Mascara, Pressed Powder, Face Lotion with SPF

It's been over 2 months since I've posted. Blame the fact that I have 4 toddlers or perhaps that my bathroom is being remodeled. Or the holidays for that matter. Whatever the case may be, I have still been working hard to change the way we live, but I haven't been good about blogging about all our changes. I am making a concerted effort to catch up this week.

I am slowly switching over my make-up as I weed out all the parabens in our house. I use the following things daily: concealer, pressed powder, blush, and mascara. I do use eyeliner and eyeshadow if I'm going out or something, but it's so rare that I'm not worrying about those things yet. So far I've tackled mascara and pressed powder.

Mascara
I used to use whatever was on sale. Often it was Maybelline or Cover Girl. On EWG's database I see mascaras that I've used ranging from a rating of 4 to as high as 8. Not good. A quick summary of the concerns (copied from this article):

• Parabens. Mimic the hormone estrogen, which can play a role in the development of breast cancer.
• Phthalates. Chemicals that could damage the liver, kidneys, lungs and reproductive system.
• Diazolidinyl urea. This chemical releases formaldehyde and acts as a preservative. It could contain carcinogenic impurities and is associated with other significant health problems.
• Ethyl acetate. Prolonged exposure can cause damage to the lungs, heart, kidney and liver.
• Petrolatum. May contain harmful impurities that break down into chemicals linked to cancer.
• Sodium laureth/sodium laurel sulfate. SLS can penetrate into the eyes, as well as brain, heart and liver, and show long-term retention in the tissues.

These ingredients aren't all found in all mascaras. As usual check your specific brand on the EWG database to find out for sure. That being said, I just hadn't paid attention at all, so I decided to upgrade to something safer.

I switched to Physicians Formula Organic Wear Mascara. It scores a 3 (low yellow zone) in the EWG database, due to one ingredient, magnesium aluminum silicate (scores a 4). Everything else scores in the green zone (0-2). I really like this mascara, and it's affordable, too. Technically the entire container is recyclable, but again, that depends on what your neighborhood actually recycles.

The only issue I have is that the brush is plastic and every so often I am an idiot and slip and hit my eye -- the plastic wand HURTS! So just don't be a klutz like me and you should be fine. Other than that I find this mascara to be equally as good as any other brand I've used. I'm not too picky about my mascara though. This mascara is a bit of a compromise because it does fall in EWG's yellow zone (4), but it is only due to one ingredient and to get in the green zone you have to shell out more money. I feel okay with my decision. I'm especially happy to get rid of the parabens!

Pressed Powder
I typically used Cover Girl pressed powder. Sometimes I used Bare Minerals Mineral Veil, but even though that ranks as safe in the EWG database there are concerns about loose powders and inhaling them, so I prefer a pressed powder. The Cover Girl powder I used scores a 5 in the EWG database. There are four ingredients rating a 5 or 6 and two rating a 3.

I switched to Physicians Formula Organic Wear Pressed Powder. It scores a 1 in the EWG database which is comfortably in the green zone. There are no parabens, synthetic preservatives or fragrances. The compact is made of cardboard and can be recycled. It comes with a little brush and when applied feels very light on my face and lasts all day (better than Cover Girl). It was maybe a dollar or two more than Cover Girl, and I did have to purchase it on Amazon because I couldn't find it at the store.

Daily Face Lotion with SPF
I was using Oil of Olay Complete All Day Moisturizer with SPF 15. It scores a 5 in the EWG database, and if you click the link you'll see a very long list of ingredients in the red and yellow zones. Yikes.

I actually had a lot of difficulty locating an affordable day cream with SPF in the green zone. I finally settled on Desert Essence Gentle Nourishing Day Cream, SPF 15 for Dry and Sensitive Skin. It scores a 2 in the EWG database. The SPF protection comes from zinc oxide (mineral sunscreen) only. There are no parabens, artificial fragrances/dyes, SLS, PEGs, phthalates, etc.

This lotion has a drawbacks. It is thicker because it is a mineral sunscreen, so it is harder to spread and you use more because of that. It doesn't moisturize as well although it's not horrible. The major issue is that it's expensive! It is double the cost of Oil of Olay and you have to buy it on Amazon.

