Have you seen the latest Netflix craze about decluttering your house to create more room for peace in your life? In the show called “Tidying Up With Marie Kondo,” well-known author, Marie Kondo shows families how to use her decluttering method to tidy up and downsize their belongings. She simply asks them to hold each item in their hands and ask yourself “does this item spark joy?” If it doesn’t, it gets recycled, donated, or tossed. If it does, in fact, spark joy, it’s kept and placed in a very organized manner. People say that this method is life changing. We couldn’t agree more.
Tidying Up
Have you taken a good look inside your bathroom cabinet lately? Or on the shelves of your shower? How about the top of your dresser? Or maybe in the nightstand drawer? Are there products everywhere? Maybe we’re pointing out the obvious and you have in fact noticed how many products you own… In that case, here’s the kicker: have you really looked at their labels?
While you hold up each product to see if it sparks joy for yourself– take a moment to also ask if this product sparks joy for your health and wellbeing — and then another moment to consider if this product sparks joy for the planet.
Make sure that all of your SPF products are mineral-based sunscreens that contain non-nano particles. You should definitely get rid of anything that lists oxybenzone, octinoxate, or parabens. Be sure to check our list of ingredients to avoid — sometimes those chemicals are sneaky and can be in products you wouldn’t normally worry about.
Make sure that your shampoo and conditioner are paraben free, sulfate free, and free of other harmful chemicals like PEGs and pthalate-filled fragrances. Sometimes it’s hard to remember all of the harmful chemicals; so, to help you and the planet out, we’ve made handy cards that you can store in your bathroom cabinet as a reminder. You could even keep one in your wallet for reference when you shop for new product replacements.
If you’re really overwhelmed by the labels and amount of products in the beauty aisles at the store, we can save you a step. Our shampoo and conditioner are ocean-friendly and naturally-derived. All of our products are. Our sunscreens have been third-party tested to be proven reef-safe and better for our environment. All of our products are packaged in eco-conscious materials, such as sugarcane resin tubes and recycled milk jugs.
Getting Rid of Toxic Products
Now that you’ve gone through all of your products, you might be left with a few that spark joy for yourself and the environment–or maybe you’ve realized you need to restock with better products. Either way, you might be left with a big pile of old products that are loaded with chemicals. What the heck do you do with them now?
Do you just toss them in the garbage? Do you squeeze the remaining product down the drain and recycle the bottles? The answer to those relevant questions is no. Mike Malterre, our company VP, has experience in getting rid of those chemical-filled products.
Down the drain is the worst possible scenario (unless you’re actually diving a coral reef, which is worse) because wastewater treatment plants don’t remove many of those contaminants so they go through the system and are dumped in the nearest body of water.
Instead, Mike suggests that you bring all of them to your local waste center. Once there, they’ll be placed in biohazard bags or incinerated. This can seem a little ridiculous–but the ingredients in them can be out-of-this-world ridiculous for your body and the planet.
We can guarantee after you pare down your skincare arsenal to just the good stuff, your body and planet will thank you. You’ll feel lighter, happier, and more peaceful by making eco-conscious choices. It seems that Marie Kondo does know a thing or two about sparking joy.