Toxin-Free and Eco-Friendly Stocking Stuffer Ideas

Toxin-Free and Eco-Friendly Stocking Stuffer Ideas

For some reason, stocking stuffers are the last thing on my shopping list and I often completely forget about them, and have to run to the store and grab some things to stick in that stocking. I also find that I either buy not enough or way too much!

 My family historically has done personal care products in stockings. As far as I can remember, my family never had any candy in a stocking or food or anything like that. It was always personal care products. So I remember being a kid or a teen and I would get plastic razors in there or I would get deodorant or shampoo, usually like the travel size to fit in the stocking. I’ve tried to continue that tradition in our family. 

My daughters are at this age where stocking stuffers are a little bit harder because they don't wear a lot of makeup. My older daughter kind of likes face masks and those sorts of things. And my younger daughter is not into toys anymore but she's not yet into products very much either. But I did come up with some great ideas that I think everybody would love to get in their stocking.

The best part is, these stocking stuffers are useful, toxin-free and eco-friendly.  You can find many of them in my online store!

Toxin-Free and Eco-Friendly Stocking Stuffer Ideas

• Deodorant

• Little Otter Lip Balm

• Beeswax candle- watch out for harmful fragrance!

• Hand sanitizer- try making your own

• Shampoo brush

• Hair accessories

• Essential oil roller

• Body butter

• Shaving cream

• Art supplies

• Journal

• Card games

• Reusable straws and water bottles

• Sage drumsticks

• Reusable bags

I hope I inspired you a little bit to get out of your normal shopping routine when it comes to stockings. And I hope that you now feel prepared and you can go shop to your heart's content. Have a wonderful holiday season!

Eco-Friendly Gift Ideas for healthy, sustainable, and green gifts for your family this holiday season

Is your gift giving list as long as mine is? It is so hard to come up with new ideas. I created this episode so you can have ideas for eco-friendly and sustainable gifts. So you can give with an open heart and without any guilt this holiday season. 

15 Eco-Friendly Gift Ideas for Healthy, Sustainable and Green Gifts for Your Family This Holiday Season

I hope that you are in the same place that I am and that you are feeling good about finishing up 2021 and starting off 2022. Starting the new year being as well and as healthy as you possibly can. You know I talk a lot about going toxin-free. And of course, the reason behind that is because there are so many toxins in our environment. And there's just so few that we actually can control. But there are many areas where we CAN control the toxins in our environment, so we must! This is the reason why I started Detox by Design. It is the reason why I opened up my own online toxin-free living store, because I wanted to make it as easy as possible for you to go toxin-free. 

If you're anything like me, it can be a little bit daunting around the holidays. There's a really long list of people to buy for and I hate buying junk. I hate just buying something for someone just for the purpose of having a gift for them. I want the gift that I give to be useful to the person, to be something that they actually want. And I also wanted to be a gift that's not going to harm our earth, or harm the person that I'm buying it for. 

Consumables

One of my favorite things to give is anything consumable, meaning that the receiver of the gift is going to use it up. Some of my favorite ideas are things that they really need, like deodorant or lip balm or a solid lotion. Those three I have in my store right now and they're packaged in compostable packaging. When the person uses up the product, they can throw that container that's made of paper board into their compost pile if they wish or they can recycle it. So those are three ideas for something that's consumable. And also in really eco friendly packaging. 

You could also grab a lip gloss or mascara in glass packaging. If you're buying a consumable, think about what the packaging is like. When it has been fully consumed, where is that packaging going to go?

Another great idea for consumables would be food! 

A CSA subscription - See if there's a local farm that would benefit from your membership. You could gift a CSA subscription to a family and they would have vegetables for all of the summer and the harvest season. 

Candy from a local candy artist - A box of really special food that they normally wouldn't get for themselves. I love giving food for Christmas because I'm a foodie myself. And I love trying new things.

Pick out all of your very favorite snacks and put it together in a gift basket. Maybe with a movie or with a gift certificate that says let's watch X movie on this date with these snacks. You know just kind of a fun and different idea for giving a food based gift. 

Eco-Friendly

Reusable silicone bags are really helpful for storing leftovers or sandwiches for lunch or anything on the go. I still have some in my store as well and they're really high quality and work really well and they last a really long time. 

Stainless steel or silicone straws are really popular. We love those in our house. We're always drinking from a straw. I prefer the silicone straws because they don't hurt if you accidentally jam your teeth on them. And silicone is really safe.

Stainless steel coffee mug or a stainless steel water bottle. I know that Hydroflask is all the rage with the kids these days. I personally prefer EcoVessel. And the reason why is because if you have the straw lid for a Hydro Flask, you're still drinking through the plastic straw and the lid is also plastic. When you go with EcoVessel, everything is silicone. The straw is silicone, the parts inside of the lid that hold the straw are made of silicone, and also the area that you drink from on the lid is made of silicone. So that's why I prefer EcoVessel. 

Solar powered phone charger. I've seen these online and they look really cool. And they're a great gift for somebody who is into hiking or is outdoors a lot and they don't have access to electricity. But also just using solar power over regular electricity is a great idea. This could also be the perfect gift for a techie person in your life.

Think Local

I want to encourage you to buy local. Support your local store, support your local artists, your local creators, and your local restaurants. Really, there are so many different gift ideas for small businesses in your area. And when you're supporting a local business, you're not only supporting your local economy, you are also reducing the amount of distance that things are being shipped. And that of course, impacts our environment just through how things get to us, and the impact of that shipping.

A great idea is a wood cutting board. When I say a wood cutting board, I don't mean just buying one from Macy's or whatever. I mean finding one from a local creator. Oftentimes, artists who make these wood cutting boards are actually finding fallen trees that they are making these from. So they're taking this tree that is not being used, it hasn't been cut down for the purpose of making these wood cutting boards, and they're reusing that wood to make something useful out of it. Check your local holiday vendor shops to find these. 

Experiences - another great gift idea that is very eco-friendly. Some ideas for experiences would be to give them tickets to the theater, or the ballet or an amusement park. Or you could even get memberships to these different places like a zoo, or an aquarium or the children's museum or an art museum. You could give movie theater tickets. My daughters have gotten gift certificates for a place that makes local pottery that you paint. They've also gotten gift certificates for local cooking classes and things like that. Gifts that can be enjoyed throughout the year!

I'm really excited to get into the holiday spirit and give some of these gifts! Now if you're looking for the gifts that I mentioned today from my store, you can check that out at www.detox.design/thebox. If you want to connect with me more and just learn more, the best place to do that is in my Facebook group called Toxin-Free Talk. You also can follow me on Instagram and I'd love to connect with you there.

Send me a DM if you have a question.

Toxin-Free Travel Tips - How to Reduce Your Exposure to Toxins, Live More Green and Eco-Friendly, and Stay Healthy While Traveling

Toxin-Free Travel Tips - How to Reduce Your Exposure to Toxins, Live More Green and Eco-Friendly, and Stay Healthy While Traveling

Have you ever thought about the additional toxins that you're exposed to while you're traveling? Maybe not, but of course, I think about those things! Yes, you want to stay healthy while traveling and also reduce the carbon footprint that traveling inevitably leaves.

Toxin-Free Travel Tips - How to Reduce Your Exposure to Toxins, Live More Green and Eco-Friendly, and Stay Health While Traveling

On the road… Whether you’re driving or flying, there will be stops along the way and you’ll need to clean your hands to stay healthy. Think about bringing your own hand sanitizer instead of using whatever they have at the airport. You could also think about bringing your own soap. I know some friends that are working in offices or schools and their hands are getting destroyed by the harsh soap. Any basic soap is going to disrupt the virus or any bacteria that you could pick up on your hands. You just need to make sure that you are washing your hands for 20 seconds. You don't need a ridiculously strong antibacterial soap, which is what you'll often find in airports or public bathrooms.

My favorite soap is the Crunchi Littles Bar. It’s toxin-free, gentle, and perfect for frequent washing.

Bring your own food

I know that this can be kind of a pain, but have you noticed how wasteful it is to get food on the road? There are some places that have it down and they're much more eco-friendly. I love those sorts of places like sandwich shops that just use a paper wrap, but a lot of other fast food places and even not so fast food still use a lot of waste products and many fast food wrappers contain harmful chemicals in the packaging. One way to avoid that is to bring your own food. Bring it in containers that you're either going to reuse for a different purpose, or use some sort of paper product that you can recycle. 

Upon arrival leave your shoes at the door…

Once you get to your destination, a way to reduce your toxins while you're there, is to take your shoes off and leave them at the front door. Just to keep all of those toxins that you walked through at the airport and rest stops. I like to keep those at the door and away from the rest of my body and our family for the rest of our trip.

Know before you go

If you're staying in Airbnb, or VRBO, do a little digging before you book and ask questions about what kind of products they use there. I have many friends who have contacted me recently and they’ve said, “Oh my gosh, I stayed at this VRBO and I could not even breathe when I walked in because they were using cleaners with really harsh fragrance.” And some laundry detergents are just so strong. It can be helpful to check and ask before you book. Most hosts are very accommodating and happy to answer your questions. 

If you’re at a hotel, if there's toxins in the detergents, you can't really do that much about that right? But one thing you can do is air out the inside of the hotel room. Get as much fresh air in and as much of those indoor air toxins out as you can. Open the windows, take the heavy comforters off, and air out the sheets and pillows while you’re out doing things during the day Every little bit helps.