I know there are plenty of cheaper yet safe options without sunscreen that I can explore. I also know that sun exposure has a lot of health benefits in moderation. Once I use this tube up I think I will switch to a day cream without SPF but keep Desert Essence around for days I know I'll spend a lot of time in the sun.

Here's a helpful link to non-toxic beauty products that's worth examining. I like the way it's divided into lists of "Best" and "Good" options. I often choose from the "Good" options because I like to strike a balance between safety and affordability. My goal is to lower our family's exposure to these potentially unsafe ingredients but within reason.

Next time I will update on our adventures in shampoo and conditioner. Other topics to tackle: paper towels/napkins, hand and dish soaps. So much to talk about, so little time!

Popcorn

I have been feeling wary about microwave popcorn lately. First of all, the lining of the bag can release PFOA, (a chemical related to Teflon) into the popcorn oil after being heated. PFOA is carcinogenic in lab animals. Then there's the artificial butter that often contains the chemical diacetyl. Workers in popcorn factories (exposed to large amounts of it) have contracted bronchiolitis obliterans, a life-threatening form of lung disease (often called popcorn lung because it can happen to these workers). Even without the diacetyl issue, artificial butter isn't good for you.

I know I can just pop popcorn on the stove and sometimes I do, but sometimes I'm lazy and don't feel like it. I just came across a method for popping popcorn in a paper bag in the microwave. You put 1/4 cup of popcorn kernels in a paper bag, fold the top (accordion-style) twice, then put a piece of scotch tape in the middle to keep it closed. Microwave as usual. Melt 1 Tbsp butter with some salt in a glass Pyrex measuring cup and pour over popcorn.

Yum!!

We were getting Orville Redenbacher's Natural Butter popcorn at the store, but it was insanely expensive (3 packs for about $3.50). That was 7.5 Tbsp (unpopped) for $3.50. We bought a thing of plain kernels for $5.99 (63 Tbsp). I even found organic popcorn on Amazon (for next time around) that is significantly cheaper than the plain kernels we got at the store.

The taste is way better, too. Oh, and you can re-pop any wasted kernels and re-use the paper bag!

Chicken stock (bone broth)

I started making my own chicken stock a couple of months ago. I had been using Herb Ox Sodium Free Chicken Granules (No MSG added). Yeah that doesn't sound like real food.

Ingredients in those granules:
Sugar, Potassium Chloride, Onion Powder, Maltodextrin, Monoammonium Glutamate (basically MSG), Gelatin, Dextrose, Chicken Fat, Turmeric Color, Dehydrated Parsley, Flavoring, Disodium Inosinate and Disodium Guanylate, Silicon Dioxide (Anticaking Agent).

The point is, I can do better than this, and I can do it using stuff I was throwing away (so for nearly free). Chicken stock (bone broth) has all kinds of goodness in it, including easy to absorb minerals and gelatin.

It's super easy to make, too. Here's what I do:
1) Roast a chicken. I use this recipe to keep my chicken nice and moist (chicken is in a covered container). Save all the juices that collect in the container.

2) Pick off all the meat. Shred and freeze what you don't need right away (in a freezer bag). It will still be fine for any recipe except eating it just as is). We just did this yesterday and used the chicken to make white chili and chicken and bean sauce for the kids (they devour it).

3) Unless your chicken is organic/pastured (as in, you trust your source) discard the chicken skin as well as the organs. If it's from a trusted source, toss this stuff in your crockpot.

4) Put the bones/tendons/scraps in your crockpot. (Alternatively, you could freeze them in a plastic bag til you've collected even more bones or have time to deal with them.)

5) Add any juices from the roast chicken, then cover bones with cold, filtered water.

6) Add a couple tablespoons apple cider vinegar and let sit for an hour or so to draw the minerals out of the bones.

7) Toss in scraps of vegetables (I keep a freezer bag of celery tops, carrots, and old veggies that would have gone bad before we got to them, etc. except for broccoli). I quarter an onion and add a bunch of crushed garlic (usually cloves that are older just to use them up). Add more water if necessary to keep stuff submerged.

