My Standards
Every product on this site had to pass these before it earned a spot. No exceptions for pretty packaging, no exceptions for brand deals. If something here ever stops meeting the bar, it comes down.
Cleaning & Laundry
- synthetic fragrance
- chlorine bleach (except where nothing else works)
- optical brighteners
- quats
- dyes
Plant- or enzyme-based formulas that disclose every ingredient. If a brand hides behind the word “fragrance,” it's out.
Skincare & Body
- synthetic fragrance & phthalates
- parabens
- PEGs
- chemical sunscreen filters like oxybenzone
- formaldehyde releasers
Short, readable ingredient lists. Mineral SPF only. Brands that publish full formulas and third-party test where it matters.
Kitchen & Cookware
- Teflon & other PFAS nonstick coatings
- plastic that touches hot food
- aluminum cookware surfaces
- BPA & friends (BPS, BPF)
Stainless steel, cast iron, ceramic, glass, and wood. If it touches your food every day, the material matters most.
Home & Bedding
- flame retardants
- PFAS stain treatments
- polyester where your skin sleeps
- VOC-heavy finishes
Natural fibers first — organic cotton, linen, wool, silk. Certifications like GOTS and OEKO-TEX are a real signal, not marketing.
Candles & Fragrance
- paraffin wax
- synthetic fragrance oils
- lead-core wicks
- “fragrance” as an unexplained ingredient
Beeswax or coconut/soy wax, cotton or wood wicks, and scent from essential oils or fully disclosed natural blends.
Supplements
- artificial dyes & flavors
- titanium dioxide
- unnecessary fillers
- proprietary blends that hide doses
Third-party tested, transparent doses, forms your body can actually use. And always — talk to your doctor first.
Water & Air
- unfiltered tap water for drinking and bathing
- plug-in air fresheners
- ozone-producing purifiers
Real filtration — reverse osmosis or certified carbon for water, true HEPA for air. Fresh air beats fake scent.
Personal Care
- aluminum in deodorant
- triclosan
- SLS where it irritates
- plastic microbeads
Aluminum-free deodorant that works, fluoride-free hydroxyapatite toothpaste, and tools made of metal, wood, or natural bristle.
Want the ingredient-by-ingredient version?
My ingredient glossary breaks down exactly what each of these chemicals is, where it hides, and why I avoid it.
Browse the glossary →A note on honesty: some links on this site earn me a small commission at no cost to you. That never decides what gets recommended — these standards do. Products I use daily get flagged as favorites; the rest I've researched ingredient-by-ingredient.