Personal Care

How to Find Salon and Spa Products that Use Natural Ingredients

When you go to a spa to be pampered or a salon to have your hair done, the last thing you want is a bunch of chemicals slathered all over you. Looking for a salon or spa that uses only natural products can be well worth the time invested.

Most of the time, finding a place that uses natural products isn’t too difficult.  If a salon or spa is using products derived from Mother Nature, they’re going to proclaim it boldly. The fact that they have gone green in their choice of spa brands is something that they’ll want everyone to know, so look online or in the phone book for spas that call out the fact that they use all natural products.  If you don’t find anything locally in the salons you know of around you, try more national salons that may have a location near you. Another option is to order products online and have them shipped right to your door.

Aveda is a salon that offers natural spa treatments based on pure flower and plant essences. They’ve been around since 1978 and have perfected the art of relaxing their clients and pampering them with organic services. Their hair and skin care lines are available for purchase online or at Aveda salons. Aveda is also committed to using responsible packaging methods and supplies, and most of their packaging can be recycled. Visit www.aveda.com and use the salon finder tool to locate the nearest Aveda salon. Book one of their sensory rituals and come out feeling refreshed, rejuvenated, and in a great mood. Some of their rituals at the spa include Sensory Journey, Stress-Relieving Hand Ritual, and the Aveda Comforting Tea Ritual.

John Masters Organics touts itself as New York City’s only clean air salon. They offer product lines that use ingredients that are grown by local farmers. They are never tested on animals, have no chemicals, no GMOs, and are bio-degradable. Their spa products can be found at Whole Food stores and Vitamin Shoppe stores around the country. They also ship for free when you purchase products online. They even offer a line of pet products so your favorite companion can go green as well.

A company called Spa Sentiments at www.spasentiments.com offers products made of pure, fresh ingredients to treat just about every beauty and body care issue. Need a microdermabrasion kit or spider vein cream? They’ve got it. How about Dead Sea products or a detox bath? You’ll find them at Spa Sentiments. Their products contain ingredients you can pronounce and are familiar with like peppermint oil, Epsom salt, glycerin, and eucalyptus. Everything is also available online for easy ordering and delivery right to your door.

Wood Sprite Organic Body, found at www.woodspriteorganicbody.com, offers a line of 100% natural pampering body products. Their ingredients include organic herbs and cold-pressed oils. They also use nut oils and butters. Their packaging is simple so that they can concentrate their efforts on providing quality product, not on marketing. Their products are sold through spas across the country. You can easily find one near you by using their spa locator page.

A newcomer on the scene who has risen to great heights in the organic beauty products market is Carol’s Daughter. This line of hair and body products contains no parabens, mineral oil, or artificial color. Their kids’ line focuses on inner beauty, and their extensive product line is designed to thrill the senses. At www.carolsdaughter.com you can choose from all natural hair care products that smell heavenly—like marzipan or lemon ginger creams, black vanilla shampoo, an almond mint cookie soufflé for hands and more.

If you want to feel like you’re in the Hawaiian islands, try Island Essence Hawaiian body care and spa products. They can be ordered at www.islandessence.com. You’ll have a hard time deciding between mango coconut, plumeria, tropical vanilla, white ginger, gardenia or passionfruit lime. The extracts used in the products are organic and come from Hawaii. They include Noni, Sea Kelp, Kukui Nut, Avocado and Papaya. Using Island Essence products provides an escape to tropical paradise any time you need it.

No matter which salon products you choose, be sure that you are buying from a company that is certified organic and uses 100% natural ingredients. Be sure they are responsible in their packaging and that they give back to the environment by offering recyclable containers. Seek out companies that are ecologically minded in their volunteering and in the way they treat their employees.

You only get one body and there’s only one earth, so it’s best to treat both right by going fully organic and natural with your beauty aids instead of layering chemicals on your precious skin that will ultimately go back into the earth.  It only takes a few minutes more to seek out the best natural potions, and once you try a few of the wonderful offerings, you’ll wonder why you didn’t try them sooner.

Shaving Creams: Making the Smart Choice

More and more often these days we are hearing about how the little things we do each day are ultimately leading to the downfall of our environment.  In a time when “green” thinking is becoming the norm, it just makes sense to stop and consider the impact we have on the world around us.  In doing so, we usually learn a bit about how those things we do can also cause harm to ourselves, and how even something as seemingly minor as shaving cream can have big negative impacts.

What is Shaving Cream? This might seem a very stupid question, but if we are to consider the dangers of over the counter traditional shaving cream versus organic options and even contemplate the potential of making our own at home, we must first understand what a person is trying to achieve when using it.  Really, this lather-rich cream is meant to serve three purposes.  First, it should protect the skin from the affects of a sharp razor passing over it.  Second, it is meant to make the hair stand straighter and taller, so the razor is better able to cut it.  Finally, it should reduce friction and increase moisture on the skin.

