Switch to Safer in 2017: My Favorite Clean Personal Care Products

It's that time of year again when most of us have set new goals, resolutions, intentions or whatever you may call them. I love the feel of January and the freshness it brings, but I am not really a resolution person.  I believe you can start fresh and new any day, week or month of the year and should evaluate often, not just at the start of the year.  I wish you all the best with your goals for those that set them January 1st or for those that set them throughout the year!

It's also that time of year when you are hearing and reading about the latest detox, juice cleanse and diets for the New Year, I ask you to also consider a different "detox".  A detox of your personal care products, a detox for the outside of your body...for your skin, your largest organ! 

According to Environmental Working Group, personal care products include up to 10,500 unique chemical ingredients, most of which are suspected carcinogens, endocrine disruptors and include dangerous substances like coal tar and formaldehyde.

And while Europe has banned 1,400 of these harmful ingredients, the U.S. has only banned thirty...30! (What?!)  It was just 11 a few months ago, but earlier this year the FDA restricted triclosan and 18 other chemicals used in “antibacterial” soaps. This was a small victory that partially restricts anti-bacterial chemicals from hand soaps, but doesn’t address the use of these ingredients in cosmetics, toothpaste and other applications.

This means companies are allowed to use known toxins—ingredients that have been linked to cancer, reproductive issues, and hormone disruption—without even disclosing these ingredients to us! Seems crazy, right?  Personally this makes me mad!

The biggest ah-ha of it all? That at least 60% of what you put on your body seeps into your skin and is absorbed by your cells. Every. Single. Day.  

And this. Adds. Up.

This may not be a wake up call to you. You may very well know that your favorite lipstick and daily face serum aren’t necessarily made from the cleanest of ingredients.  And you’ve probably thought about making the switch to clean products. But, where do you even start in making this kind of change?

Luckily, it's not all doom and gloom. There are some great companies working hard to create safer skincare products and to change the industry. And, these products work just as well or better than the department store brands we have learned to love! 

How do you start working thru your beauty collection that you spent so long (and so much money) building?!

And, what’s more; how do you have time to research better products that actually do the job!? I've gotcha covered!! Below I share 14 (pictured above) of my many swaps I have made over the years.  Believe me when I say that if I can do it, you can too!!   I was using fabulous brands that I didn't think I could part with...and the change has been easier than I imagined and it feels so rewarding and liberating to know I am using safe products!  

There's a tool I highly recommend you all use for not only personal care products, but for food, cleaning and laundry supplies as well! EWG (Environmental Working Group) has developed their free Healthy Living app that allows you to scan the bar code of products with your phone's camera.  It will then give you a rating for that product from 1-10 indicating what ingredients are of concern and how they may relate to cancer, reproductive health and allergies.  This is super handy for the next time you are at Target and need to buy deodorant...scan away to find the safest option!  I always shoot for a rating of 1, 2 or 3 and it must not have any reproductive or cancer concerning ingredients.

Here are some of my favorite brands and swaps I have made over the years.  

Sunscreen: Beautycounter's sunstick is my go to as it's a mineral based sunscreen.  I love the ease of a stick and the fact that the zinc can't separate since it's a solid.  It comes in a body and face size.  The smaller face size is so great to keep in your purse, golf bag or ski jacket!

Nail Polish: Cote based out of Santa Monica is a safe nail salon with a line of polishes that includes a TON of color options! I love getting my toes done, but not all the harmful products that can come along with it.  I take all of my own stuff to get pedicures including my own colors.

Teeth Whitening and Strengthening: Smart Ash from Bedrock and Bloom is an all natural tooth whitening powder that's actually good for your teeth.  It contains activated charcoal, bentonite clay and more to clean, detoxify, whiten, reduce sensitivity, strengthen and restore. I dip my toothbrush with paste on it into the ash and brush a couple times a week with it.  Teeth Whitening can also be as simple as hydrogen peroxide.  I so often get asked what I use to whiten my teeth.  Hydrogen peroxide swished around morning and night is my secret!!!  It also kills bacteria.

Face Wash: Nourishing Cream Cleanser is a cleanser and a toner all in one.  I love the simplicity of this cleanser and that it does not contain any fragrance, lathering agents or parabens that other cleansers may contain.

Body Lotion: Alba's Unscented Original Body Lotion is the most moisturizing body lotion I have found!  Make sure you buy the unscented or the safe factor goes away because of the synthetic fragrance and the dangers that come along with that!!

