Are you hands in fighting form?
The term mano-a-mano – translated in Spanish as “hand to hand” – originated with bullfighting and refers to a knock-down, drag-out direct confrontation.
Hopefully, your mitts don’t need to be on that level of fighting condition…but they do need some TLC from time to time. In these DIY recipes, organic lavender partners with other non-toxic ingredients to keep your fingers frisky and fresh.
Before you get creative, don’t forget one of the easiest, chemical-way to clean fingernails – a toothbrush and good old-fashioned baking soda dipped in water! This is a quick way to refresh your digits, kind of like mouthwash for your hands!
Give a Hand for Lavender Love
Hand Rescue Cream: yields 5 oz.
Ingredients:
How to: Melt beeswax in a pan. Add the lemon juice and oils and stir with a wooden spoon until blended. Transfer to a jar. Shake occasionally until the cream is cooled and uniform. Use as an all-natural hand cream every day.
Manicure in a Jar: yields 4 oz.
Ingredients:
How to: Combine the ingredients in a small bowl and transfer to a wide-necked jar so you can easily gain access with your fingertips. One by one, dip your fingertips into the jar, massaging the sugary mixture gently into cuticles and knuckles. Julie Gabriel, the creator of this yummy recipe, recommends waving your hands gently to please your senses. Then, briskly immerse your hands in warm water to remove excess oil. Dry your hands and apply Hand Rescue Cream.
Recipe Source: the green beauty guide, by Julie Gabriel
If you opt for a professional manicure, consider how your salon measures up on the green front.
by Leslie Billera on September 23, 2010 · 0 comments
We’ve told you about why greenwashing is a dirty way to get the attention of unsuspecting consumers looking for greener, healthier personal care products. And we’ve profiled how false organic claims have been levied at some of the most popular brands on the market.
Now the Federal Trade Commission is stepping up to the challenge – acting one year earlier than originally planned! – in order to tighten guidelines for marketers trying to make false green claims. (Don’t applaud the FTC’s ‘jump start’ too soon…their last Green Guide update was 12 years ago).
According to Sustainable Industries’ Joshua Radoff, some of the areas in the spotlight under the new and improved FTC Green Guides include:
- Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) and carbon neutral claims
- Packaging claims pertaining to biodegradable and recyclable
- Use of terms considered vague to many, like “sustainability”
According to Advertising Age, positive change is in the air: during the first two years of the Obama administration, the FTC has already brought seven environmental advertising enforcement actions, compared to zero during the eight years of the Bush administration.
Who were the culprits? According to Environmental Leader, the FTC charged:
- Kmart Corp, Tender Corp., and Dyna-E International with making false and unsubstantiated claims that their paper products were “biodegradable.” (June, 2009)
- Sami Designs LLC, dba Jonäno; CSE Inc., Mad Mod and Pure Bamboo LLC and the M Group for selling clothing marketed as made from bamboo with deceptive advertising and marketing claims. (August, 2009)
Advertising Age goes on to explain that the FTC Green Guides are not new laws, but “rather, they’re an update of how the FTC will interpret its mandate to enforce longstanding laws against unfair and deceptive advertising.”
Honest Abe? There’s a Transcript for That
If you’re a green consumer watch dog, check out the transcripts and webcasts available on the FTC’s site. You may not have been able to be a part of these public meetings in Washington, D.C., but the Internet’s magic brings them to your laptop for click-ready consideration.
As a curious green consumer, you may want to check out Sorting Out ‘Green’ Advertising Claims.
Finally, an FTC spokesperson has said that the new FTC Green Guides me debunk many of the whopping 300 ‘green seals’ on the market. What green product seals are you aware of – and which do you trust? Let us know, right here.
Bringing a new face into the world makes it a whole lot brighter…but a lot more worrisome too.
What’s in that bubble bath? Is that burger grass fed? Is that car seat in correctly? Is he/she eating/drinking/sleeping/smiling enough?
Mamma mia is right!
Holistic Moms to the Rescue!
