But the truth is, not only are traditional head lice treatments decidedly environmentally unfriendly, they’re not really kid friendly either. The chemicals used in these shampoos have been linked to neurological damage, breast cancer, and childhood brain cancer. Some of the chemicals used in head lice treatments are also used in Ant and Roach Spray! What is wrong with this picture? And we all know that just because we watch these chemicals go down the drain, they don’t actually disappear.

And it would be bad enough if these products were efficient. But they’re not. Which has led pediatricians to coin the term “superlice” in reference to the head lice that have adapted to our treatments, and who escape from these treatments entirely unharmed. Many parents will describe combing their child’s hair after a pesticide treatment only to find several live lice squirming around unscathed. There has to be a better way.

And there is. Do you know what lice cannot survive? One hundred percent natural heat. That’s right. It’s that simple, yet we’ve been complicating it for generations. If you or someone you know is at risk for head lice, you might point them to a new product called the Lice Terminator. This simple product safely kills both lice and their eggs by applying heat. This means your child won’t cry that her scalp is burning from the chemicals. This means that you’ll get the job done the first time. No need to retreat—against heat, even the superlice don’t stand a chance.

The Eco Friendly Lice Terminator

If you know of another safe and effective home treatment for head lice, please do leave a comment below this post. We are all in this together! We parents really ought to be able to outsmart these bugs, without harming the planet!

My mother told me about this 16 year old girl from Rhode Island, our home state, that created this amazing non-toxic product line and that she was joining as a consultant and that I should too.  My immediate reaction was great, getting in on the ground floor would be huge!  Rather than waiting for my mother to first go through the paperwork I decided to look into it further and boy was I shocked!  Once I received and actually used the products I was even more amazed at how great they made my skin feel.  So clean and refreshed rather than dry and tight.   The fact that these products worked so well and were healthy I was immediately hooked.

Green Make Up by Ava Anderson

Now there are two reactions that I have heard from people when they hear of her age.  The first is “wow 16 years old?  That is amazing that she has started something this great at such a young age!” and alas the nay-sayers “ok what does a 16 year old know?  I am sure it is all her parents.” Yes her family stands behind her 100%, with her mother as the President and her father as Executive Vice President, but I can assure you that this 16 year old President and CEO knows her stuff.  She is absolutely knowledgeable on not only her own products, in which she has every say in their production, as well as the ingredients that people cannot even spell or pronounce and which diseases they may be linked to.  She is an absolute inspiration to all and I am proud to be part of such an amazing company.

The number one priority of this company is to promote awareness and to offer a safe solution.  The only way that we as consumers can make a difference is to educate ourselves and choose the healthy solution.  We need to learn that just because the front of the pretty package may say “organic” or “natural” it is the back of the package that really matters.  Companies stand behind the “trade secrets” in which they can legally include up to 600 ingredients behind the ingredient label “fragrance”. Chemicals that are known to cause hormonal, endocrine and thyroid disruption, and other known diseases including cancer are found in more and more products than.

The product line consists of a full skin care line; exfoliator, cleanser, toner, moisturizer, makeup remover pads, and sugar lip scrub; the lip line includes four lipsticks, four glosses and a 4-pack of lip balms; all of which are less than $21.95.  The blush is in a 12 gram container and the two shades of foundation which are 19 gram containers contain silk and French clay and leave your face smooth and soft.  For more information on these products including a complete listing of ingredients, please check out the website at www.avaandersonnontoxic.com/shellycoulombe

I urge you all to take back the control and to do your own research which is the most important thing that I have learned by joining this company.  The Environmental Working Group has developed a cosmetics database where you can list product names or single ingredients and offers a toxicity rating as well as an explanation of the harms that an ingredient is known to be linked to (www.cosmeticsdatabase.com).

Ava Anderson Range of Non-Toxic Make Up

Since joining the company in March, I have switched to a safer shampoo and conditioner, soap and body wash, sun protection, cleaning products and of course skin care and cosmetics.   It is so easy to do once you have the knowledge and awareness.  Good luck everyone.

Shelly Coulombe

Consultant

www.avaandersonnontoxic.com/shellycoulombe

The first green shaving product that we found was an organic fair trade shaving gel by the Dr. Bronner’s company. It is labeled as the “Dr. Bronner’s Magic All-One Organic Fair Trade Shaving Soap Gel” which is quite a mouthful but I was impressed with the eco-friendly claims and was willing to give it a try.

Green Shaving with Dr Bronners Shaving Gel

This wonderful shaving gel is USDA organic certified and is also certified by the IMO as a Fair Trade product. This shaving gel is available in different blends but I chose the Spearmint Peppermint blend. The main ingredient in the shaving gel is organic Shikakai which comes from the seed pods of the small South Asian tree the “Acacia Concinna”. The Shikakai is mixed with organic sucrose and grape juice to produce a soothing and moisturizing shave gel.

All the organic ingredients have been certified by the same national organic program that certifies food so I was confident in the eco-friendliness of my choice!

