Everyone has certain products that they can't live without. Maybe its a certain lip gloss, or maybe its a favorite cologne. Whatever your product of choice is, it's a part of your daily routine. A part of you. BUT, have you ever considered that it may be hurting the environment? Even just subtly? In light of Earth Day last week and springtime upon us, let's make a collective conscious effort to be environmentally healthy. Here's a list of environmentally offensive products, and some offered alternatives that are healthier for our Mama Earth.

Offender: Lip balms, lipstick, and lip glosses.

Alternative: Beeswax

You're lip gloss might be poppin' but it could contain harmful polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, aka chemicals, associated with causing cancer in animals (and potentially people). In addition, if your lip gloss, lip balm, or lipstick is petroleum-based, it comes from crude oil, which is not a sustainable green energy source.

All-natural beeswax lip balms are a much safer and greener alternative. These beeswax lip balms are also free of harsh alcohols which actually dry out your lip skin, and require frequent reapplication. Beeswax lip balms will hydrate your lips better, and your use of beeswax lip balm is safer for the environment. A perfect example is, of course, Burt's Bees lip balms, glosses, and sticks.

Offender: Shaving Creams with Chemicals

Alternative: Alba Botanica, Kiehls, Dr. Bronner's and DIY Shaving Cream Recipes

In some shaving creams, there are harmful chemicals. Phthalates cause hormonal imbalances, as well as insulin imbalances which can lead to obesity. Triethanolamine is harmful to skin and respiratory systems and has been proven to cause various cancers and testicle mutation in animals. Sodium lauryl sulfate also causes cell mutations that lead to cancer. Parabens found in shaving cream have been linked to breast cancer.

These are just few of the common toxic chemicals found in seemingly innocent shaving cream, but the list is endless.

Better alternatives produce shaving creams that don't have these toxic chemicals in them include Dr. Bronner's, Kiehls, and Alba Botanica. For a truly natural and organic shaving experience, there are DIY options using oils such as olive oil or cedarwood oil.

Offender: Plastic Tampon Applicators

Alternative: Cardboard Tampon Applicators

Plastic tampon applicators are more comfortable, yes. But, they're not flushable and mostly end up non-recycled. Generally, any form of plastic waste is hurting our ecological systems at surprising rates. For example, every year, 8 million metric tons of plastic end up in our oceans. It’s the equivalent to five grocery bags filled with plastic for every foot of coastline. These plastics which end up in our oceans and landfills are harmful to animals, but also to humans. Chemicals required to make plastics are easily absorbed by many things in nature and made by man which humans come into contact with. The human body then absorbs these chemicals which may alter their hormones, causing various health issues and minor mutations of genetic makeups for future generations.

Chemicals in plastics --> environment --> human body.

We're only hurting ourselves.

Cardboard applicators are flushable and biodegradable. This means that whether they end up in our water systems or in our land, they are not harmful to any form of life nor to the ecological systems. Cardboard also lacks the harmful chemicals which are present in plastics. Choose cardboard, and flush away ladies.

Offender: Aerosol Cans

Alternative: Spray Bottles

In aerosol cans there used to be a harmful little thing called a "CFC" which virtually destroyed the ozone layer. CFCs were outlawed decades ago, but aerosol cans still contain something called a "volatile organic compound", aka a VOC. These VOCs are easily emitted when an aerosol can is used because of the nature of the application process. Aerosol cans use the form of gas in application, which allows direct emission of VOCs into the air. VOCs cause ozone levels on the ground to increase, which has seriously negative consequences for those with asthma and breathing difficulties.

Manual pump spray bottles are a safer alternative, because they do not emit VOCs in the application of the hairspray. Manual pump spray bottles apply hairspray not in gas form like aerosol cans, but in liquid form.

Offender: DBP Nail Polishes

Alternative: Zoya, Piggy Paint, Suncoat

In most nail polishes, there is a toxic chemical called "dibutyl phthalate," aka "DBP." This chemical has been linked to cancer and other health issues in animals. It has also been linked to underdevelopment and health issues in newborns

Brands like Zoya, Piggy Paint, and Suncoat have taken a stand against this harsh chemical and have produced DBP-free polishes. All the same shine, without the consequences.

