Years ago, I started making many personal care products because I couldn’t find ones with clean ingredients that worked well. I made natural toothpaste, DIY natural shampoo and conditioner, and even soap.
As I shared these recipes, many people asked if it was possible to buy them instead of make them. These homemade versions were effective and natural, but time-consuming to make. In addition, many of the ingredients were hard to find or expensive to buy when only a small quantity was needed for a recipe.
Natural Toothpaste and Haircare… That Works!
A few years ago, I noticed a trend. Many of my friends had switched to clean products in most areas of their lives. They ate mostly organic food, used natural cleaners, and avoided harmful products…. but they still used name brand conventional haircare and toothpaste because the natural options just didn’t measure up.
I understood. I’d tried many natural products that just didn’t work as well. I’d also used many conventional products in the past that worked incredibly well but that contained toxic ingredients I didn’t want to put on my skin or my kids’ skin.
I couldn’t stop there though. From my experience in creating DIY products, I knew it was possible to create natural products that worked just as well as conventional. I became determined to tackle this problem!
Thus Wellnesse was born… the first line of clean personal care products that works as well as conventional alternatives! These products have been in the works for years, and our family is so happy to share them with yours!
What Goes ON Your Body Goes IN Your Body
You’ve likely heard that we absorb a lot of the personal care products we put in our mouth and on our skin and hair. This is often used as a reason to avoid products with harmful ingredients… and I absolutely agree with that idea.
With Wellnesse, I wanted to turn this idea on its head and take it one step further. I set out to create products that actually let good stuff in through the skin. Of course these products would be safe and only contain clean ingredients, but they also would be packed with beneficial ingredients that nourish the body from the outside in.
Introducing Wellnesse!
I set out to create products that are both highly effective and completely safe. After many, many rounds of formulation, I’m so excited to finally get to share these products with you!
At Wellnesse, we do more than just avoid the bad stuff. We focus on creating products that aren’t just safe to put on your skin, on your hair, or in your mouth, but actually benefit and nourish your body too.
With this in mind, I set out to formulate a line of human-safe, environmentally friendly products that worked as well as any conventional alternative.
I was adamant that all products would meet these criteria:
- All EWG-Safe Ingredients: Wellnesse products contain only ingredients rated as safe (1 or 2) in the EWG Skin Deep Database. All ingredients are listed on the website here so you always know exactly what you are putting on your family. (In addition, we are in the process of getting all products EWG verified as a third-party verification and hope to have this completed very soon.)
- Organic Ingredients: Whenever possible, all ingredients are organic, and we’re working towards the organic certification as well.
- Safe for Humans and the Planet: We never compromise on this. We believe it is not only possible, but essential, to create products that are safe and beneficial for both the environment and for people.
- Highly Effective: All products must work as well as conventional alternatives.
- Sustainable: Since our products are only sold online (for now), sustainability in packaging is a major priority, and we’re using the safest and most environmentally friendly options currently available.
We Are the Gatekeepers for Our Families
You may know that a lot of things are used in personal care products that aren’t tested or approved for safety… but it’s probably worse than you think…
Understanding Ingredients
It’s a common misconception that skincare ingredients must be proven safe and effective before they’re allowed on the market. But they are not, by a long shot.
In fact, there are thousands of ingredients approved for use in personal care products that have not been tested for safety at all!
Even worse, the FDA doesn’t have the authority to ban skincare ingredients that show strong evidence of being dangerous or deadly. Talcum powder is the perfect example.
Products that contain talc (a.k.a. talcum powder) include makeup and baby powder. Talcum powder is frequently contaminated with cancer-causing asbestos and recent court proceedings have found that one major company knew this for decades. Millions have already been paid in damages from lawsuits where people got cancer or died because of this. The lawsuits just keep rolling in (so far there are over 15,000 lawsuits!).
It’s obvious the item should be pulled from shelves, right? Nope. Baby powder is still being sold in stores, still being sprinkled on baby’s genitals, and still causing harm for some. The FDA and government oversight agencies usually don’t pull the plug on toxins in skin care.
This is why it’s my personal mission and a Wellnesse core value to stay on top of what’s in our products.
Greenwashing
Many companies have caught on to the fact that consumers want safe, natural products for their families. While this is driving positive change, not everything is as it seems. Since the beauty industry is largely self-regulated, skincare companies can dress up labels with natural-looking colors and terms like “vegan” and “all-natural,” while still hiding a bunch of toxins in the ingredients list.
On the Flip Side… Just Because We Can’t Pronounce It …
I always read the ingredients list on skincare products, but I have learned that just because I can’t pronounce it doesn’t mean an ingredient is necessarily bad. For example, alpha tocopherol may sound like a toxic chemical, but it’s actually the antioxidant vitamin E. Shea butter is listed as the tongue twister butyrospermum parkii on skincare labels.
When in doubt, do some research!
