Norwex Series: Face/Body Cloths

This is definitely my most used Norwex product.  Yes, it is another cloth.  We'll move on soon enough, but their cloths are just so fantastic.  Without being too redundant, I just want to quickly mention that these cloths are also made of the higher quality microfibre.  They are woven with silver as well which makes them antibacterial.  You can read about those two components in more detail in the enviro cloth post.  These cloths however are designed for personal use.  (Yes, Norwex sells personal care items too!)  They are called body cloths, but I use them on my face.

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The body cloths are ideal for regular body or facial cleansing.  Because of the silver again, all you need is the cloth and water.  Use them in the shower, in the bath, or at the sink.  I don't wear make up, but I have heard from others that they are incredibly effective even in removing make up (just with water).  They are also gently exfoliating.

I love, love, love the body cloths.  I recommend them to everyone.  As I've written about before (particularly here and here), I have a long history with unfortunate skin blemishes.  As such, I was wary of trying something that seemed so simple.  Yet washing my face twice a day with just water and this cloth works!  Another friend of mine who has shared my skin related woes has also converted to using just these cloths for her face as well with the same success.  I do still use a spot treatment, the natural zit zapper, but there are no cleansers, soaps, creams, or anything else that go on my face.  And my face is more clear than I ever could have imagined having before.  It's healthier for me, better for the environment, and inexpensive!  A one time purchase that will last years to come.  I'd say that's the best of all worlds.

What do you use to wash your face?

Is Antiperspirant Really Dangerous?

Well, I'm going to pretend that I'm not disappointed in finding only one comment on the Natural Deodorant Stick Recipe (despite the 226 pageviews it has received in one week), and I'm going to continue on with that topic.  In my last post, as I've mentioned, I gave a recipe for a homemade deodorant stick which my husband and I have both used to replace our mainstream antiperspirants.  Here is why people would even want to.  Clarification:  Antiperspirant is used to prevent sweating, while deodorant just masks the body odor.  When considering mainstream options, the deodorant is probably still not good to be putting on your skin daily.

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While the American National Institutes of Health have not found any "conclusive evidence"  linking antiperspirant usage to breast cancer, there certainly appears to be a connection.  The American National Cancer Institute reports:

Aluminum-based compounds are used as the active ingredient in antiperspirants. These compounds form a temporary plug within the sweat duct that stops the flow of sweat to the skin's surface. Some research suggests that aluminum-based compounds, which are applied frequently and left on the skin near the breast, may be absorbed by the skin and cause estrogen-like (hormonal) effects. Because estrogen has the ability to promote the growth of breast cancer cells, some scientists have suggested that the aluminum-based compounds in antiperspirants may contribute to the development of breast cancer.

 The aluminum compound found in many antiperspirants and deodorants is aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex, which is a known to cause cancer and has other health concerns as well.

As I've mentioned previously, we absorb everything through our skin.  There are all sorts of other chemicals and potentially toxic ingredients in mainstream antiperspirants and deodorants just the same as any other beauty or cosmetic product.  Check out EWG's Skin Deep Cosmetics Database to see how your antiperspirant or deodorant rates.

According to the Live Strong website the aluminum in antiperspirants may also be linked to kidney problems.  A warning label is required by the FDA to be carried by any antiperspirants containing aluminum.  They say it is just a precaution for those with kidney disease, though I find it somewhat suspicious.

Though there are rumors saying otherwise, from what I have researched, a toxin build ups is not a concern.  I do wonder however if there is something wrong with prevent our body from doing what it is natural designed to do, which is sweat.

On another note, mainstream antiperspirants and deodorants are not cheap, and it only gets more expensive if you seek out store bought natural alternatives.  Making your own can save you $4-6 on each stick.

What do you think of antiperspirant?

Natural Deodorant Stick Recipe

Switching from antiperspirant to homemade deodorant was a crunchy leap I have wanted to take for a long time, but I was too scared.  Buying natural or crystal deodorant is another option, but I find them expensive and often the ingredients are not 100% natural.  Another preference for me was that it would be in stick form.  I found this recipe on Keeper of the Home which she has altered and worked on, and thus I trusted it would turn out well.  I have finally made the leap!

Natural Deodorant Stick
-1/8 c arrowroot powder
-1/8 c baking soda
-2 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
-1 heaping tbsp beeswax
-2 drops castor oil (optional - helps it to slide on better)
-8 drops tea tree essential oil
-8 drops lavender essential oil
-up to another 10 drops of another essential oil for scent purposes

1. Add all ingredients into a small pot over medium heat on the stove.
2. Stir until everything has melted into a smooth consistency.
3. Have a container ready.  We emptied mainstream deodorant containers and washed them out in a pot of boiling water.  Make sure it is turned back down the bottom.
4. Pour the melted mixture into the container until full.
5. Allow to cool and set on the counter for a couple of hours.

It is a good idea to have a "detox" period of about a week where you use no deodorant or antiperspirant after quitting the mainstream stuff and before beginning the natural replacement.  I was happy to be doing this in the winter.  When you do use it, this homemade deodorant will be softer than conventional deodorant.  Be careful not to twist it up too high when using or to put on too much.  Also, this will not prevent you from sweating, it will only prevent you from smelling bad.  I have heard that your body will adjust as time goes by.  I am still waiting to see.

