Non-Toxic July Favorites From a 37-Year-Old Mom

Friend, I turned 37 this year, and somewhere in the last decade and a half of learning this non-toxic living thing the slow way, I’ve landed on a real, working rotation of favorites. Not a sponsored list, not everything I’ve ever tried, just what’s actually earned a permanent place in our home and routine this July.

I get asked constantly what a busy mom in her late 30s who genuinely cares about this stuff actually reaches for, day to day, not the highlight reel version, the real one. So this is that list. Ten things, some are affiliate links, and a couple aren’t linked at all because they’re not products, they’re just good things worth sharing. My hope is this feels less like a list of things to buy and more like a peek into what an actual, lived-in non-toxic July looks like around here, sun, sweat, sheets that need washing constantly, and a genuine effort to make it all a little cleaner without losing my mind over it.

And before I share, can I just say how wild it is that July is already nearly over? I feel like I blinked and we went from the first sprinkler afternoon of the summer straight to this. There’s a version of me standing in the pantry the other day, already thinking about pulling out the crockpot again, that’s how you know it’s coming, when your body starts craving soup before your calendar even says fall. I’m not rushing past summer, there’s still plenty of it left to enjoy, and half of what’s on this list is proof of that. But I’ll admit, I can almost feel the cozy season creeping in at the edges already, and there’s a small, quiet part of me that’s genuinely excited about it.

1. My Favorite Summer Essential Oil Blend

Purely Parsons makes the essential oil blend I reach for constantly once summer hits, bright, citrusy, the kind of scent that makes a hot afternoon feel a little more bearable. I keep it in our diffuser most days this time of year, usually running in the kitchen while I’m making dinner or in the living room during that late-afternoon stretch when everyone’s a little cranky from the heat.

It’s a small thing, but it’s genuinely one of those everyday products that makes a real difference in how our home feels, without adding synthetic fragrance to the air the way a plug-in or scented candle would. If you’ve been wanting to swap out artificial home scents but don’t know where to start, a good essential oil blend is honestly the easiest way in, no major purchase, no overhaul, just a different bottle sitting on the counter where the old one used to be.

I’ll also say, since I know some of you are wondering, essential oils aren’t a magic fix for everything they get credited with online, I’m not going to oversell what a diffuser blend can and can’t do. But for making a room smell genuinely good without synthetic fragrance in the mix, it’s a real, simple swap that’s stuck around in our house for good reason.

2. Non-Toxic Sunscreen That Actually Works

Primally Pure has been my go-to for real, honest sun protection for a while now, both for myself and for the kids. Here’s the thing about chemical sunscreen most people don’t realize: a lot of common active ingredients in conventional formulas are still being studied for how they behave once absorbed into the body, and some are known endocrine disruptors, meaning they can interfere with how your hormones actually function. That’s not fear-mongering, that’s just worth knowing as you’re picking what goes on your skin (and your kids’ skin) all summer, especially with how much sunscreen a family actually goes through between June and August.

Mineral sunscreen works differently. It sits on top of the skin rather than absorbing in, physically reflecting UV rays instead of chemically processing them. It’s genuinely the easiest way I’ve found to get real sun protection without wondering what’s happening underneath, and after years of testing different formulas, this is the one that’s stuck for our whole family.

One thing worth knowing if you’re new to mineral sunscreen shopping: not all mineral formulas are created equal either. Some budget options cut corners in ways that matter, and there’s ongoing conversation in the clean beauty space about heavy metals showing up in certain mineral sunscreen formulations depending on how the zinc oxide is sourced and processed. It’s not something to panic over, but it’s a good reason to stick with brands that are transparent about sourcing rather than just grabbing whatever says “mineral” on the front label.

3. A Linen Mini Dress That Comes in Every Color I Need

I’ve talked before about how natural fibers can absolutely be cute, and this linen mini dress with built-in shorts is proof. It comes in several colors, which means I’ve basically built a small summer capsule wardrobe around one single piece. Breathable, comfortable, and it works for everything from a backyard dinner to running errands to, most recently, a summer concert with a pair of cowboy boots.

