From my mom's not-so-fragrant early swaps to the low-tox favorites that actually work (and smell amazing): holiday hosting, fragrance-free picks for sensitive skin, bamboo everything and non-toxic gifts for everyone on your list!
Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Grove Collaborative. I do use affiliate links in this blog meaning that if you purchase anything through my affiliate links I receive commission at no additional cost to you! I only recommend products that I have heavily researched, tested and loved, and/or used for several years.
My Mom Was Low-Tox Before Low-Tox Became Trendy
I grew up in a low-tox house before "low-tox" was even a thing! My mom swapped all of our products for the Japanese non-toxic versions one by one. This was in the early days where these products did not smell good, were not as effective, and were triple the price.
But she had her reasons. Eczema and allergies run in our family, so what touched our skin and what we breathed in really mattered. Fragrance-free and sensitive-skin options weren't a trend in our house; they were a must.
Fast forward to now, and I'm honestly amazed at how far low-tox products have come! They smell amazing (or like nothing at all, when that's what you need) and they actually work, which my Virgo-detective, label-reading heart appreciates more than anything. Nowhere does that matter more than the holidays: big meals mean mountains of dishes, guests mean a freshly stocked bathroom, and the busiest weeks of the year mean someone always gets run down. Grove is the one-stop-shop for every low-tox swaps and holiday gifts in one place, so here's what's getting me through the season <3
What Low-Tox Actually Means at Grove
Here's the part that won me over: Grove bans over 2,000 ingredients from what it sells and tests every product for performance. Translation? I don't have to investigate every label in the aisle (as much as I love a good investigation), and I don't have to settle for something that doesn't work!
Here's what those ingredient standards look like in real life:
Ingredients linked to hormone disruption, like phthalates, parabens and PFAS, are out.
Common skin irritants and allergy triggers, like formaldehyde donors and certain preservatives, are out. This is the big one for my eczema-prone family!
Harsh fumes, like ammonia, chlorine and aromatic solvents in cleaners, are out, which I love when the house is full of people.
The bar is set high. Grove models its standards on European chemical safety rules, which are stricter than U.S. law in many categories.
The performance part matters just as much to me. My mom's generation of non-toxic products asked you to trade results for peace of mind. Now my Seventh Generation dish soap cuts through grease and dried-on food without being rough on my hands, so I'm not choosing between clean dishes and cleaner ingredients.
I'm not here to tell you to throw out everything under your sink (no judgment here!). I just love having one place where the swaps are already vetted :)
My Low-Tox Holiday Swaps for Cleaning and Hosting
These four Seventh Generation swaps are doing the heavy lifting at my apartment this season, and they are all available on Grove! Bonus for my sensitive-skin family: Seventh Generation makes Free & Clear versions of a lot of its products.
Dish soap for big holiday meals
Seventh Generation Liquid Dish Soap cuts through grease and dried-on food without wrecking your hands, and it's dye-free, phosphate-free and triclosan-free. The scented versions use fragrance from 100% essential oils (never synthetic), and there's a Free & Clear option for anyone sensitive (hi, my entire family!).
Dishwasher pods for the post-party pileup
Seventh Generation Dishwasher Detergent Packs have an enzyme-rich formula that's tough on crusted food and dried-on sauces, which is exactly what my holiday dishes look like by the end of the night. They're also chlorine-free and phosphate-free.
Laundry detergent for guest sheets and towels
Seventh Generation Free & Clear Liquid Laundry Detergent is made for sensitive skin, with no dyes, artificial brighteners or fragrances. It works in HE and standard machines and in any water temperature. With eczema in the family, fragrance-free laundry is non-negotiable for me, especially for anything a guest is sleeping on!
Multi-surface disinfectant before guests arrive
Seventh Generation Multi-Surface Disinfectant Cleaning Spray uses a disinfecting technology based on an essential oil, and according to its label it kills 99.99% of household germs on hard, nonporous surfaces, including the common cold virus and flu A. In party season, that's my counters, doorknobs and every surface someone sets a Riedel wine glass on :)
Eco-Friendly Swaps That Actually Work (Hello, Bamboo Paper Towels!)
I love an environmentally friendly swap, but only when it actually works (sorry, paper straws). Bamboo straws were my first eco obsession, and now they make bamboo paper towels too, which I never thought I'd get this excited about!
