Category Archives: Goods

Why You Should Try A Natural Sunscreen This Summer

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I’ve been thinking a lot recently about natural sunscreen. Even though I have found a ‘better’ sunscreen for my kids, I still cringe (a little) at what I’m smothering on their skin each morning before school. Because I don’t feel I know enough about it.

Sunscreen is a tricky one. I don’t feel comfortable making my own, and I don’t want to NOT use it, but I don’t just want to layer it onto my kids’ super awesome and absorbent skin either. Ermmm… quandary. If I’m honest with you, I don’t put it on my kids more than I do (don’t judge). We all know Vitamin D in its purest form (sun) is really good for us, BUT ALWAYS within SAFE limits.

So, I did my research – and here it is. Are you ready? Time to switch your brain on…

Wellness Mama says: “Of the 1,400+ sunscreens tested by the Environmental Working Group, only 5% met their safety standards and over 40% were listed as potentially contributing to skin cancer.

I (Wellness Mama) explain the reason that sunscreen may actually lead to skin cancer in this post, but one of the reasons is that a Vitamin A derivative, retinyl palmitate, that is often used in sunscreens was shown to speed up the growth of cancerous cells by 21%.

Many sunscreens also contain methylisothiazolinone, which the American Contact Dermatitis Society named as its “allergen of the year”.

She then goes on to say..

Most sunscreens completely block the body’s ability to manufacture Vitamin D. Statistically, 75% of us are deficient in Vitamin D and Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to higher risk of cancer and heart disease.

We might literally be cutting off our noses to spite our faces when it comes to sun exposure. We lather up with chemical sunscreens that have the potential to greatly increase skin cancer risk and reduce Vitamin D production in the name of avoiding skin cancer, and increase our risk of more widespread diseases related to Vitamin D deficiency.”

This was what I was wresting with, maybe because in Vancouver, we used to have to give our kids a drop of Vitamin D every day – which seemed crazy to me coming from sunny South Africa. They used to encourage us to get our kids naked and put them in direct sunlight for 20 min a day. Of course, this is all relative to where you live, your weather and state of the ozone layer above you.

Ddrops1

But, DON’T PANIC. There are solutions to this (potentially terrifying) information: NATURAL SUNSCREEN.

I found interesting information on Natural Lab’s Blog and have added some thoughts from Wellness Mama’s blog post on the (controversial) topic. And they have sort of put my thoughts on paper (screen) for me… (my additions in italics).

Here are the benefits of a natural sunscreen: 

1. They contain no parabens. Parabens are the most widely used preservatives in personal care products. They stop fungus, bacteria and other microbes from growing in your products. Their names are a mouthful – methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben and isobutylparaben. Scientists have been debating for the last few years whether these chemicals are harmful to our health and are linked to cancer due to their ability to mimic estrogen. Research is not conclusive, however we would rather not take the chance.

2. They contain no artificial fragrance. It is estimated that the majority of synthetic fragrances on the market today are derived from petroleum by-products. A trademarked scent is protected by the law as a “trade secret”. These types of protected fragrances are not required to list the concoction of chemicals on the product label. They are only required to list the term “fragrance” or “parfum” with the list of allergens. The chemicals that are often used to formulate these fragrances can be toxic to the body over time as well as cause allergic reactions. Completely natural sunscreens use natural fragrances such as essential oils which do not contain these harmful chemicals. (I’ve always been wary of perfumes, scents or fragrances on my kids from a very early age; my first born had a severe reaction to them. Almost everything we use is scent free OR it only contains pure essential oils.) 

3. They contain no Chemical UV blockers. This gets a bit technical. (This is copied and pasted from the blog article!) Sunscreens can protect your skin using PHYSICAL (mineral) barriers or CHEMICAL barriers. Natural sunscreens use physical barriers, these are metals out of the ground such as Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide which reflect or scatter the suns’ rays. These are safer to use than chemical barriers provided they are non-nano (particle size not too small which could potentially make its way into the blood stream). Chemical barriers are ingredients such as octocrylene, octyl methoxycinnamate, benzophenone-3 (oxybenzone) and benzophenone-4. These are very useful ingredients as they have the ability to absorb UV light very well, and protect your skin from UVA rays. However they also have a potential negative effect (not founded, we are saying “potential”). When a molecule of one of the above mentioned chemical UV blockers absorbs a UV photon (a quantum of UV light), it becomes excited (energised). However the sunblock molecule does not stay excited forever. Eventually it releases the absorbed energy by emitting lower energy protons and interacting with other molecules. These secondary effects often lead to the formation of harmful chemical byproducts, particularly free radicals. If this occurs inside the skin (i.e the molecule has penetrated the skin before absorbing UV photon) the free radicals (and possibly other secondary effects) may potentially cause skin damage, irritation, skin ageing and, some believe, increase the risk of cancer. Again, this is inconclusive, however we are led to believe that there is a risk of this happening based on various studies that have been performed.

phys-v-chem sunscreens

4. Chemical UV blockers may alter hormones and impair male fertility. Well that sounds awful. We’ll let you decide how grounded the research is based on the 501 couples they studied over a 4 year period. Read this article.

Wellness Mama agrees saying:

“This new research by the EWG (Environmental Working Group) reveals that the chemicals commonly used in sunscreen are endocrine disruptors, estrogenic and may interfere with thyroid and other hormone processes in the body.

The most common sunscreen chemical, Oxybenzone, was found in 96% of the population by a recent study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. This is especially alarming since oxybenzone is considered an endocrine disruptor, can reduce sperm count in men and may contribute to endometriosis in women.”

5. Natural Sunscreens are often rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants can offer skin health benefits and are touted to reduce oxidative stress by neutralising free radicals when the skin is exposed to UV light.

