New Year, New Glow: Detox Your Personal Care Routine

As we step into a new year, many of us set goals to eat cleaner and live healthier. But what about the products we put on our skin? Your personal care routine is just as important as your diet when it comes to supporting overall wellness. This year, it’s time to rethink what you apply to your skin and detox your personal care products for a cleaner, more nourishing approach to self-care.

Why Detox Your Personal Care Products?

You’ve likely heard the phrase, “You are what you eat,” but let’s add another: “You are what you apply.” Our skin, the largest organ of the body, absorbs much of what we put on it. From lotions to lipsticks, these products can introduce chemicals into our systems. Just like food choices, the ingredients in our personal care items play a critical role in our health.

Consider this: the average American uses 10–15 personal care products daily, containing as many as 126 ingredients. Shockingly, the FDA does not require cosmetics companies to conduct safety assessments on these ingredients. Furthermore, about 90% of the 10,500 ingredients used in U.S. cosmetics remain unreviewed and untested for safety.

Products labeled “natural” or “fragrance” often contain potentially harmful chemicals, as there are no strict regulations governing these terms. Ingredients like parabens, phthalates, and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives lurk under vague labels, making it crucial to be informed and cautious.

The Dirty Dozen: Chemicals to Avoid

When detoxing your personal care routine, start by steering clear of these common culprits:

• Parabens and phenoxyethanol
• Phthalates
• Sodium lauryl sulfate
• PEG compounds (e.g., propylene glycol)
• DEA (diethanolamine)
• Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives
• Triclosan
• Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
• Siloxanes
• Coal tar dyes
• Petrolatum
• Fragrance or parfum

Embrace Nature’s Alternatives

The good news is there are plenty of natural, safer options to replace conventional beauty products. Opt for brands with clean ingredient lists and look for certifications from trusted organizations like the Environmental Working Group (EWG). Their Skin Deep Cosmetics Database is a fantastic resource for researching the safety of your products.

Better yet, try making your own personal care items. DIY recipes not only ensure transparency in your ingredients but also allow you to incorporate the healing benefits of botanicals.

Here’s a simple recipe to get you started:

Nature’s Perfect Skin Cream

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup distilled water
• 1/3 cup aloe vera gel
• Essential oils of choice 
• 3/4 cup sweet almond oil • 1/3 cup coconut oil

• 1 ounce beeswax (about 4 Tablespoons of the pastilles)

Directions

Combine the water, aloe and essential oils in a glass measuring cup, let sit until room temperature. In a double boiler over low heat melt the beeswax, coconut and almond oil together, mix well. Pour oils into blender jar, let sit until about room temperature. When oils are about room temperature, turn on blender and slowly start to pour in the water mixture. Speed up blender and be sure it mixes well. You may have to stop the blender and stir with a spoon and then pulse the blender a few times. It should blend and incorporate well. Water and oil can sometimes be tricky to mix but if you follow these instructions and have a fairly high speed blender it should work well!

The Bottom Line

Detoxing your personal care routine doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Start small—read ingredient labels, avoid harmful chemicals, and explore DIY alternatives. As you align your personal care habits with your wellness goals, you’ll not only look great but feel empowered by the choices you’re making for your health.

Adapted from Bastyr alumna Stephanie Berg, ND, and her presentation "Detox Your Personal Care Products."