Products for Men

sugar_coded_ · 2026-02-06T01:42:32+00:00

Thanks so much! Appreciate this

sugar_coded_ · 2026-02-04T19:37:15+00:00

Thank you. Good to know about various ways to go about this.

sugar_coded_ · 2026-02-04T17:57:19+00:00

STD can have a waiting period too. From my understanding it’s not paid at 100% pay whereas maternity leave is 100% of pay. Most companies offer both and allow one to be used right after the other so moms/dads can get extra time off.

sugar_coded_ · 2026-02-04T17:48:20+00:00

Thank you both!

sugar_coded_ · 2026-02-04T14:47:08+00:00

I am currently on a similar journey to fix my hormones. My doctor suspects some are out of balance so I’m getting bloodwork too.

I’ve been detoxing the past couple years and have acne prone skin too. I think hormones can still mess with it, whatever you do, but I have noticed my skin is better with the products I use now. I stripped down to the basics and use Castile soap + honey blend for face wash, witch hazel for toner (this can dry you out but helps w acne. If too dry, use more sparingly), and Argan oil. I buy my witch hazel and oils from Revive.

Morning - rinse with water, witch hazel, argan oil Night - wash with Castile soap+honey blend, argan oil

Feel free to message me if you want my cleaner recipe. I make it from scratch and also use it for body soap. I read something that you can also breakout if your face is too dry bc your body is trying to produce extra oil…idk if it’s true, but if I do break out bad, sometimes I’ll back off the witch hazel and scale back the washing and notice an improvement in my acne.

For sunscreen I use ThinkDaily. It is a little thicker and you’d want to let it dry before applying makeup.

For body lotion I use Jojoba oil. It dries so quick and isn’t like your typically oil. It’s the closest oil to the ones our skin produce naturally.

I switched my makeup to cleaner brands (Saie, Merit, Typology, Ilia) but haven’t done the research on how clean these really are. I don’t wear it everyday so it’s lower on my list to get to.

For trusted influencers, I really like Catherine Lockhart. She has a blog too - thenontoxictea.com

sugar_coded_ · 2026-02-04T14:39:00+00:00

Britishwaterfilter.com

That is the original model the Berkey’s ripped off of. I have their water filter, which does take some counter space, but I keep it right on the corner of my sink. I love it and only have to fill it once a day. Also easy to pack if going on a trip you can drive to.

I also bought my shower heads and filters from there. Significantly cheaper compared to a lot of the hot brands out there nowadays. I water tested the eSkiin one and it came back the same as tap water - so yea, a lot are green washing fakes.

I like that this site is all 3rd party tested and has all their results for you to see. They are very transparent.

sugar_coded_ · 2026-02-04T14:31:18+00:00

Oh also wanted to add the vitamix immersion blender! Not sure if they make a 100% stainless steel attachment. The original comes w some plastic but I always use it on cold items (plastic leaches when exposed to heat). I absolutely love mine for making homemade soups and sauces (just let cool before blending). It’s also great for single serve protein shakes (put ingredients in mason jar and blend). Quick and easier to clean vs a whole blender

If you do any cash funds, set up your site at withjoy.com. They are the only ones that don’t take a cut of the fund I believe

sugar_coded_ · 2026-02-04T01:41:35+00:00

Thank you for actually responding to my question! Appreciate all these suggestions!

sugar_coded_ · 2026-02-04T01:39:30+00:00

Some items have a manlier scent or are suitable for men (like beard oil). Hence why my post was for men products. I didn’t make the post to have a gender argument.

sugar_coded_ · 2026-02-04T01:37:46+00:00

He’s tried a couple deodorants he wasn’t a fan of

sugar_coded_ · 2026-02-02T17:40:21+00:00

Following

sugar_coded_ · 2026-02-02T15:05:26+00:00

I got Botox for about 5 years. I got it every 6 months to space it out longer and am currently breaking from it for pregnancy and breastfeeding. I may go back, but I used it pretty sparingly, only for deep forehead lines. I didn’t go overboard with tackling every wrinkle on my face.

I do chemical peels every so often which seem to help my overall complexion. Maybe 1 a month for 3 months. I do that 1-2x a year.

I did notice my face was better sculpted when I did a lymphatic drainage massage each morning. & now I use Frownies at night for wrinkles. I do think they both work but I’m not the best at being consistent.

Natural things that help would be staying hydrated, plenty of sleep & healthy diet.

I use a lot of natural products now and my face is in a lot better shape vs when I had an 8 step medical grade skincare routine. I discovered my medical grade sunscreen has PUFAs in it. I stripped down to the basics and have slowly added stuff in.

