By Sarah Hodrick

The holidays are over and the words “cleanse” and “detox” seem to be everywhere we turn. It’s that time of year when toxins are being eliminated from diets, bodies, homes, relationships, and more. For some people, that means spending less time on social media and more time with family. For others, it’s saying goodbye to clutter and hello to OrderRestored. (Check them out on Instagram @theorderrestored). But the detox trend of 2020? “Switching to Safer.” Consumers are cleaning out their bathroom cabinets and cleaning up their personal care products.

Why? Awareness around the grossly outdated and unregulated personal care products industry is increasing. As a result, consumers are becoming more health-conscious when it comes to what they are putting on their bodies. The good news is that the clean beauty movement has gained momentum and gone mainstream. From Target to CVS, you can find everything from aluminum-free deodorant to paraben-free shampoo. The bad news? It’s hard to know where to start and who to trust.

Here are few tips if youíve been thinking about transitioning to cleaner products:

Tip 1:
Start small. It’s about progress, not perfection. Trying to overhaul all of your personal care products at once can be overwhelming and extremely hard on the wallet. Instead, identify the products you use or purchase most often; for example, hand soap, laundry detergent, body wash; or start with a specific category of products such as baby supplies or bath products. Over time, as you run out of your other products, replace them with safer options.

Small changes in your everyday choices really can make a difference. Think about what committing to drinking eight glasses of water or walking one mile every day could do for your health over time. The same goes for switching to safer products. When we create small daily habits, we’re more likely to stick with them and ultimately experience the long term benefits. P.S. If you haven’t read the book Atomic Habits, you should. 

Tip 2:
Know what to look for. Sadly, looks can be deceiving when it comes to personal care products. Due to the lack of regulation in the U.S., words like clean, green, safe, and non-toxic really don’t mean anything. It’s called “greenwashing.” Here’s a place to start when looking at ingredient lists:

The Five Most Common Toxic Ingredients to Avoid:

1. Formaldehyde: Used as a preservative in cosmetics, formaldehyde is a known carcinogen that has been linked to asthma, neurotoxicity, and developmental toxicity.

2. Fragrance: Hiding behind the word fragrance are dozens (sometimes hundreds), of potentially harmful ingredients, including allergens and hormone disruptors. Fragrance formulas are currently protected under federal law as they are considered a trade secret, meaning companies do not have to disclose the ingredients. My advice? Skip “fragrance” altogether.

3. Parabens (methyl-, isobutyl-, propyl- and others): Parabens are commonly used as a preservative in cosmetics and personal care products. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), “Scientific studies suggest that parabens can disrupt hormones in the body and harm fertility and reproductive organs, affect birth outcomes, and increase the risk of cancer.”

4. Phthalates (DBP, DEHP, DEP, and others): Phthalates are used to make products more pliable, enabling them to stick to skin (i.e., hairspray, nail polish, and perfume). They are known endocrine disruptors and have been linked to lower sperm count and birth defects.

5. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) or Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES): Used to make products “foam” (i.e., shampoo, body wash). According to the EWG, SLS and SLES are surfactants that can trigger allergies, cause skin irritation, and have been linked to neurotoxicity and endocrine disruption.

Tip 3:
Do your own research. With the rapid growth of the clean beauty movement comes brands that may not be as clean as one might think. Here are a few tools I personally reference when searching for safer products:

1. The EWG’s Skin Deep Database (ewg.org/skindeep): This is a free resource where you can search thousands of products and find their safety rating. Ingredients are rated from one to ten...one being the safest, ten being the most harmful.

2. Beautycounter’s Never List - (beautycounter.com/the-never-list): This is a robust list of over 1,500+ harmful ingredients that will never be used in their products. Here’s a pocket-size Never List to keep in your wallet for reference.

Finally, a few of my personal clean favorites: Cleaning Products: Branch Basics; Deodorant: Native; Face Wash: Beautycounter’s Countercontrol; Laundry Detergent: Seventh Generation;  Natural Laundry Detergent, Free & Clear; Nail Polish: Côte and Zoya; Toothpaste: Dr. Bronner’s All-One Peppermint Toothpaste.