Wellnesse: Radical Transparency
To that end, at Wellnesse, we’re dedicated to radical transparency and honesty. We firmly believe that it is possible and essential to create products that are safe for humans and for the planet.
We believe that a well-run business can have a tremendous positive impact on the world. That’s why we run Wellnesse with an unwavering commitment to our core values in every decision we make, and in every step of our process from supply chain to final product.
Highest Quality
We never compromise on quality and choose the best options for people and planet. We source the best ingredients and packaging available.
Human Safe
We love the families who use our products and make sure that all of the ingredients we use are rated as safe by the Environmental Working Group so you can rest easy knowing your family is safe! On top of that, we combine the latest in scientific research with the best nature has to offer to add beneficial ingredients that support the body in each product.
Planet Safe
We wholeheartedly believe that products can be safe for people and the environment… and take the planet into account in every ingredient we choose and every decision we make. We want to contribute to leaving a world our children and grandchildren can be proud of, so we make decisions that last longer than we will.
Community and Family Focused
We strive to support families at every level of our business: the families of our team members, the families of our customers and the families in our local community. Cultivating a strong community is one of the most important things we can do in this life and we’re working toward this goal in our company culture and our local communities.
We give time and a percentage of profit to our local communities and to organizations that support families and the environment.
Integrity and Transparency
You never have to wonder about the safety of our products or what we put in them… because we will tell you and show you the sourcing!
Think Outside the Box
We believe that it isn’t only possible… but essential… to create products and solutions where the customer wins, the community wins, the planet wins, and the company wins. To this end, we innovate and are uncompromising in our core values.
So what do we make at Wellnesse? Well, just for starters:
Wellnesse Natural Toothpaste
Wellnesse Whitening Toothpaste is the first natural toothpaste that works like “regular toothpaste” without glycerin or fluoride. It was important to me to create a formula that naturally supports the oral microbiome and mineral balance on the teeth without those two ingredients.
Fluoride is controversial and an ingredient I am careful to avoid because of my thyroid issues. We also chose to leave out glycerin, which many natural toothpastes include as a thickener, since some research shows it can coat teeth and keep them from benefiting from minerals in saliva. For both of these ingredients, we found safer and more effective alternatives.
Instead of fluoride, our formula contains green tea leaf extract, which is loaded with antioxidants. Plus, a phytochemical in green tea is shown to fight bacteria that leads to tooth decay.
We combined this phytochemical with hydroxyapatite (a naturally-occurring mineral and main component of tooth enamel) to strengthen teeth and prevent cavities.
Of course, fresh breath is paramount to a good teeth brushing, and for that we included mint leaf extract and neem. Neem helps to prevent bacteria from sticking to teeth and turning into plaque. This protective measure means less bacteria, which leads to… fresher breath!
And of course, this toothpaste is kid-safe and kid-approved!
Wellnesse Natural Shampoo and Conditioner
The Wellnesse hair care products meet all of our criteria for quality. They work as well as “regular” shampoos and conditioners but without the sulfates, parabens, dyes, artificial fragrances, and other ingredients you wouldn’t want to put on your family.
Instead, they have:
- Keratin, quinoa, argan oil, and chamomile to infuse moisture while natural suds cleanse hair and scalp, so strands stay smooth.
- Vitamins like panthenol, a provitamin of B, replenishes and moisturizes locks.
- Herbs like lavender make hair silky, soft, and easy to manage and also encourage hair growth and thick hair.
- One ingredient you may not have heard of yet, but will grow to love (pun intended) is nettle leaf. Nettle leaves are rich in silica and sulfur, both of which are known to support regrowth and strengthen hair. Sulfur, a component of keratin (the key protein that makes up our hair), lengthens the “growing phase.” It’s also been suggested that nettle leaf can restore hair to its original color.
Sustainable Packaging
Our packaging also had to meet our strict standards for quality and sustainability. We’re constantly working to innovate in this area, but for now, we use sustainably sourced and carbon-neutral sugarcane packaging that is compostable in commercial facilities and that can also be recycled. Since we can’t use glass in the shower or with a product as thick as toothpaste, this was the most eco-friendly option available.
And, the cardboard packaging used in shipping is fully compostable, so you can use it in your own compost bin or garden!
Third Party Verification
As I said, transparency is an important core value for us. To this end, we’ve applied for and are in the process of getting:
- EWG Verified for all products, which assures that they are all human-safe and environmentally friendly.
- Certified B-Corp designation which verifies our commitment to our communities, the environment, and to creating the highest quality products while supporting family and women-owned businesses and manufacturers.
- Leaping Bunny certification for household and personal care, verifying that all products are cruelty-free and untested on animals.
Try Wellnesse Products!
Join me in using these revolutionary products with your own family! You can get all of them here. TIP: You lock in a discount if you shop a Wellnesse Essentials bundle or sign up for Subscribe and Save! I’m so grateful that you’re part of this community and hope that you’ll join me in changing the personal care industry for the better!
What’s Next?
Keep an eye out for other products coming soon!