Bring your own products

And I mean everything! You don’t want to be running around looking for toxin-free products while you’re on vacation and should be having fun spending time with family. Make a list of everything you need. Obviously you're going to bring all your personal care products and toiletries. But don’t forget first aid items, especially if you use natural remedies, vitamins or supplements that might be harder to find or have to be ordered online.

I hope you found these tops helpful and that you have safe travels during the busy holiday season!

Greenwashed Again! Even the Most Conscious, Healthy, Greeen, and Non-Toxic Friends Can Get Tricked by Marketing

Raise your hand if you've been greenwashed before? Well, I certainly have.  I have a story to share about a conversation that I had with a friend about a product that she was wondering was safe or not. She's really my most conscious friend who really has been paying attention to toxins for a long time. It just reminded me how easy it is to get tricked and be greenwashed. 

Greenwashed Again! Even the most conscious, healthy, green, non-toxic friends can get tricked by marketing.

So my girlfriend texted me and she said, “Hey, do you think this is toxin- free? I found this at Whole Foods.” Of course I was curious. It was a reed diffuser and immediately, I thought, huh, reed diffuser probably has fragrance in it. I doubt that it’s healthy. 

So I asked her for a little bit more information, I asked for a picture of the label. She sent me a picture of the label and her text said “It's weird. It doesn't list the ingredients anywhere.” Isn't that so crazy that you can buy a product that you have in your home, around your family, around your little kids and there's no ingredients on the label. I want to remind you that this is something that she bought at Whole Foods. So I'm looking at the photo she sent me right now, it does have a caution sticker on it. And it says keep out of reach of children and pets, but it does not have any ingredients on it. It does say it contains PPG2 methyl ether acetate and fragrance. So it doesn't have an ingredient label but it does say it includes those two things. 

Now, if you are not familiar with all of the US regulations around products, they are very, very loose. And for certain products, like cleaning products, companies aren’t required to put an ingredient label on those types of products, they only have to list ingredients that are on the “known concern” list. My guess is that these two ingredients PPG2 methyl ether acetate and fragrance are on the “chemicals of known concern list”. That right there is  a red flag. Also, just the fact that there is no ingredient list - that's also a red flag personally for me. 

My friend couldn't believe that it had those chemicals it it because she got it at Whole Foods. I told her a store may have a lot of toxin-free products, but you can't necessarily guarantee that all of their products are safe unless you really read every ingredient on the label. There are several natural markets out there, and they are a great resource for finding toxin-free products and food. But sometimes these stores still carry products that have harmful ingredients in them. Just because it's sold at a certain store doesn't mean that you can trust that it's safe. You really have to read the ingredient label. 

I also mentioned to her that a lot of people think that if something is in an expensive boutique store, that it's going to be safe. And that's just not true. A lot of people think that if a product costs more money, it's safe. But again, that's really just not true, unfortunately. 

Here's one of my most conscious friends. My healthiest, greenest, friend, the one that pays the most attention to it and really cares about it almost as much as I do, and she even got tricked into buying this product. It just goes to show that you really have to pay attention and read ingredient labels.

I know how hard it is. That is why I'm here and that's why I have my store. I created my store as a one stop shop. You can just go shopping and not worry about it because I have vetted and tested everything in my store. Plus, I love sharing tips on how to best use toxin-free products and just live a greener, healthier lifestyle.

Please tell me, have you been greenwashed like this before? What was the product and what store did you get it at?

Toxin-Free Home for the Holidays - 5 Tips for Creating a Non-Toxic, Healthy, and Green Space for Holiday Visitors

Of course we want the people we love to be healthy! So creating a toxin-free environment for them to visit is just as important as the meals you share. If you have thought about going toxin-free and you haven't yet, maybe this would be the perfect time to start. Plus, it's a really great conversation to have with family. Especially if your kids spend a lot of time at their grandparents house or maybe you have family that's visiting and they are struggling with a health diagnosis or something similar. It's really great to have this conversation about why it's important to go toxin-free. 

Home for the Holidays: 5 Tips for Creating a Toxin-Free, Healthy and Green Space for your Holiday Guests

We are going back to basics so these area going to be simple tips but a great place to start

1. Be a shoe free home-  This is a really great habit to get into. There are all sorts of toxins in our environment including on the ground where we walk. Your shoes pick up dirt including toxins wherever you walk. Leaving your shoes by the door is a great way to minimize bringing in the dirt and toxins into your home. If you still want your guests to be comfortable, it's a great idea to have some socks or slippers for them to use when going shoe free. Have a set of guest slippers, or fun holiday themed socks that your guests can use or remind your friends and family to bring their own. 

2. Dust- You're probably thinking “oh Megan, of course I'm going to dust before my guests come over”. I just wanted to stress how important it is from a toxin-free standpoint. Dust can carry the toxins that we bring into the home or even the toxins that currently linger in our home. By dusting, you're really going to reduce the number of toxins that you are coming into contact with and breathing in. My favorite way to clean is just to use a slightly wet cotton rag to pick up all of that dust and any dirt right into the rag and then I just throw the rag in the wash. For cleaning countertops like in your kitchen or your bathrooms, I like the Meliora all purpose spray that I have in my store. It works super well. Surprisingly it works amazing on glass and on mirrors too. You just have to spray it and completely wipe away with a clean rag. And it's in glass and has a refill tablet that you put in there so you never have to buy another container again. I love that. It’s so eco-friendly.

3. Vacuum Everything!- Vacuuming is really one of the best ways to remove toxins that live in the dirt and dust in your home. And if you're animal lovers like we are and have a dog that sheds a lot, having a good vacuum is a must!

4. Wash your linens with toxin-free products- If you've been around here for a while, you know that my number one switch I recommend starting with is the laundry space. We sleep in our linens all night long, we use a towel after we shower to dry off, and we wear clothes that we wash in laundry detergent. Our bodies are exposed to those fabrics and the chemicals that you wash your clothes and linens in. If you haven't yet detoxed your laundry room, having guests come over and thinking about their linens and what you are exposing them to might be enough for you to make this switch. Again, I have my favorites in my store. I even have refills for the laundry detergent. I just love sending those refills out knowing that people aren't buying a monstrous plastic container of liquid soap, and eventually that plastic container is just going to go straight to the landfill. 

5. Use a timer for your modem or move your modem- How many times have you visited someone and the WiFi hub is in the guest room? It’s a common place to put it because it’s out of the way in a room that’s not used everyday. Wifi routers aren't exactly decorative. My interview with Shield Your Body, all about EMF exposure, was pretty eye opening. If you have your modem in the bedroom where your guests sleep, you might want to consider moving it. (If you have it in your own room, definitely move your modem.) You want to have as much space  between where you spend the most time and your modem. And if you can't move your modem out of the guest room, then consider putting a timer on your modem so that it turns off in the evening. Just having it off from 11pm to 5am can make a big difference in how much EMFs you are exposed to and your guests are exposed to while they're staying with you.

Have you detoxed your space yet? Having guests is a good reason to start!

5 Simple Steps to Clean Your Makeup Brushes Naturally and Toxin-Free

Okay, answer honestly, when was the last time you cleaned your makeup brushes? Are you thinking, “it's been a while or I've never cleaned them? Or Gosh, I don't even know if I know how to clean them properly.” If you answered with any of these, then you are not alone. I get this question very frequently. I'm sharing 5 simple steps to cleaning your makeup brushes naturally. 

5 Simple Steps to Cleaning your Makeup Brushes Naturally and Toxin-Free

I'm so glad I now have some great makeup brushes that apply makeup super well and work and are so soft on my skin. (Check out my favorite brushes here) And I want to take care of them, right? Cleaning them regularly will extend their life. Plus, you don’t want bacteria building up on them, getting into your expensive makeup, and wreaking havoc on your skin.

How often should makeup brushes be cleaned?

You should be washing them about once a week. I know that doesn't always happen. It certainly doesn’t happen weekly at my house, so I get that.  

If you're finding that you're breaking out or if you're finding that you are having application issues, if your makeup just isn’t going on as well as it should, then it is definitely time to wash your brushes. 

And it’s pretty fast and simple. Pick a day that you don’t plan to wear makeup, so they have time to dry. Or do what I do and have backup brushes to use while they dry.

Makeup Brush Cleaning 

1. Wet the bristles- Okay, answer honestly, when was the last time you cleaned your makeup brushes? Are you thinking, “it's been a while or I've never cleaned them? Or Gosh, I don't even know if I know how to clean them properly.” If you answered with any of these, then you are not alone. I get this question very frequently. I'm sharing 5 simple steps to cleaning your makeup brushes naturally. 

2. Rub bristles on a toxin-free skincare bar- I love the Crunchi Gentle bar. I rub my brush on the gentle bar and I suds it up. It works so well at getting makeup out of the brush. 

3. Use a makeup brush cleansing mat- Take a silicone brush brush cleansing mat and scrub the bristles against the mat to get all of the product out of the brush. And you can tell that it's starting to get clean when the water runs clear. So let's say you're scrubbing it and it still has a lot of makeup on there, which might happen if you haven't washed your brushes in a while - just rinse it out a little bit with some water and then get a little bit more soap and continue scrubbing on the brush cleaning mat.

4. Rinse- Remember to keep the ferrule dry!

5. Dry- Gently squeeze it out. You want to hang the brush upside down to dry. And one really great clever thing is to just grab a hair tie and tie it around a towel bar or a hook or something like that and use that to hold the brush upside down to dry. 

It really isn’t that hard to wash your brushes. Super, super simple. I'd love to hear when was the last time you washed your brushes! Are there any key steps I missed?