Here are some natural sunscreens available in South African Health Stores which we recommend you try:

oh lief sunscreen

Conclusion:

It is important to be responsible with sun exposure, but many sunscreens offer a false security of sun protection and may do more harm than good.

The safest option is covering up and supporting skin health internally and externally. Mineral sunscreens (without nano particles or sunscreen chemicals) are a good option, but for the most part, spray and chemical sunscreens should be avoided (Consumer Reports warns that spray sunscreens should not be used on children and that adults should exercise caution and make sure not to use on the face or inhale them, as convenient as they are…)

More and more natural mineral sunscreens are on the market now, so please consider choosing safer sunscreens for your family!

Picture credit: www.kinooze.com, oh-lief, www.goddessgarden.com.

Your Local Eco Salon – The Little Green Box

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Christmas came early for me this year. I never knew that right around the corner from where I live (about 5km’s – no jokes) there is a beauty and skincare therapist called Peta who, after being involved in the industry for over 10 years, started asking questions about how she could move towards a more eco-friendly way of treating her clients.

Amazing right? Think about it: a professional in the industry, with a heart to treat her clients with honest and natural products – promoting health, contemplating her environmental impact, and supporting local brands – all the while PAMPERING YOU. Now come on. I might need to outsource this blog writing to her because she is on the money. I’m full-on inspired.

Peta invited me to her Little Green Box, a bespoke eco-friendly skincare clinic that offers professional treatments using organic products. Her salon sits cozily on her property in quiet Constantia Meadows, Cape Town.

Little Green Box Salon Mirror

Not only did she treat me to an Esse Anti-Aging Facial, but I was able to relax, be pampered (and my lucky face and neck were cleansed, exfoliated, loved on and and and for an HOUR), and I was able to chat with her about her story.

After working in the salon industry for many years, she came to the realization that the traditional skincare products she was using on her clients every day had many dangerous chemicals in them. She found that this affected both ones skin health and general overall health, and not only was she using these products on her clients but as a therapist she was being exposed to them every day. After the birth of her daughter she decided to launch her own salon, and in doing so she made a huge (and pretty brave) change – she went green.

And here’s how she did it… (are you ready for this?)

The Little Green Box – Eco Skincare uses LED lighting, flow restrictions on the basin and shower, dual flush toilets and even eco-friendly laminate flooring. She installed a solar geyser and tries to keep as much plastic out of the clinic as possible. All of the packaging of the products that she stocks is recyclable(!). Her and her husband have a well-point for their garden to offset the water that she uses in the clinic, and she takes great pride in being eco-friendly by supporting South African brands like Esse (a brand for which she is the Western Cape Trainer). The wax she uses is also eco-friendly and contains no petrochemicals, parabens, synthetic fragrances or animal by-products and is cruelty free.

“I love knowing that the products that I am using on my clients are amazing, clean, green, results-driven-products that really work. I believe in ethical and sustainable skincare as well as having a holistic approach to skincare and ageing”.

Are you as completely flawed with inspiration as I am? Her salon is beautiful, fresh and inviting. I’m a green-ish person (hence the blog name). I love playing around with making things, going homemade, growing food, rethinking how we do things and supporting local, but this is another level. Peta has dedicated her day-to-day work (read: livelihood) and has courageously committed herself (and her earning potential) to this cause.

I’ll also tell you what she’s not: she is not a green-freak who will look down on you if you don’t encapsulate your own placenta, or water your garden any other time besides between the hours of 2am-4am (exaggeration added). She is remarkably down to earth for someone who has taken such a bold move. She is warm and open, easy to talk to and really approachable. Her clients are a mix between those who moved along with her (and have embraced and found real benefit from the eco-style) and those who are thinking about what she is doing and appreciate her eco-efforts.

Little Green Box Salon

Peta is a huge fan of Esse. I’ve recently come to know this brand quite well and hearing Peta talk about it made me that much more excited. Peta, being a trainer for the product, knows what shes talking about, and you know your face is in good hands (ha ha – get it?).

Prior to the facial, she took some gizmo and checked the hydration levels on different parts of my face. After thinking my skin was quite dry, she reassured me that my levels weren’t too bad (especially around my eyes). About 5 minutes later the penny dropped (I was obliviously way too relaxed) and remembered I had been using Esse’s Eye Contour Cream around my eyes. I kid you not. Even I was amazed.

So let’s get back to the facial. It was the Esse Anti-Aging Facial R370 (60min)

She started with the Esse Triple Cleanse which included Eye-make up Remover R170 (100ml), Cream Cleanser R300 (200ml), Gel Cleanser R280 (200ml).

After the cleanse, she did a gentle exfoliation with the Enzyme Exfoliator for 10 mins under steam for a brighter, clearer complexion and to remove dead skin cells. I then sunk deep into the bed as she continued with a facial massage with the Facial Massage Cream. She then massaged my feet (I LOVE foot massages) for 15 mins while the Eye Mask and Omega Mask did their thing. The Omega Mask is an intensive treatment mask formulated to feed the skin as well as sooth, relax and calm. And calm I was.

Peta also offered to tame my eyebrows with some threading. I was really appreciative of the offer (plucking is such a shlep) but initially hesitant as my previous experience with threading had not been all that great. I used to pop down to 4th Ave in Vancouver and some tiny little lady would have a good go at my eyebrows and exactly 17 seconds later, I’d be $9 poorer with blood spots framing my newly shaped brows. She gently encouraged me and I obliged – and I’m SO glad I did. For the first time I had no blood spots and very little redness. I’ll be back. For sure.