I have been really impressed with the effectiveness of this deodorant.  We made one for Brad as well, and it works even on his man sweat.  Neither of us have been smelly, in fact we can smell the scents of the essential oils we each used.  Mine is lavender scented, and Brad's is the spa spirit essential oil blend from the Spa Spirit Lip Balm post.  The only downside I have come across thus far is that our white shirts end up with yellow in the arm pits, but I haven't found it to be a big deal.  I am not sure what exactly causes this though.  Is anyone out there able to educate me?

Have you tried any natural alternatives to antiperspirant?

First Blogiversary + Giveaway

Happy New Year!  I hope you have a wonderful night last night ringing in the new year.  I am lucky enough to get to begin this year with another celebration as well.  Today is my first blogiversary!  One year ago today I wrote my first post and began this incredible journey.  In the past year...
-I have posted 101 entries.
-164 people have become followers.
-there have been 107,332 page views.
-there are readers from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, New Zealand, Mexico, the Philippines, the Netherlands, Japan, and more.
-you guys have left 274 comments (my favourite part).

I am so thankful to each of you who reads and those who comment for your encouragement and support.  In this upcoming year I hope that even more conversations can be started.  Learning from one another, and me learning from you guys, is the best part of this blog to me.  To show you my appreciation and to celebrate my first blogiversary, I am going to do my very first giveaway!

The prize:

I am making some popular items that I've posted on my blog, and one brand new one.  Here is the prize pack:
-3 Lavender Love Lotion Bars (post here)
-1 container of Lemon Meringue Moisturizer (post here)
-2 tubes of Spa Spirit Lip Balm (coming soon)

Ingredients:

-beeswax
-shea butter
-sweet almond oil
-lavender essential oil



 Ingredients:
-beeswax
-grapeseed oil
-water
-borax
-lemon essential oil


Ingredients:
- coconut oil
-sweet almond oil
-beeswax
-vitamin E oil
-essential oil blend of grapefruit, eucalyptus, benzoin, and peru balsam


These products are made with beeswax and other potential allergens.  They were not made in a peanut- or nut-free facility.  You accept all risks and responsibility for any and all consequences resulting directly or indirectly from the use of these products.  They are free from chemicals and additives.

How to enter:

Mandatory entry:
-Tell me what you want to see on the Wife Life

Additional entries (1 entry for each):
-Become a follower through Google, RSS feed, or email (or tell me if you already are)
-Like me on Facebook (or tell me if you already have)
-Post about the giveaway on Facebook linking to this post

Leave one comment for each entry (up to four comments per person) below.  If you comment through the anonymous setting, please sign your name in the comment.  I will be using random.org's random number generator to determine the winner.  Giveaway deadline is 1/15/2012 at midnight PST.  The winner will be announced 1/16/2012.

Also, because I am from Canada and get so disappointed when I cannot enter giveaways, I am opening this contest up worldwide!  Everyone is welcome to enter.  Good luck!

Lemon Meringue Moisturizer

The other night we had two of our closest friends over for an evening.  The boys played video games while the girls made beauty products in the kitchen.  With winter approaching, dry skin is always an issue.  We found a recipe in Lauren Cox's EcoBeauty book for a hand cream and altered it to make our very own moisturizer.

Lemon Meringue Moisturizer

1/4 c water
1/8 tsp borax powder
5-10 drops lemon essential oil
1/2 c grapeseed oil
2 tbsp grated beeswax

1. Bring water to a boil in kettle and immediately pour over the borax in a bowl. Stir until dissolved.  Add lemon essential oil.  (This can of course be substituted for any essential oil, but then it won't be lemon meringue.) Set aside.
2. Place oil and beeswax in the top pot of a double boiler (a makeshift double boiler can be made by placing a small pot into a larger pot that is filled partway with water) over medium-high heat, and mix together until completely melted.
3. Pour the oil mixture into a blender and turn the blender on.  Add the hot water mixture in a slow, steady stream.  Blend on a high speed until well combined.  The mixture will become the consistency of a cream.

Finished product.

 The whole process was so exciting.  I couldn't believe that we really made such a completely different product from the ingredients that we started with.  I asked my husband, Brad the chemist, why this happened.  After looking into the chemical make up of the ingredients, he explained that we produced an actual chemical reaction.  Real science!

I love how thick and fluffy the cream is.  It is very moisturizing without feeling oily or greasy.  It soaks into skin quickly.  I like to use it as a hand cream, though it would work wonderfully on any dry skin areas.

If you're interested in or curious about why a person would want to make their own beauty products or be cautious about mainstream brands, I encourage you to watch this short video: The Story of Cosmetics

Lavender Love Lotion Bars

I have purchased a few "massage bars" from Lush before, so when I learned how easy it is to make homemade lotion bars, I was excited to try it out.

I've moved to a new website! Head on over to Heartful Habits for the Lavender Love Lotion Bars recipe. Thanks!

