Non-Toxic Shower Products (2021)
As I’ve slowly started to comb through all of my personal products, replacing each one with a non-toxic option (or as close to it as I can while achieving the results I’m after, i.e. clean hair), I’ve started to collect a few favorites.
These first three items are products that my husband and I both love and have been using for a minimum of five months and continue to repurchase. I have a list at the bottom of other products that I would consider based on their EWG Skin Deep score (see below) and reviews. These recommendations, other than the first three, I have not tried myself, but look like great options if you have a different skin and/or hair type or want to try something else.
how to know if a product is ‘non-toxic’
Whenever I’m curious about the safety of a product, I refer to the EWG’s (Environmental Working Group) website called Skin Deep which is a database of cosmetics in which the EWG rates the hazard level of each ingredient within a product. If you are curious about a product that isn’t already listed, you can load the ingredients of the product into the website and it will populate according to the ingredients they already have rated in their database.
The EWG’s Skin Deep Scoring System
If a product meets their strictest guidelines for safety, it get’s the ‘EWG Verified’ stamp of approval. Products rated a 1 or 2 are still considered ‘low hazard’. Products rated 3-6 are moderately hazardous, and 7-10 are highly hazardous. The ratings are developed based on scientific literature and studies regarding how each ingredient may be linked to: “cancer, developmental and reproductive toxicity, allergies and immunotoxicity, user restrictions, endocrine disruption, neurotoxicity, organ system toxicity, biochemical or cellular level changes, persistence and bioaccumulation, ecotoxicity, irritation, occupational hazards, enhanced skin absorption, and contamination concerns.”
Visit their page explaining their rating system and standards here.
MY CURRENT FAVORITE SHOWER PRODUCTS (2021)
body wash: everyone 3 in 1 soap
This is definitely a top favorite, re-purchase, go-to product for us from now on. In all honesty, there’s nothing truly remarkable to say about the user experience, but that’s what I like about it. It’s trustworthy, no-fuss, gentle, non-stripping, not drying, the scent is lovely but not overpowering. I use this in all the nooks and crannies of my body with no complaint. I also love that it comes in a large bottle with a pump, which I much prefer over a squeeze bottle. It’s also super affordable, only about $11 for 32oz.
This is actually a 3 in 1 product - it can be used as body wash, bubble bath, and shampoo. I’m too nervous to try something I associate as a body wash as shampoo, but I’m sure it would be great based on the rest of my experience with it! Maybe someday I’ll work up the courage to try it. It would be awesome to narrow down the products in my shower even more.
Most importantly, it meets the strictest standards under the EWG rating system for safe products (it’s EWG Verified). Unscented is always the way to go if you want to avoid all possible irritation; however, I have not personally experienced any irritation with the scented formula (I love the citrus + mint scent). I’ve heard that scented products that are washed off (like shampoo or body wash rather than perfume) are generally okay since they don’t stay on your skin.
You can click here for a breakdown of each ingredient / further explanation of this score.
shampoo: kristin ess fragrance free daily cleansing shampoo
Rarely in my life have I bought a shampoo on repeat until this one. I purchased the regular size (10oz) at least 3 times in a row, and most recently upgraded to the 34oz bottle with a pump. This is truly the best shampoo I can ever remember using. I have tried more ‘natural’ products in the past that, as much as I wanted to love them, made my hair look like crap. I am by no means saying all natural shampoos are bad. In fact, I do want to explore the genre more, but for now, I really trust this one and it has a good rating on the EWG Skin Deep scoring system. It lathers well, cleans my hair as well as I could hope for, and doesn’t leave any residue or extra weight causing my hair to look limp and sad. Instead, my hair is left with good body and the right amount of texture. This shampoo hasn’t been particularly drying either, which is great, because I typically avoid conditioner if I can.
EWG Skin Deep rates this shampoo a 2 which is still in the “low hazard” category. You can click here for a breakdown of each ingredient / further explanation of this score.
conditioner: acure curiously clarifying conditioner
While the other two likely work for the vast majority of people, this one is more personal. I have VERY fine, thin hair and, for the most part, never use conditioner because any amount of moisture or weight leaves my hair limp and greasy-looking - akin to a rat in the rain. I do, however, have color treated / bleached hair, so the ends get pretty scary looking without any intervention. One day, my ends were so scraggly that I reluctantly reached for this conditioner. To my pleasant surprise, it rinsed out of my hair beautifully, and left my ends just soft enough to look healthy without making my hair so silky and devoid of texture that it hangs limp.
All of that to say - if you have coarser, thicker hair that needs a more heavy-duty conditioner, this might not be the product for you (but do not fret - keep scrolling for some other suggestions!). If you like a lightweight conditioner, I highly recommend this one!
EWG Skin Deep rates this conditioner a 3 which is on the low end of “moderate hazard.” You can click here for a breakdown of each ingredient / further explanation of this score. I don’t mind that this product isn’t within the verified-2 range because I only use it 1-2 times per week and rinse it out.
