For a few years now, I've been seeking out environmentally friendly products, such as soap and shampoo. The EWG rates these sorts of products, and most of what I list here are certified by them. If they're not certified, I'll try to mention so (probably because I haven't found a working alternative yet). I'm also adding my own standards, which include products that actually do the job well, and don't cost a fortune. This is for my own reference as much as for anyone else who's interested.
I've asked advice of dentists and doctors to clarify some things. And I've added other little tips that people might find useful. It's still a work in progress. I found perfect makeup, for example, and then the company stopped making it.
Also, everyone's a little different. What works for me may not work for you. But I hope this is a helpful start!
My favorite soap is Seven Minerals: Pure Castile Soap. It's good for washing your hands, showering, washing dishes, hand-washing clothes, and I even shaving cream. It's concentrated, so you add water to double or triple the amount you buy.
Attitude makes a good hand cream. The different scents smell really nice too.
But there are a couple very easy things you can do to keep your hands from drying out so much. When you're washing your hands, pat them dry instead of rubbing them dry. And dry them thoroughly.
Exfoliants can really help get your hands smoother. But all the ones I've found have been shockingly expensive. I did some research, and found that they're very easy to make. Just put a dab of coconut oil or olive oil in your palm, and sprinkle on the same amount of salt. Scrub it all over the front and back of your hands, and across the fingers. Then wash your hands - though it's fine to leave some oil on - and put lotion on. My hands go from disgusting to pretty smooth!
Wellnesse used to make shampoo and conditioner for curly hair. And it was great. Then they stopped making it. They still have normal shampoo and conditioner, but it's not quite as good. I haven't found a good replacement yet.
If you do have curly or wavy hair, there's a simple way to make it look sleek instead of puffy. Before your brush or comb your hair, mist it all over with a spray bottle. It helps the locks cling together instead of flying apart.
Kooshoo makes plastic-free hair ties. They work well, and last a long time.
It took me forever to find makeup concealer that works, is rated well, and doesn't cost a fortune. I got one container of it. Then the company, Juice Beauty, stopped making it. The store where I found it no longer exists, so I have no idea where I'm going to go to find a replacement makeup now. And the original company refused to help me in any way.
Natracare makes biodegradable pads. I use regular and night maxi pads.
Razors can be tricky, because most of them are plastic, and have disposable heads. I bought a razor where you replace only the blades, and I used it for a while. But every time I changed the blades, it would carve up my legs no matter how careful I was. When it got dulled some by use, it would finally stop razoring my shin skin off. If you don't shave your legs, it's probably worth getting one of these. Maybe some companies have a better design than what I ended up with. I've seen one from Leaf Razor that I really want to try, but it's expensive. It has multiple blades instead of one, so it might be kinder to my legs. If I ever cave and buy one, I'll let you know if it works.
I've also run across a razor with a bamboo blade, from The Bull Dog company. I haven't tested it yet, but next time I need a new razor, I may get one.
I sometimes use a cuticle cutter to take off hang nails or cracked skin around my fingernails. But if you use one, don't take off the entire cuticle. It exists to keep anything from working between your fingernail and the skin.
You can get nail-clippers specifically for your toes. They're a different shape, which I've been told helps prevent in-grown toenails.
Patch-bamboo bandages are biodegradable. They stick well to skin, but not as well to themselves. So if you have to wrap a bandage around a finger, angle it in a way where it touches your skin more than the other end of the bandaid (for some reason, the last time I bought them they left a lot of glue behind on my skin).
I'm still looking for a good deodorant. I'm not happy with the one I have now.
I'm also looking for a chapstick I really like. As well as a sunscreen chapstick I like.
For a while I had cracked heels. Naturalia heel balm worked wonders, but then they stopped making it. I have yet to find anything as effective.