Why Not Old Faithful? Though most of us have grown accustomed to the aerosol cans that provide instant foam or thick gel that foams nicely between fingers, there are several reasons why we might want to think again.  First of all, some of the chemicals found in these products are not only harmful to the environment when washed down the drain, but they hold potential danger for us as well.  For instance, Diethanolamine (DEA), which is a common ingredient, is able to mutate right in the bottle.  Doing so, it can form NDEA, which is a known carcinogen.  This is not the only harmful substance that you are likely to find listed on the back of that can, but it is a great example of why these products actually present a risk to us.  The FDA does not regulate or even test many of these chemical ingredients, which means that there is no one ensuring your health and welfare, except the company selling the product to you.  Meanwhile, most organic shaving creams have ingredient lists that make perfect sense to the average person.  They typically contain products like aloe vera and coconut oil.  Even the emulsifiers are usually naturally formed products.  It comes from the earth, which will make you feel better about giving it back to the earth as you wash it down your drain, and you can also feel better in knowing what you are applying to your skin.

If the matter of health is not enough of a selling point, then consider cost.  Don’t roll your eyes just yet.  Most are aware that eco-friendly, natural alternatives are typically priced higher than the common brand name products.  However, a closer comparison might tell a different story.  Aerosol cans can be very misleading.  They look larger than the small tube of natural shaving cream and they might even show that they contain more, but the can is mostly filled with the gas that delivers the useable product.  Less than ten percent of the average can is useable cream.  On the other hand, the natural alternatives do not rely on aerosol, so what you see if what you get.  A single tube can be the same as five cans of standard shaving cream.  For even less, you can make your own shaving cream.  The most unusual product used to make it is glycerin, which can be purchased online or in many crafting stores for next to nothing.  Using this, a bar of castile soap, and a little sunflower or olive oil, you can create your own shaving cream in little or no time at all for a fraction of the price paid for a can of the aerosol version.

Is it Worth Making Your Own? Making your own shaving cream can represent significant cost savings, gives you control of the ingredients involved, and can even be a lot of fun, but it isn’t for everyone.  This is not as simple as mixing up ingredients to use as shampoo, and most recipes do require a double boiler.  Nevertheless, it is worth a try.  You will need a bar of Castile soap (which has an olive oil base and usually costs between one and two dollars), olive or sunflower oil, and cocoa butter.  If you don’t have a double boiler, then pull out two pots of varying sizes (one must fit inside the other).  Mix one cup of the grated soap, four tablespoons of the cocoa butter, and one half teaspoon of the oil in the smaller pot.  In the larger pot bring water to a boil, then place the small pot into the larger (watch for overflow of water).  Once everything has melted and blended nicely, remove it from the heat and pour into a container of your choice.  This product will lather like soap, but will provide the desired effects (previously discussed) of shaving cream.

How To Recycle/Reuse Plastic Bags

A single trip to the grocery store can yield an untold number of plastic bags. Some places offer paper, but even then, the ability to grab several bags at one time makes plastic bags largely more convenient. So what do you do with all the plastic bags that are now sitting on the corner of your cabinet, awaiting their fate? The worst answer is trashing them.

Plastic bags can at minimum be recycled, but often, they have so many wonderful uses that they are more helpful to have around than not. There are many ways to recycle and reuse plastic bags- it just takes a little thought and practical handling.

Should you choose to recycle plastic bags, many stores offer to take back their bags and recycle them for you. This saves them money in the long run, when the manufacturers don’t have to spend extra money creating new material. Otherwise, recycling them with other plastics means they may be recycled into new bags, along with any number of other plastic materials. Without being used again or recycled, plastic bags quickly add up and cause a strain on landfills as they do not quickly break down. Think of the number of people you last saw at the grocery store, and imagine that all the bags they had were not recycled. The numbers would be enormous!

Another way to help the environment is to cut down on the amount of plastic bags used. For example, you might bring a canvas bag that lets you carry a smaller number of groceries out, or you might fill it with old plastic bags that are still good and reuse those. Reducing the amount of plastic bags used will also help lessen the burden on the environment.

But once you’ve decided that reusing the bags is the best option, you’ll find a number of possible uses for them. For instance, they are great for lining trashcans, especially the small ones. You can use them to collect items you intend to recycle, such as spacing them out for paper, plastic, aluminum, and glass, or you could use them for the bathroom and kitchen. Think of them as free garbage bags. In some cases, you can reuse these bags, and in other cases they will need to go out with the trash. In other cases, these bags make great transport devices while when the dog does its business while you’re out walking, or if you need something to put the end results of the kitty litter in.