Offender: Sunscreen

Alternative: Organic SPF

Sunscreen film is perhaps the most widespread, yet covert environmental offender. Sunscreen is washed off the skin of swimmers worldwide, both directly in the ocean and indirectly through sewage systems. The film of the sunscreen cannot be broken down easily, so it therefore collects on the surface of the ocean and blocks vital sunlight from reaching many underwater ecosystems, causing them to diminish or disappear altogether.

Sunscreen is also linked to coral reef bleaching, as the sunscreen chemical makeup triggers algae in reefs to be released from the reef and leave it white. "The researchers estimate that 4,000 to 6,000 metric tons of sunscreen wash off swimmers annually in oceans worldwide, and that up to 10 percent of coral reefs are threatened by sunscreen-induced bleaching."

In fact, 93% of the Great Barrier Reef is now bleached, partially because of sunscreen activating the algae to flee the reef. In addition, sunscreen could have harmful chemicals for people. Common chemical sunscreen ingredients, like oxybenzone and octinoxate, accumulate in the body and are linked to hormone disruption, cell damage, and allergic reactions.

A more environmentally safe option is organic and biodegradable sunscreen made by Badger's. Its chemical makeup is all natural, and can therefore be reused by biological systems rather than destroying them. Pretty good news for our under the sea friends.

Offender: Microbead Facewashes

Alternative: Fruit Scrubs

Everyone needs a little exfoliation once in a while. Although microbeads will exfoliate your skin, they also harm the environment substantially. Microbeads are too small to be caught by filtration systems, and end up in water bodies such as lakes, rivers, and even oceans. This has been witnessed as an issue in the Great Lakes especially. They are also non- biodegradable, which means they remain on shorelines and on water body floors where they are able to accumulate more waste and grow larger. Some microbeads are swallowed by fish and other animals, harming them significantly or killing them. Some laws against microbeads have been implemented, but only against further production of products with microbeads; not against the selling of products with microbeads. Some legislation prohibits even the selling of microbead products, yet the products are still on the shelves readily available. In other areas, no such laws exist at all.

A safe alternative for exfoliation is the all natural, fruit remedies found in washes such as St. Ive's Apricot Scrub. St. Ive's, amongst others, prove that fruits, nut shells, rice, and barks can be used as environmentally- friendly exfoliating scrubs.

Offender: Harsh Cleaners

Alternative: Natural Remedies of Cleaning

Brand-name, familiar household cleaners often contain toxic harmful chemicals. Any household cleaner with ammonia or bleach can harm animals and the human body (especially children) both on a small scale, and on a large scale over time. Immediately, these cleaners may cause rashes, respiratory illnesses, and poison humans if ingested or absorbed. In the long term, these cleaners are linked to damage of the kidney, liver, bladder, and other organs. They have also been linked to cancer.

Other brands of cleaners such as Method, Honest, and Seventh- Generation offer safer cleaning formulas without these strong toxic chemicals. For an absolute organic clean, baking soda and vinegar clean just as well if not better than any store-bought cleaner.

Offender: Air Fresheners

Alternative: Natural Incense

The same chemicals found in some shaving creams are also found in some air fresheners. Phthalates, which cause hormone and insulin imbalances are found in store-bought air fresheners. Allergens, benzene, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are cancer-causing agents found in air-fresheners. Possibly the most concerning harmful agents found in air fresheners are terpenes, which react with ozone to create formaldehyde. Formaldehyde not only causes cancer, but irritates asthma symptoms and induces breathing difficulties.

The best way to avoid harmful chemicals in air fresheners is to use all natural fragrances. Lemons, coffee, and fresh lilac all offer strong organic aromas. Another way to keep your home smelling nice is to burn natural oils either from an organic candle or from an incense stick.

Conclusion: While it might seem impossible to make a significant impact by switching products from a harmful one to a eco-friendly one, any tiny action makes a difference. If every person made one tiny change in their daily product use, think of what a collective difference it could make. The switch could benefit the Earth as a whole, of course. But it could also benefit your personal health and the health of those around you (i.e. your roommate, your friends, your dog, your cat) by providing a more clean and chemical-free personal environment. Beauty does not have to suffer environmental and health costs. So this Earth Day season, go green.