April 14, 2009
Keeping your face looking clean and fresh – not to mention young – can cost a small fortune if you buy into all the media hype about this new formula or that new ingredient. Facial care products created from all natural ingredients have worked for centuries to keep women’s skin looking young, supple, and glowing.
To start your all natural skin care regime you need to eat a healthy diet with fruits, vegetables and whole grains as the staples and drink plenty of water. Avoid smoking, drinking excessively, caffeine, and more than one or two servings of red meat a week. These things, aside from not being good for your health will leave your skin looking dull, aged and possibly blotchy.
Every good facial routine consists of cleansing, toning and moisturizing. If you have oily or combination skin, use an oatmeal-based soap. You can make one or buy one in any retail store. For dry skin it’s better to use a milk-based or honey-based soap. Again you can make a homemade version or buy an all-natural alternative in a retail or drugstore.
Toning comes next. If you have normal to dry skin, use a mild cucumber juice applied with a cotton ball to your entire face. For oily skin, you may want to try Witch Hazel. It has always been good for my skin which runs on the very oily side.
Moisturizing should be done even if you have oily skin. Grapefruit juice works as an effective moisturizer on oily skin without promoting breakouts. For normal skin, you can use a small amount of warmed honey applied over a slightly damp face. Dry skin can be moisturized by applying a small bit of olive oil and covering with a hot moist cloth until cool. Rinse face with cool water.
As you can see, great skin doesn’t require $100 department store cream or laser surgery from the cosmetologist. Farm fresh skin is called that for a reason – it comes from the farm.
Posted in Green Health & Beauty 
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April 13, 2009
I’ve never been one much for make-up due to chronic breakouts but with all the “all natural” and “organic” cosmetic lines being released on the market I thought I’d check them out and see if they were any easier on my ultra-sensitive skin.
I purchased an organic face powder from Almay (Almay being one of the cosmetic brands my dermatilogist recommended and the one I usually purchase) My first reaction to the product was that it stunk. Smelled like sour mud – yuck. Still I tried it (and no other make-up) for a month or so. While I didn’t see a lessening in the frequency of my breakouts I did notice that my skin as a whole looked and felt better, cleaner and fresher. The coverage was good even if it did leave a bit of a shine. Still not a bad product – if you can get over the smell – for about fourteen bucks.
While talking to a dermatologist, I brought up the topic of cosmetics and he agreed that pricier didn’t necessary mean better, it often meant better quality. High end cosmetics, like the kind you find in department stores, use finer ingredients in the cosmetic formulas.
When talking about retail, lower-end makeup (like Wal-mart and Target) there are only a couple of brands that are supposed to be less harmful to your complection. Almay is one of those two and Physian’s Formula is the other. Still, neither of these compare to simply taking good care of your skin, cleansing it daily and eating a healthy diet.
And let’s face it…you’re probably prettier without it.
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April 12, 2009
Next to the kitchen, the bathroom is the dirtiest room in the house. Add to that the moist atmosphere and you have a breeding ground for mold, fungus, and bacterium.
Every surface in the bathroom is suspect – the drain in the tub, shower head, base of the toilet and the shelves in the medicine cabinet. After all where is the first place you go when you’re sick? Straight to the bathroom to blow your nose, get an aspirin, grab some cold medicine, or heaven forbid, vomit. This can mean that even an immaculate bathroom can turn into a petri dish of disease in the duration of just one bad bug.
Luckily only a couple of supplies are needed to keep your bathroom sparkling. Baking soda, borax, vinegar and a few drops of tea tree oil are all that is required to make cleaning solutions for your whole bathroom.
Borax is good for scrubbing tubs, sinks and toilets. You can also use borax on shower tiles by mixing it with water until it isn’t as abrasive.
Baking soda works well on floors, shelves, sink counters, vanities, and shower accessories. You can dissolve with water and use as a spray or you can use the baking soda directly on the surface and rinse well with a wet sponge.
