Have you every wondered how "green" your shampoo which claims to be "botanical" "natural" or "herbal" really is? Sadly, many brands that market themselves as "natural" still hide dangerous chemical ingredients in their product formulas. That is why it is important to educate oneself about commonly used chemicals and ways in which they can be easily spotted. For this post I would like to share the free mobile app "Think Dirty" which is a helpful and eye opening app that shows you how clean or dirty your cosmetics and personal care products are.
You simply scan the bar code on a product and Think Dirty will find the product in its database and show you how healthy or risky the product is. Think Dirty rates products with a 1-10 number and a color. The lower the number the healthier the product and like a traffic light green means good, yellow means risky, and red means dangerous or dirty. For example a shampoo with a rating of 9 is a product that I would pass on. Think Dirty even shows you the ingredient list (which is color coded in green, yellow, and red as well) and the products' levels of "carcinogenicity", "developmental & reproductive toxicity", and "allergies & immunotoxicities".
When I first downloaded this app I went on a crazy scanning rampage and scanned every product that I could get my hands on! Now whenever I am shopping or have idle time in drugstore aisles I scan products for fun and to learn.
Below are scans of widely used products and my recommended clean, green replacement. I found all these products at Target.
Shampoo:
Pantene Pro-V Daily Moisture Renewal Shampoo received a 9 but one may wonder how suds that lather up their hair for a few minutes can be dangerous. It is the constant usage every day, 365 days a year that builds up. The skin is our largest organ and it absorbs everything it comes into contact with so the chemicals that are in personal care products can easily enter our bloodstream. My clean replacement is The Honest Company Honest Shampoo & Body Wash. What I love most about The Honest Company is that all of their products are safe, non-toxic, and honestly free of harsh and risky chemical ingredients. Although The Honest Company is known for their baby products I have found that their personal care products work for all ages. The Honest Company Shampoo & Body Wash is one of my favorites because of its versatility. While it does not lather as much as Pantene Shampoo I rest assured that the fresh, pleasant scent is naturally derived and the formula consists of clean ingredients like aloe and coconut oil. Fear not, this "baby" shampoo cleans adult strength grease & grime and is safe enough for babies and adults. The Honest Company line is found in the baby section at Target but remember if it is good enough for babies it is good enough for us.
Body Wash:
For years I used the Dove Sensitive Skin Nourishing Body Wash which is labeled "unscented" until I scanned it and found out that unscented actually meant fragrance and chemical filled. Did you know that unless a product specifically says "fragrance free" it likely contains a fragrance of parfum that could be a combination of nearly 3000 fragrant ingredients to mask odors or add a pleasant scent? I agree that it is pretty shady and scary how simple wording can mean entirely different things. My choice for a clean body wash replacement is Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Soap (peppermint) which can be found at your local Target, Sprout's, Walgreens or Dr. Bronner's website. What I like most about Dr. Bonner's is that half of a teaspoon is all you need for a good, clean shower. Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Soap comes in several "scents" but rest assured the fragrances are created by natural essential oils.
Deodorant:
I scanned Old Spice High Endurance Pure Sport Deodorant and was appalled to see the rating and ingredients such as synthetic fragrance and propylene glycol in the formula. For the clean switch I tested the bergamont sage spray deodorant from The Honest Company on an athlete. After a slow day at the office the bergamont sage still smelled pleasantly fresh; however, after a strenuous workout my test buddy missed the antiperspirant (pore clogging) chemicals. For everyday freshness I use the bergamont sage deodorant spray which is made for both men & women. The essential oils and botanical extracts neutralize bacteria and odor leaving one smelling and feeling clean and fresh. Furthermore, unlike antiperspirants, the Honest deodorant is aluminum free which means that it does not clog pores, allowing for natural breatheability.
Face Wash:
For face wash I have included the Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash which I used since high school and the Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser which my boyfriend uses. I used to think that the Purpose face wash by Johnson & Johnson had to be good for me because Johnson & Johnson is a company known for their baby products and the wash smelled like their famous golden baby shampoo. Little did I know I was completely wrong because the Purpose wash is filled with PEGs, sodium laureth sulfate, synthetic fragrance, and the chemical preservative quaternium-15 which is a formaldehyde releaser. The Cetaphil cleanser isn't much better as it contains parabens and propylene glycol. While parabens are common preservatives they have been found in tumors which is all the more reason to eliminate any products containing parabens from your life. My suggestions for a clean swap is Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Soap (also mentioned above under body wash) because it removes a day's worth of makeup in a pinch and is wallet-friendly. Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Soap can replace one's shampoo, body wash, and face wash making it an ideal clean replacement product.
Think Dirty has helped me to detox my bathroom shelf and my makeup bag. My family and friends have gotten used to me scanning their products and while they are often afraid of hearing what is dirty and dangerous it is important to be aware of the products that one is slathering on their body on a daily basis. I hope that you find Think Dirty to be as educational and fun as I have, so let's Think Dirty and start scanning in the aisles of our local stores!
Sincerely,
JEN
You can keep up with Sincere and JENunie while on the go! Simply subscribe to me through Google+ or by email to receive an email for every new post.
All products mentioned in this post were purchased by me. All opinions are my own. This is not a sponsored post and I am not affiliated with any of the brands on this post. These are products that I use and ones that I am simply sharing my opinions about.
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