8) Simmer broth in crockpot on low for up to 24 hours. I usually go about 14-18 hours. Skim anything off the top in the first hour if you see stuff there.

9) At this point you can set your crockpot to warm if you are busy. Otherwise, get a big bowl and put a strainer over it. Scoop the bones and veggies into the strainer and press a ladle against them to squeeze the liquid into the bowl. Toss bones/veggies. Strain the rest of the broth.

10) Let cool down a little bit if your ice cube trays are plastic, then pour into ice cube trays. You could save some for chicken soup, too.

11) Let freeze. Pop out cubes and store in a plastic bag in freezer.

12) I have found that 2-3 cubes (plus 1 cup cold, filtered water) = 1 cup of broth in a recipe. Add salt to recipes as needed.

So yummy!

Coffee

Last month we switched from regular bagged, ground coffee to organic, fair trade, shade grown, whole bean coffee (Camano Island brand). Don't freak out -- the price is better than you'd think. Here's why we switched:

1) It's certified organic.

Most of the countries coffee is grown in are very unregulated. They often use toxic pesticides and fertilizers that aren't even legal here in the United States. Coffee is porous and absorbs pesticides very easily. Camano Island's coffee is certified organic. They also require the land the coffee is grown on to have been artificial pesticide/fertilizer free for at least 7 years.

2) It's shade grown.

Shade grown coffee = no rainforests were destroyed to grow said coffee. I will say that shade grown is not always necessary. For example, there may be situations where no rain forest existed in the first place, so it wouldn't matter in those cases. For the coffee I was purchasing, however, its location did mean I needed to find a shade grown source. If you aren't sure just err on the safe side. Some sources say shade grown coffee tastes better, too, because it grows more slowly.

3) It's fair trade.

The farmers are paid a fair wage for their coffee. Now, I do realize that there is some controversy in the way the Fairtrade Foundation operates (as in how much actually gets to the farmers). For a general overview, go here. It's certainly not perfect. In doing research I found a few other coffee companies that seemed even more legitimate than Camano but the prices were outrageous.

Camano Island does help its farmers. Here's a 2008 article in which the author describes the company's "Direct Trade" approach -- dealing directly with the farmers and eliminating the middlemen. This probably helps get the farmers a better price for their coffee beans. Camano Island also offers interest free loans to their farmers to help them get their products up to organic standards. From what I can tell they do seem to be helping coffee growing families increase their standard of living to some extent. The company also donates to Agros International (who helps set up villages land grants, medical care, education, etc.) Part of the price of your coffee purchase goes directly to this cause (in the villages where the coffee was grown).

4) It's an American company, started on Camano Island, WA.

It's always an added bonus to support American companies.

5) It's fresh-roasted, vacuum sealed, and whole bean (although you can also purchase ground coffee).

The whole bean thing took some adjusting to for us labor-wise, but we always knew fresh ground coffee was best anyway. Once we got into the rhythm of grinding it's been great to get that yummy flavor back again. We got a 5 pound bag and froze it in 1 pound amounts. Then we just grind what we need.

6) Free shipping, either on Amazon or on their own website (can be automated, too).

7) It tastes really great! (well-reviewed, too!)

We got the Papua New Guinea Medium roast (we prefer medium or light coffees), and it's fantastic. When we had other coffee (including other organic, fair trade from the store) it couldn't hold a candle to this coffee. Now, some of that is most likely due to the fact that it is fresher (properly stored) and whole bean, but I do feel like at least part of it has to be the roasting process.

8) It's actually pretty affordable!

I really hate Folgers and Maxwell House-type coffee. I mean, I'd drink it in a pinch, but we never buy it. You can't beat that price. The best deal we could get on coffee at the store that we'd actually purchase is when New England coffee is on sale for $5.99/12 ounces. That works out to 50 cents per ounce. When it's not on sale it runs $6.99/12 ounces (58 cents/ounce).

Camano Island whole bean 5lb bags (80 ounces) are $49.90. That works out to 62 cents per ounce (free shipping). That is a totally reasonable price increase for the huge advantages we're getting by switching -- even for one of those reasons I think it'd be worth it!