Foundation: Tint Skin Full Coverage Foundation replaced my favorite...Armani Luminous Silk Foundation.  I wasn't sure I could give that up, but it was easy with this moisturizing rich formula! I love the coverage and how it performs...stays on all day or night!  Did you now cosmetics are a big source of heavy metals and companies aren't require to test for them?  Beautycounter batch tests for metals every time for every cosmetic product!!!!

Deodorant: Piper Wai activated charcoal deodorant is the best I have found!  It now comes in a stick...so much easier than the paste!  It is free of aluminum and synthetic fragrance.

Lip Gloss and Lipstick is a must to switch to safe since you basically eat it all day long!  Lead is often found in these products.  I love these glosses and lipsticks that rate safe on the EWG app! There are so many great colors to choose from and they are very moisturizing.

Toothpaste typically contains fluoride and some other nasty things...not something I want in my body!  I switched to Earth Paste and it only consists of 5 simple ingredients.  No Glycerin, fluoride, foaming agents, artificial colors,  It' simply water, redmond clay, real salt , xylitol and essential oils.  I prefer the peppermint flavor.

Dry Shampoo is a must when you don't wash your hair every day...or every other day!  I love Monat's Dry Shampoo!!  It's derived from plant based ingredients and reduces the greasy look!

Body Soap can often contain synthetic fragrance, SLS and artificial colors.  I've found my skin prefers simple soap and Kiss My Face Olive Oil Soap is my favorite!

Mascara is a tough one as it's such a personal choice.  It is so hard to find a safe brand that lasts, doesn't run and provides length and fullness.  Beautycounter's Lengthening Mascara won Allure's Best of Natural Beauty Award this past year and rightfully so!  It lengthens and lasts all day!!  It is hard to get off, but I can deal with that as long as it lasts all day!!

Lip Conditioner:  It's amazing how less chapped your lips are when you don't use petroleum based products!!  Keep in mind that anything you put on your lips, generally gets in your mouth! This Calendula Lip Conditioner is my favorite...I have one next to my bed and one in my purse!

I hope this is helpful!  Start with a few items and go from there!  Don't try to change everything at once or you'll be totally overwhelmed!!  If you need other suggestions, please comment below and I will try to help!!

XO

Health Conscience Gift Guide

Give the gift of Health!  Almost all of these ideas are under $50 and make great stocking stuffers too!!

1. Tranquil Roll on from Young Living.  I use this every night on the bottom of my feet.  Lavendar, cedarwood and roman chamomile help you relax and can help with sleep.  I love the smell of these oils and know how important a good night of sleep is!  The roll on is so convenient and easy to travel with!

2. Primal Palate Spice Blends are my favorite!!  I love that they are organic and they make it so easy to spice up meat, fish or vegetables!  You can find them on Amazon and they qualify for Prime!!

3. Alitura Clay Mask is one of my must have face products!  I love the powerful, yet safe ingredients in this mask.  It is a blend of 9 nutrient dense ingredients that exfoliate dead skin, reduce pore openings, stimulates blood flow and encourages growth of new skin cells.  I honestly can tell a difference after ever use, it makes your skin glow!

4. Naughty to Nice Charcoal gift set from Beautycounter makes a great gift for men!  It's for everyone though!  These lumps of "coal" are the best thing you could give your skin this season!!  Charcoal absorbs impurities and excess oil. It works fantastic on breakout and acne prone skin.  It detoxes the skin while leaving it smoother, brighter and younger looking.  This set includes the Charcoal Cleansing Bar and Charcoal Mask inside a beautiful red gift box.   Beautycounter is my favorite safe skincare and makeup brand!

5. Himalayan Salt Lamps are essentially large pieces of himalayan pink salt with a bulb inside of it. They have numerous benefits such as improving air quality, soothing allergies, light therapy for increased mood and more!  The darker the lamp, the higher the quality.  You can buy these on Amazon or at your local health food store.

6. Charcoal Eye Mask from Restoration Hardware. Charcoal is all the buzz right now and rightfully so!  It has amazing benefits including waking up refreshed with this padded eye mask!  It is infused with Binchotan charcoal from Japan. Naturally purifying and detoxifying, the ultrafine charcoal neutralizes negative ions and soothes the skin around the eyes, minimizing the visible effects of stress while you rest.  

7. Cote Nail Polish is non-toxic (traditional nail polish is full of toxic ingredients), cruelty free and made with the highest quality of vegan ingredients.  They have over 100 colors to choose from!  I love getting a pedicure, but don't love all the harmful ingredients in the products, so I take my own polish when I go!