Yoga - Stretched and Unstressed

Over the last few years as yoga gained in popularity in the West, I have resisted.  I have awful balance, I'm not the typical body type of those I see practicing yoga or wearing yoga gear, and  I feel some unexplained moral aversion to Lululemon.  This September I found a free yoga class that practices twice a week about 10 minutes away from my house.  I didn't think I could pass up the opportunity to at least try it.  Now I have fallen in love with yoga.

The word "yoga" comes from the Sanskrit root "yuj", which means "to yoke" the spirit and physical body together.  From what I can tell, the yoga I am practicing is hatha yoga which traditionally is a holistic path that includes disciplines, physical postures, purification procedures, breathing, and meditation.  Yoga is really a way of life.  Our yoga instructor always talks about how there is a personal practice which takes place on the mat, then there is our interactions with those around us, and then the effects we have in the world on a global scale.

The many benefits of yoga can improve different aspects of life.  Physical benefits include improved overall health, flexibility, stamina, improved balance, increased strength, pain prevention, better breathing, improved digestion, and increased blood circulation.  Mental benefits include stress relief, mental calmness, body awareness, and increased self acceptance.  The list could go on and on.  Plus, yoga is for everyone be it men or women or from young children to the elderly.

This has been the first form of exercise I have ever actually looked forward to going to.  It has certainly made a difference in our lives.  I have begun feeling physical changes regarding strength and flexibility.  Brad has had amazing success with pain prevention for a shoulder injury the medical doctor wasn't able to do anything for.  What I really crave though before practicing yoga is the mental calmness.  I find that there are so few instances in our busy lives where we carve out time to be calm and introspective.

I think that Donna Farhi describes it beautifully in her book Yoga Mind, Body, and Spirit here:

But the slowness of this path is part of the healing.  It is part of finding one's place in the rhythm of life again.  This reunification with nature lies at the heart of the true healing power of yoga practice.  Through that practice we can become peaceful, we can experience ease with ourselves and others, and ultimately we can create a society that values such things.  Then as we advance in our yoga practice, we will realize that however far we go, we are always in the process of returning to this natural self.

Have you had any experience with yoga?  What form of exercise do you enjoy?

Clean and Green

Brad and I have slowly transferred over to natural shampoo, conditioner, and body wash as we have run out of our old brands.  The brand that we switched to in all three is Nature's Gate.  I had heard good things about this brand from a coworker, so I already had it in mind.  When we went to the store, we found that it was also the most reasonably priced (out of natural products).  The Nature's Gate company's mission is "to combine the power of natural ingredients with innovation and science to create affordable, safe, sustainable, performance and value driven products. [They] are committed to using pure, sustainably harvested herbs, fruits and essential oils, without animal-derived ingredients, to enhance the overall health and wellbeing of our customers and our planet."  I was also happy to find out that they have partnered with WaterAid to support families in Asia and Africa to get long-term access to safe, clean water.

We purchased them at Superstore and have been using Nature's Gate Biotin Shampoo, Herbal Daily Conditioning, and Aloe Vera Body Wash everyday since.  I love all of it.  They are easily better than any typical drugstore brand's products.  The shampoo is designed specifically for weak, fragile hair, which I have, and it seems to have helped.  I was very nervous to try a new conditioner because I find that most really weigh down my hair.  This stuff is amazing.  I have never had softer hair in my life than I do now, and I use it everyday without any build up or weight.  The body wash is incredibly moisturizing and smells marvelous.  Aside from the exceptional performance of these products, I also feel great about putting them on my body and having it wash down the drain instead of worried or guilty as I do with generic products.

Once again, this is a company with great products and great people.  I am happy to be supporting them.

A Lesson in Fat Cells

Cellulite is very common and can affect a person of any size.  Cellulite forms when blood flow under the skin is restricted by enlarged fat cells.  This causes a fluid buildup which then bloats the fat cells even more.  Everyone has fat cells, and thus it can potentially affect everyone.  It seems to be related also to genetics, not just poor health habits, and to get rid of it can certainly require some changes in lifestyle.

I've moved to a new website! Head on over to Heartful Habits for the homemade cellulite scrub recipe. Thanks!

At-Home Spa

I am always looking for products to try to reduce the red bumps I get on my legs.  I'm not sure what they are or what causes them.  I've had them for years, and it sucks when I'm in shorts or a bathing suit.  My friend and I whipped up is the Spa-Style Salt Rub from EcoBeauty by Lauren Cox, and I am hoping the salt and exfoliation might help.

Spa-Style Salt Rub

2 c salt
1 c almond oil
2-3 drops essential oil (optional)

Supplies

Add salt,

almond oil,

and essential oil (we used lavender).

Stir until it becomes a paste.

To use, massage a handful of paste into skin.  Rinse with warm water.  Do not use soap afterward as it will wash away the moisturizing oil.

I definitely like the way this rub feels and makes my skin feel.  Smooth and soft!  I haven't seen any improvement of the bumps on my legs yet, but I do only use the rub once a week.  For general application, I think the rub is great.  I'm thinking this is a good one to make up and give for presents.