Happy Wednesday, Bare Beauties!  Are you new to the Green Beauty game, or does someone you know want to convert, but doesn’t know where to begin?  Today, we’re getting back to basics and covering the most important swaps that should be made from the get-go when going Green.  The products that we all use every single day, sometimes multiple times per day, should be both effective and SAFE.  There are plenty of affordable options out there that are nontoxic; it’s all about rewiring out brains to reach for these products when shopping rather than for the chemical-laden ones we all grew up with.  (To learn more about why different chemicals are so harmful, check out This Isn’t Pretty.)  Here is where a Green Newbie should begin:

Acure Organics Body Wash: Conventional soap and body wash are made of the same industrial-grade surfactants that wash your car, namely Sodium Laureth Sulfate and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate.  Acure uses coconut-based cleansers to give you a good, safe, moisturizing lather. ($11.95)

Acure Organics Body Lotion: There are a lot of  fancy body lotions out there, but this is still my favorite.  It provides all-day moisture and never leaves skin feeling greasy.  It’s also free of the Parabens, Silicones, Propylene Glycol and Petro-chemicals that are found in almost all other body lotions. ($11.95)

Raw Elements Sunscreen SPF 30: Ahh, the paradox of sunscreen.  We are supposed to apply it and reapply it all day long to prevent cancer, but the active ingredients in most sunscreens are…. carcinogens.  Avoid sunscreens that contain Oxybenzone, Octinoxate, Homosalate, Avobenzone and Octocrylene at all costs.  Safe sunscreens like this one contain Titanium Dioxide and/or Zinc Oxide. ($18.95)

EO Everyone Liquid Hand Soap:  These liquid hand soaps contain no SLS, Triclosan, Petrochemicals or Synthetic Fragrance.  Due to various essential oil blends, they smell great and don’t over-dry hands.

Acure Organics Shampoo & Acure Organics Conditioner: With so many different hair types out there, shampoo and conditioner can be a more personal product, but Acure Organics is a great place to start.  As always, this brand’s products are free of any and all toxic chemicals, they are widely accessible, and priced well to boot. ($11.95 each)

Jason Toothpaste: Unlike conventional toothpaste, Jason’s contains no harsh abrasives, microbeads, harmful Sulfates, or Triclosan.  Instead, it employs ingredients like Baking Soda, Silica, Bamboo Powder and Peppermint Oil to effectively fight stains, plaque and bad breath.  You’ll never want to use anything else once you switch. ($7)

Soapwalla Deodorant Cream: 99% of conventional deodorants also contain antiperspirant, which would be a Godsend if it weren’t loaded with incredibly harmful toxins like Aluminum Salts and Triclosan.  Yes, applying deodorant with your fingers is weird at first, but it’s less inconvenient than breast cancer, and this stuff WORKS. ($14)

CleanWell Hand Sanitizer: Most conventional hand sanitizers contain Triclosan, Alcohol, Benzalkonium Chloride and other harmful chemicals that actually weaken our body’s natural bacterial resistance.  Many of these ingredients are also endocrine disruptors and known carcinogens.  CleanWell is made of a proprietary essential oil blend and active Thyme oil, which together, kill 99% of germs. ($4.95)

Hurraw! Lip Balm: People basically end up ingesting a good portion of their lip balm and lipstick, so it’s very important that what we put of our lips is made of food-grade ingredients.  Unlike conventional lip balms like Chapstick, Hurraw! does not contain any Petroleum, artificial colors or flavors, Parabens or Tricolsan.  Instead it’s made up of premium raw plant butters and cold-press oils. ($3.95)

Meow Meow Tweet Baking Soda Free Deodorant Cream: If you are part of the 5% of people who are sensitive to baking soda (I’m one of them), this is the perfect nontoxic deodorant cream.  It’s what I’ve been using for years, and it lasts all day, even through a workout. ($14)

All of these products can be found at either Integrity Botanicals or Thrive Market.

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