Faves Personal Care - Chez Marette

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My Favorite Personal Care Products

After researching ingredient lists and testing so many “clean” products, I was happy with only a handful, while most were a big fail.

Below are my favorite personal care products I love and use, including soaps, shower/bath gels, toothpaste, lotions, sun protection and deodorants.

Try them for yourself and let me know what you think!

NOTE: While I do my best to keep this list up to date, sometimes companies change their formulations or discontinue products.

DISCLAIMER: AS AN AMAZON ASSOCIATE I EARN FROM QUALIFYING PURCHASES. THIS PAGE CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS WHICH WILL REWARD ME MONETARILY OR OTHERWISE WHEN YOU USE THEM TO MAKE QUALIFYING PURCHASES.

Tap a category to start

deodorants

soaps + lotions

sun protection

hair care

nails

toothpaste

Deodorants

This is an easy area to start detoxing, and one of the most important. Ditch the conventional antiperspirants that contain aluminum, harmful chemicals, and synthetic fragrances.

Aluminum blocks pores and prevents sweat from being released, trapping toxins inside the body. I’ve researched and tested so many deodorants, most of which weren’t effective. My top picks are below. Everyone’s different, so try one for at least four weeks.

A note on clean deodorants: When you first switch from an aluminum-based antiperspirant to a clean, aluminum-free deodorant, your body will need to go through a detox period of about 2-4 weeks. You may notice increased odor as your body releases the stored-up toxins that have been held inside. Stick with it!

After this initial adjustment period, your body will be able to breathe naturally and will respond better to the clean alternative.

The Clean Deo

Aluminum-free solid. Comes in four delicious scents with no synthetic fragrance. And it keeps wetness and odor at bay, without blocking pores.

Roll-on Deodorant

Aluminum-free roll-on with a fresh, subtle scent – no synthetic fragrance. So effective it even works for my sweat-prone husband.

Soaps + Lotions

Soaps and lotions can be full of harmful chemicals and synthetic fragrance. Start keeping non-toxic soap all around your home – in the bathroom, powder room, kids’ bathroom, kitchen. Lotion should be fragrance-free or scented with natural, non-toxic ingredients.

3-in-1 Shower Soap

My favorite everyday bath and shower gel. I also decant this into a pretty glass pump bottle and use it as hand soap in the kitchen and bathrooms. These come in many yummy scents – my favorites are Lavender + Aloe and Citrus + Mint.

Sensitive Skin Body Lotion

The best safe hand/body lotion hydrates without feeling greasy. It goes on a little heavy but absorbs fully after a few minutes. I use this nightly on my hands, arms, and legs. If it’s out of stock, try Sensitive Baby Lotion.

Citrus Mimosa Body Butter

This rich body cream is ideal for very dry skin, featuring shea butter and mongongo oil to hydrate and nourish, plus organic sunflower oil, aloe, and chamomile to soothe and smooth. Plus it smells good enough to eat.

Un-Petroleum Jelly

Use this plant-based moisturizing jelly in place of non-renewable petroleum jelly such as Aquaphor or Vaseline. Slather on dry hands or feet at night, cover with cotton gloves or socks and wake up feeling the difference.

Sun Protection

There are 3 ways to protect your skin from UV rays:
1. Avoid being in the sun or wear clothing and a hat to cover the skin (good option)
2. Use chemical-based sunscreen (not-so-good option)
3. Use mineral-based sunscreen (good option)

Sun exposure is not all bad. We create Vitamin D in the sun! 15 minutes of sun exposure daily is good for us, since adequate Vitamin D levels are critical for good health, including cancer prevention. You may need more or less time than that depending on how direct the sun’s rays are (if you’re near the equator).

But much more than that and we’re at increased risk for other concerns such as premature aging and skin cancer.

Applying chemical sunscreen to avoid UV exposure just adds another level of risk – those harmful chemicals are absorbed through your skin.

It’s always smart to use a mineral-based sunscreen on the face, even on a cloudy day.

For the body, Apply a mineral-based sunscreen anytime you’ll be outdoor for more than 10-15 minutes.

Check out my favorite products, which have passed my rigorous research and usage tests (no white cast!)and are part of my regular routine. They’re safe, easy to apply and feel great on the skin.

SPF for Face

My favorite everyday face protection. Goes on smooth, not greasy, with no white cast.

Mineral Sunscreen Mist

SPF for the body, in an easy-to-apply non-aerosol spray. Also available in lotion and stick.

Mineral Sunscreen Stick

Toss it in your bag for touch-ups throughout the day. (If out of stock, check again later).

Aloe Soothing Gel*

No matter how careful I am, sometimes burns happen.This soothing gel hits the spot.

*Use the new formulation. I do not recommend the older 2016 version, as it contains Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate. Check ingredient label before buying; the old version is occasionally still being sold.

Hair Care

Everyone’s hair is different. Even from month to month or season to season, you may find your hair responds differently and needs different products. I’ve tested a lot of hair products from many brands and my favorites are below. My favorites are more affordable than many out on the market that, in my opinion, are way over-priced. Start with these, but experiment and see what works best for you.

Non-toxic hair products are missing the harmful ingredients that can create a robust lather and rinse easily. The clean products I’m happy with do create a good lather, but I need to shampoo twice. Then when applying conditioner, I comb it through with a wide-tooth comb.

Shampoo

My favorite clean shampoo – cleans without drying, and smells great. This is a large bottle and will last a long time.

Conditioner

My favorite conditioner – moisturizes without being heavy and leaves my hair bouncy and shiny.

Shampoo/Conditioner Set

Save more with the set. Sometimes this is unavailable, so try again later, buy individually or search elsewhere.

Leave-in Conditioner

Tames frizz, and helps define waves and curls. I remove the cap to get the product out rather than using the tiny pump.

Dry Shampoo

Available in light or dark, shake into roots to absorb oil and extend time between washes. Get 10% off with my link.

Dry Shampoo

This is also a very good option. Find it on Amazon or Thrive Market. Read why you should avoid aerosol sprays.

Nails

Everything about conventional nail polish, treatments, and polish removers is toxic. After testing a half-dozen or so, I’ve landed on these two brands as having the best overall performance (easy to apply, shiny and long-lasting) with the cleanest ingredients.

Whatever brand you use, get the best performance by pairing the polish with basecoat, topcoat and remover all from the same brand. They are made to work together. If I’m getting a pedicure at a salon, I just bring my own polishes and remover with me!

Nail Polish

Winter color: Sarang-deep red.
Summer colors: Bodega-coral and 5 Senses-raspberry pink.
Dark color: My Two Jeffs-navy.

French Colors

Perfect for a French mani or pedi: Ms. Martin and So Fresh So Clean or MacKenna.

Essentials Bundle

Includes base coat, top coat and color remover, which is 100% natural and plant-based, made with soy and argan oil.

Complete Mani System

Clean ingredients, lots of color options and top performance, all in a complete set. Get 20% off your first order with my link.

Complete Pedi System

Everything you need for an easy, fun at-home pedicure. Get 20% off your first order with my link.

The K.I.T.

Includes top coat, cuticle serum, and nail file. The serum hydrates without messy oil and the nail files are seriously the best.

Toothpaste

Coming soon…