THINK DIRTY APP
Meet the mobile app that takes the guesswork out of buying health-conscious, safe, personal care products.

You think you’re doing everything right—eating plenty of green vegetables, drinking at least eight cups of water a day, and getting the doctor- recommended 150 minutes of exercise every week—but could your hygiene routine be sabotaging your health?

A staggering amount of personal care products contain carcinogens and other toxic ingredients that act as hormone disruptors, causing symptoms such as infertility, PMS, acne, insomnia, or even cancer. But before you “Marie Kondo” your entire medicine cabinet, try the Think Dirty app (available on iOS and Android). Think Dirty allows users to scan barcodes on personal care and household products (either at home or while out shopping), and gives each product a rating from zero to 10. A rating of zero means the product is harmless, and a 10 means it is incredibly toxic.

According to their website, Think Dirty assesses the risks of a product based on the potential health impacts of ingredients as listed by 30 reputable nonprofit and government agencies in the U.S. and abroad. Each ingredient is evaluated for “carcinogenicity, development and reproductive toxicity, and allergenicity and immunotoxicity.” Product evaluations are made by members of Think Dirty’s advisory board, who have experience in medicine, biochemistry, biology, physiology, environmental toxicology, environmental health and safety, and chemical engineering.

We at Cancer Wellness think any product in the red zone, meaning a rating of seven or higher, is best tossed immediately. Worried about breaking the bank? Products with a rating higher than three or four can be phased out slowly and replaced with cleaner versions. The app also has a Shop section, which lists clean products by category and includes links to buy directly from company websites.

So, instead of mindlessly trusting often arbitrary product labels like all-natural, “think dirty” while you shop.

More
articles

COPING WITH CANCER
Complementary Medicine

The Courage to Explore

The key to answering life’s greatest questions resides within yourself, but you must first learn how to access this internal well.

Read More »
SAUNDRA PELLETIER
Breast Cancer

Claiming Control

While pushing for the option of women taking matters into their own hands when it comes to birth control, Saundra Pelletier was doing the same with her breast cancer diagnosis.

Read More »
THE ABILITY CENTER
(Y)our Stories

A More Level Playing Field

Under the direction of founder Damian Buchman, Milwaukee nonprofit The Ability Center provides inclusive play opportunities for people of all abilities while changing the conversation around accessibility and inclusivity entirely.

Read More »
BIAN CHICAGO
(Y)our Stories

Under One Roof

Robb Leone, president and co-founder of the health and lifestyle club, BIÂN, incorporates integrative healing methods to help manage his cancer while taking charge of his mental health.

Read More »