Finding a good sunscreen has taken me years. I've come across so many different problems with them. For example, 365 sunscreen made my eyes burn if I ever put it on my face (as if there was some weird fume it put out?) Solara time traveler dried out my skin, and always ended up separating in the bottle. And Solara Fortune Teller would run off if I sweated even a little. Right now I'm experimenting with Attitude's Sunly sunscreen stick. It's kind of thick so it takes a while to work in, and I haven't tried it on my face yet. I'll see how it goes.
Wash your pillows every month. Not just the cases, but the whole pillow. Stuff can start to grow in them, and make you break out.
You want to sleep with your mouth shut, so your gums don't dry out. I was told that tilting your head slightly down with a pillow can help your mouth stay shut. But I've also noticed that tilting my head too much puts a little extra pressure on my throat, and I think even makes me snore some.
I used to grind my teeth at night (and possibly still do, though I like to hope not). I need to wear retainers while I sleep, so I don't grind my teeth to nubs. You can get cheap, simple mouth guards at sporting stores. I tried one of these, though I had to cut it to the right size. It kinda worked but it would chafe inside my mouth, and was really bulky. I finally caved, and coughed up the money to buy a new set of fitted retainers. There's a plan where you pay more up front, but they'll replace them every year. You need to replace them when the plastic starts changing color, because that may mean that something is growing in them.
In regards to grinding teeth, I was told that magnesium pills can help relax your muscles and reduce the amount of grinding. You take a pill half an hour before bed. I didn't really notice much difference when I tried them though.
I've been using David's toothpaste. I might try something else, because all of their toothpaste I've seen says "whitening." That usually means that there's something abrasive, which isn't great over the long-term. Though when I asked my dentist, he said it should be fine as long as it doesn't feel gritty. David's toothpaste doesn't feel gritty. But I should probably do more research.
For floss, I use Bamboo Switch- the plain kind. They also have a charcoal floss, but I think that might be hard on your teeth. Bamboo floss works well. It doesn't splinter like the corn-based floss I tried (that stuff was awful- once a piece broke off in my teeth so badly that it took several minutes to finally get it out). I have put bamboo floss in my compost, and it doesn't biodegrade very well. After some months, it's still intact.
Radius silk floss works well, and is biodegradable. But keep in mind that silk is made by killing lots of caterpillars. Which doesn't seem worth it for a piece of string you use once and throw away.
It's better to floss before you brush your teeth. It helps open up gaps between your teeth, so the toothpaste can get in there and clean better.
Wellnesse makes a copper tongue scraper. They work well, and don't make me gag like some others I've tried. Tongue scrapers are good for your dental hygiene.
You don't necessarily need mouthwash, as long as you brush and floss. But you might need it if you have sensitive teeth. I've been told to use it. I get Simply Silver mouthwash. My dentist said that it looks pretty good. It doesn't have the highest grade on the EWG, but it's the best brand that contains hydroxyapatite. That ingredient is good for your teeth, and is a good alternative to flouride. Flouride has long been a hyped ingredient for teeth, because it helps them absorb good stuff. But there are some potential hazards to it. I've heard some back-and-forth on the topic, so I need to dig deeper. But for now, I'm staying away from flouride.
If you catch a cold, one of the few things that can help you recover faster is zinc lozenges.
For sore muscles, magnesium helps. Epsom salts in your bath contain magnesium.
Keep pill bottles out of your bathroom. The humidity in the air can get into containers and make the medicine go bad faster. Store pill bottles somewhere dry.
I've only found one natural cure for headaches that actually works for me. I grow feverfew in my garden, and dry the leaves and flowers. If I get a headache, I brew a bit of very strong tea with them. Both the fresh or dried flowers and leaves work. It tastes terrible, but so far it's always worked (my Dad said that the headache goes away because the body is scared to drink more of that tea).
I've seen essential oils used to treat many different ailments. I've only found a couple that have worked for me, so your results may vary. And if you're buying bottles of concentrated essential oil, you must dilute them! They can do harm if you use them undiluted. Look up the proper methods for doing so, but I add a couple drops essential oil to a tablespoon of base oil (I use olive oil because that's what I have, but I've never seen it used elsewhere).
