Ever since Gwyneth Paltrow launched Goop in 2008, the age-old wellness movement took on a new realm, where a holistic approach to self-care became the crux of prosperity. The newsletter-turned-lifestyle site wasn’t the only factor in the industry’s growth—which is expected to climb 5 to 10 percent over the next year—but it helped make trends like clean beauty, plant-based diets and sustainable environments synonymous with the idea of a life well-lived.
That said, we’re creatures of habit, and while we *try* to maintain a holistic lifestyle, we’re simply not ready to give up our spicy sweet chili Doritos. So, if you’re still dipping your toes into the world of all-natural living, we recommend starting with laundry detergent. Researchers have found that the benefits of natural laundry detergents extend far beyond helping the environment, from preventing skin irritations to creating wrinkle-free clothing. “Organic laundry detergent does not contain chlorine, phosphates, and other artificial additives that are dangerous to human health,” says Dr. Edward Group of Global Healing. “They are more gentle on fabrics, healthier for our bodies, and safer for every living thing.” (It’s worth noting that the FDA doesn’t define “natural” in its rules and regulations. For our testing, we focused on ones that fell within Dr. Group’s guidelines.)
Let’s face it: Finding an all-natural product that actually works isn’t so easy. As much as we love the idea of using an eco-friendly detergent, we also need something that can remove chocolate syrup stains from our kids’ tees. That’s why we’ve done the work for you. Here are 10 of the best natural laundry detergents — tried, tested and reviewed by yours truly.
