I didn’t grow up in a non-toxic home by any means. We did everything very “normal” and it wasn’t until I was pregnant with my first child, nearly 7 years ago, that I realized what a detriment most of what we brought into our home was to our health. From hormonal birth control that wreaked absolute havoc on my entire system (I will not disclose specific details, however what happened to me is simply written as side effects on any supplied list you can look up online, among much else that can all be further researched and dissected into even more than only what’s listed, but I digress… just listen to THIS PODCAST to jumpstart your own trail of research on birth control).
Anyways, after we found out we were pregnant, suddenly my life flipped upside down. No longer was I only caring for my own body and new husband, but also this precious life growing inside me! I began researching and found out the many horrors of artificial fragrance (looking at you, Bath & Body Works scents and candles!) and began completely ridding our home of any and all things with “fragrance” labeled as artificial and EVEN “natural,” because so much can be hidden within the parameters of that phrase. Here’s a blog that covers most of the basic details. There are loads of Instagram accounts that dive deeper, look at specific popular “natural” brands and so forth… but it takes a small amount of digging.
So, over TIME, I began implementing a whole lot of truly “natural” things. I got rid of all my scented candles, I stopped buying the seasonally scented hand soaps from Target, and at that point, went all in with switching to essential oils too, since I couldn’t stand the thought (yet) of not having pretty smells in my home. I switched over to non toxic makeup (I don’t wear makeup often, but when I do, I really like this makeup, this mascara, and this lip & cheek cream), and overall skincare. Apparently, literally everything I had been using was filled with fragrance, hormone disrupting chemicals and so on. Anything I was breathing in, or lathering on my skin was directly going to my baby as well — and I couldn’t stand that!
I think the most frustrating thing for me at the beginning, was THINKING I was getting natural products, when in reality I was paying a whole lot more for greenwashed, brand-name products. I went from brand to brand, reading the labels, trying to make heads or tails of what was *actually* natural and healthy… and I am not a chemist, so I couldn’t figure out what long-winded words were okay and which were toxic.
Years ago, I used the Think Dirty and EWG apps, however they’ve since been bought out by large corporations, and now many large-name brands are “verified” even though they still do not hold the same values as one would hope and expect when seeing a good rating on these apps. I do still think that they can be helpful if in a pinch, HOWEVER… There are honestly SUCH simpler ways! Many many years ago…. people didn’t have Target, or Amazon, or Sprouts or anything to sell them brand name cleaning products, household items, or beauty care…
You can MAKE a very simple, very affordable cleaning spray, that’s all purpose, with vinegar, water, and maybe some essential oils or orange peels or herbs in a glass spray bottle, and then use that same cleaner for your mop, your counters, anything! It is minimal, affordable, reusable (we’ve used the same amber glass spray bottles for years!). Use organic cotton flour sack cloths for wiping things down. You can go makeup free! Using natural fibers instead of plastic and synthetic, so they’re naturally anti-microbial! There are SO many ways to not only save money, especially long-term, but also save your health!
You can support small businesses who make household items from their own homes, just to help people like us, know that what we’re using in our home is truly truly non-toxic, and is also supporting families who make these things (our money going straight to the maker, instead of huge companies)!
Here are some excellent FREE resources, and some of my favorite CLEAN, small-businesses to support when making swaps that I truly, genuinely love and adore…
—
The Homegrown Podcast (can also be found on Spotify)
Freely Rooted Podcast (can also be found on Spotify)
—
My favorite shops:
Humble Hive Co — body and face creams, salves, chapstick (use code OURKINANDHOME to save)
Wild Oaks Apothecary — dish soap, laundry soap, salves, candles and other household goods (Use code MARY10 to save)
Earthley — Herbal Remedies, Body & Skin Care, Baby Care, Home Care… and more free resources!
Cardenas + Kinn — my favorite for household goods! (Use code MARY15 to save)
NONE of these are MLM, or have any secret motive in sharing! I get a small commission when you do make purchases through some of my links or codes that I’m so thankful for… because I do genuinely and truly use and support these fellow mama-run businesses. I have been a true customer and only recently got codes or links that I could share with YOU because I love them so much, I had to spread the love. You can of course, also always gander at my Amazon Storefront, as well. I personally prefer to shop small whenever possible! However, if you need something sooner or if something is out of stock, you can always shop from here which also helps support our family.
My kids help us clean now! They partner with us in the kitchen! What we use in our home, what lives under our sink, what spray is being used on the counters, on the table… it all needs to be SAFE! And actually so, not simply because a label says it 23 different ways (that’s actually a blaring red flag, lol). If my kids are helping me bake and helping wipe down surfaces, and if my toddler can easily open the under-sink cabinet, then why would I have products that could harm them?
—
Two years ago I took THIS COURSE, all about metabolic and hormone health, and it literally changed my life! I invested in myself and for the last two years have been making changes to live Freely Rooted. I do not live within strict parameters or diet culture at all, but I’ve been able to make healthy, INFORMED, choices for my body and my family that have only heavily benefitted us all. I know how to look at labels, certain things to avoid when possible, and also WHY. I am forever thankful for this course, and the massive trajectory shift it helped provide for me, my health, and my family’s future.
I cannot recommend it enough! She goes in DEPTH over hormone health, WHY our bodies react to certain things the way they do, HOW to make different choices, and overall lifestyle and mindset lightbulb moments that will potentially change it all for ya. It did for me, and again, it is NOT a diet. It is an overall lifestyle and mindset change that is most impactful. Information given, so that YOU can then make educated decisions.
This past Spring, my husband and I intended on making a guide filled with homemade, affordable cleaning recipes, product swaps, and an overall guide to take you step-by-step in taking back control, and educating YOURSELF in overall wellness, but we just weren’t ever able to complete this. It is a big undertaking to make it as full and empowering as we wanted it to be…
The best news is, my friend Courtney and her team DID! She’s offered me an affiliate link so that if you do decided to grab it (PACKED full to the brim with all the things to make INFORMED decisions for you and your family, not simply telling you which products to use etc), then you’re also supporting me and my family! What I love most about this guide is as mentioned, it’s created to equip YOU with the knowledge to make informed decisions on your entire lifestyle, the kind of food you eat, the products you clean with, among so many other huge topics that are heavily prevalent today.
It’s called Walking in Wellness: A 5-Step Guide to Nontoxic Living on Any Budget — click the link below for an overview of what to expect when diving into this PDF, and read over what all is included. It’s not just another self-help book, as mentioned, it’s truly created to help you ask the right questions, be informed, and make genuinely educated decisions for your family. I can spout our favorite items and brands for days, however, if you don’t understand the WHY, then I’m doing you a disservice. Cannot recommend this guide enough!
I hope that you also LOVE the guide, the course, these shops, podcasts, and are able to move forward feeling confident and empowered to make informed, educated, and impactful decisions for you and your family. I am so thankful I began changing things many years ago, and only continue to as we’re feasibly able to.
Go on, live in wellness! 🙂
