Low Tox Living: It's a Journey, Not a Race

Posted by Your Home Naturally

Let’s be honest, I didn't wake up one day and throw everything out. No dramatic cupboard cleanout, no overnight transformation. My low tox journey has been exactly that — a journey. Slow, intentional, and honestly, one of the most rewarding things I've ever done for my family and our home.

It started with a creeping awareness. Reading labels. Noticing ingredient lists I couldn't pronounce. Wondering what exactly was in the products I'd been using for years without question. And then, gradually, asking myself: does it have to be this way?

The answer, it turns out, is no.‍ ‍

What I Actually Look For

Over time, I've developed my own simple checklist, three things I look for before I bring any new product into our home:

1. Ingredients: I want ingredients that are as natural as possible, and crucially, a list I can actually understand. My personal rule? Five ingredients or fewer. If I can't picture what it is or where it came from, it doesn't belong in my home.

2. Sustainability: Is the packaging returnable, refillable, or reusable? I'm not interested in swapping one type of waste for another. The packaging matters just as much as what's inside it.

3. Affordability: I'll be upfront: natural products can sometimes cost a little more and I'm okay with that. I'm willing to pay a little more for something that is genuinely better for my health and better for the environment. That's a trade-off I feel good about every single time.

These three principles have become my compass. They've made shopping simpler, clearer, and a whole lot more intentional.

Small Swaps, Big Impact

The beauty of low tox living is that you don't have to do it all at once. In fact, I'd encourage you not to. When a product runs out, that's your invitation, your natural moment to ask: what's a better option here? One swap at a time, your home begins to change. Your bathroom, your laundry, your kitchen. It happens quietly, steadily, and before long, you look around and realise how far you've come.

And here's the part that has brought me the most joy along the way: supporting local, small New Zealand businesses. When I choose a small, independent maker over a supermarket shelf, I know exactly who made it and why. I know it was crafted with care, with intention, and with ingredients chosen for a reason. That connection matters to me.

Here are three small NZ businesses I love and trust on my own low tox journey:

🌿 Hekseri Aromatherapy — Skin & Wellness

If you're looking to simplify your skincare routine without sacrificing results, Hekseri Aromatherapy is a beautiful place to start. Rooted in nature and crafted with intention, Jenna offers multifunctional skincare and wellness products, from face oils and hydrating mists to herbal teas and essential oil blends, all made right here in New Zealand. What I love most is their philosophy: self-care should care for the Earth too. Their packaging is sustainable, reusable, and refillable, and they even offer a packaging return programme so nothing goes to waste. Clean, honest, affordable, and genuinely beautiful products.

💆 Found Magic Herbal Haircare — Hair & Scalp

Your shampoo is one of the simplest swaps you can make and Found Magic Herbal Haircare, created by Nina Radich in Stratford, Taranaki, makes that swap an absolute pleasure. Nina developed her herbal haircare range out of frustration with conventional products that irritated her scalp and weighed down her curls — so she turned to the herbs growing right outside her door. The result is a range of clean, curl-friendly shampoos, conditioners, scalp remedies, detanglers, and leave-in treatments that are free from harmful or controversial ingredients. The reviews speak for themselves — customers with psoriasis, frizzy hair, and sensitive scalps are raving. Good haircare is self-care, and Found Magic makes that self-care feel truly magical.

🥚 Egg Obsession — Local Food

Low tox living extends beyond the cleaning cupboard and the bathroom, it reaches into your kitchen too. Knowing where your food comes from, choosing local over industrial, and supporting your community are all part of the bigger picture. Egg Obsession is a wonderful local egg supplier doing exactly that — providing fresh, quality eggs from a small, local producer. Swapping out supermarket eggs for locally sourced ones is a small change that supports real people, real farms, and a food system worth believing in. You can find them at Taranaki The Farmers Market every Sunday or contact Caitlin through the Facebook page.

Where to Begin

If you're just starting out, here's my simple advice: don't overwhelm yourself. Pick one thing. Maybe it's your Dishwasher Powder. Maybe it's your all purpose cleaner. Maybe it's your shampoo. Make one swap, live with it, love it and then make another.

That's how real change happens. Not in a single day, but one small, considered choice at a time.

Here at Your Home Naturally, that's exactly what we're here to support. Our range of natural cleaning products, from washing powder and dishwasher powder to our bestselling Natural Cleaning Paste — are designed to make those first swaps easy, effective, and affordable.

Because a low tox home isn't a destination. It's a way of living and you're already on your way.

Michelle B.

Your Home Naturally

Shop our Sustainable Home & Living range: www.yourhomenaturally.co.nz