Diluted lemongrass oil - rub a couple drops under and between your toes every week or two to prevent athlete's foot and such. And if you get it, the oil will help clear it up if you rub it in once or twice a day.
Diluted peppermint oil - while you can't eat many essential oils, you can eat this one. A couple drops in a glass of water helps settle my stomach.
Eucalyptus essential oil - I don't dilute this one, because I use it in a diffuser. It helps me breathe easier when I'm sick and congested. I found a little metal oil diffuser, where you light a candle under it to vaporize the oil. The glass ones kept cracking, so I recommend finding a metal one. But I've heard that these oils in the air can be bad for pets, so take proper precautions.
Hemp seems to be the most sustainable fabric. Wama underwear makes their products from hemp. I haven't had much luck with them fitting me, but that's probably not a common problem.
It's important to wear good shoes. The way you stand impacts a lot about the rest of your posture. I like to go for minimal shoes. Humans didn't evolve to need thick-soled shoes. Merrell makes a great thin-soled shoe that is my favorite.
That being said, when I had to work all day while walking on concrete, it started to have an impact on my ankles. I had to use thick-soled Hoka shoes. It did indeed make the ankle problem go away. And when I injured my heels, that was another good use for the thick-soled Hokas.
For running, I recommend Vibrams. They're another thin-soled shoe that gives your foot and ankle its full range of strength and motion. I've actually used Skeletoes, which is a cheaper brand, but seems to be quite similar. I do want to try Vibrams though. I've heard great things about them. It may take a bit to build up the muscles around your feet to get used to these. Running in these shoes makes your ankles so strong. I once twisted my ankle really badly - landing on it with my full weight. But it barely bothered me at all. Before I used Skeletoes, that would have left me limping all week.
Keen makes hiking sandals. You can get them wet too. I think I'll try to find an alternative, because I've had trouble with their fit. My little toes just kind of fall out the sides. I just bought the men's sandals, which seem to work better. I'll try them out and see.
Salomon makes good hiking boots. They don't cover your ankles, so they get the full range of motion.
Meditate every night before bed. It can be hard to build the habit, because it doesn't feel right at first. But if you practice, it has amazing benefits such as helping people get less upset over things, and coping better.
Exercise every day. And do yoga to keep things working smooth.
I recommend seeing a chiropractor. So many people - myself included - have bad posture, so this helps mitigate some of those problems. A well-aligned spine helps reduce headaches. And he's helped me recover faster from injuries. I have a funky tendon in my shoulder, which sometimes pops out of place. I didn't even have to mention it, and he could tell right away that there was a problem there. He's even helped me with my jaw. I think because I had braces, my jaw pops when I open it too wide, but it's much better after his help. The way I open my jaw also has an impact.
When you use a public restroom, it's always a good idea to wipe the seat off first. There can be some nasty stuff on them, which can leave weird welts on your thighs. Gross. Usually toilet paper does the trick, but it doesn't get everything. I'll use a bit of my hand sanitizer on the seat, and wipe it down with the toilet paper. If I don't have that with me, a bit of soap from the bathroom works.
And if you get anything on the seat, wipe it off! Some people have trouble cleaning the seat themself, and they don't want to sit in your pee.
Close the toilet seat when you flush. Otherwise a could of toilet water can leave residue through the room. Where you probably keep your toothbrush.
Who Gives a Crap is a company that makes toilet paper, tissues, and paper towels with no plastic packaging.
You can make some of your own simple cleaning products with non-toxic ingredients. For example, 2 cups of water with half a cup of vinegar makes a good glass cleaner.
Attitude also makes good cleaning products. I use their "all purpose cleaner" for counters and cabinets. The "floor cleaner" works well also.
For cleaning the bathtub, sink or other tougher areas we usually use Bar Keeper's Friend. It's made with natural ingredients, and they have recycled packaging. I don't know how it compares to other products though, so I'll have to do more research. And I always use a mask with it, because it makes my lungs feel icky if I didn't cover my mouth. I don't know what causes that, but I sure don't want to encourage it.
