Spring Clean Your Products

Before you start spring cleaning, let’s talk about how “clean” your products are. You probably don’t even realize that you are exposed to so many different chemicals every day, like in the ballpark of 168 chemicals every day. And you likely don’t think about it at all as you’re getting ready for the day. But did you know the average woman uses 12 different products on her hair/body daily (some sources report more, even up to 30)? Did you know that each of those products could contain ingredients that lead to hormone disruption in the body? We’re not just talking about sex hormones that affect your cycle, but your thyroid, your sleep/wake cycles, your insulin, etc. All of these perfect processes in your body can be disrupted by the chemicals you are exposed to in your day-to-day life. At one point, I trusted that the products on the shelves were safe for me to use. They must be tested if they are available at the store, right? Not entirely. Most of these products are tested for short-term, immediate reactions. Does it cause a skin rash or irritation? No? 

Great put it on the market. There’s no testing for what the long-term effects might be. If you’re anything like me, you have had your favorite products for years, you might even have them on a subscription to have them delivered routinely because you love them and have no need to look for something different. I get it. I’ve been there. However, what we don’t realize then is that we are subjecting ourselves to these products/chemicals for a long period of time. This extended use isn’t studied before putting the product on the market, and the more we learn after the fact, the more we learn about the side-effects of this long-term use. 

When I started looking for other ways to heal my endometriosis, I discovered many of my tried and true products were disrupting my hormones and certainly not helping my endo. That’s when my research started. Now, I live in a 500 person town in the middle of nowhere Montana. I do not have an organic market within 100 miles of my home. There is not a juice bar I can go to. There is not even a Whole Foods to explore. I’m not complaining, I’m telling you this because I want you to know I understand how hard it is to make the shift. To change from the convenience of what’s widely available to the products that honor your body. And to provide you with a few of the smaller changes you can make that will create a huge difference in your life. 

Some of the ingredients you want to avoid include a few you most likely know about like,

BPA (mimics estrogen, connected to breast cancer), 

mercury (disrupts female hormones responsible for ovulation/menstruation, interferes with fetal brain development), 

arsenic (skin/bladder/lung cancer, sugar processing hormone disruption), and 

lead (lower IQ, miscarriage, nervous system problems, disrupts stress response hormones),

but here are a few others:

Dioxin (carcinogen, affects male and female reproductive health), 

Atrazine (linked to breast tumors, delayed puberty, and prostate cancer), 

Phthalates (induce death signals in testicular cells, lower sperm count, less mobile sperm, diabetes, and thyroid problems), 

Perchlorate (competes with iodine, causing disruptions in Thyroid health), 

Fire retardants/PBDEs (imitate thyroid hormones, cause lower IQ), 

Perfluorinated chemicals/PFCs (decreased sperm quality, low birth weight, thyroid disease), Organophosphate pesticides (interferes with testosterone and thyroid levels) and 

Glycol Ethers (shrunken testicles, fertility disruption). 

None of these side effects sound good to me! That hormone disruption is not something I’m excited about! So, how do you protect yourself even with limited resources/availability? 

Let’s start with what you put on your body. Think soap, shampoo/conditioner, lotion, face wash products, perfume, makeup, and deodorant. You likely use these products daily, so your exposure is the greatest and these things are in your control. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a great resource to learn more about this, but I’ll show you some examples of the products I used in the past according to the EWG “Skin-Deep Ratings.” EWG verified: Safest, 10: most unsafe

Dove Body Wash: 7

Dove Deodorant: 5 

Tresemme Shampoo/Conditioner: 5

Vaseline Lotion: 5 

Almay Mascara: 5 

Sally Hansen Gel Polish: 7

I traded these for:

Alba Botanical Body Wash: 4

Primally Pure Deodorant: 2

Beauty Counter Daily Shampoo/Conditioner: 3

Jason Lotion: 3

Beauty Counter Mascara: EWG Verified

Bare nails: xxx

Now let’s look at some household products, A: safest, F: most unsafe

Febreeze: F

Clorox disinfectant: F

All Free and Clear Laundry Detergent: F

409 All-purpose cleaner: F 

I traded these for: 

Essential oils or Aura Cacia Mist: A

Vinegar and Baking Soda, or CLR Mold/Mildew: A

Biokleen laundry detergent: B

Method Kitchen Cleaner: B 

I’m not saying you need to throw out your hundreds of dollars of products, but when it’s time to buy new, consider purchasing something that is a little safer for your hormones! It was through these slow small switches that I noticed big changes in how I felt, what my skin looked like, and even my allergy responses. For years, I had no idea that I was sensitive to “fragrance” but upon investigation, I can now say with confidence most of my allergy problems in high school were from my perfume and the candle I always had burning in my room. That being said, everything is “scent-free” in my home now. I use essential oils in a diffuser, my laundry, and in my vinegar cleaning sprays. I used to have problems with underarm irritation from my deodorant, and have found that to be resolved using my primally pure products (I use their face care products as well). I highly encourage you to explore the research, EWG and Think Dirty are two great tools. Groove is an online market where you can find cleaner products and have them delivered to your door. In the world of online shopping, there is no longer the excuse of “it’s not available here.” You may not be able to buy organic produce, but you can make some subtle shifts to improve your overall wellness. 

Becoming Purely You isn’t just about keeping your energy balanced but maintaining wellness in your physical body too. This is another step you can take to become your best self! 

You can receive a 10% discount at Primally Pure with THIS LINK 

My Beauty Counter Rep can be found at THIS LINK 

*I do not condone or condemn any product listed here. This is provided purely for information and education.*

https://www.ewg.org/californiacosmetics/toxic12#:~:text=Few%20consumer%20products%20contribute%20as,that%20contain%2085%20different%20chemicals 

https://www.health.harvard.edu/womens-health/toxic-beauty#:~:text=The%20average%20woman%20uses%2012,makeup%2C%20to%20name%20a%20few.

https://www.ewg.org/research/dirty-dozen-list-endocrine-disruptors

https://www.ewg.org/guides/cleaners/

https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/