Dishwasher detergent

We almost always purchased Cascade until a couple of weeks ago. Sometimes I'd go for those pre-packaged little squares of dish detergent in whatever brand, but for the most part Cascade was our detergent of choice. For over a week we've been using Biokleen Free & Clear Automatic Dish Powder.

The ingredients in Biokleen's dish detergent:
Natural oxygen bleach (sodium percarbonate) - scores a 0
Vegetable fiber
Natural anti-corrosive agents (I found a journal article discussing these as various plant extracts)
Grapefruit seed and pulp extract - scores a 0
Soda ash (sodium carbonate) - scores a 0
Sodium citrate - scores a 0
Readily biodegradable nonionic surfactants (proprietary??)

The ingredients in Cascade:
Sodium carbonate (soda ash) - scores a 0
Sodium sulfate - scores a 1
Water - scores a 0
Sodium silicate - scores a 3 (irritant)
Sodium percarbonate - scores a 0
Modified polyacrylate - no score, a skin and eye irritant although non-toxic if ingested?
Alcohol alkoxylate - no score, a nonionic surfactant ... MSDS sheet said to avoid it seeping into sewage systems so that can't be too good
Polyethylene glycol - scores as high as a 6
Hydrozincite - no score, a mineral, reduces metal tarnishing
Amine Cobalt Salt - no score, uncertain of its function
Protease - scores a 0, an enzyme
Amylase - scores as high as a 3, an enzyme
Perfume - scores an 8 (under fragrance, a catch-all term for any number of ingredients)

Cascade used to contain phosphates, but it doesn't anymore. Phosphates help soften water and suspend dirt, but they also are bad for the environment. They get into our rivers, increasing algae growth which then inhibits the oxygen needed for healthy aquatic life. Not good!

Also, it's hard to say if dish detergent is 100% removed from dishes after the rinse cycle, so I'd like to use one that is as safe as possible should I accidentally consume some residue. I doubt that's a problem once but over time that can't be too great.

I can't tell a difference between Cascade and Biokleen. They both work great. I have even tested out using half a tablespoon of Biokleen (instead of one) and my dishes still look good. I also like that I can't smell any fragrances. I have a pretty good dishwasher and do pre-rinse (just slightly), so your results may vary depending on your dishwasher and tendency to rinse.

Cost comparison on Amazon:
Biokleen Free & Clear 32 ounces (64 loads ... double this if you can get away with half a scoop): $12.50 (39 cents/oz, but you can double the load # and it goes down to about 20 cents/oz)

Cascade Complete Powder 45oz 2pack (so 90 ounces): $16.93 (19 cents/oz) -- the directions say to fill the entire 2 chambers of your soap dispenser. I only fill one chamber and it takes 2 Tbsp. to clean my dishes (I could maybe get it down to 1 Tbsp). Essentially I need double the amount of Cascade.

1 ounce = 2 tablespoons. So for each ounce of Biokleen I can do 4 loads. 32oz x 4 loads/oz = 128 loads for $12.50. For each ounce of Cascade I can do 2 loads. 90oz x 1 load/oz = 90 loads for $16.93. 90oz x 2 loads/oz = 180 loads for $16.93.

So if I use half a tablespoon per load with Biokleen and 1 tablespoon per load with Cascade, Cacade is 2/5ths of a cent cheaper per load. However if I use 2 tablespoons like I normally do with Cascade, then Biokleen is cheaper.

Phew! That was a bit lengthy, sorry. =)

Convenient access:
It is much easier to get Cascade than it is to get Biokleen. This is often the case with green products, but it's easily purchased on Amazon if you're willing to venture online.

I'm satisfied with this switch, plus the container takes up way less room in the cabinet. One thing to note: you have to provide your own scoop (encourages you to reuse, I guess?).

Laundry detergent

Since the babies were born we have been using Tide Free. Last month we switched to Biokleen All Temperature Citrus Laundry Powder (with chlorine-free bleach). All of its ingredients fall in the green zone and a couple are plant extracts (natural but couldn't search on EWG).