Grove Co. 2-Ply Bamboo Paper Towels: made from FSC-certified bamboo, a fast-growing, renewable resource. Each roll has 140 Select-A-Size sheets and comes wrapped in recyclable cardboard instead of plastic. They're made without PFAS, BPA, pesticides or chlorine bleach, with no added dyes, inks or fragrances.
Grove Co. Tree-Free Bamboo Paper Napkins: for the holiday table (and every leftover lunch after it).
Repurpose Disposable Bamboo Straws: 50 compostable PHA bamboo straws, 100% plastic-free, for holiday cocktails when you're hosting a crowd.
Non-Toxic Gifts and Stocking Stuffers From Grove
Low-tox gifts are my favorite kind: useful, luxurious, and easy on the people I love most. Prices were checked Nov. 12.
OSEA: the gift I gave everyone at my remission party
Big personal news: I recently celebrated my solar urticaria remission! (Solar urticaria is a rare sun allergy that causes hives, so yes, my ultra-rare skin deserved its own party.) My goodie bags included OSEA products, the seaweed-powered body care brand I love, and you can shop it on Grove:
OSEA Golden Glow Body Oil & Balm Duo Gift Set ($28): a limited-edition mini duo of the iconic Undaria Algae Body Oil and the Anti-Aging Body Balm, and the perfect stocking stuffer.
OSEA Undaria Algae Body Oil ($20 travel size, $52 full size): the seaweed-infused body oil that started my obsession, rich but never greasy.
OSEA Undaria Algae Body Butter (from $26): whipped shea butter, ceramides and seaweed for dry winter skin.
OSEA Undaria Algae Body Wash ($32): a pH-balanced, seaweed-boosted wash with aloe and glycerin, in that same dreamy body oil scent.
Low-Tox Wellness for the Busiest Weeks of the Year
Navitas superfoods, my Seattle smoothie-era staple
I've loved Navitas Organics since my Seattle days, when I was making 20-ingredient smoothies to poorly simulate Erewhon smoothies in LA (no exaggeration!). Their goji berries are still my favorite: amazing to snack on straight from the bag or sprinkled over chia and yogurt bowls, and I love them for the skin benefits too.
Navitas Organics Organic Dried Goji Berries ($14.99): chewy, sweet-savory and high in antioxidants
Navitas Organics Cacao Powder ($14.99): perfect for holiday baking, smoothies, and hot cocoa!
My wedding-season survival kit
This past fall was a jam-packed wedding season, and I definitely needed both of these to get through it:
Beekeeper's Naturals B.Immune Propolis Throat Spray ($15.99): my go-to the second I feel like I'm coming down with a cold
Ultima Replenisher Electrolyte Powder Mix Variety Pack ($20.99): sugar-free electrolytes sweetened with organic stevia, for long dance-floor nights (and the mornings after!)
Low-Tox Holiday FAQ
Is Grove Collaborative non-toxic? Grove bans over 2,000 ingredients, including phthalates, parabens, PFAS, formaldehyde donors, ammonia and chlorine, and models its standards on European chemical safety rules. I call it low-tox rather than "toxin-free" because the honest goal is fewer ingredients of concern, not perfection!
What are the best fragrance-free cleaning products for sensitive skin? My go-tos at Grove are Seventh Generation's Free & Clear options, especially the Free & Clear Liquid Laundry Detergent (made for sensitive skin) and the Free & Clear Liquid Dish Soap.
Are bamboo paper towels worth it? For me, yes! Grove Co.'s 2-ply bamboo paper towels are durable and absorbent, with 140 Select-A-Size sheets per roll and plastic-free packaging, and bamboo grows back fast.
What are good non-toxic stocking stuffers? The OSEA Golden Glow Body Oil & Balm Duo and Navitas goji berries for the snackers, all under $30.
Shop My Low-Tox Holiday Swaps and Gifts
If you've been wanting to make a few swaps, the holidays are the perfect excuse, because you're already restocking and gift shopping anyway!
Shop Grove with my dedicated ShopMy edit to get every swap and gift in this post in one place.
Shopping Black Friday too? My early Black Friday deals post is updated daily, and my 300+ Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals and codes list has every brand I track.
I hope you or your lucky recipient love these as much as I do! Tell me in the comments: what's the one low-tox swap you'd never go back on? <3