My Clothes Stink! 5 Tips to get the Stink Out of Active Wear and Workout Clothes

Do your clothes stink? Especially your workout clothes or hiking clothes, your active wear? I think you probably know that smell. It’s awful and stubborn.

My Clothes Stink! 5 Tips to Get the Stink Out of Active Wear and Workout Clothes

Before we dive into the tips, let’s chat for a minute about bleach.

Bleach is something I grew up with, and I bet a lot of us did. It’s what people commonly think of when they want to get something really clean.

Why is bleach bad?

First of all, it's super harsh. You may not be aware, but when you use bleach to clean up, it actually stays on the surface and continues to emit fumes. So while it's very dangerous if swallowed, it’s also harmful when inhaled. It's super potent, and it's really important to keep it away from kids and pets.

Because it leaves that lingering residue on surfaces and in your clothing. It continues to be harmful when you're wearing those clothes. You're still inhaling that bleach and also absorbing it through your skin. 

Bleach doesn’t even work that well.  I recently read this laundry book called Laundry Love by Patric Richardson. (I know who reads a book about laundry. I do!) It was really well written and actually entertaining to read. Patric is a laundry and textiles expert and he shares in the book how bleach doesn't whiten whites, it actually yellows them! It's defeating the purpose. We really don't need bleach because there are so many better products that we can use for cleaning and whitening whites.

5 tips for getting the stink out of your clothes without bleach or harsh products

1. Prevent the smell. It's pretty simple. Let your clothes dry before you put them in your laundry basket or put them in your gym bag. If we leave a wet sweaty mess at the bottom of the laundry basket, it's going to stay crumpled and wet for awhile. Especially where we live, in the Pacific Northwest, if you come in from a hike and you've been sweating and you've gotten wet from rain, if you just throw the clothes in the laundry basket it's going to sit there and stay wet and get moldy and musty and gross. Just hang them up and let them dry completely before you put them in the laundry basket. In my bathroom I have hooks where I hang my sweaty workout clothes and I let them dry out before I put them in my laundry basket. 

2. Oxygen Brightener. An oxygen brightener or an oxygen whitener is actually a very simple product. It’s usually just sodium percarbonate and some include washing soda included. The reason why you want to use this is because it really brightens whites. It’s color safe and can help boost colors.  You also can use it as a stain fighter. It has so many uses, from cleaning toilets, soap scum and mineral deposits, tile and grout. You can also use it in the kitchen. My mom likes to use it to clean out the stained coffee rings of her mugs. It's just this amazing product that gets everything clean, but it's totally safe. It’s been a top seller since I added it to my shop.

3. Strip your Clothing.  If you have a lot of buildup in your clothes from wearing them a lot or letting them sit wet in your laundry baskets, and they still have that stink in them, then it is time to do what is called stripping your clothes. I just did this on my daughter's stinky leggings and it's really incredible what comes out. You soak the clothes for four hours and you’ll see some nasty leftover junk left in the laundry sink. Stripping really helps get rid of that extra buildup in your clothes from fragrance oils, deodorant, or excess laundry detergent.

   Here’s the recipe:

   2 cups Hot Water

   1 Tbsp Oxygen Brightener

   1 Tbsp Unscented Laundry Detergent

   ½ cup Baking Soda

   Mix ingredients into slurry and add to a sink with a standard load of laundry covered with cold water. Stir it up and let it sit for 4 hours. Ring the clothes out and wash in warm water.

   The most important thing here is again not to do this laundry stripping with your classic, toxic laundry soap. It's just gonna continue to be a problem if you use toxic laundry soap, because of those nasty chemicals stay in the clothing. So if you're going to strip your clothes, you need to make sure that you're using an oxygen brightener and a toxin-free, unscented laundry detergent. You know I have my favorites in my store at www.detox.design/thebox

4. Skip the Fabric Softener. If you've been listening for a while you know what I think about fabric softener. It is super harmful to us humans and the planet. My favorite way swap out fabric softener and make your clothes dry quickly while add more bounce and softness is to use wool balls with some essential oils right onto the wool balls. Super simple and a great substitute for fabric softener. You’ll get the same results without the harm.

5. Avoid Heat. You do not need to wash your clothes with extra hot water or dry them with super hot heat in the dryer. You can use a quick cycle using warm water or cool water and also using the lighter setting for your dryer when drying these clothes; first, because high heat breaks down the fabric in active wear more quickly; and second, the heat locks in any excess detergent.

Tell me, have you tried stripping your clothes?

Have questions? Let’s connect on Facebook in the Toxin-Free Talk Community.

10 Great Gift Ideas - Helping Others Go Toxin-Free and Eco-Friendly this Holiday Season

We're heading into the holiday season and I know some of you may be thinking, oh my gosh, the holidays already?! It's only October! And then some of you are probably thinking oh my gosh, I've been shopping all year long and I’m ready.

As far as shopping goes. It's especially important this year to start early. There are backlogs in manufacturing and shipping is taking longer than ever. I recently saw on the news that some of the ports here in Washington and also in California are really backed up. Starting early is probably a really good idea this year. 

Here are a few good reasons to give an eco-friendly and toxin-free gift this holiday season:

• It is the perfect way to show people that you care and that you want them to live a healthier and more green life.

• Not everyone loves being advised to make a change, so just giving the gift of a product that they might love is subtle but could certainly set them on a path to a more non toxic lifestyle.

• Most of the gift ideas are consumable, which means they’ll be used up, and they are items that people use everyday. It won’t end up in the trash like many holiday gifts oftendo. They’ll use it and think of you!

10 Great Gift Ideas for Helping Others go Eco-Friendly and Toxin-Free This Holiday Season

1. The Makeup Lover- Let's say you have a niece or a friend who really loves makeup and all sorts of fun products. They just love being creative with doing their makeup or maybe shining a little bit differently than anyone else. I have the perfect gift set for them. It's the Let It Glow set and it features the Luminescence Highlighter and the No. 5 brush. Now let me tell you, I absolutely love this highlighter. There are a few ways that I wear it and yes I wear it every single day. It is the simplest and easiest eyeshadow there is out there especially with the No. 5 brush. I simply dab the brush in the highlighter and I sweep it on my eyelids. It takes maybe three seconds and I absolutely love how it just amplifies my look for every day. When I'm going to the grocery store or going to soccer pickup, this is what I put on my eyelids. I also add it to my upper cheeks and my nose because highlighter is so much fun and it just catches the light and illuminates your face in the absolute perfect way. When I want to be a little bit more dressy or I want to just amp up the color of my eyes I still use that highlighter on my eyelids as a base color before I add other eyeshadow shades. 

   The highlighter also looks really really good with mature skin. If you use the primer and then the highlighter underneath your foundation, and then blend it, it really gives this gorgeous dewy highlighted look. Maybe for your mom or mother-in-law, it’s a great gift. It's not just for teens! Highlighter is one of the most versatile makeup products out there and it's so fun and different. Plus, let's talk about it being toxin-free. Itt is third party tested for heavy metals, it's totally safe to use. It is the best high quality makeup with the safest standards I have found.

   Right now you can get the Let It Glow set, which includes the highlighter and No. 5 Brush for $20 off!  That’s a huge discount. Grab yours before the discount ends.

2. The Veggie Lover- Whether they grow their own, or have a CSA, this gift has been super popular. Every time I share it with a friend, they think oh my gosh, I have to have it right now. It is called the Veggie Saver. These bags are made in Australia, and when I found these and thought “I really have to have these in my store because I have not seen them elsewhere”. And it was one of those problems I had personally that I knew other people probably have too. I get my vegetables, usually weekly from Imperfect Foods. It all comes in a box and it doesn't have any plastic bags, which I love, of course. But if I just throw those veggies in the veggie drawer, they kind of get soft and wilted, and they don't really last very long. When I found the Veggie Saver, I was super excited. To use, you just get the bags slightly damp,you put the vegetables in the bag (and it can hold a lot of vegetables), and because of the way that it's made, it keeps them super fresh. The bag is scientifically proven to keep fruits and veggies fresh for over two weeks. That’s so much longer than throwing it in a plastic bag or just putting it in the crisper drawer. I have found heads of lettuce that have been fine after almost 2 weeks! It’s really incredible. So this veggie saver bag is the perfect gift for somebody with a garden or who has great intentions with their CSA but doesn't exactly get through all of the vegetables qiuckly. I know I've been there before! So go check out the Veggie Saver bag and you won't regret it. It will be a fan favorite when you're passing out gifts this holiday season. 

3. The Toxin-Free Newbie- So let's say you have shared the importance of going toxin free with a friend or family member and they've said, “Gosh, I just am really not sure where to start.” Or maybe this is you too! Well, then this next gift idea is perfect. I have a subscription box service in my store that is either ongoing, or just for six months. And the way that this works is every month, you get a box, it comes in the mail, and it has everything you need to detox one area of your home. It starts with the laundry room with everything you need to detox your laundry room, then it moves into the kitchen, and then it moves into deep cleaning and so on. You get the deal. So every single month, you get to detox your home really quickly and easily with the products in that box. It really is the perfect gift. It's one of those things that you get not just at the holidays, but you continue to get a fun box every month. 