White distilled vinegar will work well on mirrors, chrome fixtures, glass shower doors and windows. Tea tree oil is a sweet smelling (it vaguely reminds me of eucalyptus) essential oil that was found to have antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. Just add three or four drops to each cleaning solution and you’ll boost your germ fighting power in an all-natural way.
Posted in Green Cleaning 1 Comment »
April 11, 2009
The kitchen is the most important room in the house. It is where food is kept, family members hang out and mingle, it is quite often the control center for the household. With all that activity it is critical that the kitchen get cleaned often and stay as clean as possible. There are five green ways to keep your kitchen sparkling; All purpose cleaner, window cleaner, wood cleaner, deodorizer and drain cleaner.
A simple all-purpose green cleaner can be made from baking soda dissolved in water. Add lemon juice, tea tree oil, or lime juice for a fresh scent and additional antibacterial properties (tea tree oil is also a natural fungicide)
White distilled vinegar makes a good window cleaning. Use diluted with water and wipe dry with a lint-free cloth for a streak free finish.
To clean your wood without all the toxic chemicals and overwhelming scents you can use olive oil combined with a couple of drops of tea tree oil and a small amount of lemon juice (food grade is fine). This mixture will replenish your wood’s natural rich look and won’t put too much of a dent in your purse. As a bonus, it’s all natural so it won’t hurt your furniture, your family or the planet.
Baking soda is an ideal all natural deodorizer. By using it directly on surfaces your whole kitchen will smell fresh and clean without any artificial scents overpowering the glorious scent of clean. The one thing you should know is that baking soda take a lot of effort and water to rinse off. Trust, though, it is worth the effort.
Although baking soda and vinegar neutralize each other, they make an effective drain cleaner and deodorizer. First pour a cup of baking soda down the drain. Follow with a cup of white distilled vinegar. You should see a great deal of foaming and fizzing. Let it sit for about thirty minutes and run hot water down the drain for a few minutes to clear the residue out.
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February 13, 2009
There are many reasons to live green but the two main reasons are that it’s better for you and it’s better for the planet. However there are many more reasons to use green products and methods in your home and on your body:
- No toxic chemicals for you and your family to breathe in.
- Safe for use on children’s furniture and toys
- Green beauty products smell oh so nice
- Natural ingredients prevent breakouts and allergic reactions on skin
- Most recipes for green products cost less to make than the regular products cost to buy
- No artificial pine or lemon smell filling up your house
- No worries about pets getting sick from licking the wrong surface
- Natural antibacterial properties and disinfectant properties are less likely to cause negative reactions.
- Using green soaps and shampoos make with all natural ingredients feels better than the creamy, greasy, smelly regular soaps and shampoos.
Posted in General 1 Comment »
January 27, 2009
Doing service projects with your kids is not only fun but also good for the planet. Here’s some Eco-friendly service projects ideal for the whole family
- Plant a Tree – Make planting a tree more than just adding oxygen to the Earth. Dedicate the tree to the family and celebrate the growth of the tree along with the growth of your family
- Clean up litter a favorite family hot-spot – Spend a day picking up litter at a park, beach or playground that your family spends a lot of time visiting. This way you’re not just doing a good thing, you’re giving back to a spot that has given you so much happiness.
- Run a recycle drive for your neighborhood – Invite your neighbors to bring all their paper, plastic and metal recyclables to your house. Make an event of it – serve lemonade and cookies. If your area offers money for recyclable goods amount to giving the money made to a good cause.
Posted in Green Community, Green Family 1 Comment »
January 26, 2009
Living green can be simple when your the only one you have to worry about. But when you’re a parent there are challenges that arise from trying to teach independent and rebellious children to pass up the easier route and commit to something more difficult and perhaps not considered “cool”.
So what are some ways to motivate tweens and teens to jump on the green bandwagon?
- Rent the documentary ‘An Inconvenient Growth’ and watch it as a family. The beautiful imagery will hold their attention while the message will bring to light the seriousness of the environmental situation.