She wrapped up my facial with a spritz with Toner Plus R370 (100ml), she applied Serum to my entire face R295 (20ml), Eye and Lip Cream to the eye area R285 (20ml) and finally the Omega Deep Moisturiser R430 (5x10ml pots). AMAAA-ZING. This was my jumping into the Esse world, and she’s given me tips on how to continue with a healthy skincare regime (which I’m happy to report I’ve kept up and am loving!)

Little Green Box Salon Esse

My hydration levels were checked again after the facial and it was obvious to tell that Peta and Esse make a winning combination. My levels were optimal and my skin felt incredible. Full stop.

Other Treatments and Products on offer include:

•  Esse Organic Skincare (certified organic by ECOCERT)
•  Bt-micro and Bt-analyze
•  Kalahari Ancient Desert Secrets
•  Hello Nature Organic wax (certified organic by ECOCERT)
•  Manual Lymphatic Drainage
•  Threading
•  SpaRitual Vegan Nail Laquers

The Little Green Box Salon

You can purchase any of the Esse products above from The Little Green Box. Chat to Peta about what she thinks will be best for you skin – she’s a wealth of info!

Check out the full The Little Green Box Pricelist and don’t forget that Gift Vouchers and Spa Packages are also available. With Christmas coming up – this is a great Christmas present idea. You can follow them on Facebook and Twitter for updates and more info.

Contact Details:
41 Meadow Way, Constantia Meadows
Tel: 074 816 7794 (or whatsapp)
Email: littlegreenboxskincare@gmail.com
Web: www.greenboxskincare.co.za

The Little Green Box – Eco Skincare 

Monday to Friday: 08:30 – 17:00
Saturday: 008:00 – 14:00
Closed on Sundays and Public Holidays

Homemade Laundry Powder- DIY

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Some things are worth doing yourself, and some… well maybe not. Making my own laundry powder hadn’t been high on my DIY priority list, but a conversation with a friend turned into an inspired comparison between two different homemade powders – mine and hers (which we then had to get to making).

I never thought much about laundry powder until I had to wash cloth nappies and needed baby-safe washing powder that didn’t clog the (super absorbent) nappies with detergents. Also, I needed something that was safe for baby’s sensitive skin.

I think we’ve agreed that at R60+ for 1kg (exclu essential oils and vinegar) this might be one of those things I outsource – it does seem a tad expensive. But for a green brand… maybe not? Next one I want to try is the Nu-Eco. I do like Better Earth one, and it comes in a 1L and 5L (which works out to be R75 per L). There are a number of good green brands making washing powder, but it’s up to you if you’re wanting the satisfaction of making your own. It is pretty satisfying.

Righteo, so here is the Homemade Laundry Powder I made (by Mommypotamous).

Ingredients:

Additional items handy to have on hand:

  • non-GMO white vinegar
  • food processor

Instructions:

Firstly, you have to turn your bicarb of soda into baking soda, and here’s how:

Pour your bicarb onto (clean and dry) baking trays and bake in the oven on 200 degrees C for about 30min, giving it a little juggle/mix around midway so it all bakes evenly.

When you take it out, it should have changed from a powdery substance (which you can clump together) into tiny individual grains… like this…


Then:

1. Cut your castile soap into small chunks and add it to the food processor along with the washing soda.

2. Blend until you have a fine powder. You may want to lay a dish towel over the top of your food processor to prevent a fine mist of powder from floating into the air. Also, let it settle a bit before opening the container or the powder will float onto your kitchen counter.

3. Pour into a clean container (keep the essential oil next to the jar and add 5 drops with each load)

To Use:

These instructions are for a top loader.

  1. Add 2-3 tablespoons laundry detergent per load. If you are washing in cold water, dissolve it in hot water before adding it in.
  2. If desired, add about five drops of lemon (I used lemongrass) essential oil as a degreaser.
  3. Add 1/2 cup vinegar to the fabric softener compartment.

And, a side note: all of the ingredients in this recipe are considered septic system safe.

I enjoyed making this. And I enjoyed using it (despite dissolving in hot water and adding essential oil and vinegar separately – which I’ll admit requires extra effort). I still need to pre-treat stains, but my linen smells beautifully lemongrassy-fresh.

I guess the jury is still out on if this is something I’m going to add to my day-to-day. What have you tried, which you think might be better store bought? Or is homemade always better?

xxx

Battle of the (Dishwashing) Brands

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Even if you have a dishwasher, you no doubt wash a good few dishes in your sink with sunlight liquid each day. But, sunlight liquid – while it has seemingly outplayed many other brands in the dishwashing liquid world – how happy/honest/good is it on your hands, dishes, environment and ultimately your health (with its sneaky little hidden residue sitting on everything you put your food on…)?

Not being a scientist, (and never claiming to be) I don’t have the exact answer, but considering more and more of you wonderful humans are looking into alternatives to use in your homes, I thought I’d take the liberty of doing a little ‘Battle of the (HONEST) Brands’ in my own home, with my own pots and pans, to test out our happy competitors.

Disclaimer: Please note that this was not an audited experiment and I did not have 6 equally bacon-greased pans ready to be washed in 6 different basins of water with the respective dishwashing soaps. I popped the 6 brands on my windowsill and used them each at differing intervals while washing up the seemingly endless amount of dishes that comes with having kids.

Our categories will include: price point, bubble factor, smell, effective clean and overall awesomeness.

(As always, when changing brands, you’d be ignorant to think that by using a different, green brand will give you the exact same experience as your usual brand would. It’s easy to forget, so bear that in mind when you consider changing over. If we are to expect a different outcome (i.e toxic-free/biodegradable) then we need to expect a different user experience). 