The ingredients list for Tide Free HE is long. I didn't put everything into the EWG database, but most of the ones I entered fell in the green or yellow zone. Tide contains borax -- I didn't even know that! Borax (rated a 6 by EWG) is something I want to be cautious of since it can be very toxic in infants (if ingested). It can also cause respiratory and skin irritations. I don't think it has to be avoided at all costs, but I am glad to find a replacement detergent without borax just in case. I also like that it has oxygen bleach in it, so I can stop using OxyClean Free (saves money and time!).

It was strange switching back to a powder detergent after using liquid for so long, but I don't mind. I put about 1/2 to 2/3 a scoop of detergent in per load (1.5-2Tbsp). We have a front-loading HE machine. I haven't noticed a difference in cleaning power, so I will take that to be a good thing! I also like the light citrus scent, although it doesn't linger after going through the dryer.

Some nice things about Biokleen:
-No artificial fragrances, colors or preservatives (this holds true for Tide except preservatives)
-Manufactured with 100% green energy (wind, I believe? ... 100% according to Biokleen, of course, I can't say for sure ...)
-Rapidly biodegrades/safe for environment (the surfactants in Tide also biodegrade)
-Does not contain SLS or optical brighteners
-No animal testing

Cost comparison on Amazon:
Biokleen 5lb box (75 HE loads): $15.99 (17 cents/ounce). If you subscribe and get a 4 pack of 10lb boxes it goes down to 8 cents/ounce.

Tide Free HE liquid 50 ounces (32 loads): $10.57 (21 cents/ounce). If you subscribe you can get it down to 18 cents/ounce.

Tide Free HE powder 113-ounces (80 loads): $21.99 (19 cents/ounce). If you subscribe you can get it down to 17 cents/ounce.

Convenient access:
It's obviously easier to find Tide Free, but I saw Biokleen at our local grocery store in the organic aisle, so it's not impossible to locate.

The savings in going green with Biokleen are pretty incredible! It is literally half the cost of Tide Free (comparing subscription prices). Even without a subscription it works out to be about the same price per load (looking at Tide powder). You can also recycle the cardboard because it doesn't have a chemical liner like normal boxes of detergent. There is a plastic bag inside the box to help preserve the powder. It is technically recyclable but that would depend on what your area recycles. The only drawback is convenience, but I am finding that once you adjust to Amazon it ends up being more convenient to have your stuff automatically show up at your door just as you're realizing you're running low.

Toilet paper

We recently switched our toilet paper from whatever major brand was on sale (usually Cottonelle) to Green Forest. Here are the major reasons why:

1) It's made from 100% recycled paper, 90% post-consumer (ie. not virgin wood)

2) It is processed chlorine free (PCF)

When toilet paper is whitened most companies use chlorine. Chlorine reacts with the lignins in the wood used to make the toilet paper and creates dioxins. Dioxins are harmful to the environment and the EPA classified them as a probable human carcinogen. Dioxins can be absorbed through skin contact.

Unfortunately if you want to use recycled toilet paper you can't avoid whatever dioxins might have been present in the recycled paper prior to processing. TCF (totally chlorine free) paper uses virgin wood.

3) Green Forest is hypoallergenic, dye-free, and fragrance-free.


The NRDC has created an environmental rating system for household paper products. You can read more here. To see where your brand falls check out this list.

[While we're on the topic of paper, here's a list of totally chlorine free (TCF) and PCF printer paper if you're interested.]

We don't use napkins, but we do have tissues and paper towels around. I'll address those changes in our house another time.

So we moved from red-rated (ie. bad!) Cottonelle to green-rated Green Forest. The quality is basically the same. They're both 2-ply. Cottonelle is a little bit softer, but Green Forest is a little sturdier. Not enough to make me care either way.


Cost comparison on Amazon:
Cottonelle 4 packs of 12 double rolls (48 rolls), 176 sheets per roll: $42.89 (89 cents/roll) -- worth noting that this is a pretty good deal if I remember the price at the grocery store correctly. if you subscribe the price gets lower

Green Forest 4 packs of 12 double rolls (48 rolls), 352 sheets per roll: $53.36 ($1.10/roll) -- if you subscribe the price gets lower

So it looks like Green Forest is pricier at $1.10/roll, but it has double the number of sheets per roll which ends up actually making it cheaper. Woohoo!