We have closets with sliding wooden doors. After a while, they start to jamb some. Clean out the runners, and rub along and between them with a bar of soap. I don't usually buy bars of soap (I use liquid soap). So if I go to a hotel, I bring part of one of their soap bars home. I don't need a whole bar just to wash my hands, and I never use that stuff in the shower because it dries out my skin. But if you break the bar of soap in half, sometimes room service just throws the remainder away. Be creative to avoid wasting so many bars of soap. However, one hotel had soap bars that left big bleached streaks down my pants when I tried to wash them. I can only imagine what ingredients were in that thing.
I've been trying to find simple house products made with biodegradable materials. I found a few on Etsy:
Sponges: StephanieJos: Unsponge
Bamboo pencils (dipped in ink): (Just found their shop is closed. There are probably other shops that sell bamboo pencils though)
Walnut ink to go with the pencils: (Just found their shop is closed. There are probably other shops that sell walnut ink though)
This one isn't on Etsy, but Wisdom Supply Co makes a "Zero waste binder." I ordered a few, and stuck calendar pages on the outside to decorate them.
Moving to the garden. Snails and slugs don't like crawling over hair. If you cut your hair (or get some from a local salon) you can spread it around plants that snails find tasty.
We used to have huge problems with ants. For one particularly bad stretch of time, they would get in the kitchen, or anywhere else in the house, every single day. Whether or not they found any food, they would go for crumbs, or residue on the counters. Terro liquid ant bait saved us. It's just sugar and borax. Leave it out where the ants are. They bring it back to the nest, and it wipes them all out. I don't like doing that, but sometimes ants just take over. You might need to put out a few of these before it takes full effect. There's also an outdoor variety, if the ants are doing outdoor damage. That being said, don't needlessly kill ants. They are an important species for many things.
For aphids, all you need is a few drops of dish soap in water. Put it in a spray bottle and coat the aphids. Biodegradable soap doesn't seem to work. I've only had luck with typical dish soap.
If you garden, or go in the woods, or touch a tree, you may get sticky sap on your hands. It never seems to wash off. I accidentally discovered something that helps wash the sap away. I would never have tried this deliberately, and I recommend you do it when you're taking a shower. Because if you blow snot in your hands and rub it around, it takes the sap right off. Then wash your hands with soap. Different sap may behave differently. And I've never asked anyeone else to test my technique. So let me know if it works for you.
Moving on to pets.
If your cat gets fleas, there's a few things you should do. Wash all their bedding to kill fleas and flea eggs. To get rid of fleas in your garden, I've gotten nematodes from a nearby hardware store. You spread them around your lawn, and it's worked well for me. I'm still working on the actual flea application for cats. The last time I bought a common brand name, it didn't help at all (I don't remember what it was. - it was a long time ago). I think my vet recommended Cheristin, which did work. But I've since heard some potentially alarming stuff about it. I tried a natural flea medicine (maybe neem oil? That was also a long time ago) I think it worked, but it burned my poor cat's skin.
You don't want to feed your cat only dry food. It can lead to health problems later in life (it did for my last cat). My cousin's vet told her never to give her cat wet food. But my vet said that it's good to give your cat some wet food. Not sure where that discrepancy comes from. I think wet food is worse for their teeth. So I give my cat three small meals through the day - one of dry food, one of wet food, and one of chicken (or some other plain meat).
A lot of cat food is made with wheat and stuff that cats aren't evolved to eat. My last cat got bad gas from eating that kind of stuff. Blue Buffalo worked for her. But I haven't found anything about that company being eco friendly. I did find one that is eco friendly, but they don't ship to my area.
I get Greenies as cat treats. I think I started getting them because they're supposed to help clean your pet's teeth. But my vet says that they don't really help. I've recently found a company called Pezzy that makes pet treats out of invasive species, like carp. I got some to try with my cat, but cats are picky. You may have better luck.
