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Have ya ever heard someone talk about making their own non-toxic products and think, “That sounds a little hippy-ish”?

Or maybe you want to start using cleaner products, but want to be able to make some at home so you can save money (and set it aside for other things).

I’ve been on both sides of the spectrum, friend!

I used to hear people talk about choosing cleaner, non-toxic products and how they never took Advil and basically didn’t use anything you could buy at the store.

I thought they were absolutely nuts and kind of over the top. 🤷‍♀️  I just didn’t get it — and even felt a little judged since I definitely did NOT do that.

So let me just say right off the bat: When I share about my personal journey towards non-toxic living, it’s not to shame or scare you. It’s not to say that it’s what you should do.

We’re all on our own journey. And honestly, being able to feel like I’m doing something proactive has been oddly healing for me emotionally.

I’m not sure I would care so much about it had I not experienced what I did, and I also still use Advil and come into contact with Windex and try not to be a total control freak about it.

Because life is short. It’s not about perfection. It’s about progress.

So, now that I’ve put out that little disclaimer, I wanna share with you some reasons why I started to make a couple of my own products and how you can make them at home, too!

BTW, if you’re really curious about what led me from being the person who thought “non-toxic” sounded hippy to the person who’s now sharing about clean living with you, I’ve learned a lot since experiencing two miscarriages and working with a functional medicine doctor.

I always felt like I was pretty healthy, but after two losses, I really started digging in to learn more about hormones, what’s really in my products and how they affect my endocrine system (and a bunch of other things I never understood or heard of before).

You can hear more about my journey by listening to episode 92, which is the story of our first miscarriage, and episode 128, which is about how this journey has led to more clarity and even affected business decisions.

WHY MAKE YOUR OWN NON-TOXIC PRODUCTS

If you’re still sitting there wondering, “Why would you want to take the time to make your own products?”, let me share a few reasons why making your own products can be helpful.

And let me also just say, I don’t make all of our products. There are still plenty of products that I buy from trusted brands I know are non-toxic. But I still like to make a couple of products because of these three reasons:

First, so I know what’s really in it.

In episode 132, we talked about greenwashing. (If ya haven’t already, I highly recommend you listen to that episode with Teryn Robinson, where we dig into why non-toxic living is important for your health and a ton of practical ways you can start making changes today).

Greenwashing is basically a marketing tactic. A lot of companies are catching on to the fact that people are looking for plant-based, clean products. So they think that if they put “all-natural” or “green” on the label more people will buy it. But most of these products are still full of harmful chemicals, which makes it really confusing and hard to know which products are trustworthy and toxin-free.

As I’ve been reading a lot more on these toxins, and working with a functional medicine doctor, I’ve learned that toxins in products can be disruptors to our endocrine system, which can cause our hormones to become unbalanced and mess up how our body is functioning.

All of the products we come into contact with (shampoo, moisturizer, laundry detergent, dish detergent, face wash, cleaning spray, etc.) become a stressor on our body.

And I’ve learned that even a lot of what I thought were cleaner products aren’t actually better -they’re just greenwashed levels.

So, making products at home gives me a way to have more control over the ingredients in my products and how it’s affecting my health. 

The second reason I like to make some of my products myself is to make them more budget-friendly. 

It probably won’t come as a shock to you that a lot of cleaner products out there cost a little more. Now, while I definitely believe that your health is absolutely a worthy investment, it’s still nice when you can get healthy products without paying an arm and a leg.

(And if you want some more tips on how to invest in your health on a budget, don’t miss episode 139.

The third reason for making your own non-toxic products is because it’s fun and empowering.

I love making these products because to me, I feel like I’m 9 again, doing a science experiment or a fun craft. You can play around with how different scents come together or how to get the consistency you want.

And it’s empowering. No matter your living situation, you are the gatekeeper of your home, your living environment, and your body.

You decide what to allow in – and that’s an important responsibility as a steward of your home, your health, and your family.

Of course, it’s important to not become overly controlling or stressed out about it, because then you’re not really living. But you can still be prudent and proactive, and embrace your role as a steward and gatekeeper of your environment, which affects your health and your family.

Recipes for Making Non-Toxic Products

Okay, ready to dive in and get some recipes so you can start making your own non-toxic products? Great!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• • Liquid soap dispenser (I like to use amber glass bottles like these) or a spray bottle (again, loving the amber glass ones)
  • Labels – you can find some really pretty labels from Etsy.
  • Castille soap (I like to use unscented, or you could get citrus scented)
  • Vitamin E oil (optional)
  • Thieves essential oil
  • Lemon or orange essential oil (optional – you can experiment with other essential oils, too)
  • White vinegar
  • Water

To make your own liquid hand soap:

1. 1. Fill the container 3/4 of the way with castille soap.
   2. Add in a couple of drops of the Vitamin E Oil.
   3. Put in 8 or 9 drops of the Thieves essential oil.
   4. Add in 4-5 drops of another essential oil, like lemon or orange.
   5. Fill the rest of the bottle with water.
   6. Wipe down the container and slap a pretty label on it.

Not a lot of work, not too many ingredients – super simple. Just note, when you create the soap, it’s not going to be like the gel soap you buy in the story. It’s gonna be a little more watery, so keep that in mind.

 To make your own cleaning spray: 

1. 1. Get your spray bottle and fill it 3/4 of the way with water.
   2. Then fill 1/4 (or even a little less) of the bottle with white vinegar. You don’t want a whole lot of vinegar or else everything is gonna smell like vinegar.
   3. Add in 5-6 drops of Thieves essential oil. (Remember, it’s strong, so you don’t need to overdo it.
   4. Shake it up, wipe off the container, and then add a label.

Easy peasy. You can do this in five minutes!

Learn More About Making Non-Toxic Products

Making your own products can be fun! Consider getting having your friends over and making it a fun activity. My mom and I even made a bunch of these as Christmas presents, and we had a blast putting them together,

And if it’s not for you, that’s okay too.

For me, it’s been empowering to learn how to read labels and create products I can trust.

If you’re in the same boat, make sure you tune in to this episode to learn:

• • What greenwashing is and how to avoid it
  • How toxins in products can affect your health
  • How we can be a steward of our bodies and homes
  • Some simple recipes to make your own non-toxic products

And if you do make one of the recipes I shared, take a pic of your final product and tag me on Instagram. Or let me know in the comments below: what was the process like for you and what led you to make your own products?