Meet our Contestants: 

Dish washing Liquid HR - 2015

1. Better Earth Dishwashing Liquid 
Price Point: R52 for 750ml
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Decyl Glucoside, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Xanthan Gum, Glycerin, Citric Acid, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Potassium Sorbate, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus (Lemongrass) Oil.
Bubble Factor: 7/10
Smell: 9/10
Effective Clean: 8.5/10
Overall Awesomeness: I LOVE the smell, and love the brand. A number of their products are finalists (and winners) in the Fairlady Best Buy Consumer Awards 2010. Locally made in Muizenberg, I trust this brand. I just get a good vibe. A bit on the pricier side when compared – that’s my only negative.

Better Earth claims: Their products are bio-degradable and do not affect anything else apart from what they are designed to do which is to clean and freshen. They want to give you a cleaning product that works well but is safe for you, your family and the earth, and the beauty of their products is that they are kept simple while still being effective. Better Earth products are free of sulphated surfactants, parabens, animal products, colourants and synthetic fragrance. They are also bio-degradable and are certainly better for the earth than some of your more conventional cleaners.

Dishwashing Liquid

2. Nu Eco Dishwashing Liquid
Price Point: R33 for 750ml
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Decyl Glucoside, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Citrus Sinensis (Orange) Peel Oil, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Citral, Limonene.
Bubble Factor: 8/10
Smell: 9/10
Effective Clean: 8.5/10
Overall Awesomeness: Made in Durbs, this new brand gets me amped and I’m stoked to see it hitting the shelves of many retailers. I love the story behind how they began and am continually pleasantly surprised by the price and quality of each new Nu Eco product I try.

Nu Eco claims: Cuts through grease and grime, non-polluting to water systems, fresh natural fragrance, kills germs with botanical extracts, contains natural citrus-based, anti-microbial oil.

3. Earthsap Dishwashing Liquid
Price Point: R37 for 750ml
Ingredients: Saponified Vegetable Extract, Citrus Essential Oils, Natural Gum, Water.
Bubble Factor: 8/10
Smell: 7/10
Effective Clean: 8.5/10
Overall Awesomeness: Proudly showing off a ‘2 x normal strength’ sticker, my only disappointment is that I found this liquid rather runny, and so if you’re not careful, you could go through it quite quickly. I love that it says it’s non toxic, biodegradable, safe for kids and gentle on hands. I was impressed.

Earthsap claims: Earthsap products use no dyes, synthetic fragrances, artificial preservatives, phosphates, petrochemicals, chlorine or bleaches, animal or GM ingredients and are never tested on animals. They are non-toxic and 100% biodegradable.

Pure-Simple-Dishwash-Liquid

4. Pure Simple Dishwashing Liquid
Price Point: R46 for 1L
Ingredients: Natural Spring Water, Coconut Oil, Caustic Potash, Citrus Essential Oils.
Bubble Factor: 4/10
Smell: 6/10
Effective Clean: 6/10
Overall Awesomeness: Dubbed by Pure Simple themselves as their ‘problem child’ this soap, was, well… errmmmm not the beeeest. BUT, having said that, it is an excellent heavy duty grease cutter – the pure coconut oil soap emulsifies the oil and/or grease and washes away leaving dishes grease free.

Sandra from Pure Simple suggests you dilute it 50 / 50 with water in a spray bottle and spray directly into greasy roasting pans. Rub with a scrubby sponge and rinse in hot water. This I found very effective. If you are a hardcore ingredient watcher – this is your best bet.

5. Triple Orange Dishwashing Liquid
Price Point: R72 for 500ml
Ingredients: Orange Oil, Coconut Oil, Coconut Extract, Anionic Surfactant & Non-Ionic Surfactant
Bubble Factor: 8/10
Smell: 7.5/10
Effective Clean: 7.5/10 (dishwasher), 8/10 (sink)
Overall Awesomeness: Triple Orange seems to have all of a sudden hit the market with a small yet super effective range of cleaning products boasting everything ORANGE. And as a small family business based in Jozie, well done to them! Their dishwashing soap can be used for both the dishwasher and sink, but I found it more effective in the sink. This was the most expensive competitor in the bunch. Hmph.

TRIPLE ORANGE™ claims: their products are made from the oil extracted from the peel of the orange. The soaps are emulsifiers which contains no synthetic chemicals, petroleum distillates, or alcohol. They are environmentally friendly, biodegradable and non-toxic. They are capable of handling the toughest industrial cleaning problems, but are safe enough to use in the home, around children and animals.

EnviroBlend

6. Greenman’s Enviroblend Dishwashing Liquid
Price Point: R175 for 5L (only sold in 5L and 25L tubs)
Ingredients: Water, Sulphonic Acid (COA), SOD Lauryl Sulphate, Coconut Diethanolamine, SOD Hydroxide (C/Lye), Cocoamidoproyl Betaine, Acticide LA1220, Perfume Lemon Fresh SW0007, Dye T Green.
Bubble Factor: 9/10
Smell: 5/10
Effective Clean: 8.5/10
Overall Awesomeness: I do like Greenman products and use quite a few in my home, and while I’m not a scientist, from my semi-uneducated opinion, this contestant seems to be the one with a number of ingredients which I’d usually find in store bought products. This soap looks and feels like good old Sunlight (it has a green dye unlike any others). I queried the SOD Lauryl Sulphate with my friend at Greenman and he sent the following link for those who might be concerned about it too. Regardless of my hesitancy, I do like it, it is the most affordable and it certainly works.

Greenman claims: their products are Non Toxic, Non Corrosive, Non Caustic, Non Flammable and Non Explosive, As well as being Readily Biodegradable, Carcinogen Free, Plant Based, Dioxane Free, Ethylene Oxide Free and Bleach Free.

Conclusion: I expected to be comparing apples with apples but that didn’t seem to be the case.

