self-care products
Don’t sleep on your health! To contrast the rest of this site, don’t be shy dropping money on your health, regardless of the pricetag. You can't participate in any of the fun listed on this site if your mind and body is suffering. This one area is non-negotiable - you can’t afford to skimp out!
There are many savvy and simple ways to cater to your health. My no-frills guide to responsible brands, products and solutions at affordable options is below.
It is SO IMPORTANT to stay hydrated. If you’re unsure of the appropriate amount of water to drink a day, a reference point is to divide your body weight in pounds by 2; that number is the minimum amount of ounces of water you should be drinking per day.
Maybe once or twice a year Whole Foods has a 25% off sale on Hydroflasks which is the best time to buy (most recent sale was 4/4-10, 2018). Hydroflasks (or any reusable BPA-free water bottle) are a necessary travel companion. It’ll save you significant amounts of money on water bottle purchases, especially at the airport where a bottle of water can easily be $5.
The ultimate brand for tumblers. For all my coffee/tea people out there, Yeti is for you. It keeps the cold drinks cold and the hot drinks hot for extended periods of time and fits most cup holders. Yeti tumblers are also the perfect width that makes it easy to hand wash the inside of the tumbler. (Yeti also has an awesome line of coolers).
Free shipping on orders over $19.99. Cheaper to buy directly with the company than through Amazon.
skin hydration
Your new mantra: Omit the Shit.
A great rule of thumb for me when justifying paying a bit more for better products is to remember that anything absorbed into the skin is the fastest way into the bloodstream (even faster than anything ingested orally). Anything you wouldn’t put in your mouth you shouldn’t put on your skin. So unless you want carcinogenic chemicals in your mouth, then stay far, far away from things on the Prop 65 list.
There’s a ton of harmful chemicals in “all-natural” labeled products, it’s very misleading. Anytime you see mineral oil (also labelled “glycerin - alarmingly the primary ingredient in Johnson & Johnson’s), tallow, cocamidoprohyl, etc. just know that you are smearing straight carcinogenic chemicals or dead roadkill (tallow) on to your skin. Obviously you can’t avoid every chemical, but eliminate when you can and where it’s most pocket-friendly.
Here’s the Prop 65 Chemical List to reference.
Reasonably priced ($12.81 for an 8 oz) , cheapest on Amazon
Highlights: paraben and phthlate free, vegan, cruelty free, with zinc and candelua, non-greasy
An expensive (but worth it) brand of lotion at Whole Foods (around $40) that will periodically go on sale for at least $10 off!! (OR the coconut scent, my personal favorite, retails for around $32 on Amazon Prime).
Highlights: The cleanest lotion I’ve seen - no fillers, preservatives or chemicals. Ingredients list is minimal and it comes in a glass container. The bottle should last you from one sale to the next, if you use lotion sparingly and don’t get over-zealous.Baby G Luscious Lotion, responsible ingredients. $16.99 for 9 oz through their direct site. Great brand for deodorant too.
Highlights: paraben and gluten free, vegan, tested on people, good ingredients list, 80% organic.
Once again, the rule of thumb for lotion and all beauty and cleaning products is that the ingredients list should be as small and recognizable as possible. Once you see a long word that you can’t pronounce, chances are it’s bad for you.
For skin hydration (and for my bouts with eczema on my eyes and neck), Mono’i oil from Tahiti has been a saving grace. Mono’i oil mixes coconut oil and Tahitian gardenia (tiare) in a light concoction. It’s not as thick as conventional coconut oil. Hydration issues should also be solved internally, but during the winter when it’s extra dry, rubbing lotion or oil topically on your skin before bed helps. A little dollop goes a long way. I apply right after my shower at night.Another note about oil - most hydrating products that you see anywhere will tout ingredients like coconut oil or mono’i oil as one of its star ingredients. What’s really happening here is that you’re paying way too much for a small amount of coconut oil + a whole bunch of chemicals and fillers and marketing. Cut out the BS and go straight for the oil itself, the ingredient that makes that product effective in the first place.
Highlights: minimal and natural ingredients with eucalyptus oil, corn and sugar ethanol, cellulose and water as its base. It’s cheapest to order directly through their website, $26.41 for a 6-pack of 2 oz bottles, with free shipping over $25!
Too many hand sanitizers do more harm than good by including antibiotic ingredients that lower your body’s ability to fight off harmful bacteria. It’s best to turn to a more natural solution.
Rubbing Alcohol
One of the cheapest ways to sanitize is with rubbing alcohol. I’ll buy a bottle from the 99 cent store, a travel-size spray bottle from Bed Bath & Beyond and carry it in my car for any time I have to disinfect (like my hands after I pump gas). Because alcohol can be a bit drying, use only in reasonable amounts.
3-Ingredient Soap Bar: olive oil, water and salt. This goes on sale seasonally at Whole Foods or can be purchased on Amazon Prime. The cleanest shampoo and conditioner brand I’ve seen that includes a lot of enriching ingredients like hibiscus, shikakai, sea kelp and coconut milk.
*email me if to receive 10% off your purchase of Bogavia.
