lots of amazing scents to choose from. If you love that Vegas hotel scent, try out their Blondewood, it’s a dream.
Oral Care
Another really important product to swap out is anything that is entering your mouth because we do swallow small amounts of these products. Many conventional toothpastes contain harmful ingredients like fluoride, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), triclosan, and propylene glycol which can irritate the skin, disrupt hormones, and even cause long-term health issues. Artificial sweeteners, titanium dioxide, and synthetic dyes are also often used which have been linked to allergic reactions, digestive problems, and potential cancer risks so no thank you to any of that.
Instead, choose a natural toothpaste and mouth rinse. My favorite toothpaste is the David’s Sensitive as it keeps my breath minty fresh and teeth white thanks to the nano-hydroxyapetite. It reminds me of a cleaner dupe for something like Sensodyne. David’s also just released a kid’s one too. For mouth wash, I love the Just Ingredients option as it combines the powerful effects of hydroxyapatite, silver, and healing herbs for better oral health. This formula targets bad bacteria, helps with dry mouth, protects your teeth from cavities, heals gums, prevents gum disease, and much more… all naturally. (Check out this post for Lauryn’s favorite, healthier oral care products).
Sunscreen
You may have heard already but recently, studies found that 78 popular sunscreen products were found to contain benzene, a known carcinogen. Studies show that benzene exposure increases our risk of cancer, especially blood cancer. Besides containing benzene, many brands also contain Oxybenzone which is damaging our ocean’s coral reefs as this chemical washes off into our oceans after we apply it. Oxybenzone is also an endocrine disruptor, with research showing that it induces changes in the breast tissue when used by pregnant women. When choosing a sunscreen, always opt for a more natural, mineral-based product to keep contamination risks as low as you can.
You can check out all of my natural, approved SPF options here or a round up of my top picks by category here.
As you can see, we are quite literally drowning in chemicals and toxins which can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Ditch what you can and slowly build up your collection as your budget allows. Hopefully, this blog sheds some light on the best areas to focus on to make it easier to know where to start but if not, we are here to help!
We also have a team of Holistic Estheticians here to walk you through the entire transition from conventional to clean! Not sure what skin or hair care products to start with? Or, perhaps you have a favorite lipstick you want a clean dupe for? We’ve got you and, for FREE!
Head to our consult page and choose which option you’d like to start with and we will map it all out for you to ensure you tackle your goals flawlessly!
Other things you should know about The Organic Bunny:
+ All of the items at Organic Bunny are Organic and/or Non-Toxic.
+ For anyone with any auto-immune issues, we are super sensitive to those and can create routines with that in mind!
+ We have 2 full-time Holistic Estheticians available for you; you can get custom help on whatever topic you need. We can do full-on skincare routines, color matching, and clean dupe swaps for anyone in your family! This service is so helpful for men, women, teens, kids, babies, and PETS as it would typically cost hundreds elsewhere. WE DO ALL THE WORK FOR YOU!
+ After your FREE CONSULT, you can coupon stack with code SKINNY and the one we give you after your consult.
+ For the animal-loving community, we also have support for any pet-related issues, and a TON of amazing, clean pet items. Supporting our store also supports the dog rescue Bunny’s Buddies.
+ All orders ship the same day, and via 2-day Express Shipping, so you can have your goodies in just a few days. Shipping is FREE over $125.
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As Amanda said we’re swimming in toxins. That’s why Lauryn is so passionate about Branch Basics, Non-Toxic Candles, Molly Suds, made her own healthier SPF, uses healthier cookware and more. It’s important to go slow and do what you can. Try not to get too overwhelmed and make little switches along the way. And if you do need some help, take Amanda up on the FREE consultations she offers.
Here are some of Lauryn’s favorite products that you can find on The Organic Bunny:
+ Agent Nateur Pearly Whites
+ Living Libations perfume in Petal Lavish Abundance
+ White and Sage Selenite
+ ION Intelligence of Nature Gut Support
+ Ever Eco Bamboo Straw 4 pack
+ Pets Paw Cleanser
A best seller and the cleanest HOCl on the market, other brands use phosphates and are not as pure. It’s great for cleaning glyphosate off their paws which is snuck onto lawns and behind the 70% increase risk of lymphoma in dogs. Also great for hot spots, wounds, surgeries and all animals can use it. If you have pets, you need this!
Amanda is offering everyone $5 off their first order with code SKINNY so be sure to stalk her entire site.
What is one of the first non-toxic swaps you made? Whether it’s a product for your home, skin, makeup, clothes – let us know below.
x, The Skinny Confidential team.
+ Our top 5 non-toxic bandaid swaps.
++ Why you should switch to non-toxic candles.
GO NON-TOXIC:
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