I’ve been on a mission to reduce the chemicals in, on and around my body for the last few years. I started my detox by focusing on eliminating chemicals in the food I was eating – I nixed all the processed foods and opted for local, organic and non-GMO.  Next, I tackled products by swapping out toothpaste (Tom’s), body soap (Dr. Bronner’s), cleaning supplies (kitchen detox, anyone?), etc. and now I’m focused on removing more toxins from our home in things like plastic Tupperware (I now use these by Glasslock), chemical packed mattresses and off gassing furniture.

If you’re looking to reduce toxins in your life, your handbag is a great place to start. Here are three simple non-toxic swaps to make in your purse:

1. Gum: Chewing gum is chomping on chemicals. Some argue that gum is the most toxic product in supermarkets due to the Aspartame, Sorbitol, Xylitol, Mannitol, Maltitol, etc. Swap out the chemical packed gum for something natural – I LOVE ‘Simply Gum‘ and they have a handful of flavors: cinnamon (my personal favorite), mint, ginger, licorice, maple and coffee. The consistency is a bit different but it’s civilized and the package comes with ‘post chew wraps’ to toss your ABC gum away.

2. Hand sanitizer: There has been quite a debate around the safety of hand sanitizer. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says triclosan (one of the main ingredients) could carry unnecessary risks including cancer. Simply put: not worth it! Opt for an organic sanitizer made with essential oil instead – I love EO Hand Sanitizer Spray- Organic Lavender.

3. Lipstick: If I were to ask you if you’d like to schmear chemicals all over your lips you’d probably say no. BUT that’s what most of us are doing with our lipsticks. Luckily for all of us, 100% pure is making beautiful lipsticks made of concentrated pomegranate oil, shea butter and colored from fruit pigments to keep lips super soft, youthful and chemical free. There are no synthetic chemicals, synthetic dyes, chemical preservatives or any other toxins.

What toxic-free changes are you making?

p.s. my bag is these photos is the Valentino Rockstud Rolling Camera Crossbody Bag and the sunglasses are Perverse

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