Did you know the average woman uses 12 products every day as part of her beauty routine?
These 12 products contain more than 168 different chemical ingredients.
Men aren’t spared either. The average man uses 6 products which include over 85 different chemical ingredients.
That’s a lot of chemicals that we place on our skin, daily even without leaving your house! These are chemicals you are in control of!
There are over 82,000 chemicals used in makeup and personal care products. 1 in 8 of those 82,000 chemicals are industrial chemicals that pose health hazards.
Studies have linked these chemicals to harming reproductive health for both men and women.
The last time Congress passed a federal law in the beauty industry was in 1938. This means it’s time to take our health and our fertility into our own hands!
Do we have your attention? Do you know what you are placing on your skin every day?
Where to Start
Getting rid of environmental toxins can be super overwhelming. We recommend starting with these two tips:
- Worry about it as things are due to be replaced, not all at once.
- Focus on one area of your home at a time
The bathroom is a great place to start because first, you usually go through those items more quickly. Secondly, these are products going in and on your body.
Before we dive in, let’s discuss two things.
- EWG – Environmental Working Group has incredible resources for helping you remove toxins from your life. They have a list of EWG verified products well organized into categories, a Skin Deep Database of thousands of products and their toxicity rating as well as their Healthy Living app which makes shopping even easier!
- Greenwashing is when a company markets their product to persuade the public that they aim to be environmentally friendly while still using toxic chemicals, plastics, endocrine disruptors, and ingredients we know are causing more harm to both humans and the planet. Learn more about how to protect yourself from this marketing trick here.
Ok, now that we’ve got that covered, let’s dive into the different products in your bathroom.
Period Products
If you haven’t yet read our blog, “Are your menstrual products hurting you,” go read that now! Start here because many of the mainstream conventional disposable products contain harmful ingredients such as plastics, artificial fragrances, adhesives, and chemical gels. Some of these are even inserted directly into your body via your tampon while all of them are cozying up to one of the most sensitive areas on your entire body!
There are disposable and reusable non-toxic options + we have pulled together our favorites in that blog.
Hair Care + Body Wash
This is probably one of the easiest switches, so let’s tackle this next. There are many EWG Verified products and also many non-toxic alternatives readily available at most grocery stores.
- Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soaps are extremely accessible, smell great + are free from toxins
- The Honest Co makes many great hair + body products
- And we are starting to see Everyone 3 in 1 soap in more stores
If you love the products you have, start by scanning them in the Healthy Living App and learning what rating EWG gives them. Start by removing the red-rated products first and work your way to all green-rated products as you go!
Makeup + Fragrances
Many makeups + fragrances contain endocrine disruptors which are extremely detrimental to our hormone health. When trying to conceive, this is vital.
For both, there are options. BeautyCounter is actually EWG Verified!
Remember, there may be some trial and error. But in the end, your entire body, especially your reproductive system will thank you!
Deodorant
Now, deodorant historically has been a challenge for many, so we put it in the middle.
We HIGHLY recommend you start by using the Underarm Detox bar because chances are if you have been using toxic deodorant, the switch will be smelly at first if you don’t use this.
One of our favorite products is Underarm Balm. Although not on the EWG database yet, you can look up its few ingredients to discover it is nontoxic.
Acure and Arm + Hammer have products that are nontoxic, but it’s important to note that just because one product from a company is, that doesn’t mean all will be.
Toothpaste
Our favorite choice for toothpaste is David’s Natural Premium Toothpaste.
Tap Water
We highly encourage you to consider a shower filter. Vapors from unfiltered water can be harmful to your thyroid.
Acne Creams + Medications
Now, we are not your doctors. We do not prescribe or diagnose. However, we highly encourage you to look up the ingredients + side effects of all your acne or medicated skin treatments. Many skin ailments are symptoms and will likely be addressed by healing your gut and removing other toxins. Be aware and ask questions.
Bleached Disposables
As you begin to wrap up your bathroom reset, consider swapping bleached products like toilet paper. Bleached products could contain chlorine bleach and formaldehyde. The whiter and fluffier your toilet paper, the more chlorine bleach and formaldehyde it contains! If you are prone to UTI or yeast infections, make this switch sooner than later.
Don’t Wait. Just Start
No matter what you do, don’t worry about being perfect. Progress is what we are aiming for. Each swap is an opportunity for your body to heal. Change to a nontoxic option whenever you run out of something. Notice the change in your body, your environment, and the vibe of your bathroom!
To learn more about how the Fab Fertile Method can help improve your chances of getting pregnant naturally, apply here. We’ll come up with a plan specifically designed for your situation. We specialize in low AMH, high FSH, premature ovarian insufficiency, and diminished ovarian reserve.
Blog by Samantha Coffin – Fertility Coach at Fab Fertile Inc.
– Fertility Coach at Fab Fertile Inc.