4. The Impossible to Shop For- Now let's talk about those people that are super hard to buy for. Maybe they're like my parents who have everything they need, and I can't come up with any creative ideas because let's face it, they just buy what they want for themselves. Or maybe it's a teen boy or someone like that, who you just have no idea what to get them. Well, how about soap? Everybody needs soap, right? It is the most simple and also useful gift I can imagine. If you heard my episode about switching to bar soap, this would be the perfect opportunity to share how eco-friendly bar soap is over a liquid soap like a shower gel. And if you haven't listened to that episode yet, I highly recommend it. Because I not only share why it's important to switch to bar soap, I also give some tips on how to make it easier so you're not dealing with that slimy mess you often find with bar soap. The tips I shared will totally eliminate that mess. Why bar soap and who would this be good for? Well again, bar soap is pretty much zero waste. It comes in recycled paper that you can recycle after you open it and then when the bar is gone, there's nothing left, zero waste. Plus bar soaps last a lot longer than liquid soaps. The two bar soaps that I would recommend happen to be on a gift special right now. They are the Crunchi Charcoal Body bar and the Crunchi Charcoal Facial bar. If you're thinking of gifting somebody that has sensitive skin, for the facial bar, I would go ahead and go with the Crunchi Gentle Facial bar. It is so lovely and nourishing. And if you have somebody that has more combination skin, and even teen acne prone skin, I would highly recommend the Charcoal facial bar. Here's what's great about these bars, especially if you're looking for a gift for a man or a teen and maybe they are not into anything fancy. The charcoal bars are black and they look super sleek. They look pretty cool when you take them out of the paper wrap. The charcoal body bar is the most effective soap I have found to break down body odors. It works so well - it's especially good for teen boys who are maybe a little bit more smelly than the rest of us. Right now with the deal you get $10 off a combo of a facial bar and body bar. You can even split up those two and give one facial bar to one person and a body bar to somebody else. It's the perfect gift for a stocking stuffer, a teacher's gift, a friend or even something to just wrap up in a bow and have in case somebody drops by your house, and you didn't get them a gift, you know those emergency gifts you happen to have on hand. Grab these useful soaps while they’re still on sale!

5. The Already Green- Maybe you know someone who’s already pretty eco-minded and you want to give them something that shows them hey, I see you. I know what you're doing and I applaud you for that. For them, I would gift a bar dish soap and a holder. Again, I'm going to reference my podcast all about how to switch to bar dish soap. But this is something that a lot of people have not yet tried. They may have gone green in a lot of their other daily practices, but they haven't yet tried a bar dish soap. The one in my shop is Meliora. I absolutely love it. It's so perfect for those who are really thinking about how much plastic is in this world and how they can reduce their use of plastic. So I would highly suggest bar dish soap. It's a super fun and different gift for somebody who's already pretty green and wants to do a little bit better. Or maybe they just want to try a new green product. 

6. The Vacationer- I have a couple ideas for that loved one who likes to travel somewhere warm in the winter. 

   • Sunscreen- It’s always good to have extra sunscreen in your bag, especially when traveling. I love and use All Good for my body and for my kids. It’s the safest and easiest to apply that I’ve found.

   • For my face, I of course use Crunchi Sunlight. It applies beautifully without leaving that really white appearance on your skin.

   • After a day in the sun, I use Manifest Wellness After Sun Spray. Hopefully you didn’t burn because you were good about applying your sunscreen, but we all overdo it sometimes. Keep this in your fridge or beach cooler and it will feel so refreshing and nourish your skin after a harsh day in the sun.

7. The New Homeowner- If you know someone who moved, bought a new home or maybe is just into crystals or energy healing, I have these adorable sage drumsticks in my shop. Burning sage can help cleanse negative and old energies from a space. It’s also just really relaxing and smells beautiful. These would make a great stocking stuffer.

8. Stocking Stuffers (because stockings are so fun!)- You could go with stuffing that stocking with lots of sugar. But why not choose something that’s actually useful and healthy?

   • Little Otter Lip Balm-  It's the cutest, tiniest little lip balm in completely compostable paperboard packaging. Even though it's so tiny and cute, it actually holds 20% more lip balm than your typical plastic lip balm containers. How cool is that? So I would definitely suggest the little otter lip balm as a cute little stocking stuffer. 

   • Simple Alchemy Natural Deodorant-  It works super super well. Like it actually works. It doesn't cause pit rash. If you've had that experience before, I’m sorry it’s not fun. It’s the best toxin free deodorant I have ever tried. And again, it's in paperboard packaging, love that. Super eco-friendly.

I think that might be more than 10 gift ideas! But hey, we need all the help we can get. 

Tell me in the comments, what’s your favorite gift to give and get?

As an amazon associate I earn a few cents from recommending products.     

3 Home Detox Secrets for Beginners - How to detox your home without getting overwhelmed, procrastinating, or busting your budget.

What exactly is The Home Method and Other FAQs Answered

What exactly is The Home Method and Other FAQs Answered

Free Masterclass - 3 Home Detox Secrets is Coming!

This smells incredible! Debunking the myth that "fresh scent" means your home, clothes, and products are fresh and clean.

Oh my gosh, this smells so good! 

Have these words come out of your mouth before? I’ve definitely said them. But we really don’t need scents - I'm going to be debunking the myth that you need a scent for things to be clean.

This Smells Incredible! Debunking the Myth That “Fresh Scent” Means your Home, Clothes and Products are Fresh and Clean

I was definitely into all the pretty smells and scents before. Scents and smells have been marketed to us for so long that we believe a smell tells us when things are clean. But this really isn't true. It’s really just marketing.

If laundry detergent companies didn't come out with new scents, then they wouldn't be selling new products. People would be using the same product they've been using for years. By diversifying their product and creating a new scent, that increases interest and makes you want to buy it. 

Remember being a teen and getting so excited about the new Bath and Body Works scent you just had to have? That’s marketing. New scents keep you coming back.

It smells good so how can it be bad?

Fragrance. You will find it listed on products everywhere. Even “natural fragrance” is a proprietary term in the US. Our regulations make it so that that term “fragrance” or “natural fragrance” can be used and companies don’t have to disclose the actual ingredients that are in within the natural or regular fragrance. When you read an ingredient label, you will see all of the ingredients on the label and then you'll see the term fragrance. But we really don't know what is in that fragrance. One study from the Environmental Working Group found that over 3000 different chemicals can be found within the term fragrance. If you’ve been listening for a while, you know that there are often a lot of phthalates, parabens, and a lot of other allergens that just aren't good for us within “fragrance”. Many are often linked with hormone disrupting chemicals. If you want to learn more about the dangers of fragrance, check out this past episode Ditch Harmful Home Fragrance.

Ok, so we should just look for the fragrance free or unscented label?

Not so fast. Anything on a label can potentially be just a marketing ploy. If you “fragrance free” on a label, there might still be “fragrance” listed on the ingredient label! You need to turn the package around and read the label. 

Unscented is a better option but again, using that term on packaging isn’t regulated in the United States, so you still need to read the ingredient label.

I know this can seem overwhelming. Which is why I created my online course, Detox By Design:The Home Method; which you can find by clicking on “The Course” at www.detox.design. 

Not ready to dive into The Home Method? I have some really exciting news to share. For the first time ever I am doing a super fun LIVE masterclass! All online and it's called The Three Home Detox Secrets For Beginners. I have three different sessions that you can choose from. And the best thing about this masterclass is at the end of it, you’ll have the chance to ask me any question you have right there live. I have never done this before and it is going to be super fun. 

In this masterclass, I'm going to be going over what you need to watch out for when you're shopping, and how you can shift your mindset to start taking action and detoxing your home. I'm also going to be talking about the essential knowledge that you need to know about the products that you're bringing into your home. It's going to be super fast and simple yet give you all the info you need to get started. If you've never done something like this, it is super simple. You will simply sign up, you will get an email that reminds you about the time and then you just click on the link in your email and you'll be directed to a website where you will see all of the info, and you will get to submit your questions and get them answered right then and there. So if you're ready, go to <<CLICK HERE>> to reserve your seat!

Really what you want is no smell at all

Think about it. An absence of smell means you’ve cleaned away whatever is causing the smell. If a clothing item doesn't have a smell, that's when we know it's clean, right? It doesn't smell like dirt, it doesn't smell like body odor. It doesn't smell like dog.

The thing is, those scented products just cover up the actual smell. 

The perfect example for this is a bathroom smell. Like a bathroom aerosol can. Isn't that the worst when there's a nasty smell in the bathroom and then there's this super potent perfumey spray over the top of that nasty bathroom smell? It’s definitely gross and not what one aims for when trying to have a clean house. 

The best way to get those smells out is to clean with effective products. Learn to read labels so you know which products are safe for your home. Or if you just don’t have the time and you just want to shop, I have researched and personally tested all of the products in my online store https://www.detox.design/thebox. They’re safe and they work!

One easy trick I learned is to vacuum with baking soda. I put baking soda on my rugs and fabric furniture, let it sit to absorb the odors (instead of just covering them up) and then vacuum up the baking soda. It’s cheap, easy and effective.

Our family also just bought an air purifier. Another great way to clean your air, not just for cleanliness but it’s also great for your health!

Don’t forget to sign up for the Masterclass, 3 Home Detox Secrets for Beginners. Just <<CLICK HERE>> to reserve your seat!

Work at Home Mom Survival Tips and Hacks to Work and Live More Joyfully and Abundantly

School is back in session and I'm finding that I do have more time. But sometimes it's hard to manage that extra time. I bet you might feel the same way. I'm going to share this incredible interview with Melodie Bishop on work at home moms survival tips and hacks to work and live more joyfully and abundantly.

Work at Home Mom Survival Tips and Hacks to Work and Live More Joyfully and Abundantly

I know a lot of listeners are working from home right now. No matter what your work life looks like right now, Melodie Bishop from Abundant Mom Life has worked and lived through it and has great tips and hacks for everyone. 

