Here’s What I Do – Nontoxic Health and Beauty Product List

A couple years ago I went a little berserk, dragged all our health and beauty products out of every crevice of the house, and ran them through the Environmental Working Group’s Cosmetics Database.  The EWG analyzed the ingredients of over 74,000 beauty products, from mouthwash to hair relaxers to spider vein treatments.  They developed a simple rating scale:

0-2: low hazard

3-6: moderate hazard

7-10: high hazard

The EWG explains how they collect data, weigh various factors, and develop hazard scores in excruciating detail here.

Why should we care about this?  Because the US government doesn’t regulate the safety of beauty products.  Grab any smelly lotion off the shelf at Target and look at the ingredient list.  I guarantee you will find “fragrance”.  What the heck does that mean?  Did the manufacturer crush up lemons or did they use paint stripper for their signature scent?  No one monitors the ingredients for safety.

After I trashed our deodorant, toothpaste, feminine hygiene products, makeup ($ouch$), shampoo, lip balm, etc etc etc, I spent days combing through the EWG’s product lists looking for SAFE and AFFORDABLE options.

Yes, I’m a family doctor.  But I’m not YOUR family doctor.  So I can’t tell you what to do.  If you are having a medical issue, talk to your health care provider.  Please.  If you are currently experiencing a medical emergency, stop reading and call 911.  Now.  Stop reading.  (That’s the only time I’ll give you medical advice.)

I can’t tell you what to do.  However, I can tell you what I do.  I’m an excellent guinea pig with super sensitive skin.  Most makeup gives me a vicious combination of rash, zits, and allergic conjunctivitis.  Here’s the list of relatively nontoxic and inexpensive products that we use in our household.  The list takes a top-down approach, generally going from the head down to the feet.

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Shampoo: Burt’s Bees Grapefruit and Sugar Beet; Everyday Shea Vanilla Mint Moisturizing Shampoo; Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle

Kids’ Shampoo and Conditioner: Nature’s Baby Organics Vanilla Tangerine

Conditioner: Beauty Without Cruelty Rosemary Mint Conditioner; Nature’s Gate Jojoba or Chamomile Conditioner; Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle

Deep Conditioner: Burt’s Bees Hair Repair Shea and Grapefruit

Dandruff Shampoo: Neutragena T-gel (NOT Target generic – the ingredients are NOT identical)

Mousse Substitute: Alaffia Beautiful Curls Shea Butter Curl Activating Cream; Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie

Hairspray: Beauty Without Cruelty Hairspray

Body Oil: Alba Kukui Nut Organic Body Oil

Toothpaste: regular Colgate; Tom’s of Maine Spearmint (for my husband, this actually irritates my skin); Tom’s of Maine kids’ Silly Strawberry & Outrageous Orange Mango

Mouthwash: Tom’s of Maine Natural Baking Soda Mouthwash

Makeup: Honeybee Gardens eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara, lipstick; Organic Wear Physician’s Formula pressed powder; Cover Girl concealer; bareMinerals blush

Face Astringent: Andalou Naturals Aloe + Willow Bark Pore Minimizer

“Anti-Aging” Face Products: I’m experimenting with Andalou Naturals products at the moment (Deep Wrinkle Dermal Filler, Night Repair Cream, Lemon Sugar Facial Scrub, & Luminous Eye Serum) but we all know that the Fountain of Youth is filled with sunscreen…  An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of Botox.

Lip Balm: Badger organic lip balm

Body and Face Lotion: Target’s Daily Moisturizing Lotion (generic Aveeno); I tried a fancy face cream and my eyelids swelled up like a couple of leeches.

Intensive Hand/Skin Moisturizer: Badger Healing Balm

Deodorant/Antiperspirant: Sure unscented

Nail Polish: Honeybee Gardens (cheap); Acquarella (not cheap)

Nail Polish Remover: Honeybee Gardens

Tampons/Pads/Pantyliners: Natracare (made from organic cotton)

Lubricant: KY Ultragel (old name KY Sensual Silk); If I were in the market for condoms I’d buy NON-LUBRICATED condoms and then use the KY Ultragel as needed.

Shaving Cream: Dr. Bronner’s Magic Shaving Gel

Soap: unscented White Dove

Sunscreen: Vanicream spf 35

Face Sunscreen: I’m working on this one currently.  I like the feel of Andalou Naturals Oil Control Beauty Balm Un-Tinted SPF 30.  We won’t have any serious UV rays in Minnesota until the spring, though.

Perfume: Aura Cacia Organics essential oils; Aura Cacia Aromatherapy Mist

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Bottom-Line Pearls:

1) I buy the above products at Target, my local co-op, and www.luckyvitamin.com.

2) “Natural” can still be toxic.  Crude oil is natural.

3) A generic product might contain different ingredients from the brand name.

4) Don’t assume that a particular company makes all nontoxic products.  Two different hair conditioners from the same brand might have different EWG hazard scores.

5) Co-ops carry a wide variety of toxic and nontoxic products.

6) The US government doesn’t regulate the safety of beauty products.

7) “Hypoallergenic” products are not necessarily nontoxic.  (Sorry about that double negative.)

8) If I could only make ONE CHANGE, I would spend the money on organic cotton feminine hygiene products, particularly if I had daughters.  Here’s a suitably scary summary article.

9) The Environmental Working Group’s Cosmetics Database and mobile app.

10) Musical Moment