Welcome to our series #CartedByT30, where experts, influencers, and anyone who just really knows how to nail down a grocery list show us exactly what goes in their carts each week. Tune in to our Instagram Story on Sundays to walk down the aisles with them, and then shop the products here. This week, the founder of organic tampon company Cora, Molly Hayward, shares all the natural wellness buys she gets at Target.
In 2016, I launched Cora to bring pure and powerful period care to the world. I was inspired to create Cora in part because of what I had learned about the ingredients found in some conventional period-care products like tampons and pads—ingredients like rayon, polyester, and conventional (non-organic) cotton. I couldn’t believe we were putting these substances on, in, and near some of our most sensitive tissue and skin each month.
Over the last several years, Cora has helped educate women to be more conscious of what they put in, on, or near their bodies during their periods, but removing the chemical load from our daily wellness routines shouldn’t stop there and, thankfully, no longer requires a trip to a natural grocery store. Read on to see some of my favorite natural and minimalist product picks that you can snag during everyone’s favorite time of the month: your Target run.
I love the saying that your outer world is a reflection of your inner world, and I think it’s true of our bodies as well. Our hair, skin, and nails are a great indicator of our health, and when mine started to feel dry and brittle, I tried Vital Proteins for its organic ingredients.
When I was growing up, my hippie parents stocked Dr. Bronner's in the shower, and I thought they were patently uncool. How wrong I was. Pure castile soap is made from simple plant oils like coconut and olive, making it safe and gentle for even the most sensitive skin, and it contains no synthetic ingredients or fragrances.
I couldn’t resist—and I also happened to get my period the day I was at Target to write this article, so here’s a real-time plug for Cora’s Organic Cotton Tampons. They literally have one ingredient (certified organic cotton), are biodegradable, and with every Cora product purchased at Target, pads and health education are provided to a girl in need in Kenya.
Ditto for Cora’s liners with an organic cotton topsheet—my go-to for the light days at the beginning and end of my cycle. My favorite thing about them? They’re designed to fold and adapt to your underwear, from full-coverage briefs to a barely there thong, so your period doesn’t have to dictate your wardrobe choices.
This has become my all-purpose daily base moisturizer. Why? Because it has three (yes, three!) yummy ingredients: shea butter, coconut oil, and olive oil. That’s it. Totally natural, peace-of-mind moisture.
Though my skin gets dehydrated, it often also rebounds too far and becomes oily throughout the day. This toner really helps. It’s organic and cruelty-free and is (again) pure minimalist perfection with just five ingredients: water, apple cider vinegar, witch hazel, clary sage oil, and sandalwood oil.
Despite my best efforts, I struggle to find balance in my life and am often stressed out and underslept. And you can usually see it on my face. To bring some life back to my skin (aside from hydrating and getting more sleep), I use this brightening serum at night under my moisturizer. It’s paraben-, sulfate-, cruelty-, and dye-free and has no added fragrance.
For some reason, to me, a subtle touch of nice perfume is the ultimate way to finish off my morning routine feeling ready to go out into the world and take charge. But I shied away from fragrance for so many years because most are made with a litany of nasty chemicals. So I loved discovering the line of light scents by Good Chemistry. They’re vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, and propylene glycol–free.
Next up: 9 Cheap, All-Natural Period Products You Should Know About
Disclaimer
This article is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to be used in the place of advice of your physician or other medical professionals. You should always consult with your doctor or healthcare provider first with any health-related questions.
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