“So I have kind of held most of the mom hats. I've been a working mom, I was a former music teacher. I've also been a small business mom; I had my own voice studio. And I've been a stay at home mom in between jobs. Then I decided to be a work from home mom in the online business space. So I've kind of been able to pivot and navigate through those many different seasons of mom life.”

“It can be a little bit nerve racking when you have to manage the rest of your life around your mom life. You manage work life, you manage home life, you manage all the appointments, you have to manage your business, whether you're working out of the home or you're working in the home. It's a lot. I found that a lot of the people on my team were also stay at home moms or moms who were building a business but had a job outside of the home. But they wanted to bring in some extra income for their family. They were really struggling, just like I was in the beginning of my business,  to find a way to manage it all. Finding a way to have harmony with making sure that they don't have that mom guilt. You have mom guilt when you're spending time in your business or you're at work, that you're not spending time with your family. And then when you're spending time with your family, you have all those things going through your mind that oh, I need to do this for work or the house needs to be vacuumed or I've got a pile of laundry that needs to be washed. So I found that they were struggling and I was beginning to figure out a way to kind of create a method that was working for me.”

Time Blocking

Time blocking is a productivity technique for personal time management where a period of time is divided into smaller segments or blocks for specific tasks or to-dos. It integrates the function of a calendar with that of a to-do list. Maybe you’ve tried it. Melodie and I have both tried time blocking. And while it works for a lot of people, it can be hard to integrate it into a hectic and constantly changing family life. 

“It's really hard to fit yourself into those teeny tiny little time management blocks and block out your whole day. And then when you stare at that, usually what happens is you get overwhelmed and the confused mind says no, and instead of trying to make progress, you end up getting frustrated and you give up or you beat yourself up because you didn't get to all of those things that you wrote down that really was unrealistic in the first place.”

“So instead of time blocking, I started doing what I like to call, and what others refer to as focus blocking.” 

Find your Non-Negotiables

These are the focus blocks that you need to get done everyday. Melodie’s blocks are Faith, Family, Work and Self Care. 

“So these are blocks that you block out. They could be big chunks, they could be small chunks, they could be spread throughout the day. It just really depends on what your schedule looks like. But the idea is you can move them around as seasons change. So during school, when the kids are at school, your blocks are going to look differently than when they're home for summer break… So every single day, at the end of the day, you want to make sure that you are getting all those non-negotiable blocks in and then anything else that you do that day is just gravy, but those blacks have to be the priority in your day.”

Swap and Subtract

• Stop saying yes- Not all the time. But realize, your plate can only hold so much. As moms, we want to say yes to everyone and everything. We are nurturers and givers. But don’t say yes to something if it doesn't fit well into your current season of life. Sometimes a good yes is not the right yes for you right now. That’s ok. You can always add it in later when the time is right. It’s much easier to change a no to a yes than the other way around. 

• Delegate- Have a family meeting with a list of what needs to get done and ask our family what they are willing to do and delegate to them. Hire someone to clean your house once a month or sign up for a meal delivery service. 

• Automate- We are living in the tech age. There are ways to automate your life like paying bills and creating meal plans and shopping lists. Let technology work for you and take those things off your plate. 

3-5 things

Now that you’ve cleared your plate, find the 3-5 tasks that are your non-negotiables. These are the things that you will block and get done every single day. It will really get you set up into a healthy prioritizing habit.

Pay attention to your time

Now that you’ve prioritized, pay attention to how long each task takes you compared to how much time you blocked for it. This will really help you in the long run when you’re trying to figure out where everything fits in your schedule.

Batching, Habit Stacking and Smart Multitasking

• Get in the zone- “Maybe every week, say Tuesday, I'm going to do all the laundry. And that'll be my laundry day because I have a little bit more time to do the laundry, fold it, put away, iron. And we call that theme blocking and batching. And the cool thing about theme blocking and batching is not only does it help you to get a good understanding of your week and the free time that you have available and what you can slide into those days, what will fit better on those days. But you can also get in the zone and when you get in the zone, you can get so much more done when you are focused on a certain task or a collection of similar tasks at the same time. You're going to be able to figure out what days you can do certain tasks and batch them together on certain days. It also saves you time with whatever setup or preparation that you need to do for those tasks. 

• What else could I get done right now that won’t distract me from my main task? This is what smart multitasking or habit stacking is all about. 

“What else can I do at the same time, so I'm getting two, or maybe three small habitual tasks done at the same time, instead of just one task during this time? For example, when I'm cooking, I'm often making the kids lunches for the next couple days. Maybe I can throw in a load of laundry, like do the towels or something like that, because my kitchen is next to the laundry room. can wipe down the tables or the counters while I'm waiting for that pasta water to boil. So the next time that you are cooking, or doing the laundry, or folding the laundry or doing any of those many habitual tasks that we do day in and day out, ask yourself, what else can I be doing right now and get more than one thing done.”

Paper planner or digital?

Melodie uses a simple paper planner and supplements with apps like Trello.

Personally, I use the Full Focus Planner, the Cozi family planner, Google Calendar, and MeisterTask. 

Focus Boards

With program management apps and website like Trello and Meistertask, you can create focus boars. Each non-negotiable category can have it’s own focus board with all the tasks that need to get done in that category. So when it’s time to focus on family or work, each category has a board that you can pull out to know exactly what you can spend time on to get those non-negotables done. This method works great for kids too and teaches them healthy habits and time management in a simple way. 

I hope you found this episode helpful and are ready to tackle your crazy, neverending to do list with a little less crazy. You can find Melodie Bishop and all of her helpful tips and tricks in her podcast Abundant MomLife for Network Marketers Podcast, grab the 'Activate Your Abundance' Freebie, or join her awesome community on Facebook, Abundant Mom Life for Network Marketers.

Going Non Toxic is Expensive. Breaking down the cost myths for going eco-friendly, natural, healthier, and toxin-free

But Megan, it's so darn expensive!

Oh my gosh, if I had $1 for every time I heard that excuse. I just love being a mythbuster and that's what we're going to do today. We're going to talk about the expense of going toxin free. I get this question a lot because so many people think that toxin-free products are more expensive. 

So I broke out the numbers! I'm going to compare the prices of my favorite products that I happen to sell in my online store with products commonly (and mistakenly) considered clean and safe.

Going Non Toxic is Expensive. Breaking down the cost myths for going eco-friendly, natural, healthier, and toxin-free

The reason why I created my online store is because I remember how overwhelming it was to shop, spending hours in the aisle at Target trying to read ingredient labels while my toddler tugged on my pants and complained, “Mom, let's go home.” It was frustrating, overwhelming, and a lot of work. If I had a resource or somebody telling me, “Hey, Megan. Here are all the safe products, just buy these”, I would’ve been so happy and relieved. My store is there to make it super easy to find products that are safe, that come from companies that you trust and want to support with your money. Products that actually work. Because I've been there. I know sometimes you buy these products, and you think “this was so expensive”, and then it doesn’t actually work. I’ve tested all of the products I sell and use them in my own home with my own family.

Myth #1 If it’s more expensive, it must be safe

This is false for so many products out there. A perfect example is Dreft laundry detergent. It’s marketed for babies and newborns so it must be safe, right? Wrong! Dreft contains harmful ingredients like fragrance, which can contain thousands of different chemicals within the term “fragrance”. Because it’s marketed as being special for babies, it’s definitely more expensive than regular laundry detergent. You don’t need something specific for babies, just something that’s safe for your baby’s precious skin, like Meliora.

Before I learned about reading ingredient labels, I used Mrs. Meyers', geranium scent and I loved it. Little did I know that some of their ingredients are allergens. I always wondered why I had a cough after I used it. Hello! Not safe ingredients. Mrs. Meyers’ is a common greenwasher. They are not as safe as you think they are. It's not a small little company from some nice lady named Mrs. Meyers. Nope, it's from SC Johnson. Many people are commonly greenwashed by Mrs. Meyers. If you're using Mrs. Meyers, don’t worry, I was greewashed too. Now you know.

So let’s price compare this commonly used brand, Mrs. Meyers’ to actual safe products.

• Countertop Spray- Mrs. Meyers’ is $4 for 16 ounces. I have a countertop spray product in my store that is a spray and it's actually an empty glass bottle and it has a small little tablet that you put in it. It comes with four separate refill tablets. So the bottle together with the refills is $13.50. So for $13.50 you get four 16 ounce bottles of spray cleaner. So a bottle of this spray is $3.37 in comparison to the Mrs. Meyers spray at $4. You can see right there that the healthier option is cheaper. It’s also a more eco-friendly option that comes in a glass bottle that you don't throw away. Instead you add a tablet and keep using the same glass bottle. Grab my favorite countertop spray here.

•  Dish Soap Mrs. Meyers dish soap is in a plastic container, it's 16 ounces, and it is $4. The dish soap that I have been using most recently, and have been encouraging others to try, is a bar dish soap instead of a liquid. We have fully embraced using a bar soap for dishes in our house and I am amazed at how long the bar dish soap lasts. I can estimate that it lasts three times as long but it might be even four times as long. The bar of dish soap is $10, but it will last three times as long as the bottle of Mrs. Meyers’. Four of the Mrs. Meyers dish soap bottles would cost $12. In comparison to the bar dish soap at $10, again the more eco-friendly and toxin free option is cheaper. Saving money AND plastic from entering our landfills, that’s a win win in my book. Grab my favorite bar dish soap here. 