- Involve your kids in deciding what some of the things you are going to do to live greener. Allow them to have plenty of input.
- If your kids like building things look up plans for solar ovens, and compost bins. If they like cars, research cool looking eco-friendly vehicles. If they like gardening you can plant trees. Whatever their favorite activities are, try to find a green spin to them.
Some sites for Green Activities for Kids:
Kaboose
Green Daily
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January 25, 2009
There is nothing new parents want more than to do the best for their baby. Eco-conscience industries have been working on safe, all-natural infant products.
Burt’s Bees – These all natural products have been around since before being green was popular. Products include soaps, diaper rash cream, and lotions.
Desitin recently came out with a natural version of its diaper cream. It works about the same as the non-natural cream.
There is some debate over disposable diapers vs. cloth diapers. While they do have to be washed and will need to be changed more frequently to avoid skin irritation I still thing the pros drastically outweigh the cons. Disposable diapers just take up too much space in our landfills for too long. If possible try to find organic cotton diapers.
When shopping for baby clothes you should focus on getting all-natural fibers like organic cotton. Some sites that specialize in “green” baby clothes:
Kee-Ka - inexpensive clothes for baby, toddlers, and pets
Organic Baby Warehouse – A wide variety of organic products for baby
Pure and Little – A little pricey but the products are well worth the price. Also has a large variety.
Posted in Green Family, Green Shopping 1 Comment »
January 24, 2009
I often have friends and relatives ask me why living a green lifestyle is so important to me. Do you get the same type of questions when people see your compost bin or your pile of cloth napkins instead of paper towels? At first I had trouble coming up with answers that “less green” people would see the point of. After all they don’t want to hear about Al Gore’s movie or the hazards of toxic household products. So what can you say?
- Being green saves money – Making cleaners is cheaper than buying, cloth napkins only need to be purchased once, composting saves the cost of fertilizer.
- No more piles of plastic bags lying around – Plastic bags seem to multiply faster than rabbits. And I for one could never remember to take them back to the store for recycling. Reusable bags are study, attractive and large enough to carry a lot of items at one time.
- Local food tastes fresher – Buying food from a local farm not only helps the economy but provides a family with delicious, fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs, and eggs.
- Family members won’t get sick as often – It is well documented that household cleaners cause harm to the housewives who use them for long periods of time. Synthetic chemicals in soaps, shampoo, hand wash, lotions, bubble baths, etc have increased the instances of skin irritations in children.
- Energy costs are lower – Energy-saver light bulbs and appliances use less energy and therefore cost less. Hybrids cars need less gas less often so fuel costs are low.
If these reasons don’t convince your friends or family at least that you’re not out of your mind don’t take it too hard – at least you know you’re doing the right thing.
Posted in General No Comments »
January 19, 2009
Here at our household we are looking forward to another great year of living green. While every member of my family is interested in living green, we all have our own particular favorite green issue. While I’m a stickler for recycling, reducing, and repurposing items, my husband is more concerned with saving water and electricity and finding alternative sources of energy. My eldest son thinks littering should be a federal offense and is concerned with preservation of parks, forests, beaches, etc. My younger son is against the use of toxic chemicals that can harm human and animal life. Finally my four-year old is already showing a great interest in growing food and weeding and any type of gardening.
So when we sit down to decide our green goals for the year we have to take into consideration everyone’s favorite cause. This is what we’re shooting for in 2009.
- All compostable materials will go into the compost bin.
- One weekend every month we will dedicate some time to picking up litter at a public beach, park, playground, etc.
- We will use only natural, green, or homemade cleaners for general cleaning.
- We will collect rainwater to use for our garden.
- We will use organic compost for our gardens. Also we won’t use toxic pesticides or weed killers.
We’re already doing some of these things in some way so what we really need to do is refocus and work a little harder. Hopefully we’ll be able to set new goals before too long.
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