Organic Wear Mascara by Physicians’ Formula - A Product Review

So this one will be for the girls out there who, like me, have been looking for ways to wear make up that is better for them and the environment without breaking the bank.

One of my big challenges has been finding mascara that I love and that won't cost me over 20$. I have tried quite a few, all very highly recommended, but all of them seem to have the same problem: After a few uses, they get very clumpy coming out of the bottle. I know, no petroleum so of course they would thicken, but after a few 20$+ ones, I had kind of given up until someone would either come out with one that was more reasonably priced for me to try OR someone would recommend it after more than a week of use.

Well, the first happened and I'm thrilled to share it with you!

Physicians’ formula’s new Organic Wear line is:
100% Natural Origin Makeup that is the first ECOCERT® Certified Organic Line of Makeup in the U.S. It contains 100% certified organic ingredients. They come in an eco-friendly packaging and 100% Recyclable Eco-Brush. The mascara (as are all their products) are 100% Free of Harsh Chemicals, Synthetic Preservatives, Parabens, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), Fibers & Dyes. They are also animal cruelty free.

So when I was in the states for a week-end I figured, why not pick one up? It was 9$ with taxes and worse case scenario, I throw it out in a month. Well, it has been almost a month and I have seen no change in the consistency of the cream. It is very light on the lashes (and I have very short lashes) and dries relatively fast compared to other chemical-free ones. And the fact that it is avalable in most drug stores and big name department stores makes it very accessible.

I for one recommend it to every one and cannot wait to try more of their line!

What are some of your favourite all-natural beauty finds?

Attitude Eco-Friendly Fabric Softener – Product Review

Hello.

So, following my post on the hidden dangers of dryer sheets from a few weeks ago, we went looking for an eco-friendly alternative in a fabric softener. I was a bit overwhelmed by the number of options that were presented to me, until suddenly I caught a little glimpse of a print on one of the bottles :

“Driven by an ideal : To live and consume responsibly. Our future depends on the choices we make today”

Bio Spectra is a Montreal company that believes in fighting global warming, responsible consumption and good quality, eco-friendly products. Their ATTITUDE line of cleaning products is based on their “CO2neutral” approach which is quite interesting :

“What is ATTITUDE® doing?

ATTITUDE® not only offers quality products that are third-party certified eco-friendly, but also contributes actively in the fight against global warming by offering Carbone Neutral products: products that have GHG emissions equal to ZERO. Thus, by using ATTITUDE® products, you are reducing your personal environmental footprints.

The carbon neutral approach can be translated into three big steps:

• Calculating GHG emissions based on the life-cycle analysis;
• Reducing general emissions;
• Compensating for emissions that cannot be avoided.

The carbon neutral approach quantifies the whole company’s emissions and not only the emissions associated with the production of ATTITUDE® products. The report is a great tool to identify weak areas where emissions are at their highest. Thereafter, these areas are analyzed to determine the most effective ways to reduce the emission rates. We believe that it is possible to reduce our carbon footprint, all the while reducing operational costs, and believe that all self-respecting businesses should adhere to a similar model.”

The product I will be reviewing today is their Ylang-Ylang & Tangerine Fabric Softener. (It also comes in Lavender & Grapefruit). First a few facts : This product is certified EcoLogoM (an Environment Canada program), CO2 Neutral, natural, eco-friendly and biodegradable. It comes in HE formula (of course) so it is specifically designed for high-efficiency machines.

The ingredients are water, essential oils and soy based surfactants. That’s IT! The product is vegan (free of animal tallow derivatives), non-carcinogenic, hypoallergenic, non-tested on animals and free of artificial dyes and fragrances.

We’ve been using it for a week now and it has proven itself wonderful on both clothes that went in the dryer and clothes that were hung to dry. The fragrance is barely noticeable once the clothes have dried. All that is left is a very mild and pleasant smell. I found that 1/3 of a cap is more than enough more a normal sized load which leads me to believe that the bottle will last me way beyond the 52 loads it advertises. And at 7$ a bottle, it is a steal and can make your laundry cycle completely safe for you and your family.

They sell everywhere in North America, many countries in Europe and over in Japan so I really hope all of you will get your hands on these products because they are well worth a try! I’m looking forward to trying their entire line!

What are some of your favorite eco-friendly brands?

Aubrey Organics, Men's Stock, City Rhythms Shave Cream – Product Review

* This is a post by my first guest blogger, my husband Jason, who has wonderfully taken the reins while my carpal tunnel syndrome is acting up. I thank him for sharing my passion with living a greener life and for his "guy" insight on this product review.

This past week my wife spoke with me and asked if I would make a guest appearance on her blog. We have been making the change to green hand in hand, and I believe it is the best thing: having someone to take the steps with you and test out new products.

