Reduce your toxic load with seven natural skincare and cleaning product suppliers

Women are exposed to more chemicals than men as we use on average twelve personal care products daily which exposes you to up to 168 different chemicals according to the Environmental Working Group.

One of the best ways to reduce your toxic load is to minimise exposure to chemicals. Most people think about reducing their exposures by buying organic foods however it might be time to look at what you are using on your skin and to clean your house. This list is based on many product suppliers I have trialled and use as well as a few other recommendations from practitioners in this area.

Topical use of products like skincare is one of the biggest sources of toxins for many people. A few of my favourite options are Simplicite Skin Care, Gypsy Rose Haircare , Weleda and Grants. We can absorb up to about 10% of substances applied to the skin and so sorting out your personal care is a big priority when it comes to reducing your toxic load.

Personally I have used Simplicite Skin Care since having a mini facial with their products at Nature Care College when I was studying. At the time I was looking for something which wouldn’t cause my skin to breakout badly or come up in a rash. The range from Simplicite is formulated by an experienced herbalist and, as well as smelling amazing, is also therapeutic. David Lyons, the naturopath who created the range, has worked on skin problems for two decades before formulating these products and it really shows in the effectiveness.

On a number of occasions when I have contacted the company the advice has always been really helpful. My top tip is to try one of the packs for your type of skin before committing to purchasing the full range. It’s also worth trying out some of the serums in particular the capillary repair serum if you suffer from redness or superficial veins. It’s a lovely combination with two types of chamomile and lavender oil. The Rehydration serum is also very effective if you are prone to drying skin and the Antioxidant serum worked well for me on scar repair post surgery.

Weleda has a range of beautiful creams, lotions, oils and deodorants. The texture of the creams is particularly good and they spread well which is a really significant benefit when you are using Calendula cream on a wound. They also produce some very useful combinations for creams like Urtical which combines Calendula for healing and Urtica Urens for itching.

Over the years we have tried a number of hair care products and whilst the Alchemy range has been good Gypsy Rose Haircare has reduced the need to wash hair in terms of both frequency and number of washes. The original recommendation came through colleagues on Facebook who found it beneficial for those with dandruff and psoriasis. It uses ingredients like essential oils, kombucha and apple cider vinegar to improve the quality of the scalp. The website is a bit clunky but it is worth persevering and ordering enough to use it for at least a month. The combination of apple cider vinegar and kombucha gives white or grey hair real brightness as well which is a nice additional benefit.

The other aspect that is well worth considering is using a low tox toothpaste and Grants of Australia make a range of different toothpastes using includes 10 toothpaste flavours: Mild Mint, Fresh Mint,  Cinnamon, Xylitol, Propolis, Whitening, Sensitive, Fresh Mint with Fluoride, Kids Blueberry Burst and Kids Strawberry Surprise, along with Xylitol Natural Mouthwash. The products use natural anti-virals like aloe vera, neem oil and tea tree oil.

In terms of cleaning products there are a number of companies with low tox options, such as Abode Cleaning Products and Dr Bronner’s and for those who are really inspired there is a useful blog on making your own cleaning products on the Low Tox life blog, Keep your cleaning toxin free with these 7 easy home made cleaning products.

Abode Cleaning Products is produced by Building Biologist Nicole Bijlisma and puts into practice many of the things that she has learnt through her training. One of the best products they make is called Mould Control and this blog gives you some great information about cleaning mould effectively Hazards in the Home Mould . Products are available through a range of suppliers nationally as well as many health food stores.

Dr Bronner’s produce a range of pure soaps with bases such as coconut oils, olive oils and jojoba oil. The ingredients are used depending on the specific lathering and other properties. Dr Bronner’s also use organic ingredients and advocate for the appropriate regulation of those products in cleaning and personal care products.

What are your favourite low tox products for cleaning and personal care ? Please post any useful ideas in the comments below if you have any thoughts.

For more information on supporting natural detoxification have a look at my program Ageing Outrageously which covers six key areas for ensuring that you age well. The program has been designed for people who may not have the time or resources to work with me directly but would like to invest in improving their health. If you would like to work with me directly at my clinic at Elemental Health, St Ives, you can book appointments on (02) 8084 0081 or book online.