Convenient access:
Easier to get Cottonelle. Green Forest is pretty easy to get in the organic aisle at the grocery store, but it's usually just the small packs and I've heard they aren't the same softness? Not sure. We buy in bulk from Amazon.

So all in all, another win for green! I have a bunch of posts in the works right now and am hoping to get them up this week. We've made a lot of changes around here.

*I should mention that we are getting this delivered by Amazon (as we are many products). You have to take into account the energy/emissions, etc. spent to get the product to our door. However, dioxins are bad for the environment and for your health ... I justify it by signing up for automatic delivery so Amazon can factor our deliveries into their routes in advance to make the most efficient route possible. It comes in a recyclable cardboard box, but I suspect it would come that way at the grocery store, too (upon delivery) and the box might not even get recycled there. You have to weigh your options and figure out what's best for you.

Sunscreen

**updated post-shore**

This year we are using Coppertone Water Babies Pure & Simple SPF 50. It is oil, fragrance, and dye free and scores a 2 on the EWG database. Unfortunately it's not paraben free, but for the price and effectiveness it's worth it (we may switch next year), especially since we don't use it all that often this year. The kids have gone swimming a handful of times and we'll be going to the beach for a week soon.

For their faces I have Aveeno Baby Natural Protection Mineral Block Face Stick, SPF 50+. It scores a 1 in the EWG database.

If you're interested in the Hall of Shame sunscreens check them out here. You'll see Coppertone Water Babies SPF 70+ on the list (not Pure and Simple SPF 50). The bottle looks so similar though. One of the most frustrating things I'm experiencing in trying to change to safer/greener products is how much thought and research has to go into it. Sometimes I stand in the grocery store just staring at the options and reading labels and if I don't take a deep breath I feel like I'll get a headache from being overwhelmed. That's why I'm making this reference list! =)

Here's what I'm gathering to be the things you'd ideally want:
-A mineral sunscreen: the only 2 active ingredients would be titanium dioxide and zinc oxide (some say it's best to just have zinc oxide).

Here is what Wikipedia says about these ingredients:
"Zinc oxide ... is the broadest spectrum UVA and UVB reflector that is approved for use as sunscreen by the FDA and is completely photostable. When used as an ingredient in sunscreen, zinc oxide sits on the skin’s surface i.e. is not absorbed into the skin, and blocks both UVA (320–400 nm) and UVB (280–320 nm) rays of ultraviolet light. Because zinc oxide (and the other most common physical sunscreen, titanium dioxide) are not absorbed into the skin, they are nonirritating and nonallergenic."

The reason just zinc oxide is preferable is because titanium oxide must be coated in silica or alumina otherwise it creates free radicals during its reaction with the sun and these can be absorbed into the skin. Free radicals are linked to cancer. That being said, supposedly the coating prevents this from happening. It just depends on how paranoid you want to be!

-No nanoparticles: companies don't have to tell you but some do say >100nM on the bottle which is what you're looking for. You want micronized particles, not nanoparticles because your skin can absorb nanoparticles. Ideally, your sunscreen would have a label stating that the titanium oxide and zinc oxide are >100nM in particle size.

-Paraben free, artificial fragrance and dye free

-No retinyl palmitate (vitamin A)

From EWG: "A 2009 study by U.S. government scientists suggests that a form of vitamin A, retinyl palmitate, when applied to the skin in the presence of sunlight, may speed the development of skin tumors and lesions (NTP 2009, 2011) ... Scientists have known for some time that vitamin A can spur excess skin growth (hyperplasia), and that in sunlight it can form free radicals that damage DNA (NTP 2000)."

-PABA-free: at this time nearly all sunscreens are PABA-free, so don't even worry about this one.

Despite the dangers in sunscreen, it should be obvious that the risk of cancer from sunburn is very present and you should wear sunscreen if you're going to be out in the sun for a long time (ex: the pool, the beach, sporting events, etc.). That being said, some sun exposure is important for getting enough vitamin D. If you're off to the store or taking a quick walk, consider not wearing sunscreen. You do need some sun exposure to be healthy.

