The Essentials We Won’t Summer Without
The summer brings a nice change of pace for most people. The long days are a great excuse for being outside, soaking up some vitamin D, having fun and recharging. All that time outdoors comes with a few things to keep in mind, like protecting your skin from the sun and bugs, staying hydrated, and making sure your go-to products can actually handle the heat.
We’re rounding up the low-tox summer essentials we reach for again and again.
Sunscreen is so important in the summer. Our skin is our biggest organ, and sunscreen is one of the simplest ways to keep it healthy and protected. Chemical sunscreens are absorbed into the bloodstream, which is why we stick to mineral formulas instead.
What to look for:
Short ingredient list.
Fragrance-free.
Mineral-only (non-nano zinc oxide).
No oxybenzone, octinoxate, or other chemical UV filters.
Our picks:
Beauty by Earth and Crunchi for everyday wear,
Earth Mama for a family-friendly option.
Mosquito and tick bites are more than annoying, they can carry diseases (Lyme disease, West Nile Virus, etc.).
What to look for:
Pick a bug repellent based on where you live and risk level. If you live in an area with a high risk for tick-borne or mosquito-borne disease, repellents with picaridin work well.
Otherwise, natural bug repellents made with organic essential oils are the best alternative to DEET-based repellents.
Local and state health departments typically report on high-risk areas.
Our picks:
Kosmatology Bug Repellent Balm for everyday use,
Sawyer 20% Picaridin for high-exposure areas.
Staying hydrated is at the top of all our minds this summer, but how you store your water matters too. Not all water bottles are cut out for the heat. If left sitting out, plastic bottles can leach BPA or microplastics into your water.
What to look for:
Stainless steel or glass water bottles.
The bonus here is that they also keep your drink cool for longer.
Our pick:
Klean Kanteen for stainless steel and Lifefactory for glass water bottles.
Towels bake in the sun longer than almost anything else you own. Polyester and moisture-wicking synthetic towels shed microplastic fibers over time, especially with repeated washing, and those fibers can remain trapped on the fabric surface. Combined with heat and moisture, including sweat, that’s more than we want sitting against our skin.
What to look for:
Organic cotton towels that absorb well, don’t shed microplastics and hold up in the heat all day.
Our pick:
Delilah Home 100% organic cotton beach towels.
Natural fibers keep you cool and reduce exposure to synthetic chemicals. Washing and drying causes synthetic fabrics to shed microplastics, and research suggests everyday wear and friction can release fibers too, so choosing natural fibers cuts that exposure at the source.
What to look for:
Organic cotton.
Linen.
Hemp.
These materials are breathable and don’t shed microplastics.
Our picks:
Mate The Label, Pact, Q for Quinn, and Menique for basics.
Míe or Happy Earth Apparel for statement pieces.
Staying low-tox gets harder when you’re on the go, travel-size and on-the-road options for clean products are limited compared to what’s available at home. We do our best not to stress about using the random soap in the public restroom or the lotion at the hotel, but we understand wanting to bring curated alternatives.
What to look for:
Travel-sized reusable bottles you can refill with your favorite low-tox hand soap, sunscreen or bug spray, or pre-made travel options from trusted brands.
Our picks:
Earth Mama and Kosmatology for grab-and-go toiletry travel sets.
Maybe you forgot to reapply sunscreen, forgot your hat, or had so much fun you lost track of time, it happens! A good after-care lotion or balm can make all the difference in giving you some sunburn relief.
What to look for:
Pure aloe vera or after-sun lotion with no added synthetic fragrance or fillers.
Our hack:
Make your own aloe vera gel by purchasing an aloe vera plant or leaves at your local grocery store.
Slice the leaf open lengthwise and spoon the gel out into a container.
Mix with coconut oil and a few drops of essential oil, like lavender or peppermint (optional).
Pour the mixture into ice cube trays and freeze for soothing, ready-to-use relief all summer long.
Water infused with fruit always reminds us of summer. Staying hydrated is easier when your water tastes extra refreshing. Infusing it with fresh fruit is also a simple way to skip artificial flavoring or sugary drink mixes altogether.
What to look for:
A stainless steel or glass pitcher that infuses your water. These materials won’t leach into your water the way plastic can.
Our pick:
AquaTru infuser glass carafe with a stainless steel strainer. Our favorite mojito inspired recipe has cucumbers, limes and fresh mint.
Sources
https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03582215