This green shaving gel is also certified as fair trade which guarantees that the farmers who produced the ingredients and their families receive fair prices, wages and community funding.

Ingredients;

• Organic Shikakai Extract (Organic white grape juice, organic sucrose, organic rice syrup, organic Shikakai powder)
• Saponified Organic Coconut and Olive Oils
• Organic Hemp Oil
• Organic Spearmint Oil
• Organic Peppermint Oil
• Citric Acid
• Vitamin E

Now that I had settled on a new green shaving gel I just needed some green razors to go with it, I found an awesome alternative to regular disposable razors, they are made by Preserve Recycline and these razors are made from 100% recycled plastic, and once they are used the handles are 100% recyclable!

100% Recycled Razors by Recycline

These eco friendly razors are made from 100% recycled plastic with at least 65% of that plastic coming from Stonyfield Farm yogurt cups. The innovative one piece handle design reduces the resources consumed in manufacturing.

100% Recycled Plastic Razor Handles

Just in case you were wondering the packaging for these razors is also made from 100% recycled paperboard with 25% post consumer content.

So there you have it, my new green grooming products which have revitalized my morning shave. I can now wake up to a much more eco friendly grooming routine! By the way, the combination of the organic shaving gel and the recycled plastic razors results in a super smooth shave… (I know, I missed a bit!)

My First Green Shave!

All in all, I would totally recommend the Dr. Bronner’s organic shave gel and the Preserve Recycline recycled razors, they make a great green upgrade to my daily ritual of shaving.

Find out more information on both products here;

http://www.drbronner.com/DBMS/SHAVING.htm

http://www.preserveproducts.com/products/personalcare/double-razor-4-pack.html

Repellent Insect Spray

Do you wish there was an organic repellent insect spray which contained zero DEET and no synthetic chemicals but instead was formulated using all natural organic plant oils? Well we found the EcoSmart organic repellent insect spray which does just that!

I bought the 6 fluid ounce bottle at our local grocery store and have to admit I was not convinced it would work but I was more than impressed with the results. Our back yard is often full of mosquitoes which are attracted to a decorative fountain that we put in about a year ago. The EcoSmart organic repellent insect spray says it will repel mosquitoes, ticks, gnats and other annoying pests.

In my field test I applied a liberal coating all over my arms and legs and even the back of my neck, I felt a lot more comfortable applying a thick layer because this spray is made from all natural ingredients, see below;

EcoSmart Organic Repellent Insect Spray Ingredients:

1. Rosemary Oil
   • Rosemary oil can in fact be a great skin care product. Regular massage with the oil helps in toning your skin and removing dryness. It is also considered a beauty aid for the face.
2. Cinnamon Leaf Oil
   • Cinnamon is an anti inflammatory. It helps in removing the stiffness of muscles. It relieves pain and stiffness of muscle and joints.
3. Lemongrass Oil
   • Lemongrass oil has great benefits as a skin toner, it revitalizes the body and mind, helps with infections and keeps fleas and tick at bay whilst smelling nice at the same time!
4. Geraniol
   • Geraniol has a rose-like odor and is commonly used in perfumes. Research has shown geraniol to be an effective plant-based mosquito repellent
5. Wintergreen Oil
   • We suspect the Wintergreen oil is added for its clean smelling properties but here are some other interesting facts, Wintergreen berries have been used medicinally. Native Americans brewed a tea from the leaves to alleviate various aches and pains. Also wintergreen is the most common ingredient in root beer!

The Results…

I liberally applied the EcoSmart organic repellent insect spray and ventured out into our mosquito ridden yard and I have to say the results were great. I spent about an hour mowing the yard, picking up grass clippings and pulling weeds and the and I survived with barely a single insect bite. Normally such an adventure would have left me with multiple mosquito bites but with the EcoSmart I felt totally protected. The biggest benefit is that the spray is safe, you don’t have to worry about kiddies and animals being harmed by exposure to DEET or synthetic chemicals found in other insect repellents.

So in summary, go get yourselves a bottle of EcoSmart organic repellent insect spray, it works wonders at keeping those bugs at bay!

Have you had good / bad experiences with different insect repellents? We would love to hear from you so please leave a comment.

Another aspect of the ecotools bristles that I’m all about is that they are 100% cruelty free with synthetic Taklon bristles, instead of the normal squirrel or even goat hair bristles. I don’t know about y’all, but I’d rather not have any part of a squirrel or goat near my face, no matter how cute and cuddly they are. It kind of grossed me out when I learned that I had been using squirrel hair brushes on my face for as long as I can remember…but that’s a whole other article.

All EcoTool brushes have bamboo handles, which as a sustainable plant, has a low impact on the earth and all the brushes have recycled aluminum for the ferrule. All of the brush sets, like my 6 piece brush set, come in cosmetic cases made from natural cotton and hemp. Gotta love it! I received my brush set as a stocking stuffer last Christmas from my wonderful hubby and the other brushes I picked up at Target. So no roaming around trying to hunt these beauty tools up.