Linen specifically breathes in a way synthetic fabrics just don’t manage, which matters more than people realize when you’re sweating through 90-degree afternoons all July. Found mine through Quince, and it’s become the piece I reach for on repeat, in whatever color matches the day.

The built-in shorts underneath are honestly what sealed the deal for me, no slip dress or bike shorts to layer separately, just one piece that’s ready to wear the second it’s out of the dryer.

4. Sheer Mineral Sunscreen, the Face Version

Body sunscreen and face sunscreen are different conversations, and for my face specifically, I’ve been going back and forth between two sheer mineral sunscreen options: Crunchi’s Sunlight and Primally Pure’s newer sun serum. Honestly, I haven’t fully picked a favorite yet, both are genuinely good, and I’d rather tell you that honestly than pretend I’ve landed on one when I haven’t.

Both are worth trying if you’re looking for something sheer enough to wear daily without that heavy, chalky mineral sunscreen feeling a lot of clean beauty formulas still struggle with. If you’ve tried mineral sunscreen before and given up on it because of that thick, white-cast finish, these two are genuinely different, sheer enough that I forget I’m wearing sunscreen at all most days.

5. Herbal Face Food’s Vitamin C Cream

This one’s become a real staple for a specific reason: summer sun exposure plus fine lines is a real combination I’m dealing with at 37, and Herbal Face Food’s Vitamin C cream, “The Cream” genuinely helps with both hydration and visible skin support after a day outside. I’m obsessed with this one. Vitamin C is one of those active ingredients that’s earned its reputation honestly, it supports collagen production and helps even out the visible effects of sun exposure over time, which matters a lot more once you’ve spent a decade and a half outside with three kids.

It’s not cheap, I won’t pretend the price point is low, but it lasts a long time, I’m still using the same jar I started months ago, and I’ve found it worth the investment. Code BRIT gets you 30% off if you want to try it, which helps take a little of the sting out of that upfront cost. What actually sold me, beyond the ingredients themselves, is how it layers under sunscreen without pilling or feeling heavy, which matters a lot when you’re already dealing with sweat and humidity all July. It’s become the one step in my routine I genuinely never skip, sunscreen day, no exception.

6. A Watermelon Hydration Drink (No Link, Just a Recipe)

This one isn’t a product at all, just a quick recipe I make on repeat all summer. I first saw a version of this style of drink floating around TikTok, made a few tweaks based on what actually works for our family, and it’s become our go-to for actual hydration on hot days, not just water with a little flavor added in.

My version: blend 2 cups fresh cubed and then frozen watermelon with the juice of 1 lime, a small pinch of sea salt (this is the part people skip, and it’s what actually helps with hydration, not just taste, salt helps your body actually retain the water instead of just passing it through), and a splash of coconut water for extra electrolytes. Blend it all up on high speed for about a minute in your blender, and enjoy! That’s genuinely it, no fancy equipment, no hard-to-find ingredients, just a few minutes and something that actually helps on the hottest days of the month.

7. Organic Cotton Sheets for Actually Cool Sleeping

This might be my favorite thing on this entire list. There is nothing like getting into a freshly made bed of clean, organic cotton sheets at the end of a long day, especially in the middle of summer when everything else feels hot and sticky. Organic cotton breathes in a way synthetic blends just don’t, and it’s made a real, noticeable difference in how well I actually sleep this time of year, no waking up tangled and overheated at 2am the way I used to with our old sheets.

Beyond the sleep quality, organic cotton also means avoiding the pesticide residue that conventional cotton farming is known for, which matters when it’s the fabric your skin is touching for eight hours a night. Mine are from Quince, and honestly, once you sleep on genuinely good organic cotton, it’s hard to go back to anything else.