• Hand Soap Again, we have switched to bar soap at our house to reduce the amount of plastic we use. But let’s compare apples to apples, or liquids to liquids. The Mrs. Meyers foaming soap bottle is $4. Here’s a tip for you. If you're already using a foaming hand soap, you can reuse that bottle and add a third of a cup of castile soap like Dr. Bronner's soap, and fill the rest of the foaming soap bottle with water. It’s that easy to make your own foaming hand soap and it's so much more affordable. And again, it's better for the environment because you're not buying so many of those foaming soap containers. A standard Dr. Bronner's bottle that costs $11 and makes four foaming soap containers. With the Mrs. Meyers at $4, four bottles of soap would cost $16. $16 versus $11 - so again, it is more affordable to choose the healthier, safer, and more eco friendly option.

• Laundry Detergent Mrs. Meyer's laundry detergent is $16 for 64 loads and the laundry detergent that I have in my store is $16.50  for 64 loads - but this is for the initial canister purchase. The refills are only $13. I sell individual refills instead of having to get a new canister every time. Very eco-friendly! Your initial investment is going to be $16.50. But the refill for 64 loads is only $13. So again, cheaper. $13 versus $16. I can't make this up. Grab my favorite laundry detergent here. 

Myth #2 You have to buy products for them to be safe and effective. You actually don't! There are so many recipes for homemade cleaners, and easy to use stuff that you have at home. Some of the best cleaners I've used are filled with vinegar and baking soda, or hydrogen peroxide, ingredients you might already have at home. Plus, they’re super affordable and cheap ingredients. And they come in big containers, so you rarely have to go back to the store.

Myths Busted! 

I hope your mind is being blown right now and you have decided, Okay, it is time to really buckle down and start choosing safer products. 

If you are ready to detox your home top to bottom without getting overwhelmed with me right there by your side, then you need to invest in Detox By Design: The Home Method. And when I say invest, it's not that expensive. You will save so much more time and money by working with me through this online program. It's super simple. With short and to the point videos and worksheets to keep you focus, you will go from feeling overwhelmed and like you are poisoning your family, to choosing safe and healthy products for your family every time you shop. I walk you through it all. And I know what it's like. I've been in that state of overwhelm. That's why I created this program so that you know exactly what to do and how to do it. You're not gonna procrastinate or put it off, you're gonna finally get it done. If you curious, go check out more <<HERE>>.

What does it mean to go non toxic? Breaking down the steps to becoming healthier, more eco-friendly, and toxin-free

Today we're going back to the basics! I started this journey many years ago, but I know that some of you are just beginning. I have a masters degree in public health and worked in public health for many years. I knew I was doing a small part to help people’s health, but I wasn’t making the impact I wanted to. I started this podcast so I could share my passion about toxin free living and help people with what can be a difficult and overwhelming journey. 

What It Really Means to Go Non-toxic-Breaking Down the Steps to Becoming Healthier, More Eco-Friendly and Toxin-Free

I talk to a lot of people about their toxin-free journey and what it means is different for everyone. 

For me it means to take one small step at a time and becoming informed and choosing better. 

If you've been around here for a while, you’ve probably heard my story about when I first learned that just because something is sold in a store doesn’t necessarily mean it is safe. I had learned about a toy that had been recalled because there was lead paint on it. I just really had no idea that a product could be sold in a store and marketed to kids when it was clearly not safe for kids. It was that experience that opened my eyes to how few regulations there are in the US to keep us safe and healthy.  

Making the switch can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be.

I’ve been there before and I remember being confused about where to start. I always suggest starting with one area of your home or life and choosing better products.

Cleaning products- I started with cleaning products, because I was in my home with my baby all the time, and I was cleaning my house myself. I’m sure you've smelled some strong cleaning products and wondered if it was good to use inside your home. Our senses are there to alert us to things that are good and bad for you. So a super strong smell or something that burns your eyes, that's an indicator that you might want to read the ingredient label and figure out if it’s safe. 

Ditch and switch those plastics- Next I cleared out all the plastics. I started buying more glass and stainless steel containers and choosing better options for us when it comes to everything from storing our leftovers in the fridge to the amount of food contained in plastic at the grocery store. I really try to go for whole foods versus things that are processed and come in a plastic package.

Personal Care- Eventually, I made my way to realizing that the products I put on my skin, and on my daughters’ skin and even on my husband's skin, that all of those products often had pretty awful ingredients in them as well. I’ve always loved makeup and it was time to choose safer and healthier products that I was using on my face every day. You can find my favorite safe and healthy skincare and makeup products at www.detoxbydesigninsiders.com

So you’re ready to make the switch, but how do you know what to buy?

In the beginning, I was greenwashed, over and over again. Greenwashing is when a company markets itself as green and eco-friendly and safe and healthy, but in reality, the product isn't actually as safe as it should be.

First of all, I'm here to help you and the best way to start is with my online course Detox by Design: The Home Method. It will take you step by step, through every room of your house and detox it from top to bottom without breaking your budget. Just click here to learn more. 

You can also connect with me by joining my facebook group Toxin Free Talk where we discuss everything about being on a toxin-free journey.

Also, we’re already on episode 84 of Toxin-Free Talk. I can’t believe we're on episode 84! That’’s really exciting for me and great for you, because that’s 84 episodes of FREE information on going toxin-free.

If you don’t have the time to learn all this right now, I totally get it. School, work, sports and life are so busy again. You can find everything you need in my online shop at www.detox.design/thebox. I’ve thoroughly researched and tested all of the products in my store for safety and effectiveness. These are the same products I use and love and use in my home with my family. 

Wherever you start, I’m proud of you for prioritizing your health!

I microwave plastic. Am I poisoning my family? Let's chat about plastic - why it's bad, what to look out or, and healthier, eco-friendly, and non toxic options to keep your kids and family safe.

Plastic is super convenient, right? It comes in so many different forms. From water bottles to Saran Wrap to plastic containers you to store your leftovers.  But there are some downsides to plastic too like chemicals that can leach into your food. 

I microwave plastic. Am I poisoning my family? Let's chat about plastic - why it's bad, what to look out or, and healthier, eco-friendly, and non toxic options to keep your kids and family safe.

I recently got a question about plastic and it brought me back to when I first started my toxin-free journey. Removing plastics from the home was one of the first things I did. The question I got before was: Am I poisoning my family because I microwave plastic? 

Back in the day, a lot of why I started with removing plastic had to do with the timing. When I first started detoxing my home, I was learning about BPA (bisphenol A) in plastics. This chemical is very common in plastics. It's a toxic chemical, a hormone disruptor, which means that it messes with our hormone system. (The system that runs our entire body and all our organs). Endocrine disruptors are linked with fertility, cancerous tumors, birth defects, and other developmental disorders.

BPA is so bad that it is banned in baby bottles and children’s sippy cups. But it’s still found in lots of other plastics.

Can’t I just buy BPA Free plastics? Isn’t that safe?

They have created replacement chemicals for BPA, but these are often still in the bisphenol family and still have health implications.

Plastics often contain other harmful chemicals like:

·       Phthalates-another known endocrine disruptor linked with infertility, developmental disorders and increased allergic reactions.

·       Polyvinyl Choride or PVC- Super toxic for our health and also for the environment. The production process releases dioxins, phthalates, vinyl chloride, ethylene dichloride, lead, cadmium and a host of other toxic chemicals. These horrible chemicals make their way into the water system and later into our bodies.

So let’s get back to the question that inspired this revisit to plastics: Am I poisoning my family because I microwave in plastic?

If you have been microwaving plastic or using plastic frequently, and you are thinking, “Oh my gosh, I can't believe I have so much plastic in my house. I have been microwaving plastic. I have been serving my kids food in plastic containers. Oh my gosh, I’m poisoning my family!”  

I want to first just tell you to take a deep breath.

Back in the day, I didn't know this information, either. You didn't know this either - and it's okay to forgive yourself and move on.

Yes, microwaving food in plastic, or putting hot food onto a plastic plate or bowl does increase the amount of chemicals that leach into your food. But these chemicals are also leaching into the food while it’s in storage just sitting there too. Whether the containers are yours, or the plastic packaging that you bought it in. The toxic chemicals in plastic could also be leaching into your shampoos, body washes and other personal care products that you and your family use. Research shows that reducing plastic in the whole house, not just the kitchen, can help reduce asthma symptoms.

I know this all seems really overwhelming but don’t worry. If you have the time and budget to throw away all the plastic in your kitchen and replace it, go for it! I’d love to hear about it.

But you can take small steps switching from plastic to glass and eventually you’ll have a hard time finding any plastic in your kitchen.

·   You can start right away by not microwaving and dishwashing plastic. 

·   Slowly switch out your plastic storage containers for glass. Glass is totally safe to microwave and you can even put it in the oven!  That makes life super easy. Plus, most things just reheat better in the oven anyway!

·   Stainless steel is another great option for storage containers.  They can’t go in the microwave, but they’re lighter and more durable than glass when on the go.

·   Switch out plastic water bottles for stainless steel or glass. Pass up on the many promotional plastic water bottles you’ll be offered in your lifetime.

·   Buy fewer packages of frozen foods. Maybe you decide to go through what you have and not buy any more in the future. And I know that can seem really overwhelming. If you have a very busy life and you lean on those frozen foods a lot. I totally get it. At home I do a lot of batch cooking. I often make twice as much of one item and stick it in the freezer in a glass container. Then it's ready for dinner when we have a super busy, sports filled night. I know that it can be hard if you don’t feel confident in your preparation or meal planning. But really, I have faith that you can figure it out. There are so many resources on the internet and free information on how to do meal prepping, how to batch cook, how to start cooking more healthfully at home.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all this, I’ve got you. I have even more resources for you in Detox by Design | The Home Method.