8. FasciaBlaster is so much more effective than foam rolling!!  I use this on all my tight muscles to loosen the fascia.  There is so much I could go into here, but basically this torture stick improves sports performance, reduces pain, accelerates muscle recovery, reduces cellulite and can break down fat cells.  This is a must for those athletes on your list! 

9. Woodlot Candles are non toxic candles scented with essential oils!  These candles are eco-friendly made with cotton core wicks and renewable coconut wax. I stopped burning candles as they can be very toxic due to the fragrance, the wax and the wick traditional candles are made with.  It's so nice to have the warm glow of a candle in the winter and know it's safe!  I love supporting this small business!

10. Swanwick Blue Blocking Glasses to block the blue light at night from lights and electronics.  I have worn these for over 3 years now and can completely tell a difference...plus the research doesn't lie!  Blue Light is making us sick!   You can watch this quick video that explains why this matters!  Avoiding blue light and quality sleep should be just as much a priority as eating healthy!.  

Happy Holidays!

September Wellness Digs

I'M BACK!!!!!!  Welcome to Kate's Healthy Cupboard's new updated website!  I am so excited to bring you new recipes along with the addition of my favorite healthy products for the kitchen, bathroom and home and my monthly Wellness Digs!

What the heck are Wellness Digs?  They are my favorite finds or what I am "digging" for healthy eats, products, supplements, lifestyle brands, fitness tips, books and so much more!  Health is so much more than what you put in your mouth and how much exercise you do.  So, I wanted to share some of my must haves and some of the things I enjoy or use in my every day life.  

I can't tell you how many times I get asked, "what all is in your morning smoothie, what do you do for exercise, what supplements do you take, what's your favorite protein, what skincare and makeup do you use that is safe, why do you wear those funny glasses at night" and more!  Now, I can share these answers with you all, in hopes to help you become an even better version of you!!

Today kicks off my September Wellness Digs!  The picture above shows 10 things I am digging right now and many of these items are a part of my everyday life!  Enjoy!

1. Daily Greens Purity is my absolute favorite organic green juice.  I love the fresh taste of this, it's not too strong like some green drinks and I love the lemon it it!  I also love that is has broccoli and basil, not what you typically find in most juices.  Lemon is the only fruit I like in my green juice.  I am not a fan of most fruits in a juice for a couple of reasons.  One, is that it makes it too sweet tasting and two, if you drink this alone, it will spike your insulin too much from the fruit.  For that reason, I never drink a green juice alone, it is always with a meal.  I find this at Whole Foods, my local health foods store or you can buy online.

2.  Beautycounter's Cleansing Balm is truly a beauty bomb and it's $25 off until the end of September!!!! This one product is a cleanser (think oil cleansing), eye makeup remover, overnight mask, acne spot treatment, cuticle cream, great for burns and so much more!!!  This is a must for me with the winter months ahead for extra moisture.  I use it every night as my makeup remover and mask once a week. A little goes a long way, so this will last you forever!  Not only is this the bomb, it is also free of over 1,500 harmful ingredients commonly found in the personal care industry.  It's so important to know what is in your products and this is one of my favorite trusted safe brands! You can shop the balm here and read more about the personal care industry and Beautycounter  here.

3. Boku Super Food goes into my morning smoothie everyday!!!  This organic super food blend includes super greens (aquatic, land and grass), medicinal mushrooms, 11 super fruits, 7 super sprouts, antioxidants and enzymes.  It's non-gmo and free of wheat, gluten, soy and dairy.  This is my nutrient insurance for the day and it sits well with me (no bloating).  It tastes great in my smoothie, but I have no idea how it tastes alone...I am thinking it is a must to add it to something other than water!! I love this brand because it contains SOOOOO many super foods and is organic!  

4.  Nutrasumma Fermented Pea Protein has been my go to protein for a few years now.  I was always a whey protein person, but have switched to a non dairy powder.  I think whey works for me, but I really like this pea protein.  If you've tried a rice protein powder, you know how grainy and gross it is...this is not!!  The Chocolate is my flavor of choice.  My morning smoothie is seriously my favorite as it's packed with nutrient dense foods and keeps me full for hours.  If you are looking for a non-dairy protein powder that is also non-gmo, I suggest this brand or collagen (will be on my next wellness digs).  I find this at Sprouts or on Amazon.