We were using Banana Boat Kids this year (well, we only used it about four times). It gets a 7 in the EWG database, so I'm glad to switch over. Here is a price/convenience comparison using that brand.

Cost comparison on Amazon:
Coppertone Water Babies Pure & Simple, SPF 50: $7.80 for 8 ounces
Aveeno Baby Mineral Block Face Stick: $7.99 for 0.5 ounces (face sticks are always pricey)
Banana Boat Kids: $6.99 for 8 ounces

Convenient access:
I found Banana Boat and Coppertone Pure & Simple easily at Target. Aveeno's mineral block is at most drug stores and probably at Target, too.

Price-wise it's easy to switch to Coppertone from Banana Boat. I've heard it can leave a white tint on your skin, so that could be annoying. I'm able to get the Aveeno face stick for a much cheaper price than listed on Amazon.

Next year we might try the recommendations from my favorite blog, Kitchen Stewardship:
Kabana, Loving Naturals, Mexitan, and TruKid. More expensive and more difficult to get your hands on, but worth it if we're going to be out in the sun more often as the kids get older.

**Update now that we've tested this sunscreen thoroughly:**
This stuff works better than any sunscreen I have used before. Not a single sunburn (except tiny spots I missed). Kids didn't get any color at all. I actually got a nice tan (for me, no one else would have noticed!). Usually I burn if I don't reapply religiously, but I didn't even need to reapply at all. The major con: it is very very hard to wash off. I had to take 2 showers to really feel like it was completely gone, especially on the kids. Next year we will probably try something else to compare, but this stuff is really worth the price!

Body lotion

Every morning after my shower I put on body lotion. My lotion of choice for many years has been Jergens Ultra Healing Extra Dry Skin Moisturizer. I don't have extra dry skin ... I don't even know why I buy this lotion honestly. I like it, it lasts all day, it feels good, isn't too expensive, whatever. Sadly, this lotion is a 6 on EWG's database (used to be a 7 with the old formulation I'm sure I used in the past).

There are 6 yellow zone ingredients (including parabens) and 3 red zone ingredients. Ugh. Parabens are preservatives that are rapidly absorbed and metabolized through the skin. They can cause contact dermatitis and have been found in breast cancer tumors. They might mimic estrogen. There's no concrete evidence yet, but I think it's time to find a new lotion, don't you?

I switched to Aveeno Baby Daily Moisturizing Lotion. It scores a 2 (green zone) on the EWG database. It has 2 ingredients in the yellow zone: benzyl alcohol (6) and dimethicone (3). Not perfect, but a lot better than Jergens. It is paraben-free and fragrance free.

Cost comparison at Target:
Jergens: 32 ounces for $7.29
Aveeno: 18 ounces for $7.99

*Clearly much more expensive, however I have to admit I have access to highly discounted Aveeno lotion, so the price is actually cheaper than Jergens for us.

Convenient access:
Equally convenient. You can also purchase Aveeno Active Naturals Daily Moisturizing Lotion if you don't want to buy a baby lotion, but this way I can use it on our babies, too.

I like this lotion. If anything, I'd say it moisturizes almost too well. When I take a shower the next morning I can tell it is still there. I definitely prefer the feel of Jergens, but it's not a big deal to switch.

Face wash + a note about face/body scrubs

We switched back and forth between different face washes, but a typical example (the last one we used) is Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Stress Control Power Scrub. It scores a 6 in the EWG database.

There are 7 ingredients in the red and yellow zones including:
Fragrance - scores an 8 (red zone) since this is a blanket term for any number of ingredients
Salicylic acid - scores a 6 (yellow zone), can cause skin burns among other things, no studies on its effects during pregnancy, just makes me think it should be used with caution

We switched to Desert Essence Thoroughly Clean Face Wash. It fights acne with 3 essential oils (some essential oils have antimicrobial properties). This face wash scores a 1 in EWG's database.