For instance, your Pure Simple, while not offering the easiest wash, has the fewest ingredients – which to some, means the most. Your Greenman on the other hand, I initially felt uneasy about the SOD Lauryl Sulphate (and think the DYE is needless), it does provide you with a more natural option for the committed Sunlight Soap lover.

Surprisingly, my top choices are Earthsap and Nu-Eco, with Better Earth trailing ever so slightly just behind them. Better Earth also comes in a 5L which is handy to have on hand and uses less packaging (using it to refill the original 750ml bottle).

One more simple change you can make to your home. Now it’s your turn to try one…

Image credit: www.brayandscarff.com.

Spring Cleaning with Better Earth & GIVEAWAY!

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So, I presume you’re all done with your spring cleaning right? Wait… No?

Well if you haven’t started (and we’re almost mid way through Spring) then don’t feel bad. Neither have I, which is strange because I love cleaning… when I’m in the mood. I think maybe it is because I haven’t had the right goodies in my hands and I’m not up for making my own cleaning products quite yet. I’m trying my hand at making things slowly, and well… I’m sure I’ll get to the bicarb of soda/lemon juice/vinegar mix soon enough, but for now I’m going with local, trusted well known brands, such as Better Earth, a homegrown family company based in Muizenberg.

Better-Earth

A while back I read a post by Wellness Mama stating that our homes are often our most toxic environments. It stuck with me.

Two experts Leslie Reichert, author of “Joy of Green Cleaning,” and Sara Snow, author of “Sara Snow’s Fresh Living,” share the reasons why people should make the switch to green cleaning products.

1. Healthier Home
If you go green, “No longer will there be chemicals absorbed into the skin or breathed in by the person cleaning,” Reichert says. Health benefits extend to family members who are no longer breathing in cleaners lingering in the air and sitting on surfaces. Studies have shown that using a household cleaning spray, even as little as once a week, raises the risk of developing asthma. Snow says that using green cleaning products can reduce the chances of developing asthma, which “today is the most common chronic illness and the leading cause of school absences due to chronic illness across the country.”

2. Purer Environment
When you use many cleaning products, “harmful chemicals are being released into the environment,” says Reichert. Not great for you and the people around you to breathe in. Changing to greener methods, “helps reduce pollution to our waterways and the air and it minimizes your impact on ozone depletion and global climate change with fewer smog-producing chemicals,” advises Snow. Many green products also use recyclable packaging which minimizes waste.

3. Safer Products
Conventional cleaning products pose risks such as chemical burns to the cleaner’s skin and eyes. Green cleaners aren’t corrosive and meet strict standards regarding inhalation toxicity, combustibility and skin absorption.

4. Better Air Quality
As with most people, Snow can’t stand the “stench of strong chemical odours.” Many green cleaning products — including store bought and ones you can make at home — include pleasant natural essential oils. Reichert even refers to cleaning with these products as her “aromatherapy.”

5. Less Expensive
“For home cleaning, vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, etc. can do the trick for pennies on the dollar, compared to buying conventional cleaning products,” Snow says. Why go out and buy products when you can use things you already have in your pantry?

As I said previously, I’m not at the point of making my own cleaning goodies yet (and I know many of you feel the same way) and I have zero conviction about it because there are a number of really good brands on the shelves that are not bank-breaking and which work really well.

Kerry, the brains behind Better Earth is a lover of all things natural – including what is safest for ourselves and our environment. “I’m passionate about making sure that what we use in our homes for cleaning has the least possible effect on water and the environment down the line.” Better Earth’s products are free of ethoxylated ingredients, sulphated surfactants, parabens, animal products, colourants and synthetic fragrance. The products are kept simple while still being effective, and are never tested on animals. Music to my ears.

Recently I tried out three of her popular products, the Better Earth Laundry Gel with Fabric Conditioner (Fairlady Consumer Awards Finalist 2012), Better Earth Bathroom and Toilet Cleaner (Fairlady Consumer Awards Finalist 2011) and the Better Earth Natural Cleaning Spray (a fantastic gentle cleaner you can use on just about anything).


I loved using these products. They smell amazing, are fresh, they look great and simply put – they are a fantastic (and necessary) addition to my home. I love that I can be confident knowing my kids can lick the syrup off the floor, suck the bovril drops off their clothing and that my now toilet-trained-toddler (can I hear an AMEN!) can safely touch, climb on and wiggle all over the toilet.

Keen to try these products in your home? I thought so. Well lucky for you, Better Earth and Our Greenish Life are giving each of them to one lucky reader! This prize is valued at over R200!

Enter here:

  • Like Our Greenish Life on Facebook
  • Share the competition on Facebook
  • Tell us in the comments below: If you chose to go green with one cleaning product, which one would it be? (i.e Toilet and Bathroom/Dishashing Liquid etc.)
  • Tag a friend for an extra entry.

Thanks for entering. Good Luck!

Contact Better Earth
Tel: +27 (0)72 662 2107
Fax: +27 (0)86 612 6911
email: info@betterearth.co.za

Terms and Conditions

The competition runs from Saturday 17 October – Monday 26 October 2015.
This competition is open to Cape Town residents only.
The winner will be chosen randomly and contacted via email.
Winner will be announced on the Our Greenish Life website and social media channels on Monday 26 October.

Featured Pic Credit: imgkid.com

THIS COMPETITION IS CLOSED. Congrats to Valerie Duffield Anderson who won this awesome compo.

The Purest of Beginnings

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It feels like we went overseas, came back, and everything was different. BOS iced tea is like the new ‘it’ drink and is available in every corner cafe and, much to my delight, Pure Beginnings Organic Skincare is available… every-where!

Having been attacked by mozzies upon our return to SA in mid-summer, I sent my hubby out to find a natural mozzie repellent, and voia la – we were officially introduced to the Pure Beginnings brand.

