My Summer Swaps
First off I want to say, YAY YOU! You are reading this because you are ready to make some changes to improve your health. Finding products that a toxin free or help reduce your toxic load is literally what I do. My hope is to help others live healthier and happier lives.
So here is a complied list of products we love and use. I’m not a doctor so here is my disclosed statement that you can consult a doctor if you so choose before using these products I love. I am simply sharing products that I have found to be less toxic than the mainstream ones most everyone else uses and that you can typically find in stores.
1. Sun Protection:
Before we get into products, let’s discuss what we do first. We ease our bodies into sun exposure and get sun exposure year round. In the spring it is VERY important to get outside and build a tan for the summer. We do this by hiking, gardening and even just sitting outside on a blanket coloring, reading or whatever. Another important point to make is, if you are going to have a longer day out, you can wean sun exposure by then adding a thin layer (shirt) or sun hat. Finally, food, yes food! Look into how you can “eat your sunscreen”- NO, not actual sunscreen! But eating foods that help your body from burning and the foods that encourage burning (such as seed oils).
Now I don’t wear sunscreen often, but if I’m having a full day outside on vacation or something I will cover, find shade or use a sunscreen. We have a few brands of sunscreen in our home and some options if we get a little too much sun exposure and want to help our skin heal and try to prevent peeling etc. Because, let’s be honest, it happens.
Rowe Casa (save 20% with code BUSY): We love their after sun products and sun shield! They also have a tanning oil and bronzing lotion I hear people rave about. I’m just honestly naturally pretty tan and tan up easily so I haven’t tried them, but I know so many that LOVE them. Rowe Casa Organics has many products we love and use including their conditioner and shampoo bars, hair mousse, magnesium, swim spray and so much more! Hands down one of my favorite companies to buy from for my family and I akways recommend them to family and friends.
Another brand of sunscreen and after sun products we love is Sky & Sol (save 10% with code: BUSY10). This brand is an amazing one and the sunscreen goes on very easy. The after sun product was a must on our vacation!
For face sunscreen, Crunchi has been a favorite and they have a little travel brush that I LOVE for applying. They have a regular option and a tinted option. I get the regular option because I can use it on myself and my husband. If you are looking to try Crunchi, let me know and I can get you set up with a discount. Email me: eryka@busylittleizzy.com and I’ll get you set up with a discount and can answer any other questions you have about skincare or makeup. This is my FAV & only makeup brand.
2. Pool Protection:
I figured I’d dive into chlorine pools. We love pools, but personally have seen how the chlorine can negatively impact the mood of our child. If you don’t know much about chlorine and how it can negatively impact your health, I encourage you to look into it. While most parents are sadly lathering their children in toxic sunscreen, we are using the Swim Spray by Rowe Casa Organics.
And honestly guys, if Izzy’s having prolonged exposure to sun we just add a rash guard to her suit while swimming and a hat when she’s not actively swimming. I haven’t consistently put sunscreen on her in years! I used some on her face while at the beach for a week. The person who uses the most sunscreen in this house is my husband. Not because he doesn’t tan, but because he would rather sunscreen up than cover up or take a break in the shade. He’s old school, and that is okay, we adjust and he uses clean sunscreen. He also works at his desk all day so he doesn’t get as much sun exposure as Izzy and I during the week. I will say, on our vacation to the beach, I was using sunscreen because it was non stop sunshine and water time.
3. Hydration:
Staying hydrated is super important and I always bring my own purified water with me. My water is purified through reverse osmosis. I add back in minerals to our water and frequently will just snag little pinches of Redmond’s Real Salt often. Your cells actually needs minerals in order to properly hydrate. Look it up! 🙂
The water purification brand we love is linked here (& this link gives a special discount). My husband installed the under sink option in our past couple homes. I use the water for cooking and drinking. I have family that use the counter one family that also use the under sink option. Both a great and when we were in a rental during our move we used a counter one from this company.
If I can’t bring only one water bottle, such as a road trip or vacation. I will purchase bottled water in glass. The only water I buy, unless I have no other option is The Mountain Valley Spring Water. Their sparkling water is fun with lemon if you want to have a fancy sparkling option. For our vacation I brought a big cooler literally just full of these waters. And then while on our trip we used the cooler to bring snacks, water and my Crunchy Hydration drinks (code to save 10%: busy) to the pool and beach.
4. Swimwear:
This one I know might be extremely tough to consider making the swap to, but it was an important one for me. This year Izzy and I both made the swap to swimwear that isn’t made from plastic! We removed plastic clothing from our wardrobes, but swimwear is a huge offender.
If you are looking for merino wool, look not further than Simply Merino! The merino wool dries super fast and is very comfy! I wore it to the beach and pool. I rinse or wash in the machine after each use and hang to dry. Izzy has one too and loves it!
- If you are looking for more swaps in the home, check out this post on bathroom swaps or this one on kitchen swaps.
Happy Wellness Journey,
XO Eryka