Cycle Synching- Learn the 4 phases of your monthly cycle - How to naturally optimize your hormones and use them to your advantage!

Have you heard of cycle synching? It's a pretty cool and interesting concept that I learned about a little while ago. Like anything new, I felt a little overwhelmed so I invited registered nurse BriAnne Bell to come on the podcast and share her knowledge. BriAnne has been a nurse for 14 years and a SAHM for 5 to two boys. 

About four years ago, BriAnne ventured into the online space to promote health and wellness.

“With my background in nursing and being in healthcare field, there was a lot

of just internal tension in me with not really feeling like our healthcare system does, what I feel at my core should be doing, which is prevention. And, you know, just focusing on the health side of things and looking at nutrition and overall wellness from a holistic standpoint.”

One way that BriAnne took back her power over her health is by diving deep into learning about her menstrual cycle and how it affected her.

Cycle Synching- Learn the 4 Phases- How to Naturally Optimize your Hormones and Use Them to Your Advantage!

“I don't know why as females, again, back to our healthcare system, why do we not know about this. As females, we go through a monthly hormonal cycle. Every single month, there is ebb and flow of the hormones that we have going on inside of our bodies, which control our menstrual cycle. That's the phase that most people are familiar with. But there are also three other phases. So there's four phases total. And I'm going to talk to you today about not just these different phases, we're going to go over that. But I'm going to also talk to you about how you can really optimize and use these fluctuations in your hormones to your advantage”

It’s true. How many of us think about our period unless we’re actually on our period? That’s really only a few days out of our cycle. BriAnne really breaks down what each cycle is about, when it’s going to happen, and what we can expect from our bodies.

Follicular Phase- The first phase is called the follicular phase. Typically, this is a 7 to 10 day period and this starts the day after your period ends. A lot of women count the first day of their cycle as day one of their period. But when you're looking at the four different phases, the follicular phase is going to start the day after your cycle ends. 

Let's think of it like the seasons. In the follicular phase, this is like springtime for females. Think of  what happens in the spring. Everything starts to bloom, everything starts to grow, everything starts to get green. This is like a fresh, new, springtime season for your female body. During this space, it is a great time to prepare. Take the time to get creative; get those creative juices flowing. This is a great time to dream and to brainstorm, prepare and plan if you've had a project or something on your mind. This is also a great time to do research, to be curious, to really set your intentions,  Where do you want to be? Where do you want to go? What are those dreams? This is a great place to be able to reflect on that kind of stuff and really fill your calendar. 

The reason why this is actually going on is because estrogen is on the rise. When estrogen is on the rise after your cycle, your brain's working memory is boosted so you have the ability to handle complex processing tasks and mentally challenging assignments. It's also a great time to do some cardio and more intense workouts. This is the time of the month that you'll be killing it in your HIIT class.

Ovulation Phase- This is a pretty short phase: 3-4 days. This is going to be like summertime for your body. Think about what happens in the summer. You're bright and excited, and fun. Estrogen rises dramatically during this phase. This is why we're feeling sunshine and rainbows. It's a great time to really open up. To socialize, to talk about things with your spouse, to go on dates. This is a great time to collaborate with others,  schedule interviews, meetings, and really connect with those people. I don't know if you've ever had a conversation with someone where you just felt like it was natural and flowing. Then there's other times it's like you're stumbling over your words.  Like I mentioned, estrogen is surging during this and it's really affecting your brain and making you really sharp and collaborative. And we're still focusing on and killing those cardio classes while we have all this energy. This is also the time frame that females can get pregnant, so this is the time that you'll want to try or abstain from intercourse.

Luteal Phase- This is the longest phase and is going to be 10 to 14 days. This is kind of like the fall season for your body. So when you think of fall, it's just kind of starting to get cooler outside. We want to pull out our favorite sweater, enjoy the season, and prepare for winter. So during this phase, we're looking to get it done. You want to get organized, you want to accomplish your goals. It’s a great time to do something that you don’t typically enjoy doing. Because during the luteal phase, you’ll be able to sit down and just knock that out. You’ll be able to focus and just get it done. This is also a great time to attend to your home, your finances, that administrative and nurturing stuff. Also doing some deep work during this phase is a good idea. If you're looking from a fitness perspective, this is a great time to do strength training. You're slowing down a bit on the energy, so it's a good time to transition from that intense cardio but still get a great workout. The few days of the luteal phase you may be experiencing PMS, so start to transition. Give yourself some grace and do some pilates or yoga.

Menstrual Phase- As we move into phase four, this is the one that we're all familiar with, right? So this is our menstrual phase. This is when we actually have our period. As young females, we kind of have this negative connotation around your period. You're likely going to have cramps, and maybe headaches. But it doesn't have to be like that. If there are other underlying endocrine disorders, such as Endometriosis, or Polycystic Ovarian disease, these issues are going to contribute to an endocrine disruption. But for the most part, for most females that don't suffer from any underlying issues with their endocrine system, your period should not be painful. When you really tap into these four phases, it allows you to start to normalize. Your hormones are going to get in this natural ebb and flow of the way they're supposed to be. So during your menstrual cycle, typically for us females, it's going to last 3-7 days. If you think about the seasons, this is going to be winter. This is when our hormones are at our lowest. That's why we get a lot of the mood swings or we may get bloating, and experience the things that we typically associate with getting ready to start our period. Brain fog is a big one that can really make us feel low. If you’ve ever experienced pregnancy brain, it’s similar. And you can even see it in your teens. Educate them and let them know that things like homework might be a little more difficult and take longer.

The menstrual phase is where you give yourself grace. If you're tired, take a little nap. It's okay, your body needs that. It's also a great time to reflect on your month or your week, and focus on those positive things that you've accomplished. Because a lot of times during this phase, this is when we aren’t so nice to ourselves, we look bloated, feel fat, we feel blah. This is the time to focus on being positive and kind to yourself. Don’t stress about that workout. Maybe do some stretching or yoga. Go for a walk outside or take a nap. During this phase, a nap can count as your workout!  

So how to we get in synch with our cycles and relieve some of these symptoms of phase 4?

Not to say that we can eliminate period discomfort completely, but we have so much control over that. We have to look at it from a perspective that what we're putting in our bodies truly matters. So if you have been one to suffer from painful periods, I really want you to take a step back and look at your nutrition and the products you’re using. What are you eating? What does your diet look like? What kind of products are you using? Are there endocrine disruptors in your cleaning and personal care products? When you take a step back, and you look at those things, you might be able to say, "Oh, wow, I could really clean up in this area and improve how I'm feeling in my cycle."

But to really get in sync with your cycle, you have to track it. BriAnne recommends the book In the Flo by Alisa Vitti. It will teach you everything you need to know to cycle sync. 

There’s also an app called Flo based on the book so that it’s super easy to track where you are in your cycle and what you should be doing to feel your best. 

BriAnne also likes the free app Maya for tracking cycles and symptoms.

Can you sync your hormonal cycle if you're on birth control? 

The answer is yes, and no. The truth about synthetic birth control is that it doesn't fix your hormones, it doesn't address any underlying root cause of hormonal imbalance. There's no magic pill. What is actually happening with your body, when you use synthetic hormone birth control? You are continuously getting a low dose of estrogen and progesterone. So this puts you into a bit of a phaseless cycle. You don't get to experience the benefits of the natural ebb and flow of your natural cycle. Yes, you can cycle sync when you're on synthetic birth control, but the experience is going to be different. If you're on a birth control pill that continuously gives your body a dose of estrogen and progesterone, you're kind of flatlined, so you're not able to experience the natural ebb and flow of our hormones and the benefit of them. 

What about women in menopause?

Since you’re no longer having a cycle, the only way to cycle sync is to sync with the moon. Alisa Vitti touches on menopause in her book, In the Flo.

BriAnne dropped a lot of knowledge on us! You can connect with her and learn even more about health and wellness at her website https://BriAnnebell.com/.  She hosts a great podcast called The Passive Income Nurse sharing all about making money online and taking control of your schedule. You can also connect with her on Instagram @BriAnne_bell_ or on Facebook

Did you love this episode? Are you going to try cycle synching? I would love to hear about your experience! Tag me on Instagram @themeganmikkelsen or join in the discussion in my Facebook group Toxin Free Talk.

3 Toxic Ingredients to Look Out for When Choosing Natural, Clean, and Eco-friendly Bath, Body, and Hair Products for Your Babies and Kids.

If I had known what I know now, when my girls were little, I would feel a lot better. And here's why I would feel a lot better, I would feel that I was educated on the products I was putting on their bodies without the fear that I now have the damage that I know I probably have done to their poor systems. Luckily, our bodies are resilient, and they can recover. But if I had only known then what I know now.

3 Toxic Ingredients to Look Out for When Choosing Natural, Clean, and Eco-friendly Bath, Body, and Hair Products for Your Babies and Kids

When my girls were little I was paying attention to the cleaning products I was using in my home but I was often getting greenwashed. I was tricked into thinking the products I was using in my home were safe, but they weren’t as safe as I thought they were. I wasn't reading the ingredient labels and I was trusting the marketing of the products.

I was using cleaning products that I thought were safe, but I had not really even thought about the products I was putting on my baby’s body, hair or face. I remember registering for my baby showers and picking up you know Mustella and Dreft laundry detergent because they were marketed to be safe for babies and newborns, but I was being greenwashed.

I remember my daughter is getting their first bath in the hospital and of course the hospital use Johnson and Johnson that little yellow baby wash. Would I use that today?

