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Making the switch to natural products might seem like a daunting and endless task when you first begin. But it doesn’t have to be.

A lot of us are waking up to the fact that many of our household and personal care products are toxic, or made unhealthy and unnecessary ingredients. And when we experience this awakening, no matter how much we want to, we can’t unsee what we’ve seen.

While it may be tempting to throw everything in your house in the trash & start over, let’s take a step back.

How fast can you switch to natural products?

Buying all those old products didn’t happen overnight. Neither will swapping them out for natural products (unless you’re a millionaire – in that case, do it all at once!).

That’s why you need to take a logical approach. You can ditch & switch when you’re running out of your “normal” products (which I recommend). And you can also start by making a list of everything that you want to swap out, & start chipping away at it a piece at a time.

Why did I start going natural?

Truthfully, I knew for a long time that I SHOULD switch natural products. But what really was my “Ah-HA!” moment was when I started to feel like absolute crap & couldn’t figure out why.

After digging into it a bit, I zeroed in on what I was eating & drinking. And after zooming down the rabbit hole of natural nutrition (& the truth about what’s really in our food), I started diving into everything else.

It wasn’t just diet soda & “sugar free” foods making me sick. I started asking: Could my house be making me sick? Is it my candles? Is it my toothpaste? My body wash? Air fresheners? Household cleaners?

Oh Lord. Even my favorite PERFUME?!

Yep. One ah-ha! moment sparked my whole ditch & switch, Make a Shift movement to making more informed decisions about what I bring into my home, what I eat & drink, and all of the personal hygiene products that I use.

Here is my top ten list in the Household & Hygiene categories to ditch & switch to Natural Products ASAP

This list is just a fraction of what I started with, & what I feel has made the most impact for me. Let’s dive in!

1. Deodorant

If you’re using a popular deodorant brand from the store, it’s highly likely that there are some ingredients in your deodorant that are harmful to your health.

Below is a short list of some of the ingredients you should avoid in deodorant:

• Aluminum
• Parabens
• Phthalates
• Propylene Glycol
• Triclosan

What are some potential harmful effects of using regular deoderant?

• Increased risk of Breast Cancer
• Hormone Disruption
• Lower Cognitive Function
• Increased risk of Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease

What to use instead of “normal” deodorant:

Try using a deodorant that’s free & clear of the list of ingredients above, like this one from Young Living. This is the deodorant I use, & I absolutely love it!

2. Toothpaste

While this one may seem shocking, it’s true: many toothpastes on the market are toxic. Why? Because they are often made with fluoride, sodium laurel sulphate, triclosan, & propylene glycol, to name a few. Read more about these ingredients here.

Fluoride in itself is enough to warrant throwing your toothpaste in the trash. This ingredient alone has been linked to neurological issues, bone issues, high blood pressure, & other serious issues.

What type of natural toothpaste should you use?

If you’re looking to switch to a natural toothpaste without fluoride, Young Living has several different options to choose from. Including a Whitening toothpaste! I’ve used several different ones from them, & I have loved the Whitening Toothpaste and the Dentarome Toothpastes the most.

3. Candles & Air Fresheners

Candles & air fresheners are common culprits for headaches & respiratory issues, and those symptoms lead to other health problems as well. Though they’re marketed as a fun way to freshen up your house, many synthetic air fresheners & candles can really do a number on your health.

For a list of common chemicals found in them & more detailed info, check out this post.

What to use instead of candles & air fresheners:

• Homemade Potpourri
• Homemade Room Spray with Essential Oils
• A Diffuser with Essential oils

I have a diffuser in several rooms in my house, & use them daily with different oils & blends. This Desert Mist diffuser is one of my favorites, but there is definitely a wide variety to choose from.

4. Body Wash & Shampoo

Body wash & shampoo are body care products that are notorious for being full of harmful chemicals. A lot of popular brands quietly slip phthalates, parabens, triclosan, and formaldehyde into their products, even though research has shown that they have adverse health effects on the body.

What natural body wash & shampoo to use:

This is the body wash that I use. Sensation is floral yet earthy & fresh – it definitely is different from my old body washes I’d used, but after using it a few times I really started to love it! There are other great scents as well, or you can buy the body wash base & use your own oils of choice.

Young Living also has some really great bar soaps like this Lavender Oatmeal Moisturizing Bar Soap!

They have three different scents and formulas of shampoo & conditioner, but out of all of them the Lavender Mint is my favorite.

Another brand of shampoo & conditioner that I absolutely love is the Aveda Invati line (unrelated to Young Living). It’s formulated without the harsh chemicals and synthetic ingredients, & it’s one of my favorite shampoos I’ve ever used.

