The Great Cabinet Clean Out (Updated)

Earlier this year I undertook what I’ve come to call “The Great Cabinet Clean Out of Twenty Eleven.” After more than a year of reading numerous articles about unsafe ingredients in bath and beauty products, the thought occurred to me: Why is it that I exercise, swallow my vitamins, and eat a healthy vegetarian diet, but I don’t pay any attention to what I put on my body? I decided to go through all of the products I used, both at home and at work, and throw out those that were rated toxic using the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database. I was really surprised to learn that many of the high end, “natural” products I was using weren’t very safe at all.

Next I spent a few months replacing those products with all natural, safer alternatives. I wrote some posts about this process and shared some of the new products, but wanted to make this comprehensive list of “replacements” in case anyone who uses similar things wanted some good bets. A lot of these were ordered online, sight unseen, so I figured having a real person giving their thumbs-up would be helpful.

 

Safety

Not all of these new products are 0-1 on the Environmental Working Group’s scale (my goal). Some are a 2 or even a 3. I’ve tried to note times when I made a compromise in order to find a product I’d actually use regularly and couldn’t find anything less toxic that fit the bill. I’ve included EWG numbers when I could find them.

 

Performance

I’ve found so many amazing products through this process. Instead of buying brands that had reputations I was already aware of, I hunted among blogs, asked friends, and read tons of reviews on the Skin Deep Cosmetics Database and Makeup Alley (although MA had far fewer reviews or none for many of these lines). I also found Spirit Beauty Lounge which carries many of the things I’d been ordering separately, which cuts down on shipping AND they give you tons of free samples.

If you’ve got any questions about my experience with any of these products, I’d be happy to answer them in the Comments field.

 

Bath & Body

Hand lotion (@ work): Vaseline Hand and Nails (10), replaced with John Masters Organics Blood Orange & Vanilla Body Milk (2) (sinks in quickly, isn’t sticky, great for typing)

Body lotion: Kiehl’s French Rose Deluxe Hand & Body Lotion (7) and Mountain Ocean Skin Trip (4), replaced with Acure Firming Lotion

Soap: No replacement needed, already used all natural

Shower gel/scrub: Lush’s Narcotick and Philosophy Microdelivery Scrub, replaced with dry body brushing before shower

Bath goodies: Lush (3-6), replaced by Ahava Bath Salts (0) or plain old epsom salt w/ some essential oil if I feel like it

Foot lotion: Aveda Foot Relief (8), replaced with body lotion

Deodorant: Fresh Sugar Roll-on (6), replaced with Soapwalla Kitchen Deodorant Cream (0) (this stuff is AMAZING)

 

Nails

Conditioning: Barielle Nail Strengthener Cream (4), replaced with an essential oil mix

Polish: Essie (7-8), OPI (4), and Butter London (6, and I thought they were the safest!) polishes, replaced with Acquarella (1) water based polishes and remover

 

Hair

Shampoo: Phyto Phytolactum Intelligent Shampoo (5), replaced with John Masters Organics Zinc and Sage Shampoo (2)

Conditioner: Pureology Hydrate Conditioner (6), replaced with John Masters Avocado and Lavender Deep Conditioner (2)

Curl tamer/defrizzer: Moroccanoil Oil Treatement, Kiehl’s Creme with Silk Groom (3), and/or Fekkai Luscious Curls Wave Spray (10!), replaced with Rahua Finishing Treatment & Rahua Voluminous Hair Spray (I love both of these products SO MUCH; treatment makes my curls very defined and my scalp happy and hairspray isn’t what I’d typically call hairspray, more like a curl refresher/definer that smells good and wakes your hair up)

 

Skincare

So here’s the deal: my skin has never been healthier, smoother, clearer, plumper, or glowier than it’s been since I started an all-natural regimen. I threw out all of the creams and whatnot and now just stick with cleanser, hydrosol/toner, and Argan oil. I did try some great products from Acure and Evan Healy, but ended up sticking mostly with Kahina Giving Beauty because their products are so simple and are insanely effective.

Day Moisturizer: Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizer (5), replaced with Kahina Giving Beauty Argan Oil (0)

Toners: Aveda Botanical Kinetics Toning Mist (5), Aveda Botanicals Exfoliant (6), replaced with Kahina Giving Beauty Toning Mist

Treaments: Alpha Hydrox AHA Souffle 12% (4), Alpha Hydrox Retinol Night ResQ (8), Mario Badescu Drying Lotion, replaced with nothing

Night Cream: Olay Regenerist Deep Hydration (7), replaced with Evan Healy Rosehip Oil & Hydrosol (0) and/or Kahina Giving Beauty Argan Oil (0)

Cleanser: Philosophy Purity Made Simple (3 or 4), replaced with Kahina Giving Beauty Facial Cleanser (3)

Masks: Aveda Intensive Hydrating Mask, Aveda Deep Cleansing Herbal Clay, replaced with Evan Healy Pink and Green clays (0) and Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask (0) (which is the best thing since sliced bread)

Scrub: Fresh Sugar Face Polish, replaced with steaming once a week

Eyecream: Kiehl’s Abyssine Eye Cream (3), replaced with Kahina Giving Beauty Eye Cream (1) and Eye Serum (0) (I was never someone who thought eye cream did much good, but both of these Kahina products have turned me into a convert)

Lipbalm: Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment (8), replaced with Pangea Organics Red Mandarin & Rose Lip Balm (1)

 

Makeup

Foundation: Chanel Teint Innocence or Stila Tinted Moisturizer (4), replaced with light application of RMS “Un” Cover Up (0) and/or Vapour Organic Beauty Stratus Instant Skin Perfector (3)

Powder (loose): T. LeClerc (3), replaced with Alima Finishing Powder (2)

Powder (purse compact): MAC Studio Fix (3) replaced with Bobbi Brown Sheer Finish Presssed Powder (4) (MAC was feeling too heavy with the RMS product plus it was older and time to throw out; Bobbi Brown seemed like the best option for lighter pressed powder, others were in the 5-7 range. Also finding I use pressed powder maybe once a day when I used to retouch constantly due to oil – wild!)

Lipstick: MAC (3), Nars (5), & Lipstick Queen, mostly replaced with RMS lip2cheek (“Modest” and “Ravage”) and Vapour Aura Multi-Use Stain (“Enchant”); I still use old lipsticks sparingly when I want shocking pink or crazy orange

Blush: Benefit Dandelion, replaced with RMS lip2cheek (“Modest” and “Ravage”) and Vapour Aura Multi-Use Stain (“Enchant”)

Mascara:: Chanel Inimitable Intense Mascara, replaced with Smashbox Bionic Mascara in Indigo Ink

Eyeshadow: Assorted Stila (3-6), Lancome (3-8), and MAC (5-7) eyeshadows, replaced with Alima mineral shadows (2) and RMS Beauty Creme Eyeshadow (“Magnetic”)

 

 

Further Reading

Aveda founder’s mission: to clean up beauty industry act (Telegraph, UK)