They are also immensely helpful when traveling. Double bag them to put books and DVD holders in. Use them to ensure that potted plant doesn’t get soil or water all over the back seat. Use them to hold food items, or pack that pair of overnight clothing you need while visiting a relative. Have dirty clothes while at a swimming pool? Toss the swimsuit in a plastic bag. The possibilities are endless.

Plastic bags are a great way to pack school or work lunches, and you can double bag them for extra strength. Also, if you are afraid something might spill, you can place the item in question in the bag.

When it comes time to mail something, forget those messy peanuts – plastic bags make great cushions for wrapping fragile items in. Not only do they act as extra padding in boxes, the recipient now has these wonderful multipurpose bags. Also, if you are wrapping a present for someone as a gift, but you want to ensure they can’t hear a rattle or thunk, wrapping it in plastic bags first, before putting it in the box, can help reduce the amount of noise it would make when shaking.

Once you are done using the plastic bag, such as when it develops a large hole, you can put it in the bin of plastic recyclables. This is assuming, of course, that it wasn’t being used to dispose of messy garbage. By doing your part to reduce, reuse, and recycle, you will greatly help out the environment, and safe money on the cost of buying trash bags or a lunch box, or the bubble wrap for mailing boxes.

After you have gotten the hang of using plastic bags instead of throwing them away, it is time to introduce your friends and coworkers to the art of recycling and saving money. In the long run, they’ll thank you for it, if they haven’t already started doing this themselves.

Recycling plastic bags is easy and with the number of uses for plastic bags, you’ll be happy you have them. Paper or plastic? It’s up to you. Choose whichever one will let you best recycle or reuse the bag, and is more sustainable to the environment.

How to Make Homemade Beauty Products

They cost a small fortune and half of the time we have no idea what they’re even made of, but we simply cannot live without them.  Cosmetic and beauty products are a favorite in this country.  In fact, the average American woman will spend at least twelve hundred dollars on beauty products each year.  That is more than one hundred dollars per month.  Considering the total number of American females old enough to don makeup, that is more than seven billion dollars per year spent in this country on beauty.  While it is unlikely that women would be willing to cut out this spending, there are ways to save and still get the desired effects.  All it takes is a little time and motivation.

Making your own beauty products at home can be fun and rewarding.  The ingredients that one would need are not generally difficult to find, as most are offered into today’s chain craft stores.  Furthermore, these products will usually come at a fraction of the cost spent on the typical store bought selections.

Eco-friendly Clay Mask Beauty masks have seen a revival in recent years, as the trend of spa visits continues to grow.  Women want to bring part of that experience home because of its relaxing and rejuvenating ways.  Clay masks are an easy at-home solution to many common skin problems and they do provide a bit of the spa feel.  However, many of the clay mask products bought in the store are filled with chemicals, which can be harmful to the environment when washed down the drain. They can also be potentially damaging to the health and wellness of the user.  So, making a beauty mask at home makes sense for many reasons.

This project can be completed in just five minutes.  You will, however, need to get your hands on some green clay, tea tree oil, and red clover powder.  Do not be intimidated.  Even if you can’t find these products in your local craft store, they are easily accessible online and are not expensive.  You will also need some tomato juice – good for the body and good for the skin.

When you are ready to begin, simply combine one teaspoon of the green clay with one teaspoon of the red clover powder.  Slowly add five drops of the tea tree oil and mix.  Finally, begin adding tomato juice.  Add this slowly and be patient.  You don’t want to ruin the consistency or the mask will not be as effective.  You just want to achieve a spreadable consistency.  When you have reached that point, it is ready to use.

Lemon-Olive Nail Treatment Even easier to make is a treatment for your nails and cuticles.  Once again, this product will call on memories of days spent at the spa – or the days you dreamed that you were at the spa.  Hand and nail care is often overlooked, but hands are among the first places that aging is noticeable and keeping nails and cuticles healthy will provide a clean, attractive look, so you may be able to opt out of polishing for a while.

To make this solution, you will need olive oil, apple cider vinegar, one large egg, and some lemon zest.  Using a fork or whisk, mix the ingredients well and then use immediately.  Just rub it into the nail and surrounding skin.

Homemade Foundation Makeup Ok, sure, cleansing products are easy, you say, but what about the good stuff?  If dog is man’s best friend, then makeup is most certainly a woman’s (second to diamonds, of course).  Even foundation can be a DIY project.  It will require some slightly unusual products, but thanks to those aforementioned craft stores and the internet, they can all be yours without breaking the bank.  Plus, once you have bought them, you will have a long lasting supply.  It doesn’t require much of any item to make the ideal foundation.

