Product Reviews
Summerize Your Feet!
April 18, 2011 by Tonya · Leave a Comment
Treat your toes to an eco-pedicure!
I just bought the cutest gladiator-type sandal to go with a new dress for the summer. Sometimes it’s so fun to be a girl! But, my toes have been covered up all winter, ugh. Read on to find out about some safer, more eco-friendly options when doing your at-home pedi!
Tree Hut Body Scrub: I absolutely love this stuff and it’s made with organic shea butter! I have previously tried the coconut lime flavor and found it very enjoyable. I have awful feet, so this scrub was great at helping slough off all the grossies. I will definitely get it again! Cost: Approx. $7. Store: Ulta Bridge Street and Kroger on University.
Baking Soda Scrub: Last week I ran out of my above favorite and decided to save some cash. So I opted for a homemade scrub- baking soda! I mixed equal parts baking soda and water to make a paste and then scrubbed away at my feet. While it doesn’t have the nice moisturizing shea butter, it was really a great scrub. Cost: Pennies! Store: Any grocery store. Also, see my previous post about baking soda as a facial scrub (link here).
Ulta Nail Polish: Most all of Ulta’s polishes are Formaldehyde, Toulene and DBP free, so this makes me feel better about using them- less of the toxic stuff. Lots of great colors to choose from too! Cost: Approx. $5 Store: Ulta Bridge Street or online.
Piggy Paint: I have not tried this yet, but whenever my daughter starts asking for her toes painted, I plan to try Piggy Paint. It’s a non-toxic, water-based formula and comes in cute colors like Dandelion Dance and Ice Cream Dream. Also, by popular demand they’ve started an adult line as well. Cost: Approx. $8 per bottle. Store: Online or locally at Spoiled Rockin’ Kidz Salon.
Check out these links for more info:
Chemicals in Nail Polish
Six Makeup Chemicals to Avoid
Dry Baby Skin?
January 1, 2011 by Mecca · Leave a Comment
Grab some JASON Natural Cosmetics Earth’s Best Baby Care Calendula Extra Rich Therapy creme.
Tis the season for dry baby cheeks! Last year’s cold winter winds left my son’s skin red, flaky, and irritated. After digging around in the bathroom cabinet I found a tiny squeeze tube of JASON Calendula creme in what remained in my pilfered, travel-size JASON Baby Care Kit - a much-loved, much-used baby shower gift. (Thank goodness for that kit, the JASON baby soap is my absolute favorite and we still use it.)
The Calendula Extra Rich Therapy creme is perfect for winter skin. I use just a dab while his skin is still damp, right after he gets out of the bath. The creme works great to treat red, irritated spots after too long playing outside in the cold and also prevents dry flaky skin from indoor heated air. It’s also very gentle, we’ve never gotten that splotchy, red-rash reaction using JASON Baby Care like we have with a few other products.
And a little bit goes a LONG way. We’ve still got some left in our little 0.5 oz travel size. If you haven’t tried JASON Baby Care products I recommend you get the sample or travel kit so you can try a few of their products at once. If you just need something for dry skin go ahead and spring for the 4 oz jar of Calendula Extra Rich Therapy creme – it runs from about $7 – $11 bucks on the internet. I found the kit for $10 on Amazon but have also seen it in many stores.
Did I mention it’s also great for dry mommy hands that have been over-soaped and over-scrubbed from bathing little ones? 
Little Green Toy of the Week
December 8, 2010 by Tonya · 1 Comment
Little Green Bits features our pick for an earth-friendly toy
My ‘little bit’ got a water drawing board for her 2nd birthday and absolutely loves it!!! It’s an eco-choice in many ways. First, we’re not producing paper waste like when using crayons. Second, the company that makes this specific water board is helping the earth. B. gives 10 cents from every toy to Free The Children. They also use recycled materials in their packaging as well as soy inks and water based varnishes.
My daughter has tons of fun drawing on one side and then flipping it over to draw on the other side. And, by the time she’s ready to flip again the other side is dry and ready to be drawn on! This has also been a great learning tool, as my daughter loves it when I write names on the board. “More names please” she says!
Find this toy at Target for around $18. Do you have any toys you’ve found to be green? We’d love to hear from you!
Alima Pure Fairy Tale Collections
November 15, 2010 by Tonya · Leave a Comment
Alima Pure offers new Fairy Tale Collections for the holiday season
The Once Upon a Time Collection includes four gorgeous eye shadows sure to make your eyes sparkle with delight. Colors include: Fairy Godmother, Glass Slipper, Spun Gold and Enchanted Forest. These shimmering shadows are definitely more than I wear on a daily basis, but look great for a night out! I can’t wait to wear them throughout the season. I must admit I was unsure about the Fairy Godmother since it’s a purple shade, but it’s a fun and dramatic change for me. If you’re a lover of shimmery shadows, this collection is for you!
The Happily Ever After Collection includes a shadow, eye liner and blush. With colors like Poison Apple, Magic Wand and The End, who wouldn’t want to see how the story unfolds? The blush is luscious; I like it even better than the one I currently wear. It has a hint of peachy shimmer to it, which looks great with my light skin tone. The shadow is a versatile nude shimmer. Pair it with the dark eye liner for a classic yet dramatic holiday look. Read more
Alima Pure Cosmetics Review
September 17, 2010 by Tonya · 2 Comments
I recently started looking for a new makeup brand to replace the blush and eyeshadow that was running low in my collection. I googled a bit and didn’t find anything that really stuck out at me, so I went to the Cosmetic Database looking for the safest rated cosmetics. This is where I found Alima Pure. All their cosmetics are rated from 1-3, which is a low to moderate hazard score. I went to their website and was intrigued; the cosmetics are made in the USA, are free from additives, fillers and fragrances and are cruelty free as well. Another point that drew me in was the fact that all their cosmetics are loose, rather than pressed. I’d never tried loose eye shadow and blush, so I thought I’d give it a whirl! I spent $35, got free shipping and since I was a new subscriber, I was able to request two free foundation samples in my choice of colors. Subscribe to the Alima Pure email list and you’ll learn how to get the free samples.
What I bought:
Satin Matte Blush in Mimosa ($15)
Satin Matte Eyeshadow in Fleur ($9)
Luminous Shimmer Eyeshadow in Mink ($9)
Nourishing Lipbalm in Mango ($5.25)
Doe Run Farm Review
September 8, 2010 by Tonya · 3 Comments
Doe Run Farm in Petersburg, TN offers a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program, which my family signed up for over the summer. Pick-up locations are offered at various spots across Huntsville and Madison. Read on for our experience:
What’s in our box?
The 18 week summer share was $455. We split it with another family, so the price dropped to about $13 per week. Over the summer we’ve gotten to taste a little bit of everything! Cabbage, radishes, corn, strawberries, eggplants, bell peppers, purple hull peas, blueberries, tomatoes, squash, peaches and much, much more. Our weekly box typically includes 4 to 5 veggies and one type of fruit. This was a perfect split between two families.
Pros
Doe Run Farm is organic and all the produce comes from their farms or surrounding farms in TN. Everyone has been very nice and we’ve had no problems with bad produce. The sweet corn, strawberries, eggplants and bell peppers have been my favorite. Nothing better than some fresh picked fruits and veggies; you can taste the difference! The times we’ve gotten to the pick-up site early, we’ve been surprised with extra goodies such as eggs, purple hull peas and okra. I have also enjoyed the weekly newsletters to learn more about the farm and stay connected with where my food comes from. Read more
