I’ve been doing a deep dive into toxins in the last couple years, and the more I’ve learned about them the more convinced I am about their dangers. I really believe that in a few decades we’ll be looking back at some of the ingredients that were commonly used primarily in beauty and household products, and be condemning them like we do cigarettes now (for decades cigarettes were advertised as absolutely safe and harmless).

Now, let me start by saying I have a long way to go in this area. When I started my journey towards using more natural, non-toxic products, it was incredibly overwhelming to look at how many things I use, wear, ingest, etc. that have potential toxins in them. I couldn’t wrap my head around replacing everything, and I haven’t yet done a complete life overhaul of all these things. But, I’m taking steps in that direction, replacing things one at a time, and constantly researching the best non-toxic products to meet my family’s needs. And here’s where it’s gotten me so far!

Primally Pure

The first thing I tackled in my let’s-be-more-natural journey was my skincare. I’ve used probably a dozen (maybe more?) full lines from various brands over the last decade. I was somewhat skincare obsessed, but no matter how much I spent on the nicest lines, or how many different brands I tried, even the ones that promised the best results never got me there. I didn’t think I could use an all-natural line, because in general when I used product lines that were more natural, plant based, using essential oils etc. I never had good results.

However, after so many good recs for PP, I committed to giving myself a couple months with it to test it out. After the first few weeks of it, I kid you not when I saw my skin was the clearest it’s ever been. Like a whole new world of skin for me…then, I got pregnant. The raging hormone rollercoaster paired with a try-to-beat-the-nausea diet absolutely wreaked havoc on my skin. But I kept going, using only Primally Pure, and once my hormones evened out again, my skin is back to the best shape it’s ever been in.

They have a quiz online to help you decide which products might work best for you – I fall in the “oil rich” category, which is a really nice way of putting it (my skin used to be a total grease ball within a few hours of being awake). Biggest changes I’ve seen? Way smaller pores, less oily overall, reduction in red marks/acne scarring from my days of incessantly picking at any tiny bump, and a glow. Now this last one is huge, because for us oily gals, the “dewy” look doesn’t usually exist, but dewy turns oily real quick – but I’m telling you, I’m getting there and seeing a glow that comes from within, not from oil!

My favorite products – the whole oil rich lineup (double cleansing, toner, serum, moisturizer, and a mask which is super effective), plus their dry shampoo, deodorant, and baby balm. Use code elleblack to save 10%!

Branch Basics

Pretty much the only product needed to clean the house! The system uses a single solution, that you use in different concentrations depending on what area of the house you’re cleaning. It has no smell, which honestly I thought I’d miss. But the truth is, I used to use a different product for every task, and not only did that lead to about a dozen, overpriced bottles needed for cleaning, it also left some stanky smells in the air. In the bathroom, for example, I had a different product for the toilet, the countertops, the mirror. So after I cleaned I’d be left with this hodgepodge of super chemical or super perfumey smells.

Especially now with babies in the house – they put everything in site into their mouths, and when you think about the toxins they could be ingesting by doing that all day…no thank you. This whole system covers all our cleaning needs (we also use the Oxygen boost in the laundry and it helps so much – think Oxyclean, but all natural). Plus, since you can just keep refilling the bottles it comes with, it’s helping good ol’ Mother Earth and supporting sustainability.

Ilia Beauty

Makeup was a big one for me to replace, because I’m someone who’s used the same products for many years now. I had my go-to, holy grail items that I did not want to part with…but the pain of knowing I was putting toxins directly onto my skin really started getting to me, so I researched endlessly and landed on this brand for the majority of my makeup.

I use their tinted moisturizer, concealer, setting powder, bronzer, highlighter, and mascara. They have some more full coverage foundation too, but I love that this tinted moisturizer is light, dewy, and feels like there’s nothing on your face. I lean towards the more oily end of the skin spectrum (though that’s been greatly reduced since using Primally Pure!) so I use the setting powder as well. The bronzer gives a nice, tan look, and the highlighter gives a glow without being too shimmery.

I’ve always had dark circles under my eyes, and these days of parenting young kiddos I’m sure doesn’t help, so my eyes are the most important thing to pep up a little. The mascara gives a long, full lash look, it’s super dark black, and easy to remove. I use their highlighter around my eyes too to get me a little more bright eyed, without looking glittery or overdone (not my fave look).

Hello Bello Diapers

We used Pampers the whole first year of my first baby’s life, and they worked fine for us. But when I started looking into both how toxic they are for the environment (especially when you think of how many you go through – like 10+ a day in the newborn period, yikes!), and how all the unnatural ingredients in them are rubbing right against baby’s skin all day… I wanted to make a change. I had always assumed Hello Bello was going to be way more expensive because they’re more natural, sustainable, and also come in the cutest damn patterns, but they’re actually about the exact same (maybe even cheaper with discounts, freebies, and bundle deals).

I love that they get shipped to the house (one less thing to think about) – we do the bundle which has the right amount of diapers and wipes for the month. You can customize it how you want, mix sizes if you have multiple kids, and you get to pick all your prints which is just a fun little bonus. They often send freebies, and also have discounts on other baby products if you add them to your bundle. We’ve found them to be equally effective as the “regular” brands, and they’re waaay softer. Something about the materials, plus the elastic they use, it just feels like a way comfier fit. Plus, the patterns! I can’t get enough.

If you want to check out some of my favorite healthy, non-toxic food items, check out this post!