Holistic Moms Network is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization connecting parents who are interested in holistic health and green living. (Dads are welcome too by the way!).
For $45 a year, you gain access to a Holistic Moms Network chapter meeting near you. This network of like-minded people beats at the heart of your membership. Membership includes a slew of benefits, but I particularly like the FREE digital subscriptions to Mothering and Organic Spa Magazines in addition to the Wise-E Mom E-Magazine that HMN publishes. The HealthE Mama News is free to all.
What is Holistic?
Here’s how HMN puts it:
Holistic living is the art of living in balance with ourselves and our environment. Understanding and respecting that all things are interconnected is at the heart of a holistic lifestyle.
Holistic living is about taking responsibility for our actions and choices in the knowledge that these choices have consequences for all living things on the planet.
If that sounds good to you, consider the Holistic Moms Network. And as always, we welcome your ideas and comments on living life naturally, organically and happily right here!
Labels, certifications and stamps of approval…oh my!
It’s tough to navigate the growing forest of green standards and to know what’s real – or what’s greenwashed.
BuyGreen is a great resource. It comes recommended by Tom Szaky of TerraCycle, a cool company that makes affordable, eco-friendly products from different non-recyclable waste materials that you can find in places big box stores like Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Target and more.
The company’s set of standards addresses the total ‘lifecycle’ of a product in a way that’s both simple yet comprehensive. Whether you shop on their site or not, their lifecycle definitions are a handy guide to understanding what makes something truly green. Assessing a product in this manner is also known as ‘cradle to grave.’
Use the following as a screener before blindly buying green:
- Source Material: What is the product made from? Are there toxins evident? What raw materials does it hail from (natural, organic, sustainable, recycled?)
- Manufacturing: How is the product manufactured? Animal testing, resource and energy consumption, pollution, packaging…these are all aspects to consider.
- Use: How is the product used and what is its effect on the environment? If it reduces or eliminates any of the following, it’s a good thing: material consumption, trash production, energy consumption or toxicants (as in Napa Valley Bath‘s natural and organic lavender-based personal care products)
- Disposal: How is is disposed of and what is its impact? Is it bio-degradable or recyclable?
Read BuyGreen’s Standards more closely here.
And if you’re interested in learning more about greenwashing, check out the 2009 7 Sins of Greenwashing by another ‘terra’ – TerraChoice, an environmental marketing firm.
by Leslie Billera on October 15, 2009 · 0 comments
Last time, we profiled several synthetic ingredients found in ‘conventional’ bar and liquid soap including 1,4 Dioxane, Diethanolamine (DEA), Parabens: this is the stuff that’s supposed to keep us clean?
Maybe you’re thinking, ‘Not me! I use ‘organic’ beauty care products!’
It’s time to face the myth of organic when it comes to personal care products thanks to an unfortunate technique known as ‘greenwashing.’
Greenwashing is Just Plain Dirty
Slapping the word ‘organic’ onto a product is an addiction for big beauty manufacturers.
The sad truth is, it’s misused, abused and often completely wrong. The abuse is so egregious that the researchers the Environmental Working have created a special database to help consumers get a grip on what’s really green and healthy – and what’s not.
Using one drop of organic essential oil in a beauty product is one of the most common greenwashing techniques in the cosmetic industry. Companies regularly get away with declaring their products organic as a whole, when in truth, only a small percentage is.
Other popular greenwashing terms that often come in tandem with ‘natural’ style packaging – include:
- Made with organic essential oils
- Contains organic ingredients
- Made with nontoxic ingredients
- 100% natural
- Essentially nontoxic
- Earth-friendly
- Environmentally Safer
Look closely at the ingredients list, be a vigilant shopper, and treat yourself to organic products that you can trust.
What is Organic, Really?
We know – it gets confusing. Here’s a simplified guide:
- The farmer or producer must avoid synthetic chemical additives, including fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics, genetically modified organisms and sewage sludge
- Farmland must be free of chemicals for more than three years, depending on the country
- All the production stages must be transparent, open for audit and take part in frequent inspections.
