When it comes to transitioning to a more holistic lifestyle, it is time consuming in the beginning because of all the research, trial and error you’ll go through. You’ll eventually get to a place where you have your go-tos to make life easier and simple.
You’ll also learn your foundational parts of living a holistic life in certain areas in your life such as what is good and bad for the skin, body, hair, mental, etc.
When it comes to laundry I wanted to find a healthier transitional replacement for the detergent I once was using.
I was looking for
1. Stain and odor remover/eliminator
2. Good scent
3. Healthier ingredients
One of the first laundry detergents I found that checked off all I was looking for was Method. It was readily available anywhere I shopped Amazon, Wegmans, and Target.
Easily Method has great scents. Two of my favorites are Beach Sage and Ginger Mango. In this post we will specifically dissect Blue Sage, which is the scent I used most often.
I had to look up the ingredients to make sure it wasn’t too many nasty things inside of the detergent.
Here are the ingredients of the Method Blue Sage scent that will be dissected as of 2024.
WATER (AQUA), LAURETH-7*, SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE*, GLYCERIN*, ALCOHOL DENAT.*, PROTEASE* ENZYME BLEND, TRISODIUM SALT OF METHYLGLYCINEDIACETIC ACID*, SODIUM COCOATE*, AMYLASE* ENZYME BLEND, CALCIUM CHLORIDE*, SODIUM CARBOXYMETHYL INULIN*, CITRIC ACID*, DENATONIUM BENZOATE, MANNANASE* ENZYME BLEND, PECTINASE* ENZYME BLEND, NONIONIC POLYESTER, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE, FRAGRANCE (PARFUM: CITRAL, HEXYL CINNAMAL, LIMONENE), POLYMERIC BLUE, POLYMERIC TEAL.
I think they changes some ingredients from when I first bought it to now. When I first bought it, the consistency was thicker. The last time I bought it the consistency was thinner and I found myself using more of the product than before.
1. Water (Aqua): The primary solvent in many cosmetic and personal care products. It helps dissolve other ingredients and facilitates the application of the product.
2. Laureth-7: A surfactant and emulsifier. It helps mix oil and water, creating a stable blend in products like shampoos and cleansers.
3. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS): A surfactant and detergent. It helps create foam and remove dirt and oils from surfaces. It’s commonly used in cleaning products and personal care items. This is not good when it comes to applying it directly on the skin and hair because of the oil stripping properties. It is definitely not good in food. It is banned in the European Union as a food additive. EU usually have better health regulations than the US so I usually check what they ban. Also, this can be a reason as to why you may feel skin irritation when using products with this ingredient. This is not a great ingredient to me.
4. Glycerin: A humectant that attracts moisture to the skin or hair, helping to keep it hydrated. It’s commonly used in moisturizers and other skincare products.
5. Alcohol Denatured: Denatured alcohol, which is ethanol (alcohol) mixed with substances to make it undrinkable. It acts as a solvent, helping other ingredients dissolve and evaporates quickly.
6. Protease Enzyme Blend: A mixture of enzymes that break down proteins. These can help with removing protein-based stains or residues. Some examples of protein-based stains are vomit and feces.
“Protein stains are biological and come from human and animal substances. It’s important to treat protein-based stains with cool water during the pretreat stage to avoid “cooking” the proteins into the fabric.” – The Laundress
7. Trisodium Salt of Methylglycinediacetic Acid: A chelating agent that binds metal ions, preventing them from interfering with the product’s performance and stability.
8. Sodium Cocoate: A surfactant derived from coconut oil. It helps create lather and cleanse the skin or hair. Also, it is said to be great for sensitive skin.
9. Amylase Enzyme Blend: A mixture of enzymes that break down starches into simpler sugars, aiding in stain removal or cleansing.
10. Calcium Chloride: A salt used to stabilize formulations and enhance product performance. It can also act as a preservative or pH adjuster.
11. Sodium Carboxymethyl Inulin: A modified form of inulin (a type of carbohydrate) used as a thickener or stabilizer in formulations.
12. Citric Acid: An acid used to adjust the pH of products to ensure they are compatible with the skin or hair and to preserve the product.
13. Denatonium Benzoate: A bittering agent used to deter accidental ingestion of the product by making it taste unpleasant. Also, not good for aquatic life.
14. Mannanase Enzyme Blend: Enzymes that break down mannan (a type of polysaccharide), which can help in breaking down stains or residues.
15. Pectinase Enzyme Blend: Enzymes that break down pectin (a type of polysaccharide found in fruits), often used to help in cleaning and stain removal.
16. Nonionic Polyester: A type of polymer used for its film-forming properties or as a stabilizer in the formulation.
17. Propylene Glycol: A humectant and solvent that helps retain moisture and dissolve other ingredients.
18. Methylisothiazolinone: A preservative used to prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi in products. It is effective but can sometimes cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.
19. Fragrance (Parfum): A mixture of aromatic compounds used to provide a pleasant scent. This particular fragrance includes:
Citral: Provides a lemon like scent.
Hexyl Cinnamal: Adds a sweet, floral scent.
Limonene: Adds a citrusy scent.
20. Polymeric Blue & Polymeric Teal: Colorants used to provide a specific color to the product. These are polymers that are stable and provide consistent color.
Each of these ingredients serves a specific function in the Method Blue Sage Laundry Detergent, most of which are for cleaning and moisturizing the clothes.
This product has less harmful ingredients in it than other detergents.
Lastly, try it out on our clothes.
I would say that it didn’t get tough stains all the way out and some of the black clothes had become a little faded. It did not irritate our skin and it had our clothes smelling Ahmazing!
I am not looking for perfection, instead I think about what’s most important to me, narrow down to my top three, then I look for my top three preferences in products. If the product has more than three of my preferences then it has exceeded my expectations. That’s how I’ve measured what to pick when it comes to my holistic lifestyle.
When it comes to living holistically you, most likely, will not get the results of manmade ingredients.
Overall, Method Laundry detergent was an excellent transitional replacement for me.
I have provided amazon affiliate links throughout this post to make it easier for you while also helping me out as well.
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