The answer is no. Heck no!

Before we get into the toxic ingredients to avoid, the reasons why you should pay attention to the ingredients in your kids and baby products, is that first of all, our skin is our largest organ. You'll hear people say everything you put on the skis is absorbed into the bloodstream, but this really isn't true. About 60% of what we put on our skin is absorbed straight into the bloodstream. The reason why aren’t absorbed is the size of the molecule. So some of these molecules will really penetrate the skin and go all the way in whereas some will sit on top of the skin.

We also know that a lot of the ingredients in conventional products aren’t good for this. We have to do our due diligence, and read those ingredient labels to make sure that what we're putting on our skin is not linked with cancer, doesn’t irritate the skin or exacerbate asthma, that it doesn't make eczema worse. So this is why we need to look out for red flag, toxic ingredients in the products we buy for our children.

This is especially important for babies and children because their bodies are developing so incredibly fast.

Yes, this is important for our babies and little ones, but it’s also important for our pre-teens, tweens, teens, and even us old adults too. As we go through developmental stages, these toxic ingredients can be even more harmful than they typically are.

3 Toxic Ingredients to Look Out For

Mineral oil:

Mineral oil is derived from crude oil. Yes, gasoline is is derived in the same way. In America, because of the lack of regulations around the refining process, there are often contaminants left behind. Contaminants that are linked with cancer. And we really don't want to be slathering our tiny little baby in mineral oil, which is potentially a carcinogen.

Fragance:

The second thing that we want to look out for is fragrance. And the reason why is because the term fragrance, or natural fragrance, is a proprietary term. And because of the lack of regulations in the United States, a company really can have any sort of chemical included within the term “fragrance”. Studies have been done to to find how many chemicals are actually within the term fragrance and there are 1000s of them. If you see the term “fragrance” on an ingredient label, you really don't know what it is in it. If you're going to take the time to read that ingredient label, you really want to know what's in that product. So if you see “fragrance”, put it back, or if it's at home and you're ready to ditch and switch, throw that product away and choose a product where the company is fully disclosing every ingredient that is in the product. The other problem with fragrances that they often contain phthalates.

Parabens:

Parabens are endocrine disruptors which are ingredients that mess with our hormone system. As we know, our hormones control all of the organs of our body. When these chemicals mess with our hormones, they can do a number of things to our body, they can harm our fertility and our reproductive organs, they can impact birth outcomes, and they also increase the risk of cancer. An ingredient that acts like a paragon that you’ll often find in natural products is phenoxyethanol. It's still a very controversial ingredient, so I avoid it and I encourage you to find products that have a better preservative than phenoxyethanol.

There are a ton of other products for your entire household that I’ve researched for safety and tested for effectiveness at my online shop detox.design/thebox.  It’s my passion to help people detox their homes without feeling overwhelmed or blowing their budget. Connect with me and I’d love to help get you started!

Is mineral oil really toxic? 5 non-toxic and natural swaps for healthier skin and safer products for baby, eczema, and sensitive skin

As a teen, I loved to use baby oil on my legs after shaving. But know better, do better, right? Besides that fragrance we love, which we know is toxic, baby oil is mostly mineral oil and should definitely be avoided. 

Is mineral oil really toxic? 5 non-toxic and natural swaps for healthier skin and safer products for baby, eczema, and sensitive skin

You know I love a good ditch and switch and this one is important! These products are recommended regularly, and for good reason. They provide an effective barrier and keep your skin’s natural oils and moisture from evaporating. It’s used in a lot of cosmetics because it’s melting point is similar to our body temperature, so it gets soft when applied to our bodies. Plus, it’s super inexpensive, so it’s used in a lot of products. So the products serve their purpose well, but per usual there are healthier, safer, and more nontoxic options. 

Another shady ingredient with many different names…

When you're looking at the label you will find petroleum jelly, paraffin oil, mineral oil or petrolatum. They are all the similar byproducts from refining oil into things like gas for your car. 

Ok, so oil is a product from the Earth, so aren’t things like mineral oil a natural product?

Yes! But as we know, natural does not always mean safe. Asbestos, mercury, lead and arsenic are also natural, but you wouldn’t want those in your baby oil and skin products, would you?

It’s all about the refining process

Often the way that things are refined or pulled from the earth leave contaminants behind in the final product. So while something might not necessarily be inherently bad, it would need to go through a very strict refining process for it to be safe. This is the case with petroleum. The refining process leaves behind polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or (PAHs). A study done in Long Island, New York found that women with high levels of PAHs had a 50% greater risk of breast cancer. Yikes! I think of all the products with mineral oil in it that the people I love use and I just cringe.

But if it's properly refined, there are no known health control concerns- This is why you will see mineral oil still being used in European products. The EU has very strict regulations on how mineral oil for cosmetics is processed. Unfortunately, the United States just doesn’t have these regulations. The regulations in Europe are just stricter in general. In fact, you can compare the exact same product sold in the US and EU and it will have different ingredients in it. Ugh. That is so frustrating!

If you are listening from around the world, that’s so amazing and I would love to hear from you! As I am in the US, I’ll share what products I love that don’t contain any mineral oil or petroleum.

• All Good Goop- great for really dry skin, hands and eczema

• Alba Botanicals Un Petroleum Jelly

• Little Otter Lip Balm-there are lots of petroleum free options, but this one is eco-friendly too!

• Crunchi Nightlight Facial Cream - True story. My friend applied this to a mole she had removed instead of the recommended Vasoline, and her dermatologist was amazed at how well her scar healed.

• New Crunchi Littles Super Serum!- This is a game changer for baby products! No more Johson and Johson baby oil full of toxins. I don’t have babies anymore, but I will definitely be using this for moisturizing my own skin when it’s released next week.

I would love to hear how your ditch and switch is going! Snap a photo for INstagram and tag me @themeganmikkelsen or join my Facebook group Toxin Free Talk and join the discussion.

What is the best toxin free hair dye for crunchy women - Going Gray, Hair Dye, and Toxins - an Interview with Stephanie of Sustainable Minimalists

You’re brushing your hair in the mirror and you see it. Your first grey hair. It’s a moment, a rite of passage. Whether you decide to pluck it, cover it or embrace it, I’ve got you.

What is the best toxin free hair dye for crunchy women - Going Grey, Hair Dye, and Toxins- An Interview with Stephanie of the Sustainable Minimalists 

I was so excited to once again have the opportunity to be a guest on Stephanie Seferian’s podcast, the Sustainable Minimalists. A few weeks ago we talked about safer nail polish options and now we’re on to safer hair dye.

Why do we need to look at our hair dye?

Because of the ingredients of course! If you’re wanting to go natural, non toxic, and eco-friendly with your hair color, then the ingredients are where we need to start.

• Chemicals in hair dye are designed to open up your hair follicles to absorb the color. With all over hair color, those harmful chemicals are sitting on the scalp for the entirety of the hair color processing time.

• Most conventional hair color has harmful chemicals like formaldehyde, formaldehyde releasers ammonia, coal tar, fragrance, and the list goes on. You know that horrible smell? It’s always good to listen to your senses! They are there to alert us to things that aren’t so good for us.

It’s ok if you’re not ready to go grey! There are options.

I follow the 80/20 rule on this one. I use really clean skin care products, cleaning products and we eat healthy. So getting my hair colored is part of that 20 percent of some less healthy choices that make me happy. Plus I choose highlights so the chemicals aren’t on the entirety of my scalp like an all-over dye would be. 

There are definitely ways to make coloring your hair cleaner and safer. Here are some of my suggestions:

• Go with highlights or balayage instead- the coloring (or bleach if you’re going blond) is touching the foil and not your scalp which means less exposure.

• Use a cleaner hair dye product- The two that I suggest are All-Nutrient or Oway. Now, I wouldn’t label these as 100% toxin-free, but they definitely use safer ingredients.  

  • If you’re looking for a salon that uses safer products, check out the website for a salon locator so you can get your hair colored by a professional but with safer products that you’ve chosen. 

• Talk to your stylist- I know this can be an awkward conversation, especially since hair stylists are often well trained and committed to certain brands. But maybe your stylist has never even heard of safer hair dye but they are on a holitsc journey in their personal life, or at least open to a better alternative. Next time you're in that chair, share about your toxin-free journey and let them know you care about their exposure all day to these chemicals too.

• Try Henna- If you want to go dark or red, henna is great! It’s a little messy and time consuming, but it's permanent and actually good for your hair. It is a commitment though as you can’t switch back to commercial dye until it grows out. But it’s definitely the cleanest and safest option available. Make sure you do your research and find a reputable henna brand.

• A new type of coloring called Hairprint- It’s not really a dye but instead brings back the natural color to your greys. It works best on dark hair and is time consuming, but much safer and natural than traditional coloring.

Going Grey Boldy and Beautifully

Maybe you’ve decided to just embrace the grey with grace. Grey is gorgeous! Beauty is about what makes you feel good, not just what makes you look good. Make an intentional choice that works for you and own it! An all over lighter hair color will help greys blend more naturally, or embrace the grey and go for it!

So are you ready for safer hair coloring? Or do you have gorgeous grey that you want to show off? I’d  love to see it! Snap a photo and tag me on Instagram @themeganmikkelsen or join my Facebook group where we discuss all things toxin-free at Toxin-Free Talk

Stay tuned for more talks with Stephanie Seferian of mamaminimalist.com and host of the Sustainable Minimalist Podcast. In the meantime, go check her out! She has great methods on simplifying all areas of your life.