Ep 6: Low-Tox Living and Navigating Toxins in Personal Care with Pharmacist Amy Enos

TITLE: Low-Tox Living and Navigating Toxins in Personal Care with Pharmacist Amy Enos 

GUEST: Pharmacist and Low-Tox Expert Amy Enos 

SHOW NOTES: In this episode of The Hairy Chin Podcast, I sit down with Amy Enos, a pharmacist turned low-tox living advocate, to explore the hidden dangers lurking in everyday personal care products. Amy breaks down the science behind harmful chemicals like fragrance, phthalates, parabens, and formaldehyde, which are commonly found in beauty and household products, and how they impact our hormone health, fertility, and cancer risk. From breast cancer prevention to reducing environmental toxins, Amy offers practical, low-tox swaps that can make a big difference in your health journey. She also tackles the deceptive marketing practices known as greenwashing and shares how to decipher product labels to protect yourself and your family from harmful ingredients.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• [1:30] Shocking statistics about toxin exposure in daily products.
• [3:50] Amy’s personal story of how her mother’s stage 4 cancer diagnosis inspired her commitment to low-tox living.
• [4:50] Only 5-10% of cancers are genetic, what the other 90% of 'environmental causes' actually means.  
• [13:28] Five toxic chemicals commonly found in personal care: endocrine disruptors, phthalates, fragrance, parabens and formaldehyde.
• [20:33] Amy explains why she avoids perfume and shares safer alternatives.
• [28:40] Why popular barcode scanning apps might not be as trustworthy as they seem.
• [32:36] The presence of formaldehyde in personal care products like nail polish and eyelash glue.
• [40:38] Understanding “body burden” and how long-term toxic exposure contributes to chronic illness.
• [42:31] The lack of FDA regulation in the beauty industry and how to advocate for yourself as a consumer.
• [45:34] Greenwashing: How companies mislead consumers into thinking their products are clean and safe.
• [57:03] Amy’s practical tips for transitioning to low-tox living, including easy product swaps.
• [102:42] The HBO Max docu-series Not So Pretty and what it reveals about the beauty industry.
• [107:34] Final thoughts: Avoid toxic perfectionism, take small steps and focus on progress.

PLUCK THIS! SEGMENT: Amy Enos is offering The Hairy Chin Podcast listeners 15% off their first Pure Haven purchase! Pure Haven provides a full line of non-toxic, safe personal care and home cleaning products, shop with the link below for your discount. (Applicable to first time shoppers only.) www.purehaven.com/amyenos

TOP TAKEAWAYS:

• Environmental Causes of Cancer: 90% of cancers are influenced by environmental factors like toxins in everyday products, not genetics.
• Fragrance Hides Harmful Chemicals: Fragrance can contain thousands of undisclosed chemicals, many of which are endocrine disruptors.
• Parabens & Formaldehyde: These chemicals, commonly found in personal care products, are linked to hormone disruption, fertility issues, and cancer.
• Greenwashing Misleads Consumers: Companies use misleading marketing to sell “clean” products that are still filled with harmful chemicals. Always read the back label.
• Body Burden is Real: The accumulation of toxins over time can lead to chronic illness. Making small, intentional product swaps can reduce your toxic load.
• Avoid Aerosols,