5. Body Lotion

Guess what harmful ingredients they put in many popular body lotions? You guessed it – phthalates, parabens, triclosan, formaldehyde – to name a few.

Are you noticing a pattern here? There are a lot of repeat offenders on the chemical list to avoid, and they’re in so many things that we’re using in our homes and on our bodies.

Here are the lotions I use instead of the chemical-filled lotions from the store:

Lavender Lotion – this is my absolute favorite lotion on the planet. A little goes a very long way, and it’s the most soothing lotion I’ve ever used.

6. Household Cleaners

Do you ever notice when you’re cleaning your bathroom that your nose, throat, & eyes become itchy? You’re likely coming into contact with VOC’s – Volatile Organic Compounds.

VOC’s are often linked to chronic respiratory issues, headaches, and allergic reactions. Since breathing is a necessary everyday bodily function for all human beings, it’s obviously smart to stay away from things that are linked to respiratory issues, right?

How to Clean Your Home Naturally

There are a lot of great options to clean your home that don’t involve heavy irritating chemicals & bleach. Some of these natural cleaners – to name a few:

• White Vinegar
• Baking Soda
• Castile Soap
• Hydrogen Peroxide
• Thieves Household Cleaner

I use all of of the above when I clean, and even add some essential oils to the mix as well – especially Lemon and Orange oil.

7. Dryer Sheets & Fabric Softener

Dryer sheets & fabric softeners are so heavily scented – the synthetic fragrance is bad enough for you. But when you add in some more of those nasty repeat offender chemicals we’ve been talking about, it’s a no brainer that you should ditch them all together.

What to use instead of dryer sheets & fabric softener

I’ve said it before, & I’ll probably say it again a million times: Wool Dryer Balls.

Wool dryer balls with essential oils added have replaced both dryer sheets & fabric softener for me. Is it a bit of an adjustment? Of course it is. They’re a bit noisier than dryer sheets (but not terrible).

And instead of just mindlessly tossing in a dryer sheet, I’m intentional about adding essential oils like Lavender Essential Oil to the dryer balls for some natural fragrance.

There are some things I’ve noticed after using wool dryer balls instead of dryer sheets & fabric softener.

• My clothes don’t feel like they’re coated with some synthetic residue now. Before, it was almost a “fake” clean feeling, Now it feels like a true clean.
• My skin is not irritated anymore.
  • I’ve suffered from eczema my whole life, & after switching to a better laundry detergent & to the wool dryer balls, it’s miraculously cleared up. And it’s stayed clear for months now – that is a lifetime record. That says something, doesn’t it?

8. Hand Soaps

Many common hand soaps are made with synthetic fragrances & unnecessary toxic ingredients. And since most of us use a lot of hand soap daily, we’re exposing ourselves all day long to toxins that our body doesn’t need and doesn’t like.

What natural hand soaps should you use?

There are some great pre-made natural hand soaps out there, like this Lushious Lemon Hand Soap. Or you can make your own hand soap. As a matter of fact, making your own hand soap is one of the easiest DIY natural products you can make at home!

9. Facial Moisturizers & Creams

Piggybacking off of #5 on this list, much like popular body lotions, facial moisturizers and creams are pumped full of synthetic junk and chemicals that your skin doesn’t need.

For an everyday facial & neck lotion, Sandalwood Moisture Cream is my go to favorite. It’s so rich – and like the Lavender Lotion, a little goes a long way.

I’ve replaced both my day & night drugstore lotions and creams with this, and my face looks and feels better than it ever has. Bonus points that I love the smell of Sandalwood!

10. Laundry Detergent

Last but not least on this list is Laundry Detergent. Many commercial detergents are FULL of synthetic junk and chemicals that are simply not needed to clean our clothes! Not to mention, the “fragrances” they’ve added that we’ve become so accustomed to are wreaking havoc on our respiratory systems.

For an in depth look at what is lurking in many popular laundry detergents, be sure to check out #4 on this list.

What natural laundry detergent should you use?

Thieves Laundry Soap is powerful, effective, natural, and free of all the petrochemicals, synthetic fragrances, and other harmful things that are in most laundry detergents.

It’s ultra-concentrated, safe for sensitive skin, & leave your clothes with a light citrusy scent.

Many of us make this laundry soap go even further with just a few added natural ingredients (like baking soda, Thieves Cleaner, essential oils, etc.) and a few extra steps. If you want tips on how to do this and other insider tips with natural products, be sure to sign up for my newsletter & follow me on socials!

For more about natural products, natural living, & wellness

Check out the Natural Living & Wellness page, & follow me on Facebook & Instagram. If you have questions or comments, leave them below or send me a message on my social pages. I am quicker to respond on socials, so don’t hesitate to send me a message!