5.  Girl Code by Cara Alwill Leyba...Unlocking the secrets to success, sanity and happiness for the female entrepreneur.  Guys this might not be for you, but it's certainly for any female women warriors in your life!!  "Girl Code is a roadmap for female entrepreneurs, professional women, "side hustlers" and anyone in between who wants to become a better woman."  This is a quick, fun read with so many motivational and empowering topics!!  She tells it like it is and I love her approach.  Highly recommend this for all you girl bosses out there!!  

6.  Berkley Water Filter is a must with how much crap is in our tap water!!  Have you seen this map of where the concentrations of chromium-6 are in each state's water supply?  Exposure to chromium-6 can lead to lung cancer, liver damage, reproductive problems and developmental harm.  This is just one harmful contaminant, let's talk about the 100s of other pollutants in most water supplies!  We all know what has happened in Flint!  The Berkley filters 99.999% of contaminants in tap water from heavy metals (lead), viruses, bacteria, pharmaceuticals, micro-organisms, inorganic minerals and more!!  You can read about their purification certifications and other contaminants that are removed here.  I bought one of these a few months ago and am thrilled to have gotten rid of the big water containers I used to buy.  I can literally taste the minerals and other crud in tap water after drinking purified water for years!!  I can not recommend this filter enough!  Not all filters are created equally....your refrigerator filter is not filtering a whole lot!!  I bought my Big Berkley off Amazon and will replace the 4 filters every 6 months.

7. Ease Magnesium topical spray is my favorite magnesium spray out there!   I have tried a couple and they all have stung and left a powdery residue after they dry.  The other brands also have "bleached" my towels and sheets when it comes in contact with it!!  Magnesium spray is a great way to get magnesium into your body instead of taking supplements.  It is easily absorbed in the skin, enters the bloods stream and works immediately.  Magnesium can relieve aches and pains, alleviate stress and anxiety and help you sleep.  80% of us are deficient in magnesium.  This spray is such an easy way to supplement magnesium into your body without having to deal with absorbing it thru the gut.  Plus, this wont give you the runs like taking it internally can if you take too much!  Magnesium is known as the miracle mineral and you are most likely deficient!!  I spray this on my calves and behind my knees each night before bed. 

8.  Chipotle Lime Mayo from Primal Kitchen is awesome!!  I use this on tuna, chicken, egg salad, sardines, turkey...really anything!!  It has an awesome chipotle flavor to it!  The best part is that it doesn't have canola or soy in it like almost all other mayos!!  It is made with avocado oil and organic eggs!!  FYI, mayo is dairy free, it doesn't have any milk in it!!  I think people think it's creamy so it must have dairy in it.  Mayo done right can be a great healthy fat additive to any meal!!  Whole Foods sells this and so does Thrive Market.  Primal Kitchen also sells a regular Mayo made from avocado oil that I love too.  They are both sugar free and Paleo friendly.

9. Siete Foods Almond Flour Tortillas are amazing and I don't want to tell you how many I have bought since I found these in May!!  When you had to stop eating gluten years ago and don't really have anything that fulfills a bread like craving...this does!!  These are incredible!!!  I prefer the almond flour one the best, but there is a cassava flour/coconut flour pack and a cassava/chia pack.  These can be used for wraps, burritos or you can eat them like I do...warmed on a skillet with ghee and sea salt and then rolled up.  So darn good!!  You can find these at Whole Foods, other natural grocery stores or online from Siete.   Keep them in the freezer so they last longer. They thaw out really fast if you need one quick!

10. Blue Blockers to block the blue light at night from over head lights and electronics.  I have worn these for about 3 years now and can completely tell a difference...plus the research doesn't lie!  Blue Light is making us sick!  Long story short, the lights in your house and from your electronics let off blue light.  This is the same blue light the sun lets off to wake you up in the morning.  When you are exposed to blue light at night, your body won't release melatonin so it doesn't think it's time to go to sleep.  This results in less REM sleep and deep sleep.  This messes with your circadian rhythm and in turn messes with your hormones.  You can watch a quick video here that explains more about this.  If I am around lights at night without my glasses, it's like I've had caffeine and can not fall asleep.  I have 3 different pairs, a Gunnar pair for being out in public as they aren't as funny looking.  I have a Swanwick pair that I wear around the house and this really affordable pair from Amazon that actually blocks better than Gunnars, but they are so big and bulky that I tend to use them the least...but they are great and block the sides too.  I highly recommend a pair, especially if you watch TV or are on a computer or phone at night!!! Quality sleep and eliminating blue light should be just as high of a priority as nutrition if not more in my opinion!

I hope you enjoyed learning some new healthy things!!!  Let me know if you try any of these what you think!!!