Since having Knox and Andrew, I’ve started paying more attention to ingredients and researching the safest products on the market both for myself and for the boys. There are a lot of brands and products to choose from and it can be incredibly overwhelming to sift through them all. I was excited when fellow Houstonian Estela Cockrell launched Switch2Pure, a website that curates a selection safe beauty, wellness, baby, and home cleaning products that do not sacrifice effectiveness or luxuriousness.

Switch2Pure is especially great because of the kits they create that cater towards specific needs. I’m very excited to launch our very own House of Harper kit that will help you achieve the perfect spring / summer glow using beautiful, toxin-free products. Our kit includes a sunless tanner, natural deodorant, creme highlighter stick, Vitamin C organic sheet mask, moisturizing sunscreen and primer, and an exfoliating detox cellulite bar. Be sure to check it out!

We sat down with Estela to talk about the importance of switching to clean products and what ingredients to steer clear from. If you’ve been considering a product overhaul, or if you’re already a clean beauty junkie, be sure to read Estela’s tips below and prepare to take notes!

Your inspiration for Switch2Pure came from your own health struggles and realizing others are in the same boat. Tell us a little about your journey into the clean skincare and beauty world and why you decided to give your cosmetic shelf an overhaul. How has this shift impacted your health?

EC: I experienced a multitude of mysterious symptoms and diagnoses from food allergies, autoimmune disorders, and even Lyme disease. This prompted me to take a close look at my everyday products which is when I realized that they were full of health-harming parabens, gluten and phthalates (just the tip of the toxic iceberg). I searched high and low for safer alternatives but unfortunately nothing on the market was meeting my new standard.

From that challenge, I had an epiphany: millions of people—new moms, allergy sufferers, autoimmune patients, health-conscious consumers—must be in the same label-reading rut. It could be simpler. It should be better.

Fast forward to today, after extensive research backed by a scientific team, and Switch2Pure is my solution! We offer clean skincare, beauty, wellness, and home products that are safe and also lovely to look at and use.

Going “clean” with skincare and beauty products has become a popular trend in the past few years, but it can be overwhelming to sift through products and know what to look for. Are there any key ingredients we should look for on labels — both to avoid and to say yes to?

EC: “Yes, absolutely! Well, our skin absorbs about 65% of what we put on it. That is the good and the bad stuff. Many of the mass-marketed products contain things like carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, and neurotoxins. As a refresher, carcinogens cause cancer, endocrine disruptor mimic hormones and too many hormones like estrogen causes breast cancer, and neurotoxins effect our brain and neurological system.”

Many people assume that if it’s on the market, it’s safe. We actually should follow the lead of places like Canada, EU, Australia and parts of Asia where their governmental standards are MUCH more stringent. These countries have much stricter chemical ingredients standards banning more than 1300 components that are currently permissible in the US. In the US there is no standard enforceable definition of “non-toxic” or natural either. The FDA requires companies to test their products for “safety” but they don’t require them to confirm if there are things such as endocrine disruptors, carcinogens, or neurotoxins, nor do they consider those things unsafe.

Keep a close eye out for fragrance, parabens, sunscreens with estrogen-like chemicals, sodium laurel and sodium laureth sulfate 1,4 dioxane. Coal Tar, Ethanolamines (MEA DEA TEA), Ethoxylates, Ethylene Oxide, Formaldehyde, Glycols. They just took out a formaldehyde producing ingredient from a very popular baby shampoo.

At Switch2Pure.com we have read the labels for you. So, you don’t have to. We are the trusted source for curated, yet effective products. Safer made simple and sent straight to your door! You can read more about our difference and standards here.

What are your favorite clean beauty and skincare products on the market right now?

EC: Well, I love everything we have so much. It is like asking to pick one child over another! The hottest items we have been selling for skincare and beauty would be our anti-aging crystal roller, the teeth whitening charcoal toothpaste, the cleansing oils, anti-aging tsubaki oil, the lip stains, the 5 in 1 tinted moisturizer, our hair growth oil and our self-tanner! Check them all out here!

If someone is dipping their toes into the clean product world, but not quite ready for a complete overhaul, where is a good starting point / where will you find the most significant health benefits?

EC: We recommend mascara, lipstick, toothpaste, deodorant, and body wash (IF you could only #ditchit and #switchit for 5 items). We have created kits exactly for this reason to help you choose what area you would like to target first.

Oftentimes women become more enthusiastic about “going clean” once they are pregnant or have young children. What do you think are the most important product swaps to keep in mind for both mom and baby?

Our Baby Your Baby and Mama Knows Best kits are for just this mom and baby in mind. They make great gifts for going clean! P.S. In a recent study, they sampled a baby’s umbilical cord and found nearly 300 bad acting chemicals……what you put IN AND ON your body matters!

Sometimes people worry about clean products not working as well. Do you feel like you’ve had to compromise on performance levels of certain products in exchange for toxin-free?

EC: I think people are right — most alternative/clean products have traditionally fallen flat. This was an important consideration when selecting products for Switch2Pure. We have tested for efficacy, squeaky clean ingredients and that the products are luxurious!

Switch2Pure carries anti-aging products, which is a hot topic. What are your recommended best practices / products for anti-aging? Are there any “clean” cosmetic dermatology practices like Botox, fillers, etc., or do you advise steering clear?

EC: For anti-aging, starting early (you can never start too young with a good routine), using a cleanser, toner/serum combination, and moisturizer that are right for your skin. Never missing out on spf and hats. Ditching the products that are laced with synthetics, fragrances, parabens because that all contributes to fine lines. Switching to facial oils like our Amaki anti-aging oil. Using masks like our rose and bentonite mask along with our aroma peel to exfoliate. Lots of hydration. Getting oxygen and light therapy facials. It sounds like a lot but a few minutes a day is worth its weight in gold, or youthful beauty! As for injections — I use my facial roller instead. Botox is a personal preference, and if it makes you feel great than maybe the endorphins outweigh the side of toxins. Fillers on the other hand are mostly hyaluronic acid and that is actually produced naturally in the body, so maybe I would consider that…

Crystal healing has become super trendy, and you carry Jade, Rose Quartz and Blue Soladite Facial Rollers made of different crystals (which are also beautiful!). Do you think this fad is here to stay? Have you had positive personal results from using these?

EC: Crystal healing dates back thousands of years. I think this “fad” is more like a resurgence of awesomeness! I cannot tell you how much I love my roller. I use it nightly to help penetrate my final step oil. It helps with fine lines that I have due to slightly dry and sensitive skin. Read more about how to use it here!

Obviously a clean lifestyle includes diet and what goes into your body as well. How do both diet and external products go hand in hand in leading a clean life? Do you have any special clean eating practices that you stick to?

EC: I think people have done really well about eating better, exercising, and limiting their alcohol intake. Where they have missed the mark is by not also caring as much about what they put ON their bodies. It isn’t their fault. People are used to the deodorant they have worn since 7^th grade. They are unsure of which shampoo will work. But, small daily changes make a HUGE impact. These small changes over time lead to a more radiant looking skin and overall well being.

Health, wellness, and beauty looks different on everyone as it should! But a few things to note: increase your vegan organic protein, try alkalizing greens, drink matcha for its cancer fighting properties and drink plenty of water (at least half your body weight). Have good facial and body care routines in place, reduce stress, identify any food allergies or sensitivities, exercise, and dare I say it…limit the alcohol friends (it’s a toxin too!).

 

Have you tried going clean with your beauty or home cleaning products? We would love to hear your feedback and any interesting results you’ve had in the comments below! And don’t forget to check out our new Switch2Pure kit to achieve the perfect, clean spring / summer glow!