Jennifer and I find ourselves feeling energized and optimistic as we journey into 2024. Our mission continues to inspire us to live better lives and practice greater care for ourselves and our communities, and we’d love to share ways you can make small changes for big impact...
1 CREATE A SAFE HAVEN
We started Humble Suds because we weren’t happy with the products available to us. They either didn’t meet our safety standards or weren’t effective. Home is the place we return to at the end of the day to rest, recharge and destress—our safe haven. And we needed something better. Too many conventional cleaning products have been found to be harmful to human and animal health. Did you know a recent study found that cleaning with conventional cleaners daily causes as much respiratory damage as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day for 10-20 years?
Household cleaning products are only the beginning. From mattresses to flooring, home decor and candles, there are better options available that don’t expose you or your loved ones to harmful toxins. In 2024, our goal is to help you in your journey towards a truly safe haven, sharing resources and information for better choices. And we challenge you to join us in making small changes for a big impact on your health.
2 LOVE YOUR BODY BETTER
You deserve products that love your body and there are so many safer options available today. It can be overwhelming so we recommend taking a hard look at products you use daily. Starting with deodorant, moisturizer, make up, sunscreen and bath products.
A few of our favorite health + beauty brands we love and personally use include:
Beautycounter
Little Seed Farm
Moon Valley Organics
Taspen’s Organics
Make 2024 the year you demand that the products you use enhance your health and wellbeing.
3 LOVE OUR EARTH
We love the saying: “Leave things better than when you found them,” and hope all humankind will learn to live by it in our lifetime. But for now, don’t worry that your actions as a sole consumer won’t matter. They do! It can be tricky knowing which products are truly earth-friendly given all of the greenwashing. Some great indicators for worthy products include:
- Biodegradable and marinesafe ingredients
- Transparent ingredient lists
- Recyclable and biodegradable packaging
- Cruelty-free testing and practices
You can also consider purchasing items that decrease single packaging use such as:
- Soda Stream (glass)
- Almond Cow
- Last Swab
- Stainless steel water bottle
- Beeswax paper, etc.
4 EMBRACE SIMPLICITY
We’re happy members of the less-is-more camp. Choose multipurpose products over highly specific items which take up precious space in your environment. This can lead to less cost, clutter, worry, mental burdens and more.
For example, check out EO Products’ 3-in-1 soap, which replaces 3 products in your bath. Another favorite is Taspen’s Organics’ Restore & Revive, a multipurpose salve stick/lip balm.
5 EDUCATE + EMPOWER YOURSELF
It’s obvious we love essential oils because we use them in nearly every product we create. These mighty droplets boost cleaning power, improve mood, and purify indoor air. A recent study conducted in a university dormitory found that essential oils were effective in reducing stress, improving sleep, and increasing energy in students.
We love infusing our cleaning products with high quality essential oils to bring a sense of (dare we say) JOY to the universally despised task of cleaning. We challenge you to infuse joy and find reward in unexpected places.
6 DISCOVER JOY IN THE MUNDANE
You are here because you're aware that not every product on the market is safe. We were shocked when we discovered that manufacturers of cleaning products in the US are not legally required to disclose ingredients. We started Humble Suds as a result! This is a powerful example of the importance of educating ourselves. Imagine what you can do! This coming year we will be sharing many informative articles and recommendations. And we challenge you to help educate and inform yourself and others in your life.
A few additional resources to assist you now on your journey include:
I Read Labels For You
Nontoxic Munchkin
Lowtox Living
A Little Less Toxic
EWG’s Skin Deep database for health & body product ratings
EWG’s Household Database for household product ratings
7 BE AN EXAMPLE FOR OTHERS
Sometimes the only push we need is the reassurance of seeing someone else “go first”. We all know we need to do better in caring for our earth, but we also each have our comfort zones to contend with. Whether it’s inviting a relative to a community recycling event, gifting a specially chosen product to a friend, or making a thoughtful suggestion to a neighbor, we can all find our place to begin to lead by example. And others will soon follow when they see the wonderful and outward benefits of living well.
Cheers to a joyous and well-lived 2024!
-- Holli + Jennifer XOXO