PB Insect repellant

As with all reviews, there is a plethora of overly-shmoozy things I could say about Pure Beginnings. I could say I love them because they’re EcoCert certified (so they cannot include any baddies such as propylene glycol/PPG/PEG, petrolatum, mineral oil, parabens, sulphated surfactants (SLS/SLES), DEA (Diethanolamine) / TEA (trethanolamine), phthalathes, DEP, DBP, DEHP, aluminium, fluoride, synthetic colourants & fragrances) or because they support African Communities and Biodiversity Conservation through fair trade and ethical sourcing (I love ethical). I could also say I love them because they use recyclable packaging and use only ingredients that are biodegradable and are approved by the Vegan Society, Beauty without Cruelty and Phytotrade Africa. It could also be because they have a good understanding of healthy (vs. bad) bacteria and consider optimising the beneficial bacteria in ones ‘body-ecosystem’. It really could be because of any of the above, right? Pssst… I like this last healthy bacteria bit in particular and it’s why I drink kombucha.

PB Eco Cert Certified

Buuuut, let’s pretend I didn’t say any of the above. I met them. In the flesh. So you can take my gushyness of Pure Beginnings to heart. They are RAD, they are trying to find better ways of doing things for you and your family, and they care.

Pure Beginnings genuinely believes in keeping your skin as pure as the day you were born by creating high quality, effective, organic skin care products that care for you and your family’s skin (and that are not harmful to the environment). Again, if you’ve read the post on why we cloth diaper, you’ll know this ‘skin as pure as the day you were born’ stuff was where I had my ah’ha moment, which has since changed everything.

Bum Cream

Pure Beginnings started out in 2007 with their focus being specifically Organic Baby and Organic Kids ranges and has since, expanded into a skin care brand for the whole family. Do I hear a ‘hoorah’? Since then Pure Beginnings has been the leading and most trusted baby and kids organic skin care brand in South Africa. Over these past 8 years, this family owned and run business has worked closely with mothers, midwives and child birth educators (and doulas!!) to develop a skin care range that meets the needs of babies and kids using the purest and safest natural and organic ingredients.

Surely you’ve seen these gorgeous products with the super adorbs child friendly characters…

Ollie the Owl

Max and Minky

…looky here! There’s a new addition to the troop (more info coming soon!)

Ruby the Rhino

The ranges are comprehensive. And there is a product for preeeeetty much everything you need. (I even used the baby bum cream to moisturize my dry, sniffly nose this winter)…

Organic Baby Care Range:

Within the Organic Baby Care range you’ll find: Baby Bum Cream, Berry Toothpaste, Bamboo Baby Wipes, Natural Aqueous Cream, Baby Lotion, Baby Wash & Shampoo, Teething Gel, 100% Natural Insect Repellent and a gorgeous Organic Baby Gift Set.

PB organic Baby care

My faves: No doubt the Berry Toothpaste is on my shopping list about once a month (my little one looooves teeth-brushing time!!). The Baby Wipes are fantastic and are my backup in case I run out of my homemade wipes. The Teething Gel sits on my night stand in case bubs gets fussy in the night. We also love the Bum Cream and the Insect Repellent. (The stick container makes it so easy to apply) .

Organic Kids Range:

Within the Organic Kids Care range you’ll find: Fun Time Bubble Bath, Fun Time Kids Wash, Kids Hygiene Hand Wash, Vanilla Mint Toothpaste and 100% Natural Insect Repellent.

My faves: The Bubble Bath is just the best (ask my kids!), as well as the toothpaste (again, we don’t have to fight over teeth-brushing time).

Organic Care Range:

And in the Organic (Family) Care range you’ll find: Deodorant, Shampoo and Conditioner, Shaving Cream, Body Lotion, Body Wash and Fresh Mint Toothpaste (and of course… the good old trusty insect repellent).

My faves: Fresh Mint Toothpaste! While my hubby is not sold on my homemade kind, this is what he always asks for. My dad also loves the shaving cream!

Pure Beginnings Body Wash

Please. Do yourself and your family a favour and get onto the Pure Beginnings bandwagon. You can find all of their stockists here (there are HEAPS so no excuses), and take a peek at the latest news on their blog, facebook and twitter pages. Prices of products range from R35 – R115, and it’s money well spent.

Whether we think about it all that much, we vote with our money. Just like the food we eat either helps or harms us, how we spend our money directly influences which companies thrive and which suffer. Let’s please choose WISELY as to how we spend our money and support local businesses. Let’s join together and support those who are making it easier for us to care for our families and for our environment.

Go Green this Braai Day – 24 September 2015

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Green (and gold) fever is upon us. The Rugby World Cup is approaching and next week we celebrate Heritage Day, otherwise known as ‘Braai Day’. Having lived outside of South Africa for the last 4.5 years I find it lank rad that Braai Day has become a thing. It really is a quintessential part of our culture and our South African-ness. Braai’s build community.

There is nothing quite like the smell of that wood fire burning, and the sizzle of slapping your boerie or your chops or your lekker sosaties on the fire (bru), knocking back with a castle or your tassies (or for you fancies – your craft brew). A little slaai (salad) on the side, your garlic rolls and maybe a couple mielies (corn on the cob)… As I type this, all I can hear is Trevor Noah in my head…

braai nice

So let’s get our Braai Day on. We tend to complain a lot in South Africa, but this Braai Day, Eskom can’t get us down – even if you’re braai’ing on gas… which you shouldn’t because… it’s… kinda fake – come oooon now guyyyys.

braai day

The National Braai Day initiative aims to position National Heritage Day as South Africa’s annual day of celebration. We call on all South Africans to unite around fires, share our heritage and wave our flag on 24 September every year.

