I’m excited to share with you my review of Ava Anderson Non Toxic products! I’m always on a mission to continue to find and use the best products I can that not only are free of endocrine disrupting chemicals, but that also WORK. For example, I hate cleaning. I want to use a product that does the job the first time so I don’t have to do it again!
By now I’m sure you have heard me talk about the Environmental Working Group’s Cosmetics Database. It’s this magical website where you can go to look up individual products, ingredients, etc. and see exactly how safe or unsafe they are for you to use. It’s like a bible to me (they have an app too). I remember when I first found that site, I spent hours looking up every product I used in my daily routine to see how it ranked on their site (they use a 0-10 rating, zero being non-toxic and 10 being highly toxic). I read up on all of the detailed information about the chemicals, and quickly was terrified about nearly every product I had been using for years. I then looked up alternatives lower on the scale, and made a very pricey trip to Whole Foods and order on Amazon.com 🙂
“Think that the everyday cleaning products you use to clean your home,
groom yourself, and store and serve food are hazard-free? Think again.”
One of the things I was most surprised and disgusted with were all of the misleading product labels. There were – and still are – labeling lies everywhere. So many of us have fallen prey to green-washing! We see words like “natural” or “green” or “pure” or see a pretty green leaf on the package, but in reality there are no regulations on those terms. It’s SO important to read the ingredients on the products you use to know what you’re putting on your body or coming into contact with.
At first glance, Ava Anderson products fit my ingredients criteria. Not only are the products made from non-toxic and safe ingredients, but the story behind the brand is so interesting.
Who is Ava Anderson?
Ava is a passionate, smart, driven, young woman who, after learning about chemical toxicity in the products she had been using went out to try and find safer alternatives. This turned out to be a lot harder and more frustrating than she thought. After not being able to find anything that met her needs, Ava decided to create her own product line (at the age of 14!) to provide an option to people who are tired of second-guessing their “green” products – that are often anything but! Her products include personal care and home cleaning products.
I was lucky enough to get a box of Ava products from my friend Dena to try, and wanted to share my thoughts on them here!
AvaSmile Toothpaste
The very first thing I tried was the toothpaste. It’s made with no harmful chemicals, artificial preservatives, sweeteners, coloring or harsh abrasives…and most importantly to me: no fluoride or carrageenan!
Ingredients: Organic aloe vera, Leaf juice, Calcium carbonate, Organic vegetable glycerin, Xanthan gum, Organic bamboo powder, Aluminum free baking soda, Radish root ferment extract, Organic calendula extract, Organic echinacea extract, Organic goldenseal extract, Organic peppermint, Organic spearmint, Organic cinnamon leaf, Organic clove flower
I was happy with the toothpaste, but not super thrilled. It definitely left my teeth feeling clean, but as a personal preference I like walking away with a minty-fresh feeling in my mouth. I didn’t get that with this toothpaste, but would absolutely keep using it despite that because of the awesome ingredients – and that it did clean my teeth like it was supposed to!
AvaHome All Purpose Cleaner
I tried the all purpose cleaner next, since I use this type of product every day to keep the kitchen from looking like a disaster. It is made with natural plant based ingredients and essential oils to give you streak free glass and sparkly clean hard surfaces. You can use it on all surfaces including glass, granite, marble, wood & stainless steel.
Ingredients: Filtered water, Coconut oil, Glucoside (sugar from non-GMO US corn), Fatty acids from plants, Citric acid, Vinegar and a signature Ava essential oil blend of spearmint, lavender & neem.
I really liked this product, I thought it did just as good of a job as the cleaner I was using before (also a “green” product, but these ingredients are even better). It really left my mirrors and glass door streak free, and was able to get up the hardened food left on the counter hours later – with a little elbow grease.
AvaHome Bathroom Cleaner
Dirty bathrooms are a big pet peeve of mine, so we’re cleaning them constantly. A good bathroom cleaner is key for me. This product is also made with natural plant based ingredients and pure essential oils and promised to leave all hard surfaces and bathroom shiny and truly clean. You can use it on all surfaces including granite, marble, tile & tabletops, toilet, tub & shower. I tested it on a few of those!
Ingredients: Filtered water, Coconut oil, Glucoside (sugar from non-GMO US corn), Fatty acids from plants, Enzymes (protease, lipase, amylase, cellulase & urease), Citric acid, and a signature Ava essential oil blend of spearmint, lavender & neem.
I also really liked this product a lot. It was great for scrubbing tough soap scum stains in the shower and getting the toilets looking sparkling clean. Through some trial and error, I found it worked best if I sprayed it on and let it sit 15-30 seconds before wiping it off.
AvaHome Laundry Detergent Pods
I’m always trying new laundry detergents that can stand up to my post-workout gym clothes. These pods are fragrance free and promise to be highly effective and thoroughly clean, remove stains and soften clothes. They are formulated for standard and HE washing machines, safe for all septic systems and are pet-friendly.
Ingredients: Sodium carbonate, Soda ash, Organic enzyme blend, Sodium citrate, Silica
Pod film (“corn based” film that dissolves in water in like 3 seconds) is biodegradable and begins to dissolve the moment it touches water so be sure to have dry hands. It needs water to dissolve. If you over-stuff your washer and the pod gets caught between clothes and doesn’t get any water, it will not dissolve. Yes I learned that the hard way. Once I figured out how to work with them (I’ve always been a liquid detergent kind of girl) they did work pretty well. I did though still notice a slight stench on my clothes, but it did better than other brands I’ve tried!
AvaHome Dishwasher Pods
I saved the best for last. I’ve been in a battle with my dishwasher for years. It constantly leaves some of the dishes I put into it even dirtier after the wash cycle than before. This product is biodegradable, fragrance free and also promises to be highly effective by leaving all glass, dishes, pots and pans sparkling clean. It’s made with naturally-derived ingredients, non toxic minerals and organic enzymes.
Ingredients: Soda ash, Sodium sulfate, Sodium citrate, Sodium carbonate, Silica, Organic enzyme blend, Sodium iminodiscuccinate
I LOVED this product! It absolutely delivered on it’s promise! It perfectly cleans every last dish and glass in my dishwasher every time. You have to buy this product!!
(FYI The company name changed to PUREhaven essentials).
Remember: the skin is the largest organ of the body, treat it well.
Here is an awesome video with Ava Anderson on TEDx Talk:
Toxic Baggage: Ava Anderson
Ava discovered, at the age of 14, the issue of chemicals in personal care products and their hazardous health effects. The more Ava researched, the more concerned she became. The market is flooded with “organic”, “natural”, “safe” and “pure”, yet there were almost always toxic ingredients included as well. She had become truly disturbed at how consumers were unaware of the risks of common brands and how those who thought they were making safe choices often did not know what was really in the products they were purchasing. Ava’s personal care company was launched in December 2009.