8. Thrifted Baskets, for Gifts That Feel Thoughtful

Here’s a genuinely fun one, and it’s not linked to anything, because the whole point is that you find your own. I love thrifting baskets specifically because they make the best gift of time and thought without spending much money at all. A good woven basket from a thrift store costs a few dollars and instantly upgrades whatever you put inside it.

Fill one with a linen tea towel and a batch of freshly baked cookies. Or a fresh cutting of home-grown herbs tied with twine. Or a few of your own favorite non-toxic products bundled together, a candle, a bar of soap, something small from this very list. It’s one of my favorite ways to put together unique gifts that don’t feel like everyone else’s gift guides, genuinely thoughtful gifts, without overthinking it or spending a fortune. This is honestly one of my best tips if you’re someone who wants to give good gifts but doesn’t want to default to another gift card. This basket was delivered with some fresh cut flowers wrapped in brown paper and a ribbon.

PS-Old me would not believe that my favorite manicure in the summer is a dirt one.

9. A Non-Toxic Hand Soap That Actually Smells Clean

Koala Eco has become the hand soap sitting at every sink in our house, a genuinely clean scent, real ingredients, and none of the synthetic fragrance most conventional hand soaps lean on to smell “clean” in the first place, which is a little ironic when you think about it. A small everyday swap that makes a bigger difference than you’d expect, especially with how often little hands are getting washed all summer, sunscreen, popsicles, sprinkler time, you name it.

10. Skout Bars, the Pantry Staple That Solves Two Problems

These have become a real pantry staple in our house for the endless “can I have a snack?” question that starts approximately ten minutes after breakfast every single day of summer break, and they’re just as perfect tossed in my bag for a grab-and-go option when we’re out the door and someone’s suddenly starving in the car.

Clean, simple ingredients, and they actually taste good, which matters more than I expected it to, I’ve tried plenty of “healthy” snack bars over the years that tasted like cardboard with good intentions. These aren’t that. Shop Skout Organic with code THEHENSRUDEHOME20 if you want to try them for yourself.

Between the essential oil blend, the sunscreen situation, and keeping a stocked pantry, if there’s one theme running through this whole list, it’s that the small, repeated, everyday products matter just as much as the big, occasional purchases. Nobody’s non-toxic living journey gets built on one big overhaul, it’s built on the snack bar you reach for a hundred times this summer, not just the one big guide you buy once.

The Honest Wrap-Up

None of this is about having the perfect non-toxic everything, some of what’s on this list took me years to find, and some of it, like that sunscreen decision, I’m still genuinely going back and forth on. That’s honestly how this works, and I think it’s worth saying plainly, because so much of what you see online in this space presents itself as a finished, perfect system, when in reality, most of us are working through it one product, one season, one favorite at a time.

If I look back at my own July favorites from a few years ago compared to this year, the list has changed almost entirely. Different products, different priorities, a family that’s grown and changed. That’s not a failure to “figure it out” once and for all, that’s just what real, sustainable progress actually looks like. It’s messier and slower than a perfect before-and-after would suggest, but it’s also the only version of this that actually lasts.

If any of this is new territory for you, 7 Days to a Less Toxic Home is a real, free place to start, one small habit a day, no need to overhaul everything at once. And if you’re the type who wants the fuller picture across your whole home, not just what’s in my July rotation specifically, that’s exactly what The Intentional Home walks you through, room by room, real swaps, real reasoning. I also go deeper on the sunscreen conversation specifically in my Best Non-Toxic Sunscreen post, if that’s the one thing on this list you want to research further before you buy.

If you made it this far, thank you for letting me share the actual, lived-in version of what “non-toxic mom in her late 30s” looks like around here, not a highlight reel, just what’s genuinely working right now. I’m already feeling that pull toward cozier things, so don’t be surprised if next month’s list looks a little different, but for now, this list is where we’re at, and I’m proud of how far we’ve come to get here.

Want to shop the whole list in one place? Browse the full July Favorites collection HERE.

Here’s to another summer of doing this imperfectly, one favorite at a time.