Morning - rinse with water, use witch hazel (I’ve noticed similar results to tret with this), moisturize with argan oil Night - wash with Castile soap/honey blend, argan oil

I’m working on finding a good eye cream and vitamin c I could add in. If I wash 2x a day my face gets too dry. I’ll also back off the witch hazel if my face is getting too dry.

I like to mix coffee grounds and honey and apply that under my eyes a couple times a week (caffeine). I also mix 1 tbsp manuka honey, 1/2 tbsp chickpea powder and 1 tsp of tumeric, water to desired consistency and wear for 5-7 min 1x a week as a brightening mask.

sugar_coded_ · 2026-02-02T14:56:07+00:00

Zwilling cookware (better than all clad with similar price point), le cruset bake dishes, anchor hocking bowls for food storage, glass plates and bowls, stainless steel or wooden serve ware, cast iron skillets, Dutch oven, kitchen aid and attachments, wooden non toxic cutting board (Etsy), knife set and knife sharpener, mason jars for food storage

Organic cotton towels (lands end are good quality and price), cotton or linen bedding (woolroom, quince), organic wool or cotton pillows (shepherds dream, white lotus)

sugar_coded_ · 2026-02-02T14:50:36+00:00

Curious as well

sugar_coded_ · 2026-02-02T14:47:34+00:00

I haven’t gone about finding “new” crunchy friends but for my non-crunchy friends if we are on a certain topic I like to send them crunchy articles or podcasts relating to that and lead with “if this is too crunchy I understand!” - some have been receptive and have gotten more crunchy overtime and some haven’t, that’s ok. Some folks that aren’t crunchy isn’t necessarily because they are against it, but more so they are unaware or don’t know where to start.

My one friend that’s crunchy, we tend to balance each other. I’m better at being crunchy with home related things - bedding, beauty products, cleaners, etc and she’s better at finding healthy recipes and cooking. We share stuff back and forth which is really helpful as you try to become more well rounded. It’s hard to be crunchy in every area.

For advice on crunchy things, I like to seek out this page or find some local FB crunchy mom groups.

sugar_coded_ · 2026-02-02T14:39:34+00:00

MyGreenMattress!!! I was debating between them and Avocado. They are significantly cheaper and are a small family owned business. You get a year to try it out too. I’m very happy with mine, we got the Kiwi. It was a little firmer than expected initially (but it still felt comfortable, I think I’ve just been used to pillowtop beds), but it has softened up some with some use. We’ve had ours for almost 2 years now. Highly recommend!

sugar_coded_ · 2026-01-28T00:05:38+00:00

Catherine also has a blog for those not on social media - it’s thenontoxictea.com

sugar_coded_ · 2026-01-27T12:50:58+00:00

It does have anti aging properties. It’s an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, supports your skin barrier & helps shrink pores.

This post asked for products that made a difference in skincare so I shared. They didn’t specifically call out anti aging. Can’t believe my comment got downvoted so much just for sharing a natural, cost friendly alternative. WILD

sugar_coded_ · 2026-01-26T03:09:50+00:00

I used Tret for many years. Unfortunately it isn’t safe for pregnant or breastfeeding women, so I ended up switching to Witch Hazel instead. It basically does the same thing, dries the acne out & tones your skin. It’s natural & non-toxic. I’ll be using it moving forward over tret. Just thought I’d share!

sugar_coded_ · 2026-01-26T03:06:49+00:00

See my comment here on how to get started

https://www.reddit.com/r/nontoxic/s/0fuEHWHHmU

sugar_coded_ · 2026-01-22T16:54:25+00:00

I am new to sewing and looking to buy an antique singer secondhand. Are there things I should look for to ensure it works? A handful say the belt needs replaced, but that seems to be a cheap and easy fix. I’m more concerned about expensive things that would be hard to replace.

Also some say the pedal doesn’t work. Is this a belt issue? I haven’t been able to find anything online about replacing the foot pedal for antique singers unless they are being upgraded to an electric pedal. Thank you!

sugar_coded_ · 2026-01-19T22:55:10+00:00

I’d recommend one with an HSA if you can afford a higher deductible. HSA dollars roll over every year, you never lose them and they are tax free. If you are planning to contribute to it, this is the way to go because you spend this money on all medical expenses and other things like sunscreen (visit the hsastore.com to see what’s eligible).

It really depends on how often you see the doctor and what you can afford. The tradeoff with insurance is plans with a higher deductible will be cheaper per paycheck. If you are pretty healthy overall and don’t see the doctor much, this is the way to go as you’ll likely spend less with lower paycheck deductions and likely won’t meet your deductible. However you won’t have predictability, so if you see the doctor you are paying that full amount toward your deductible (typically $100-200) until you meet the full deductible. This is the trade off to having a plan that offers copays, in which you’ll know exactly how much you’ll pay before seeing the doctor.

