More than a trend: non-toxic living (& why your health depends on it)
In 2011 I was suffering from a mysterious debilitating illness that doctors could not figure out. for 2 years I was misdiagnosed countless times with little to no answers on how to help myself.
I decided to take matters into my own hands and start researching simple ways that I could help myself on a daily basis to feel better despite still having no diagnosis.
That is when I had a realization to take a look inward as to what I was putting in and on on body. I heard and experienced this lifestyle all growing up because of my grandma. She would talk about the importance of living a non-toxic lifestyle to anyone and everyone she met. Back then people looked at her like she was nuts, but looking back, I truly think she was on to something.
She was my best friend and unfortunately passed away in 2007 and I had unfortunately neglected that way of living.
When I had started my own research of non-toxic living in 2013, my mind was completely blown. I started to look at the ingredients of my products and begin to immediately purge and find replacements to my current products.
To my surprise making that small lifestlyle change made a MASSIVE difference in my daily quality of life.
HERES WHAT I KNOW—
You are exposing yourself to more chemicals & toxins than you think. They are disguised in your shampoo, skincare routine, makeup, soaps, air fresheners/candles, baby products, toothpastes, deodorant, cleaning products...the list goes on.
Did you know that the European Union has banned over 1,000 ingredients from use in cosmetics, while the FDA has only prohibited 9? The last time these regulations were updated was June 25th 1938... NINETEEN THIRTY-EIGHT!!!
This means we need to start going the extra mile to do our own research on the products we’re using. Just because the packaging says “safe, clean, green, organic, FDA approved, etc...” doesn’t always mean they are actually safe.
Here are 9 ingredients that are banned in Europe but not in US...
•P-Phenylenediamine (PPD): It is derived from coal tar and it can lead to very severe allergic reactions
•Hydroquinone: It is found in products designed to brighten or lighten the skin. It kills cells and chromosomes if it is used too much, which sets the stage for some forms of cancer
•Formaldehyde: It’s a known carcinogen and can cause breathing issues.
•Quaternium-15: Manufacturers use helps their makeup last as long as possible. It can release formaldehyde and causes cancer and breathing issues.
•Petroleum: It is derived from the same stuff that fuels your car. It goes by a few different names, including mineral oil and paraffin oil.
•Fragrance: Loopholes in US labeling regulations let manufacturers include just about any ingredient they want in a product under the umbrella term of fragrance.
•Parabens: They have a tendency to mimic estrogen in the body, wreaking havoc on your hormonal system. Their impact may even be enough to reduce fertility in men.
•Triclosan: Mainly used as a preservative, to stop bacteria from growing on the product and spoiling it. Weakening of immune system. Children exposed to antibacterial products at an early age have an increased chance of developing allergies, asthma and eczema.
•Talc: It is great at getting rid of grease, it’s also quite good at containing asbestos and increasing your risk of lung growths and mesothelioma.
HOW TO SIMPLIFY THE SWITCH—
My favorite resource to quickly check the toxicity of products is the “Think Dirty” app. Scan or type in the products you already have and it will show you the toxicity level your cosmetics and personal care products may have on a scale od 1-10. They don’t have EVERY product on their database but they do have 1.9M different products so there is a good chance you will bee able to find the ones in your current routine.
I especially love that it gives you an ingredient list, the potential risk and links peer reviewed studies/medical journals. They also have reviews listed which helps to know if the product is a good fit for you!
WHAT ARE MY FAVORITE PRODUCTS?
I’ve consistently used non-toxic products 99% of the time for over 10 years now. I’ve had my fair share of great and not so great non-toxic products. Unfortunately “non-toxic” doees’t always mean that the product will function great. Sometimes it is a sacrifice…
However I have nailed down my “holy grail” non-toxic products over the years! From makeup, haircare, skincare and cleaning products. Not only are the ingredients clean as a whistle but they work phenomenally. I’ll call them the “Payton Melphy tried and true” haha.
Soon enough Ill make a whole blog post about my favorites, but in the mean time—
All of my favorite non-toxic products are listed on my instagram under my story highlights “non-toxic favorites”. Follow along to keep up with me on the daily and how I implement this lifestyle.
If you have any questions AT ALL please reach out in a DM. I’d love to chat and support you on this journey.
B | empowered.
Payton Melphy