Small Ways to Make Big Changes in the Products You Use

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FreeofSulfates #CollectiveBias

A few months ago I had one of those scary parenting moments. My daughter suddenly became sick and we couldn’t figure out why. She had a sore throat and was very congested and it looked like she just had a bad cold, but after weeks of not getting better, I took her to the doctor. Turns out she wasn’t really sick in the traditional sense. She didn’t have strep and her throat wasn’t red. She didn’t have anything wrong with her nose or ears. The doctor suggested it was probably allergies. Although my daughter never had allergies before, it made sense to me. Until it didn’t. She still didn’t get better and after several more days, my husband casually commented, “I bet it’s that slime she’s playing with that is making her sick.” Bingo! A light went on. Her symptoms came on just at the same time she started making homemade slime. I just knew she was probably allergic to the ingredients that she played with on a daily basis. We banned all those immediately and within a day, she was all better. Wow!

I’ve spent years purchasing products that were probably not good for us. I know that deep inside. It just wasn’t until the slime scare that I started paying more attention to what I was bringing into my home… and to what my kids were using.

I wanted to share with you some easy ways to make small changes that can make a big difference for you and your family.

CHECK THESE THINGS FIRST.

Body Products. What exactly are you putting on your body? You probably haven’t thought that much about it, right? It’s easy to start reading body care labels too and make some easy swaps. I’ve been a big fan of AVEENO® products for years and recently fell in love with their hair care products like sulfate-free AVEENO PURE RENEWAL® Shampoo and Conditioner. AVEENO PURE RENEWAL® Shampoo and Conditioner contains naturally derived cleansers and a sulfate free formula to gently cleanse your hair and scalp. Love the light scent and the way my hair doesn’t end up completely frizzy after I shampoo. It’s dye-free and paraben-free so your hair can go back to its naturally, healthy, balanced state. Always follow instructions on the packaging for best results. Try their line of lotions too… they’re fabulous and I always have a bottle on my nightstand.

Laundry Detergent. Start reading the labels on the products you are washing your clothes in. It seems silly, but you already know that anything that is ON your clothes will then be ON your body. You smell the scents, feel the fabrics, and nothing is more up-close-and-personal than your clothes. I’ve always been an all® laundry detergent fan, but I’ve recently started buying the new sulfate-free all® fresh clean ESSENTIALS®.

NEW sulfate free all® fresh clean ESSENTIALS® delivers a powerful clean without harshness. And who wants harsh on their clothes? Nope, you want a proven and effective deep cleaning and stain lifting product. all® fresh clean ESSENTIALS® includes the ingredients on the back of the bottle so you know exactly what is going into your family’s laundry.

Household Cleaners. We all know that there are safer cleaners out there. One thing I’ve been doing is making my own. There are so many natural cleaning products you probably already have in your home. Things like baking soda and white vinegar can clean almost anything. Try using them in your shower to get rid of mold, as a cleaning agent for carpet stains, and try the vinegar when cleaning your windows. Some vinegar and water in a spray bottle can get rid of most grime around the house… and you don’t have any chemical smells lingering.

CHECK THESE THINGS NEXT.

Air fresheners. It’s all too easy to grab some off-the-shelf air freshener, but it’s just as easy (and safer) to grab a few bottles of essential oils. Some lavender or lemon drops can freshen up your sofa, your bedding, even your towels. Take a spray bottle of fresh water and add some essential oils and spray on your smelly surfaces. Use it in those places that start to smell like mildew… the basement, the garage, the hall closet.

Makeup products. I already talked about your body products (like shampoo, conditioner, body lotion), but slowly start checking what makeup you are putting on your skin. Read labels! If you can’t pronounce the ingredients, chances are you probably shouldn’t have them seeping into your pores. I love mineral makeups and anything natural. I’m especially sensitive to my eye makeup. There are plenty of natural cosmetics out there. Take a look for yourself and start cutting out the chemical products you are using.

Water bottles. Yep… I’m going there. Go ahead and ditch the cases of water bottles you have. Not only are they probably full of toxins, but how often do you really recycle them? Plus, they take up space and cost money. Purchase a BPA-free reusable water bottle. Better yet, get one that has an infuser so you can add your own lemon, lime, or orange slices and create your own flavored water. SO much better for you and tastier too. I’ve started carrying around a reusable water bottle and I find that I’m drinking so much more water than when I was buying individual water bottles. And it’s healthier water, too.

It really isn’t that hard to make small changes that can have a BIG impact on your home and your health. Don’t do everything at once… start with one thing at a time and keep going. Small changes yield big results.

Try all® fresh clean ESSENTIALS® for yourself with this $0.50 coupon (while supplies last).

And save $1.00 on AVEENO PURE RENEWAL® Shampoo or Conditioner.

Shop at Walmart for the amazing all® fresh clean ESSENTIALS® (found on the top shelf in the laundry detergent aisle) and AVEENO PURE RENEWAL® Shampoo and Conditioner (found with traditional hair care products).