I’m still on the hunt for other affordable and non-toxic shampoo and conditioner options that fit the wellness standard. If you’ve found one, message me HERE!
body care & hygiene
Most frequently I use magnesium oil on my armpits as it acts as a natural deodorant. Your body may need a couple of weeks to get used to it (it can be itchy on the skin). Warning: applying magnesium oil can burn the day after you shave, so proceed with caution.
I alternate between using magnesium oil and this. All it is natural mineral salts going straight on your armpits which your body will like and appreciate way more than the aluminum in conventional brands. On Amazon Prime it’s listed as an add-on item for $3!
A buzzy deodorant brand that you may have heard of is Primal Pit. The ingredients list is very strict and minimal. $11/tube. (Primal Pit Ingredients: Shea butter, coconut oil, non-aluminum baking soda, beeswax, arrowroot powder)
Another brand very similar to Primal Pit. This brand also has a very strict and minimal ingredient list and is even cheaper that Primal Pit! $8/tube. (Green Tidings Ingredients:
Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, Organic Shea Butter (Unrefined, Fair Trade), Magnesium Oil, Manuhot Esculenta (Tapioca) Starch, Aluminum-Free Baking Soda (sodium bicarbonate), Wildcrafted Candelilla Wax (Euphorbia Cerifera). 100% pure lavender essential oil added in lavender scent version ONLY)oral care
This has been my favorite natural toothpaste brand so far. (Kiss My Face and Tom’s actually have really bad ingredients in their toothpaste that doesn’t justify the price). A tube can be as cheap as $2.66 for a 6 oz tube on Jet.com (Purchase a lot if you’ve ever seen it around this price - I’ve only seen it this price once and regret not buying more at the time). Natural toothpastes are better because most do not contain fluoride. (Fluoride excess can lead to liver and gastro problems). Eliminate fluoride as much as possible (in drinking water, toothpaste, certain medication, teflon pans). Switching to a natural toothpaste even helps if you suffer from things like chin acne. After I switched to Nature’s Gate, I haven’t been getting as much chin acne.Buy HERE.
It also may be worthwhile to do a big haul at one time and buy a 6 tube pack on Amazon. 6 6 oz tubes for $20.19 comes out to $3.37 per tube which won’t necessarily break the bank.
Corroding your mouth are the everyday brands - Listerine, Crest, Colgate that contain nasty ingredients like alcohol, chlorine dioxide, fluoride, harmful dyes, glycerin, cocamidopropyl betaine, parabens, sorbitol and anything you can’t pronounce (to name a few). Most of the better brand options out there aren’t completely free of harmful ingredients, but will include a lot less of them.
I've seen it be $14.24 for 2 16 oz bottles ($0.45.oz) on Amazon
Pack of 3 16.9 oz for $23.99 ($0.47/oz) on AmazonDIY Mouthwash
Alternatively, you can really save by making your own mouthwash with mason jars and only 4 ingredients.
, ½ cup filtered or distilled water (make sure to use a very pure source of water), 2 tsp Arm & Hammer Baking Soda
, 2 drops Tea Tree 100% Pure, Therapeutic Grade Essential Oil
, 2 drops Peppermint (PREMIUM Pharmaceutical Grade) - 100% Pure Essential Oil 
. Teeth Whitening
Screw Crest whitestrips and any conventional teeth whitening counterpart for selling you harsh bleaching agents that are just going to erode your enamel. Opt instead to use coconut oil to oil pull 20 minutes a day for whiter teeth. One small spoonful of coconut oil swished around in your mouth (then spit out and not swallowed) will do wonders for your overall oral health and white teeth, if done consistently. There are many Ayurvedic articles that can detail the benefits much better than I.
Make-up
Tarte, Physician’s Formula, Burt’s Bees are just some of the few recognizable brands that disappointingly do not live up to their all-natural, organic, eco-friendly and other marketing ploys. If you turn the labels around and read the ingredients list, these brands include a lot of the same toxic chemicals as their cheaper, drugstore counterparts that don’t even market as “natural”.
Hands down the best on the market, but certainly not the cheapest ($13.59 for a 2.9 oz tube). Zinc is the dominant base of Badger sunscreen and there are no added preservatives or fillers. Everything on the small ingredients list is easily pronounceable.
The overall best make-up brand with bang for your buck, hands down. I’m really liking this brand as far as ingredients and affordability. Found on Amazon. 
Hands down the best on the market, but certainly not the cheapest ($13.59 for a 2.9 oz tube). Zinc is the dominant base of Badger sunscreen and there are no added preservatives or fillers. Everything on the small ingredients list is easily pronounceable.
Highlights: vegan, paraben/phalate/titanium dioxide free, with no animal testing are some of the highlights of this sunscreen (and brand in general). It’s still non-ideal ingredients like alcohol, glycerin and xanthan gum, but overall a safer option and cheaper as well (usually $9.99 for a 4 oz tube).SUNSCREEN
Product links on this page do contain Affiliate links. My main goal here isn't to monetize, but rather to list quality items at very affordable pricing that are backed by fantastic & quantitative reviews as well my own personal experience with the products. I only suggest things I know and like! If you do happen to hit the links and purchase, you are contributing to my education in the health and nutrition sector, for which I am endlessesly grateful!