Finally, the maker behind EcoTools has pledged to donate 1% of their annual sales to environmental organizations that create a healthier place for us to live. To see more about 1% for the planet, visit their website at http://www.onepercentfortheplanet.org.

So go on now, stop reading this post (well keep reading, and check out some other articles while your at it) and get your very own EcoTools available at Target, Walgreens, Albertson’s, Rite Aid, and may other stores. To see the complete list and other products made by EcoTools visit http://www.parispresents.com/EcoTools_s/36.htm. We really appreciate you visiting us at Our Everyday Earth, so leave us a line and let us know what all your green and organic beauty secrets are…we won’t tell.

The one downer, which I must point out, is there was some slight under-eye smudging through out the day. I don’t know if it was the Texas heat, which can be a killer, but I had to check every so often that I didn’t have raccoon eyes. This could also be blamed on my extra coat, who knows, but it wasn’t a deal breaker for me. This is now a regular in my over stuffed make-up bag, and I’m glad to be a bit more of a green girl . I love makeup, but I love it even better when I know it’s not bad for me. Kinda like good low-fat frozen yogurt, as good as the original just better for you.  I know that was a random analogy, but you get my point! I had to go to a couple of Walgreens to find it, but this was also right when it came out, so the supply should be better now. At only $10.00 smackaroos, I am one satisfied customer.

Has anyone else tried Physicians Formula Organic wear Mascara? Are you as happy as a clam with it? Let me know your thoughts.

Contender Number 1: Small Steps Bathroom Tissue by Marcal

Marcal Small Steps Bathroom Tissue

Their tag line is “A Small Easy Step to a Greener Earth” and we certainly have to commend every company that develops and promotes green product lines. The packaging jumps out from the shelf and is instantly recognisable as an Earth Friendly bathroom tissue.

The standard pack contains 6 rolls = 708 single ply sheets, that’s 464 sq ft of bathroom tissue.

The Marcal tissues are whitened without chlorine bleaching, they are hypoallergenic and made without any dyes or fragrances.

The main selling point is that the tissue is 100% recycled paper.

Contender Number 2: Bright Green Bathroom Tissue

Bright Green Bathroom Tissue

The bright green bathroom tissue is our family favorite and we  knew that any contender to the “throne”, excuse the pun, would have a difficult task.

Once again this pack contains 6 rolls but in this case you get a double layer for extra softness = 352 double ply sheets, that equates to 264 sq ft of bathroom tissue.

The Bright Green tissue is also 100% recycled paper but it is also a guaranteed 80% post-consumer content product, that means your hard work recycling paper products is actually being put to good use!

The Bright Green tagline is “Brighten Your World” and it certainly makes us feel better about using so much bathroom tissue.

The Results!

The Marcal Small Steps bathroom tissue would certainly last a long time but we found that you would probably have to fold the sheets over several times to avoid tearing!

Marcal Small Steps Tissue Closeup

The Marcal brand tissue paper had a very simple dimpled pattern but felt too thin and a little rough to the touch.

We agreed as a family that we could get used to it after a while, and it is probably the slightly greener choice, if we could avoid excessive folding!

Bright Green Tissue Closeup

The Bright Green brand tissue has a “leafy” pattern and feels much softer to the touch.

So I’m afraid we won’t be switching from our current brand, not just yet anyway, the Bright Green Bathroom Tissue is still our favorite.

Time to lay it all out there. After a full week of using my Pangea Organics facial cleanser….alright alright, enough of the third degree, I only used it a couple of days, but I have to say I am not a fan. I wish I could say it was a girl meets face wash, girl and face wash fall in love kinda story, but alas I didn’t find my face wash steady. Let me preface this by saying that I’m pretty much a face wash snob and some would call my standards too high, but you have to go with what works for you. My chief complaint about this facial cleanser is that it doesn’t foam and I didn’t feel like it really got my face squeaky clean. I need a face wash that does double duty as a make-up remover, and with no foaming action, this cleanser didn’t really give me what I need. A girl’s got needs!! This is MY opinion, and as they say different strokes for different folks, so don’t take my word for it, give it a try and see for yourself. I still love the idea of planting the box, and come spring I have a place for it in my herb garden. As for this face wash junkie, my journey continues to find my face wash soulmate, and rest assured I’ll give you all the dish on what worked and what didn’t. Let me know what you use to keep your face so fresh and so clean, while still being green.

Pangea Organic Face Cleanser

Made by Pangea Organics, it is the Egyptian Calendula and Blood Orange facial cleanser for all skin types. I wasn’t quite sold, I mean could I really walk on the wild side and give up my beloved normal face wash? At $21.99 a pop, this organic cleanser wasn’t that much cheaper than my tried and true face wash. This little bit of info was the deciding factor. The fiber box that all Pangea Organics are sold in is manufactured with zero waste and is made from 100% post-consumer newsprint without glues or dyes. You can actually plant the box in your flower bed and up should spring medicinal herbs that are found in their products. Pretty nifty, huh? So, I’m going to give it a whirl this week and see how it goes. Wish me luck and I’ll keep you posted.