How to Transition to a Clean Lifestyle
It seems like we’re all on a mission to embrace a clean lifestyle right now. As consumers, we’re more aware of the ingredients in our products. We’re skeptical of marketing claims. We do the research ourselves, and aren’t afraid to ditch a product if we feel like it could be causing us harm. We’re much more discerning when we head to the shop or place an online order for our favorite products. More than ever, we’re committed to creating a lifestyle that is safe and healthy for ourselves and our families.
However, the standards around what a clean lifestyle is or is not are murky. There are online communities dedicated to the cause, influencers who recommend products or strategies for living a clean lifestyle, and gatekeepers who examine the efforts of those around them and judge whether or not they meet the truly “clean” standard.
That’s not our style.
When we think of a clean lifestyle, we tend to take a simpler approach. Here’s how we define it.
What is a clean lifestyle?
A clean lifestyle is one that is striving to only use or purchase products that are devoid of known irritants and harmful ingredients. We prefer this definition to something that may be more concrete, because it leaves room for some grace. You may not feel the need to turn over your entire way of being in order to feel safe or healthy, you may just want to focus on a few key areas in your life.
On another note, not everyone has the means to make a fully-fledged transition to a clean lifestyle. As you’ll find when you begin the process, it’s not always cheap. Sure, there are ways to DIY certain steps in your routines in order to make them more “clean”, but they’re often time-consuming. One thing that we’ve learned throughout this lifestyle shift is that many of our “un-clean” choices are the result of a desire for convenience or affordability. A great way to experience the benefits of a clean lifestyle without breaking the bank is to simply and slowly transition. Today, we’re giving you detailed tips on how to do just that.
How to transition to a clean lifestyle
So far we’ve been pretty vague about what a clean lifestyle can entail. In reality, the “clean” concept can apply to just about any product category in your household. From your skincare and beauty routines to home cleaning products and even the food you eat, there’s a way to seek out opportunities to limit harmful ingredients and exposure to irritants in your home.
Like we mentioned earlier, this isn’t an all or nothing process. You don’t just wake up one day, decide that you’re going to “go clean” and make it happen with a snap of your fingers. It’s best to ask yourself a few questions before you get started so that you can build an effective and sustainable strategy for going clean.
What categories are most important to you to transition?
Chunking out the changes that you want to make in your lifestyle is a good place to start. Since you won’t be tackling your entire home at once, ask yourself which categories are the most important to you to be clean. Maybe you’re obsessed with makeup, but are unsure of what ingredients are in your current products and what could be harmful to your health. Prioritizing one area to start in will make the process seem a lot less daunting, and may just enable you to keep going with a clean lifestyle instead of giving up when you’re overwhelmed.
What changes would have the greatest impact with the lowest lift?
Another way to create sustainably clean buying habits is to hone in on a category or product that would be the easiest for you to switch out but give you the greatest impact. One item that we’ve heard discussed frequently by clean living beginners is natural deodorant. Though there is no conclusive scientific evidence that aluminum-based deodorants are linked with cancer, many men and women who pursue a clean lifestyle prefer to choose an option that has fewer, less irritating ingredients. This one quick switch could make an impact on your health without costing you too much money or requiring too much research. There are many brands on the mainstream market, so accessibility isn’t an issue either. Other great low lift clean lifestyle switches are: face oils, all purpose cleaning sprays, and organic fruits and vegetables.
What is your budget?
We’ve added this consideration to our list because money matters. If your budget won’t allow you to transition to a clean lifestyle, then we don’t recommend doing it. You heard us correctly. If you’re stretching your income to cover you and your family’s basic needs, having a completely clean lifestyle isn’t that important. We’d rather you feel secure in putting a roof over your family’s head and food on the table than spend your discretionary income on the latest clean skincare item. Once you’ve evaluated your budget, you can determine whether you can afford to go one product at a time (maybe buying an expensive but long-lasting clean item like a fragrance), or switch out a product category over the course of a few months.
Do you have other brand specifications you want to follow?
Now is a great time to ask yourself if you expect anything else from the brands and products that you are purchasing. Are you interested in buying only from companies that have fair-trade practices? Or, maybe, you want to know that your skincare and beauty products are cruelty-free. Since you’re re-evaluating your products anyway, it’s smart to take a look at your values and see if you can make changes that will ensure they’re reflected in your purchases. We vote with our dollars, people!
How to transition to a clean skincare routine
Whether you use a basic wash morning and night or are dedicated to your 12 steps, you have a skincare routine. But, do you know what ingredients are in your favorite products?
First, we recommend looking into what you’re already using. We use cosdna to search for skincare and beauty products and find out if there are known irritants in their ingredient lists. To determine whether they are “clean” or not, you may have to dig deeper to find out if your favorite products contain phthalates, parabens, formaldehyde (yes, the same ingredient that is used in the embalming process), and more.
Personally, we think it’s smart to start your clean lifestyle journey with skincare. This is one routine in your life that is dedicated to nourishing and maintaining your skin, one of your most vital organs. Make note of which of your products is about to run out or expire, and look into clean alternatives for those items first. Slowly switch over to clean products as you use up your old ones. This helps you transition into a clean lifestyle without shocking your skin - or your wallet.
How to transition to a clean beauty routine
Transitioning into solely using clean makeup can be a little more tricky than skincare. Since skincare’s purpose is to address specific issues and provide nourishment to your skin, clean ingredients make sense. These ingredients are less irritating, and can have positive effects on your skin.
Clean makeup is a little different. Since its main purpose is cosmetic, there are definitely products that work better in this category than others. Instead of taking the skincare approach and swapping out as you run out of existing products in your routine, we recommend seeking out the best-performing clean makeup categories and start there. Many clean living beginners love clean lip products, highlighters, and even nail polishes.
How to transition to clean household products
If you’re anything like us, you’re always cleaning up messes and tidying your home. After all, your home is supposed to be your sanctuary, the place where you feel most comforted and at peace. Clutter and mess just adds unnecessary stress and anxiety to your life. Now, think about the stress you’d feel if you knew that the cleaning products you were using every day were doing more harm than good.
This is one category that we’re not sure that we’ll ever fully transition to clean. Particularly with the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s become clear that there is a time and a place for antibacterial and antiviral cleaning products that use stronger chemicals. However, for those everyday messes, we think clean cleaning products work just fine and we’d say that’s the place to start your transition to “clean”. We’re partial to the Veles All-Purpose Cleaner in our homes (points for great packaging), and we’ve come across great clean disinfectants for maintenance as well.
When you hear “clean lifestyle” it may seem like an unattainable concept, something that would require a large portion of your paycheck and even more of your time. However, by taking a slow and steady approach to the transition to a clean lifestyle, you’ll actually set yourself up for more sustainable success and build buying habits that last. What are some of the products that you’ve switched out for clean items in your household? Anything that we didn’t include on this list that we should cover next time? As always, leave a comment or send us a DM with your ideas!