And so, in the midst of this celebration, I have the perfect (green) addition for your Braavleis. Ditch the old school paraffin/petroleum firelighters, and try Green Lite Eco Fire Lighters. I know what you might be thinking… “I’m so used to my usual firelighters, and now you want me to use something different that won’t be as effective, and probably double the price”.

W-R-O-N-G. Oh, oh so wrong.

Green Lite Eco Fire Lighters are 100% paraffin free, have a low odour and are made from recyclable materials, vegetable oils and natural colourants. They are the same price as Blitz (our most commonly bought brand), and is the brainchild of local Somerset West couple, Mark and Sandy Steinberg. 

Hubby and I took a trip up to the mountain this past weekend and we put these eco fire lighters to the test and were well impressed. I know I say that about a lot of things (natural eco-goodies get me amped), but this is one of those products where it is EASY to make the change. Green Lite’s Eco Fire Lighters are SABS Safety tested, contain no petroleum products, are fuelled by clean burning vegetable oils, have a low odour, and are long burning (up to 12 min a block!) and are so clean in handling you don’t have to wash your hands before touching your food. The blocks are easy to break off and use (unlike the random snapping of your blitz bar) and they have a resealable inner sleeve. Best of all its made right here in South Africa.

GET YOURS NOW!!

FROM TODAY until BRAAI DAY (24th September 2015), Green Goods, your online eco-store, is offering all readers a 20% off Green Lite Eco Fire Lighters. Follow this link to find your green happy firelighters and enter the code braaiday2015 when you check out to redeem your discount.

Give it a go – this is a simple change to make. And with the more firelighter blocks you have left over, all the more reason to braai braai braai your way into summer.

The GLÜKi Life

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I am an optimistic person by nature. A typical number 7 on the enneagram. Naturally, I over-commit myself to making absolutely everything I do full of adventure, excitement and fun – a life in full colour (aaaaand a little exhausting for my hubby and kids).

For instance, if we’re going to the beach, we neeeeeeeeeeed (as my toddler would say) an ice cream. If we’re going on a road trip, we simply must get coffees on the way. Camping trips require s’mores and I can’t go past a till check out without trying the new flavour of tic-tacs.

And so you can imagine my pure delight when I came across this range of organic skincare – GLÜKi Organics. As you may already know, names are a pretty big deal in our family (you can read the post on naming our second born here) and so if GLÜKi was a person, no doubt we’d be besties.

GLÜKi Baby – Happy Baby

Origins of the name GLÜKi, loosely derived from:

• South African Afrikaans – geluk (“happy”)
gelukkige verjaarsdag (“happy birthday”)
• Middle English – luk, lukke (“good luck”)
• Dutch – geluk (“happiness”)
• Yiddish – glick (“blessing / happiness”)
• Danish – lykke (“good luck”)
• Low German – luk (“good fortune”)
• German – glück (“happy”)
• Swedish – lycka (“good luck”)

GLÜKi Organics is an uncompromised high quality plant-based product range that meets a loving mother’s need for her baby. They take immense pride in the therapeutic value of each ingredient in their products.


GLÜKi uses a range of organic and natural ingredients such as mafura butter, aloe vera leaf extract, baobab powder, marula oil, shea butter, kalahari melon (one of my faves) and organic rooibos. No nonsense. I like.

So, bearing in mind I’m a number 7 and want all things fuller, bigger, more playful and joyous, you can imagine how satisfying it was to add GLÜKi to all areas of my life. It was like gleefully sprinkling glitter all over every room… without the clean up.

The range is attractive and beautifully designed. After browsing through it all, I gave the nipple cream and travel pack to a brand new mum-friend (how handy for her diaper bag?), and I threw the hand and body lotion straight into my handbag (and I smother it on like it’s nobody’s business). Honestly, sometimes before meetings, appointments or seeing friends, I like to rub it all over myself in the hope that they will recognize it as, you know, ‘my smell’. You know those friends who always smell good, and have a particular smell? Well that’s what I was going for. It really is that good.

The organic baby shampoo, baby body wash and bedtime bubble bath were delegated to the bathroom, and our changing table thought it was Christmas with the addition of the organic baby moisturizing lotion, oil gel, bum cream and baby powder. Like I said, goodness every-where.

My favourite product in the baby range is the bum cream. It is appropriately thicker than the rest of the range. Often I find thin bum cream gets messy and you end up slapping it (and therefore wasting it) all over your little ones tush, whereas this stays put and does what it needs to do: it nourishes, protects the skin, reduces chafe, and prevents rashes and irritation.

sku7137-gluki-baby-bum-cream-large

The GLÜKi team have written a wonderful post about how to care for your newborns skin. It includes the benefits of touch and baby massage, not overdoing bath time and how to feed your baby’s skin naturally. All of which I’m a huge advocate of.

I absolutely LOVE the smell of this range as you would have noted by my wishing people thought of it as ‘my smell’. To me, it smells like marshmallows (the nice, not sickly sweet, but the mature, refreshing and clean kind – if you can imagine such a marshmallow). This product to a baby’s skin is like a weeks trip to Indigo Fields for an adult. Have you been to Indigo Fields?

GLÜKi Organics is manufactured here in our very own beautiful South Africa and is EcoCert certified. GLÜKi is also an accredited partner of Phytotrade Africa, endorsed by Beauty without Cruelty and their ingredients Vegan. Have a peek at their extensive range of stockists online.

Coconut Oil, Coconut Oil Everywhere

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When I first embarked on this green life about 3 years ago, coconut oil popped up every-where. It’s like I couldn’t get away from the stuff – and for good reason.

1L oil

If you spend 7 seconds browsing Pinterest you’ll see literally thousands (if not hundreds of thousands) of posts about coconut oil, the benefits, the uses, the recipes, the health properties, and on and on it goes. It seems coconut oil really is one of the most versatile and healthy MUST-HAVES in your pantry, bathroom, bedroom, kids room, ANY-room.