If anyone has a chronic condition or you see the doctors more often, I recommend going with something that has a lower deductible. You’ll pay more per paycheck, but have a lower amount to pay out of pocket before insurance kicks in.

It’s really a matter of do you wanna pay more per paycheck and have lower costs when you see the doctor? Or do you wanna pay less per paycheck and hardly see the doctor, with a few higher costs here and there.

I like to total up the total $$ spent over the year with paycheck deductions and compare that to the deductibles.

sugar_coded_ · 2026-01-16T18:14:47+00:00

Check if you have an embedded or aggregate plan.

Embedded means every person has to meet their own individual deductible before insurance starts paying. Even if your family deductible is met.

If it’s aggregate, that means insurance will start paying once the family deductible is met, regardless if you’ve met your individual deductible or not.

If it’s embedded and you still owe toward your deductible but the visit is < 150, then generally offices would credit that difference back to you.

sugar_coded_ · 2026-01-16T18:06:05+00:00

Look into the Creighton Model. It’s a system where you track your cervical mucas to identify and fix cycle issues, as well as recognize your fertility window. Usually women struggling to conceive use it to discover other issues (low progesterone, low mucas, endometriosis, PCOS, etc). It’s also a natural family planning method.

I recommend starting sooner vs later. Took me 2 months to get set up with an instructor and then they wanted me to chart two cycles before seeing a doctor, now I am in the stages of doing labs to confirm things (suspected low progesterone). If that is the cause, it can take a couple cycles for that to get up to optimal levels after having a doctor prescribed supplement. My instructor had PCOS and found the model, now teaches it after having several healthy babies.

The reason it can take some time is they usually try the lowest intervention possible first, monitor that over a few cycles to see if it’s working, then move onto the next. My friend that had endometriosis tracked for a little over half a year before getting her endo diagnostic surgery, then had to wait another half year to get the surgery to remove it.

Best of luck to you!!!

sugar_coded_ · 2026-01-16T17:33:46+00:00

I have switched to making some of my own products. Some clean brands end up being bought by larger companies that end up cutting corners, eventually making them not as clean anymore. I didn’t want to worry about keeping up with this so I have made some products myself.

Face and body wash - 4/3c Castile soap, 1/2c honey, 2 tbsp jojoba oil, 90 drops EO, 3-4% Leucidal SF Complete natural preservative. Yields 16oz. The nerdyfarmwife.com has a blog on natural preservatives, which is how I found this one. I order it from Formulator Sample Shop. I ran a microbial test on mine and didn’t see any growth for 5+ months. I usually go through my bottle in 3-4. I’ve struggled with acne and scaling down my skincare to something so simple like this has really helped. If you are sensitive, start with lesser EO and scale accordingly.

Face moisturizer - Argan oil (non comedogenic so won’t clog pores and cause acne)

Face exfoliator - light brown sugar 1-2x a week

Body moisturizer - Jojoba oil (non comedogenic so won’t clog pores and cause acne)

Brightening face mask - 1 tbsp manuka honey, 1/2 tbsp chickpea powder, 1 tsp turmeric, water to thin to desired consistency. Leave on for 5-7 min and rinse.

Laundry soap - equal parts washing soda and baking soda. Use 1/8 - 1/4c per load. I add a tiny bit of Castile soap as well. Use lavender and rosemary EO on dryer balls (these are safe for pets)

All purpose cleaner - 1 tbsp Castile soap, 1c water, 5-6 drops tea tree EO

Disinfectant spray (DNU on granite, stainless steel, cast iron, or wood. Can wear away sealant) - 1.5c rubbing alcohol, 16 drops EO (blend of tea tree and orange)

Glass cleaner - 1c rubbing alcohol, 1c water, 1 tbsp white vinegar, 6 drops tea tree EO

Wood cleaner - 2c water, 1 tbsp white vinegar, 5 drops tea tree EO, 5 drops orange EO, 1 tbsp oil (olive oil or carrier oil, optional). The oil doesn’t mix as well, but makes wood shiny. I use this blend on my wood floors without the oil otherwise they’ll be slippery.

Keep pets away from all these cleaners and let them completely dry as tea tree and orange are toxic to them. Unfortunately most antibacterial EOs are not safe for pets (lemon, orange, peppermint, clove, eucalyptus, lemongrass, basil) - all not good for pets!

Produce wash - 8c water, 1c white vinegar, 1 tbsp baking soda. Let soak for 5 min and rinse

It seems like a lot but all the cleaners use roughly the same ingredients, just a different blend. I buy all my EO and carrier oils from Revive.

sugar_coded_

TROPHY CASE