Four questions I ask before buying anything labeled non-toxic
Some of you have asked why I get so granular with my research, what to look for, how I know what's BS, and what's actually worth buying. Here's the context, then a framework you can start using ASAP.
Spent my late teens-early 20s in retail, then 8 years on Wall Street as a credit trader and analyst, then was diagnosed with stage 3B cancer in my late-20s. After treatment everything changed - I started reading every single label on every single product in my house. I realized that most of what gets sold as “non-toxic” or “clean” is just better marketing. I used what I learned in retail + how I researched trades for our billion dollar portfolios and applied that to consumer products. What companies do… It’s not pretty.
4 questions I ask myself before I spend money on anything:
- Does the brand publish a full ingredient list, in order, with CAS #s when possible? If the ingredient list isn’t clearly on the product page and you have to dig thru marketing noise to find it, that IS the answer. Real ingredient lists from reputable companies live on the product page, not buried in a “science” tab. If a brand makes you work to figure out what’s in their product, they don’t want you to know.
- Is it Third-Party certified? If so, does it cover the finished product or just one ingredient/input? This. This is one of the biggest greenwashing tricks. I see it time and time again in brands I still have in my home because they tricked me. “Made with organic cotton,” “CertiPUR-US,” “natural fragrances.” None of that means the finished product is nontoxic. CertiPUR-US tests raw foam, not your mattress with its adhesives, fire barriers, and dyes. "Made with organic cotton" can legally mean 5% organic. OEKO-TEX on the cover doesn't certify what’s underneath. Look for GOTS, GOLS, MADE SAFE, EWG Verified, GREENGUARD Gold. Those test what you're actually buying. Ingredient/input-level certs are a part of the marketing playbook.
- Is there actual science and studies behind the product or is the brand making claims under the guise of “science.” Brands love to link to real peer-reviewed research that has nothing to do with what they're selling. A study showing zeolite removes microplastics from wastewater treatment plants is not evidence that the same zeolite removes microplastics from your laundry. A study showing essential oils have antimicrobial properties in a petri dish is not evidence your "antimicrobial" candle does anything. Hypothesis is not evidence. Minimum Viable Product is not tested.
- Who actually owns the brand? Tom's of Maine is Colgate. Burt's Bees is Clorox. Seventh Generation is Unilever. Native is P&G. Mrs. Meyer's and Method are SC Johnson. Parent company doesn't automatically disqualify a product, but it tells you who controls the formulation, the supply chain, and the manufacturing. The "clean" sub-brand often shares all three with the conventional line on the next aisle.
Remember what marketing exists to do. It's designed to make you spend money. It's not designed to help you buy the right thing.
I'm absolutely without a doubt going to keep showing up in the comments here. Genuinely care about this stuff and I learn from you all too. And the kind words are what help me keep going, I'm serious, I appreciate you all so much.
*ETA* Also, my Vetted Product Recommendations page is completely free to browse and has the specific products I've researched and recommend, with affiliate links if you want to support since what I do is free :) - VETTED PRODUCT RECOMMENDATIONS
If you want my analysis applied to your full house instead of digging through Google for hours, I put together a 16-page non-toxic starter kit. 21 swaps to make, $19, code SURVIVOR50 takes it to 50% off for the first 100 people who use it. NON-TOXIC STARTER KIT LINK IS HERE. The comments will keep being free either way.