In our quest to be more earth-friendly we have been experimenting with products there is no doubt in that. I believe some of the items are easy to find and don’t take much adventure, like dish soap, laundry detergent, and cleaning products. Then there are the personal hygiene products, this is where the adventure in green living comes from sometimes I think. It takes a thick skin to try out a new deodorant while at work. Really who wants to be known as the onion in their place of work? Or another good trip is toothpaste and mouthwash; I mean we have all grown up thinking mint is what makes your mouth clean, just the scent of it makes me think it. Then you go and look at the natural and organic products and that first leap of putting algae based product in your mouth, I don’t think anyone knows what to expect. There is not a doubt in the world there has been success and failures along the way. The adventure into green has not been a dull one that is for sure.

Time to get back on track with what this post is all about. One of the things that I was worried about when making the step to a greener lifestyle was shaving cream. I am a very sensitive skinned guy so finding something to use that is not going to leave me with razor burn all over my neck was something I was a bit worried about.

I must say though it did not take long to find something that worked; actually I believe I hit the nail on the head the first time. It is a great little product called Men’s Stock City Rhythms Shave Cream from Aubrey Organics. This product is completely vegan friendly, not tested on any animals and is organic. When you pop the top you are invited to a smooth shave with scents of Cedar, Sandalwood and Bergamot. Now this is not your normal shaving cream with the super lather either, it is almost more of an actual cream. Not too much is needed either, an amount about the size of a “Tooney” (Canadian 2$ coin the size of a silver dollar) should cover.

Some other benefits that are found in the cream are Organic Avocado and Wheat Germ Oil, which help with razor glide. Witch Hazel Extract to soothe irritation along with Camphor, Menthol and Organic Eucalyptus that provide a cool invigoration during the entire shave. Personally I feel no need for after shave with all these goodies, but they do offer such products if you are interested. Price is not too bad either at around under 7$ US, it will not break the bank. You can go directly to the Aubrey Organics site and order it; they have great deals on product lines, but will not ship to Canada. We have found a great little online company called iHerb.com that has all the Aubrey Organics product and ship not Canada for very little. They have some great deals too. This shaving cream sells for under 6$ US.

Personally I can last about 6 weeks on one tube by shaving once every 2 days. So if asked would I recommend this to other people I most certainly would. This is not to say there may not be other companies out there; I just haven’t felt the need to explore.

What products have you changed lately that you really enjoyed?

Avalon Organics Peppermint Deodorant - Product Review

So I decided to share another little product review with all of you before heading out to work.

One of the hardest things I've had to face since striving to go green has been deodorants. When I read about the aluminum and petroleum derivatives in antiperspirants could be linked to breast cancer (although sources seem to argue both sides), I decided why take chances.

But switching and finding the right natural deodorant has been proving harder than I could have imagined and since it can get very costly to try and try and try again, I decided to share with you thoughts on the ones I will try and maybe save you some money in the process.

My first attempt was with Avalon Organics Peppermint Deodorant.

At first, I thought it was great! The smell is wonderful and it gave me a cool sensation when I applied it. I thought it was a bit runny and it takes a little while longer to dry, but that was to be expected without all the chemicals in there. I tried it around the house that first week-end and reapplied only once midday and was satisfied enough to wear it out the following Monday at work.

Well, what I quickly found out was that “home-testing” and “real-world testing” are 2 very different things. I unfortunately found myself having to reapply 2-3 times and on that one faithful day I was in a long meeting when the time to reapply came… well… I don’t have to tell you about the embarrassing details.

Now there is a small chance that it was the fragrance that did not suit me. Maybe if I would try one of their other fragrances (they also have lemon, rosemary, wild yam and lavender), but for me, it is not worth the money.

Now I am still using it : AT HOME ON THE WEEK-ENDS! But I would not recommend it for everyday use.

Now please keep in mind that this is not a negative review on ALL Avalon Organics products.

What brands of deodorants have you tried?

Bionature Fruit & Vegetable Cleaner : Product Review

To follow up on my organic produce post from this past week-end, I wanted to offer a suggestion to cut down on the amount of impurities and chemicals that might come with your favorite fruits and veggies.


Bionature Ecological Fruit & Vegetable Cleaner is a wonderful product that removes dirt, waxes and chemicals from the surface of your produce. Even when you buy organic, there is still a great deal of manipulation that goes into the selling of the items themselves. A good fruit and veggie wash can remove a great deal of residue and give you healthier foods to eat.


Bionature Ecological Fruit & Vegetable Cleaner is :

• Certified non-toxic
• Biodegradable
• Non-carcinogenic
• Phosphate and NTA Free
• Dye and formaldehyde free
• Made from all plant based ingredients
• Not tested on animals

It works wonderfully and rinses clean in just a few seconds. We’ve had our bottle for a while now and have barely started seeing it go down. One spray per fruit or veggie is all you need and it doesn’t alter the taste in any way. And at 7$ a 1 litre bottle (32 oz), it is a steal.

Now keep in mind : Produce grown with pesticides will not be pesticide free by using this wash. But you can at least eliminate a lot of the harmful residues that stay on the surface of your fruits and vegetables.

If you are elsewhere than Canada and don’t have access to Bionature as a company, go to your local natural food store and ask them about similar washes. You will be happy you did.

What steps do you take to make your everyday purchases healthier and safer?

