Do you use eco-friendly products? I often do but I also pay careful attention to how well a product works. That’s an important factor. I mean, why use something that’s not effective?
I first started thinking about products — and their impact on the environment — more than a decade ago. When I was moving out of my college dorm, I spent some time cleaning our kitchen with a strong, heavy-duty all-purpose cleanser. When I was done, the counters were clean — but my sweatshirt bore an unmistakeable white streak from the cleaner. I can’t tell you how many times I ended up with spots on my clothes because of cleansers and that really bugged me. It seemed like they were almost too strong.
Then I became a mom. When my son was born in 2005, I suddenly became hyper-aware of the products we used in our house. Those harsh cleansers? They were out. But it wasn’t just because of my strong desire to protect Will from things that could harm him but also because my own body underwent substantial changes. Because of my severe asthma, I have always been aware of fragrances in products and avoided them. However, after Will’s birth I discovered that the dyes and colors in some products caused me to break out in unpleasant hives.
If that’s what was happening to my 25-year-old body, what would those things do to my infant’s body?
Since then, I have made a big effort to run a pretty eco-friendly house. I’m not perfect, but I have made little changes wherever it makes sense. For instance, a lot of our produce comes from a local organic farm. Our household products are often eco-friendly and usually free of dyes and fragrances (though I can tolerate some fragrances). And I am really careful about the cleaners and fabric softeners we use. Incorporating eco-friendly products into our home is an important priority for my family.
Recently I was introduced to the eco-friendly products from The Honest Company, which are designed to be safe, sustainable and also fresh and fun. They sent me their Family Essential Bundles to try out while working on this post. The lotions, hand soap and laundry detergent samples came in simple packaging, letting the products be the focal point — not the design (cause seriously, a cool bottle doesn’t mean that a product works well).
And you know what? I adore them. The Face and Body Lotion has a scent so pure, simple and familiar that it conjures a variety of childhood memories — and it doesn’t aggravate my asthma (score!). But products are more than their scent. This lotion soaks gently into the skin, leaving it soft and smooth. And the Honest Healing Balm was so soothing on my dry hands (a side effect of winter in the northeast). These are products I would happily let my kids use too.
Products like the hand soap from The Honest Company are a good way to bring the eco-thinking home, without sacrificing the important effectiveness factor. And what’s more, the Honest Company is a Certified B company, which means that they meat rigorous qualifications in their social and environmental practices — basically, they are doing good for the world. That’s something to feel good about.
How about you? Are eco-friendly products important to you and your family?
The Honest Company was started by a mom and a dad who, like many modern parents, were increasingly worried about products made with questionable chemical ingredients. But the alternatives they found were often expensive, inaccessible, bland, or ineffective. In response to this clear need for something better, they created The Honest Company to ensure that parents (or anyone for that matter!) could easily find natural and non-toxic eco-friendly products that are beautiful, effective, and affordable. From customized product bundles to diapers and wipes to an ever-expanding line of cleaning and personal care products, you can find everything you need at Honest.com and have it delivered directly to your front door.
Give it a try! Click here to become a member of The Honest Company community and start your free trial today.
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of The Honest Company. The opinions and text are all mine.