As much as they get knocked, we think participation medals serve a great purpose—they help kids realize that making an effort, even a minimal one, is worth noting. It can propel them toward future greatness. But when it comes to cleaning and personal care products? Nope. Just showing up isn’t enough. Throwing in a few natural ingredients and calling that good enough...well, that isn’t worth being rewarded.
We believe in clean without compromise. That’s why our products are made with plant-based ingredients and 100% essential oils. That’s why we say “no” to the kind of chemicals commonly added to cleaning and personal care products—even some that claim to be “natural.” Here’s our reject list:
NO DYES
Basically, dyes are used in household cleaning products to make them look pretty and notable. Think of those super-bright liquids in clear bottles. But they’re an unnecessary additive when it comes to effectiveness, and even worse, they can cause allergic reactions. We don’t use dyes in our products; we prefer au naturale! You may notice our products are hazy—that’s what real looks like!
NO PETROLEUM & SULFATES
Petroleum products are materials derived from crude oil—a non-renewable resource, when added to products, it contributes to resource depletion and increases our dependence on imported oil. Petroleum is added to many household cleaners as a solvent—but it’s highly flammable and can damage lung tissue and nerve cells. One of the biggest examples is sulfates, chemicals used as cleaning agents because they produce lather. What else do they produce? Connections to climate change, pollution, and greenhouse gases. No thanks.
NO PHTHALATES
Phthalates are a family of man-made chemical compounds developed in the last century to be used in the manufacture of plastics, solvents, and personal care products. They are colorless, odorless liquids and help fragrances last longer. Here’s the toxic tradeoff to those benefits: They are endocrine disruptors and androgen blocking chemicals, meaning that when absorbed into the body, phthalates can either mimic or block female hormones, or in males, suppress the hormones involved in male sexual development. Phthalates are easily absorbed into the human body by ingestion, inhalation, and skin absorption.
NO PARABENS
Parabens are chemicals that have been used since the 1950s to prevent bacteria and act as a preservative in cosmetics, personal care, and cleaning products. Like phthalates, they disrupt the endocrine system and are readily absorbed through skin, blood and the digestive system. Estrogenic activity, which parabens can kick off, is associated with some forms of breast cancer, and parabens have been found in some breast tumors.
NO ARTIFICIAL FRAGRANCES
Thanks to a loophole in the FDA’s regulation of personal care products, companies are not required to disclose the exact ingredients of “fragrance” as listed on their label. According to the Environmental Working Group, the average fragrant contains about 14 chemicals that aren’t listed on the label—many of which are linked to hormone disruption and allergic reactions—and about 80% of them haven’t been tested for human safety. We use 100% essential oils for a fresh scent that breathes clean.
When it comes to cleaning and personal care products, we love to say yes. That means yes to working with nature, not against it, and embracing pure ingredients that we feel great about, and you can, too. Yes to creating products that support health—on both a personal and a planetary level.
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