You can read up more about their vast number of benefits and uses here and here. Below I’m highlighting three products in particular that I’ve found to fit into my day to day.

I have kids, am faaaaaairly addicted to sugar and love good skin. So, when Jenna from Coconut Connection, a local company, offered some product to try I grabbed the Baby Care, Organic Coconut Sugar and the Coconut Body Scrub.

Now, if you’re new to this, it’s good to know that coconut oil is an OIL. So it’s oily. Got it? I know a few people whose sensory vibes don’t dig the oil factor and so if that’s the case this might not be for you. But, as for the rest of you, let’s get greasy.

Oh wait, another thing. Coconut oil solidifies in cool temperatures, so, in colder climates it might need a slight warm up before use (like dipping the jar in warm water), and in hotter climates, if you don’t want to dip your fingers into runny oil, then keep it in a cool dry place, out of the sunlight.

Ready? Let’s go.

Coconut Connection’s Organic Baby Care:

Smothering my kidlets with coconut oil comes as NO surprise to me. From the very beginning, I ditched all the fancy branded creams (which had plenty of unknown ingredients) and went al-natural with the littlies using a single ingredient – Organic Coconut Oil. In fact when my second was born, his skin looked like it was almost cracking on his feet and hands and I lathered him up goooood and proper with the stuff. Within days, his skin was plump and juicy. And its a huge money saver as a little goes a very looooong way.

Uses: Can be used to treat baby acne, cradle cap, croup, nappy rash, ear infections, massage, bath oil and as a moisturiser.

Liven up your little ones bath time routine by running a warm bath, dim the lights, cuddle up your littlie in a towel, put on some relaxing music, drop some lavender essential oil in the diffuser and enjoy bonding time together involving some baby massage.


 Clayden skin 2

Coconut Connection’s Coconut Sugar:

I didn’t even know there was such a thing. Stevia, yes, Xylitol, yes… But coconut sugar?

Coconut sugar is made from the coconut flower, where the sap is removed and heated and you’re left with a sugary substance which leaves a caramelly aftertaste in your mouth. Whoooooaaaaaa, it is delicious. I can eat this stuff by the teaspoonful. In fact, if I’m honest, I do.

Compared to Xylitol, coconut sugar has a milder taste and flavour. When added to coffee, it knocks that bitter taste off, or adds a slight sweetness to tea. My rooibos addicted toddler loves coconut sugar in his morning tea and I way prefer using this than any other sweetener. Win.

Uses: you can use coconut sugar in many different sweet and savoury recipes. It is safe for diabetics and has a low GI of 35.

sugar

Coconut Connection’s Body Scrub:

I like things with as few ingredients as possible, and this scrub has 2. Coconut Oil and Sugar. So it’s a scrub, aaaand a dessert (almost).

Since my scrub had hardened, I warmed it up (you can pop the bottom of the jar in the bath) and gave it a stir to distribute the oil and sugar evenly (as the sugar had settled at the bottom of the jar). I quite like the oil-on-oil method of cleaning and so for me personally I like oil based scrubs. This scrub has a neutral smell and so if you don’t have a high sensitivity to essential oils, you could add a couple drops to your bath depending on what mood you’re in. Being oily, its quite nice to just give yourself a little neck massage while you’re at it. Well that’s what I do anyway.

Coconut Connection have a whole range of products, including coconut oil for cooking (or DIY-ing), toothpaste (similar to my homemade recipe), lip balm and much more.

What have you made recently that has coconut oil as a main ingredient?

Tam’s Natural Homemade Face Scrub

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Roll up your sleeves, we’re getting our DIY on.

Recently a friend of mine in Durbs sent me this recipe for a homemade face scrub she was making for her boyfriend who had really sensitive skin. Every now and then we send each other a quick message about what essential oils to buy or where to get witch hazel – you know… those kinds of things.

This scrub includes old used coffee grinds (from the bottom of the Bodum) and so in a moment of inspiration as I was washing out the plunger (preparing to make myself another cuppa), I grabbed an empty jar and threw it all together.

Now, I have heard horror stories about scrubs and while I’ve made my own body scrub before, the delicate skin on your face is a different ball game. So I spoke to my Beauty Blogger friend Emmy at Rouge Beauty, and she gave me some really insightful info into the benefits and dangers of exfoliating.

Baaaaasically, (let me summarize), using a scrub is important for the health of your skin (face), but OVER exfoliating can scratch and cause damage to your dermis. So don’t be getting all over-excited, and make the scrub and then go nuts like there’s no tomorrow. Exfoliating gets rid of  old and dead skin, which has often collected pollutants and general nonsense in the air. It is recommended that you gently exfoliate (or use a scrub) about once a week, and less frequently as you get older. Also, she emphasized, to use a sunscreen (always), but especially the day following. Got it? Good!

Here is what you need:

– 2 T old coffee grinds (yes, the stuff at the bottom of your plunger!)

– 2 T of honey (you can use sugar or molasses, but I prefer honey)

– 2 T olive oil

– 1 T almond oil

– 15 drops of an essential oil (Tam recommends tea tree oil). Essential oils are always optional as they can cause sensitivity. Since my skin is not super sensitive, I added in lemon tea tree. Ohhhhh fresh! 

And then in her words: ‘I added two squirts of my dermalogic face wash to make it a bit more “face washy” for him’. Ha ha ha. You could use castille soap, but I left this out.

I have LOVED using this scrub. I keep my jar in the shower and as prescribed, scrub gently once a week. I also love the natural oil-on-oil method of cleaning and have found my skin to feel really soft, clear and healthy after. Yay.

Thanks Tam!