Review: Desert Essence Thoroughly Clean Face Wash

I have been using this face wash since last August/September and I like it a lot. The scent was a little hard to get over at first, as tea tree oil doesn’t exactly smell like roses. I decided to ignore the scent and give the product a shot anyhow.

After washing my face with this each morning, I found that it leaves my skin feeling smooth. It lathers and rinses easily and doesn’t require much product each time you use it. In fact, 8 oz has lasted almost 9-10 months. It does leave my skin feeling a little dry, but I counteract this with a face moisturizer, so that’s not a big deal.

I purchased this product for multiple reasons. First and foremost, it is 100% eco- and people-friendly. It doesn’t contain any synthetic ingredients and is not tested on animals. Second, it contains tea tree oil, which is known for its antiseptic properties. This can aid in the prevention of acne. Third, it is 8 oz and I paid about $7-$10 for the bottle. Like I said, it has lasted about 9-10 months. So that’s $0.7-$1.00 per month.

There are many other cleansers out there that have similar qualities, but this was one of the better priced ones. I purchased my bottle at Trader Joe’s, but you can probably find a bottle at any natural market.

Review: Trader Joe’s Oatmeal & Honey Soap

While there is no short supply of eco- and people-friendly soaps on the market, I felt it necessary to post about this particular brand. First and foremost, it ranks as one of the lesser expensive brands (~$1.50-$2.00/2 bars). In fact, I don’t ever recall finding anything that costs less. For some that isn’t such a large issue, but for a college student it is.

To begin with, this soap smells wonderful. It is not overpowering, but still strong enough to leave you and your bathroom smelling good. It is also very gentle on skin. I have pretty sensitive (and dry) skin and this soap doesn’t irritate my skin or leave it feeling dry. Each bar lasts about 2-3 weeks and lathers easily.

I should warn you, however, that you might unintentionally make friends with a bee or two when using this soap. I noticed soon after I started using it that bees seemed to like buzzing around me more than usual. Obviously it’s the honey that’s attracting them, but I wouldn’t be too worried about it.

Trader Joe’s also makes another soap with tea tree oil, but I have yet to try it out. Has anyone tried this soap before? If so, comment and let me know what you thought of it. I’ve considered trying it out, just never have.

The Versatility of Vinegar

Image via Wikipedia

Like baking soda, vinegar has many uses. The great thing about choosing vinegar over conventional products is it is eco- and human-friendly. The following is a list of ways in which I’ve learned to use vinegar. To find additional ideas, check out this website.

The water where I live is very hard so I am constantly fighting scale build-up. To combat this, I use a small brush and vinegar to remove the scale. I’ve learned through trial and error that scale should be dealt with early on and not later once it has built up to ridiculous proportions. The low pH of the vinegar aids in dissolving  the scale, and the brush helps to loosen and remove the particles. Be sure to make note of what the surface you are trying to clean is made out of. The “granite” (it’s really more like a schist) counter-tops in my kitchen and bathroom have a seal that can be easily removed by vinegar, so I cannot use vinegar to clean them.

Vinegar and water combined in a 1:1 ratio will create a nice all-purpose cleaner. This cleaner can be used to clean up messes, clean windows and mirrors, and sanitize surfaces. It can even be used in conjunction with baking soda to sanitize your toilet bowl when cleaning it.

Vinegar also works well as a rinse agent in the dishwasher by helping to remove water spots.

My most favorite use of vinegar is in unclogging drains. By sprinkling a little baking soda and vinegar down a drain, then stopping it with a rag, and pouring boiling water down the drain 15 minutes later, you can unclog your drain. This has failed once in the dozen or so times I have tried it.

Happy cleaning

The Many Wonders of Baking Soda

Image by TPapi via Flickr

While cleaning is definitely not my most favorite thing to do, I absolutely love a clean home. I have been challenged, though, in the last year in finding new ways to get the job done while avoiding harsh chemicals. In rising to meet that challenge I have discovered many uses for baking soda. I love cleaning with it and have never been disappointed by it. The following is a brief list of ways in which baking soda can be used:

• Sprinkle a little into your toilet bowl each week to replace a harsh cleaner. The baking soda will eliminate any odors and will clean your bowl, leaving it sparkling white. You can also use vinegar in conjunction with the baking soda to sanitize the toilet bowl.
• Replace bottles of Ajax and Comet with baking soda. The abrasive quality of baking soda will remove soap scum from your shower or bath tub.
• Baking soda can also be used to remove caked-on grime from pots and pans. Just sprinkle a little on the problem area, add boiling water, and let it sit for 15-20 minutes.
• The abrasive quality of baking soda can also be used to clean your kitchen sink, whether porcelain or stainless steel. It will remove stains without scratching the surface.
• To unclog a drain, sprinkle a little baking soda down the drain, then pour a little vinegar down, and use an old rag to plug the drain and prevent the mixture from foaming back out. After 15 minutes, remove the rag and pour boiling water down the drain. I’ve used this at least a dozen times before and it has failed only once.
• About 1/2 a cup of baking soda, when added to laundry (along with a laundry detergent), can help brighten your whites.
• Baking soda can also be used as a deodorizer in your fridge, laundry basket, sneakers, carpet, virtually anywhere odors might linger.

While these are just a few ways in which baking soda can be used, a google search shows that there are many more. If you have any other uses not listed here, feel free to comment on them. Happy cleaning

Choosing the Right Sunscreen

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Do you use sun protection? Hopefully you do. Do you put it on only when you plan to be outside for an extended amount of time, or do you wear it everyday? I used to wear mine everyday. I currently use a moisturizer with a built-in SPF of 15, but I no longer have a body moisturizer that has an SPF in it. You see, when I switched my lotion for a greener alternative, I couldn’t find one that met my standards that also provides sun protection. The one I am currently using on my face is nowhere near green, but I refuse to throw it out because it’s a waste of product and money. I realize that I need to start using sun protection again, but I also realize that a lot of products which claim to block both UVA and UVB rays don’t do such a great job, or they only block UVB but not UVA.

Searching for the right sunscreen can be a daunting task. Looking for eco- and human-friendly products can be difficult, but add that to finding a sunscreen which will actually protect your skin, and you’ve got quite a challenge. Fortunately, there are available resources online that can help you out. I don’t recall having read anything in either green living book that I own (Snow and Loux), but I know that the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has conducted several studies on popular sunscreens and their findings are pretty frightening.

The EWG’s 2010 Sunscreen Guide offers a list of sunscreens to avoid (and why), some of the best sunscreens to buy (and why), as well as sun safety tips. Did you know that, according to the EWG, some sunscreens not only fail in providing protection from UVA rays (which can cause skin cancer), but they also come in sprays or powders that can be accidentally inhaled? Some of the particles in those sprays and powders can cause lung damage and/or enter the bloodstream and potentially cause cancer. Wow.