Green Beaver Company Rejuvenating Shampoo and Conditioner : Product Review

THE COMPANY :

Everyone who knows me knows I'm very proud of where I'm from, so in my venture into a greener life, I've promised myself I would try and encourage local and national business. The Green Beaver company is an Ontario based company that prides itself in not only delivering natural and organic products and ingredients, but in supporting local farmers and businesses by using over 95% all Canadian ingredients, most of them wild crafted. Why not 100% you may ask? Because Green Beaver does not believe in synthetic preservatives so they have to import natural ones derived from citrus which cannot grow in Canada.

So we decided to start with this new rejuvenating shampoo and conditioner made from wild crafted Prince Edward Island cranberries.

First off, a product overview : Both the shampoos and conditioner are 100% biodegradable, vegan and gluten-free. The bottles are made from clear polyethylene terephthalate plastic (PETE recycling number 1) which is one of the most widely used plastics because it is easy to recycle and has one of the lowest risks of leaching breakdown of its compounds.

These products contain no paraben preservatives, sulfate detergents, artificial aromas, fragrances or dyes, no glycol or petrolatum products and are not tested on animals. Not to shabby if you ask me!

THE REVIEW :

Now, first off, they smell WONDERFUL! The cranberry aromas in the one we are trying were simply invigorating. Also, I'm usually very sensitive person when it comes to fragrances in products, but in this case, not one itch or discomfort.

For the shampoo : The first thing I noticed was the almost watery texture of it. Of course, without all the chemicals and detergents in it to thicken it up, it was to be expected, but just be warned : There is no need to squeeze the bottle. Also, it takes a bit more than I would have usually used in other brands. Mostly because it does not spread as readily as a creamier shampoo. This is DEFINITELY a "rinse and repeat" product. It is not a very "sudsy" shampoo, but you get that very clean feeling before you even go to rinse and when you do, it rinses in a flash!

For the conditioner : TWO THUMPS AND TWO BIG TOES UP! Light, creamy and so fragrant. Spreads all over with just a small amount in the palm of your hand. Detangles like a dream and if you just let it stand for a few minutes before rinsing, you can feel your hair getting healthier. Winter here had left my hair a ragged mess and just a few days of using this conditioner and my hair already feels a thousand times better.

Price : Very reasonable. We paid about 7$ CD a bottle. Most of the organic shampoos that are sold here unfortunately come in little 250 ml (8 oz) bottles, so we were very happy with the price since these come in bottles of 325 ml (11 oz).

Now as I mentioned earlier, I have a feeling that this will be a 2 bottles of shampoo for every bottle of conditioner deal, but at that price and with how lovely my hair feels, I think we will definitely stick this one out for a few.

Hope this was useful! Happy greening everyone!

Mmmm... I love the smell of PVC in the morning!

So when my husband and I redecorated the bathroom. We had promised ourselves that we were done with plastic shower curtains. They are hard to clean, get stained and just didn't fit our aesthetic anymore. So we bought a beautiful cotton, retro, paisley dream of a curtain and loved it from the beginning... But it was only meant to be an outside curtain, was not waterproof, so we bought a dollar store liner.

Without thinking about it, we waited, as with every other plastic shower curtain we had bought in the past, for the horrible smell of brand new liner to go away and finally it did and all was well. That is, until I stumbled onto a Los Angeles Times article from last June that made my hair stand on end.

Turns out that a study done by the Center for Health, Environment and Justice on 5 different unopened polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic shower curtains bought at major department stores found that they all contained high concentrations of toxic volatile organic compounds that have been linked to many health issues including liver damage, central nervous system damage, respiratory and reproductive system damage and cancer. According to this study, one of the curtains tested released as many as 108 of these dangerous compound and they stayed in the ambient air, lingering, for several months.

If you are interested in getting more facts, please go and download this fact sheet from www.besafenet.com

Now what are our alternatives?

Well after this, the first thing we did was to go in search of a cloth liner. Having read online about organic cotton curtains and all, we started wondering how waterproof they would be. We wanted to be eco-friendly, but still wanted our shower liner to be functional.

We ended up finding this great this great Hotel Fabric Shower Liner for only 10$. But it was made from polyester and my first reaction was "That's not eco-friendly?" Or is it???

According to an article on Digital Journal.com, turns out that polyester is not as contrary to a green life as one may think. Although polyester in its production uses more energy than cotton because of the transformation the materials have to go through, once the product is made, it uses a fraction of the energy for the upkeep.

Lets say we take cotton (taking for granted that at this point, we have picked a fabric made from organic cotton that has not been heavily spread with pesticides through out its growing cycle) : Clothes and products made from cotton will need to be washed at higher temperature water, will need to be tumbled dried for longer, will often need to be ironed, and will have a shorter life span than a polyester blend. Most polyblends are made to wash in cold water and can be hung to dry, drying in less time, do not wrinkle, and in such cases as a shower curtain, will last forever.

Now don't get me wrong : I LOVE natural fabrics. But in trying to make my home a greener place but keep it efficient and simple, I think this may be a nice alternative.

Hope this was enjoyable for you guys and keep aware!