My Non-Toxic Starter Kit: 5 Affordable Products That Detoxified My Routine

Let's be real - I didn't wake up with a full linen wardrobe and homemade deodorant in my purse. I was just tired: tired of mouthwash burning my mouth, mystery rashes, and random itchiness after applying some "Moonlight Ocean Breeze Guava Passion" body lotion.

So, I started checking labels to see if I was allergic to something. Spoiler: I was. And I was surprised at the number of ingredients I couldn't even pronounce, let alone trust.

Once I started Googling what those ingredients were, I fell deep down a rabbit hole of "Wait, this is in what??" and "That's legal??".

Turns out, a lot of what we put in our bodies and on our skin is terrible for our body. I mean, humans have survived for a very long time without needing "Moonlight Ocean Breeze Guava Passion" body lotion. So maybe I didn't either.

Little by little I started swapping one product at a time. Not to be perfect - just to stop burning, itching, and rash-ing (that's a verb now).

But then something happened: it worked! My skin stopped freaking out. My breath was fresh without the spicy cinnamon-mint torture. I didn't smell like a Bath & Body works fever dream anymore - I smelled like me.

Here are the first 5 affordable swaps that started my quiet descent into my non-toxic, slightly almond, soft girl era.

1. Laundry Detergent

I didn't realize how itchy my laundry detergent made me until I switched. I was out here with mystery rashes and severe back acne because I thought it was normal. No ma'am!

So, I ditched Tide for a DIY, 4 ingredients laundry detergent that I made at home - and honestly? It was giving cottage core vibes and saving me loads of money. My clothes were clean, my skin calmed down, and my wallet relaxed.

All I did was order the 4 ingredients, mix it all into a big glass jar, and then scoop 1/3 cup into the washing machine per load. Here's the secret recipe:

• Epsom Salt: 1/2 cup

• Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate): 1 1/2 cups

• Washing Soda (Sodium Carbonate): 1 1/2 cups

• Sea Salt: 1/2 cups

• (Optional) Essential Oils

  
  

To save time, I tripled the recipe and mixed it all into a glass jar. This amount would last me week and kept me from making detergent every weekend.

And personally? I skipped the essential oils. Even though they smelled great in the jar, the dryer would make most of the smell disappear. The quantity of oil I needed to use for my clothes to actually smell like lavender was ridiculous. Save your money.

2. Coconut Oil for Oil Pulling

Look, I was so skeptical about oil pulling. You're telling me that I swish coconut oil in my mouth for 10 minutes and it's supposed to do magic? No. But I was sick and tired of the mouthwash burns. So, I gave it a try.

Honestly, the first few times my cheeks were tired from swishing, and I wasn't sure if I was getting any benefit from it. But then, after a week - Teeth, whiter. Gums, calmer. Breath, naturally fresher. Tongue gunk, gone.

What surprised me the most is all of these benefits were from 1 ingredient. ONE. You don't need a list of -ethalenes or -oxyls to improve your dental hygiene.

This is all you need:

• Coconut oil: 1 tsp.

But you should note two things:

1. Swish before you brush your teeth for 5 - 10 minutes. Scroll, wash your dishes, or dance to your 2 favorite songs.

2. Spit it out in the trash. Coconut oil solidifies at cool temperatures. You don't want this in your pipes, I promise.

   
   

This is one of the laziest non-toxic glow ups I've ever done - and it actually works.

3. Handmade Body Soap

One day I looked on the back of my body wash and realized I had absolutely no idea what the ingredients were. Poly-what? Does the dermatologist just recommend this but not actually use it themselves? It says cedar, but it's giving Pine-Sol.

I switched to handmade bar soap that I picked up at a local farmers market. The longer the vendor's hair, the better. Suspenders? Sold.

Here's what I love about switching to handmade soap:

1. It's made by real humans who are often very aware of the exact ingredients.

2. (Usually) no fake fragrance - just natural essential oils or herbs.

3. It lasts longer than I expected (unless you leave it in a puddle of water like I did the first time).

4. No more Sahara-desert dry skin, and I actually feel clean - not just rinsed with water and doused in "fragrance" clean.

Once I switched, I realized I didn't need a 7-step shower routine. I just needed soap that was actually cleaning me and not stripping my skin of the oils it needs to heal.

My favorite? African Black Soap. Once I find the perfect brand, I'll share it with you all here.

4. Natural Deodorant

Let's be real - I thought natural deodorant was just not wearing deodorant at all. Did I try this? Yes. What I aghast at the results? Also, yes. I need deodorant, but I didn't want to put "Wait, that's legal??" ingredients directly on my lymph nodes. Not today - not anymore.

I tried a bunch of different natural deodorants and trends. And yes, I admit I did try rubbing apple cider vinegar on my armpits at 6 am before work. And personally, I don't recommend it. Some natural deodorants were great for exactly 32 minutes and then I morphed from smelling like Jane into Tarzan.

But when I found a deodorant that actually worked and was low waste? Game. Changer.

Here's what I look for in a keeper:

1. No aluminum - no exceptions.

2. No parabens

3. Made with no animal cruelty

4. Light essential oil scent

5. Lasts all day or is compact enough to bring it with me

   
   

My favorite natural deodorant? Wild

I love how long-lasting Wild deodorant is. They have amazing scents that last all day, and I trust their ingredients list. Their deodorant is made without aluminum, parabens, or animal cruelty. Plus, their packaging is plastic-free and reusable.

If you want 50% off of your Wild deodorant, click the button below!

Get 50% off at Wild

5. Essential Oils for "Perfume"

At some point, I realized I didn't want to smell like "Vanilla Sugar Midnight Frosting Berry Explosion". No, no. I wanted to smell like a woman who lives in the forest and only comes into town for rosewater and revenge.

So, I started using essential oils. Not for healing, chakra balancing, or cosmic alignment. I just wanted to smell good and not risk putting suspicious chemicals onto my skin.

And no, I don't know perfect essential oil combinations. I'm still figuring out which ones are grounding, which ones are floral, and which one makes me smell like fairy godmother who bottles her own magic.

So, I keep it simple. I wear one essential oil at a time. Lately, I've been vibing with jasmine because it's warm, floral, and my family tells me I smell divine. Which is exactly the energy I'm going for.

That's the point. Smell good, keep it simple, and don't harm your body in the process of trying to love it.

Ingredients

• Your favorite smelling essential oil (start with whichever smells best to you like lavender, cedarwood, eucalyptus, etc.)

  
  

Instructions

1. Dab it on your wrists, neck, or wherever you want. But do a spot test first to make sure you're not sensitive to it.

   
   
   
   

Final Thoughts

I didn't detox my routine overnight, and my life isn't fully detoxed. I don't have a fridge full of mason jars (yet) and I don't melt at the sight of processed food or mascara. But my mouth doesn't burn, my skin doesn't hate me, and I don't smell like a Yankee Candle factory meltdown.

I'm just trying to feel better in my body, little by little. And all of my products aren't perfect, but at least they're Not That Toxic.

Thanks for reading,

Isla