To begin, you will need mica powder (it comes in a variety of colors and will supply the tint to match your skin) and an unscented cream base (remember to read ingredient labels to ensure that it is free of contaminants, or make your own from beeswax, jojoba oil, and aloe vera).  Combine two tablespoons of the cream base with two teaspoons of the mica powder (you may need to use the back of a spoon to break up clumps beforehand).  Remember, because mica comes in several different colors, you may need to mix and match to find the color that works best for you.  Most people will opt for a combination of gold, sienna, and oriental beige.  You may need to use an electric mixer to fully combine the ingredients.  Once finished, you can place your new foundation into a small jar or bowl for use as needed.  You might also want to consider a travel size container for touch up on the go.

Making your own beauty products is a fun and inexpensive way to ensure that you are not putting harmful chemicals on your body or back into the earth.  While it may sound intimidating at first, it’s really not, and once you get the hang of it, you can feel good about your “green” beauty products.

How to Make Your Own Green Shampoo

Whether you are looking to save a little cash, to improve the shine and body of your hair, or simply to lessen your global footprint, making your own shampoo can be very rewarding.  In fact, you can make this wonderful serum for as little as pennies, and it will work as well, if not better than the store bought alternatives.  The best part, however, is that while you are saving the money, you are also helping to save the environment.

Why Not Just Buy It? Of the people reading this article, several are probably pretty skeptical.  Though homemade shampoo might cost less, it does require time to prepare, and in today’s world, time is just as valuable.  However, when one stops to consider the danger to the environment and even the danger to one’s own hair, the tune of cynicism usually changes.

On the back of most shampoo bottles in the list of ingredients there is the word “sulfate.”  This is the ingredient that allows shampoo to create lather – it can foam.  However, sulfates are also known to cause eye damage in young children, can be a serious skin irritant, and may damage hair follicles or even the hair itself.  Have you ever wondered why some shampoos leave your hair dry and course?  Well, now you know the answer.  In defense of this, many shampoo manufacturers are now adding mineral oil to provide moisture and shine to the hair, but that isn’t always the greatest thing for those with oily or serious dry skin.  Besides, if you can avoid removing the natural moisture, then the mineral oil is no longer necessary.  On top of that, many of the chemicals used in over the counter shampoos can be harmful to the body and environment, including limonene, methylchloroisothiazolinone, triethanolomine, and sodium laureth sulfate.  It is true that to see truly devastating effects on your own body, you would likely have to shampoo several times each day for several years, but if one stops to think about the amount of these chemicals washed down tub drains each day, the environment may not be so lucky.

Some shampoo manufacturers have made efforts to reduce their negative impact on the environment by replacing harmful chemicals with natural ingredients and even reducing the amount of plastic used in packaging.  Even after all of this though, false advertising and the failure of the FDA to properly monitor and test many of the chemicals used, even a scientist could have difficulty choosing a reliable brand.

It’s Just So Easy While reading this article, you might find yourself in a moral debate.  While you want to help the environment and do whatever is best for your hair and your well being, the thought of putting too much time into something so trivial might seem less than worthwhile.  After all, you only wash your hair once a day, if that.

Don’t give up quite so soon.  While it is true that running to the store and dropping a couple of bucks for a bottle of shampoo is pretty simple, making your own is far from difficult.  You need very little to clean and deodorize your hair.  With a little effort, you can save money, help save the world, and have shiny, healthy locks to boot.

For those that are looking for a very quick replacement to what they have grown to know, it can be as simple as dissolving baking soda in water (one tablespoon baking soda to one cup water) and using it immediately.  However, for those that are looking for some fun scents, you may also want to include some natural herbs.  These can provide pleasant smells, but can also help to treat oily hair or dry hair.  Some of those herbs most commonly used are peppermint, sage, tea tree, rosemary, lemongrass, orange flowers, sandalwood, lavender, and chamomile.  Add a teaspoon of whichever you choose (dried) and add one cup of water.  Place this over medium heat until it boils and then remove it from the heat and strain the water into a plastic bottle.  This herbal water can be mixed with natural baby shampoo (which does not contain the chemicals of adult shampoo) or you might consider adding ½ cup of it to a base of a bar of castile soap (grated) and ¼ cup olive oil.  Blend these until smooth.

But What About the Conditioner? Similarly, there are several natural ways to condition one’s hair.  This can be done very simply and with very little effort.  Mayonnaise, for instance, is a wonderful conditioning product.  Allowed to sit on the hair for up to half an hour prior to showering, this product can prove even better than store bought conditioners.  You might also consider a diluted apple cider vinegar, which would treat the scalp as well as the hair.  To make this, simply mix one tablespoon of vinegar in one cup of water.  Then, pour it over the hair and let it sit for a couple of minutes before rinsing.