I really like this face wash. It smells good and seems to work well. If you've got massive acne maybe it isn't for you ... I don't so I can't really review how effective it would be at controlling more than the occasional pimple here and there. It is a thinner liquid than most face washes, but that doesn't matter to me. It leaves your face with a "squeaky clean" sensation for a minute or two -- I don't like that feeling when it lingers, but it goes away almost immediately so it's okay.

Cost comparison on Amazon:
Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Stress Control Power Scrub: $6.97 for 4.2 ounces ($1.66/oz)
Desert Essence Thoroughly Clean Face Wash: $9.52 for 8.5 ounces ($1.12/oz)

Convenient access:
Obviously Neutrogena is easier to get at any store. However, I've seen Desert Essence at our grocery store in the organic aisle and at several natural stores. I bought a bottle for $7.99 at the grocery store. I plan on buying the refill on Amazon ($12.65 for 32 ounces), making it even cheaper in the future and also decreasing plastic waste!

This was an overall win, pretty easy to change.


**One other thing that should make you steer away from face/body scrubs/exfoliators. Those little plastic beads do not get filtered by sewage systems because they're too small and they're ending up in our oceans. Just another good reason to switch! Even switching to a face wash without those beads is a step in the right direction, no matter what its EWG rating.

Toothpaste

I love my toothpaste. Like, for real, love it. We used Crest Extreme Herbal Mint (the paste in a tube, not the liquid gel) ... mmm just thinking of it makes me want to go brush my teeth. I brush at least 3 times a day and I just love how fresh this toothpaste makes my mouth feel. Alas, our toothpaste scores a 4 on EWG. While not horrible, I am trying to move towards things in the green zone (0-2), so I decided to switch toothpastes.

The ingredients list for my old Crest toothpaste is long, so if you want to check it out go here.
The things in the yellow zone are:
Sodium Fluoride (0.243%) - scores a 6
Flavor - scores a 4 (a general term that could be any number of ingredients)
Blue 1 Aluminum Lake - scores a 3
Yellow 10 Aluminum Lake - scores a 3

I switched over to Tom's of Maine Clean & Gentle Anticavity SLS-Free toothpaste. Ditching the SLS in my toothpaste was important to me. It only scores a 1 in the EWG database, but I know studies show SLS to be a skin irritant and it causes cancer in studies of prolonged exposure in animals. I don't think it's super dangerous necessarily, but SLS is in so many products (soap, shampoo, body wash, toothpaste -- anything that has suds) that I'd like to decrease exposure to it if possible.

The ingredients in Tom's SLS-free toothpaste that rank in the yellow zone are:
Sodium monoflurophosphate - scores a 3
Acacia senegal gum - scores a 3

I am not willing to give up flouride in my toothpaste. I think the benefits of a flouride toothpaste far out number the possible issues (if there are any). I don't understand why Sodium flouride (the form in Crest) scores a 6 when Sodium monoflourophosphate (the form in Tom's) scores a 3. My husband (a dentist) isn't sure either. EWG claims sodium flouride has cancer risk, but I have been reading some stuff off of PubMed that suggests the two chemicals are basically the same and don't pose a hazard. Who knows.

Cost comparison on Amazon (pack of 2):
Tom's of Maine: $10.37 for a pack of 2 ($1.10/ounce), free shipping
Crest Extreme Herbal Mint: $3.10 for 1 tube (52 cents/ounce) + $2.99 shipping, but obviously you could get it at the store and avoid shipping

Convenient access:
Crest Extreme Herbal Mint is easy to get at any Target, drugstore, grocery store, etc. Tom's is easy to find, but not this particular kind. I had to get it on Amazon.


I'm not going to lie, I miss the amazing way my mouth felt after using the Crest toothpaste. That being said, I've been using Tom's for a few weeks now and am getting used to it. I hated it for the first few days and then it kind of grew on me. It will never be better than Crest, but it's worth it to avoid the artificial flavor, dyes, and SLS.

Disinfectant

I don't use a disinfectant very often, but when I do I use Lysol aerosol spray in clean linen scent. The two major things I use it for are to spray the diaper pail and the cat's litter box. I do it both to disinfect and to deodorize. Many essential oils (like lavender oil and tea tree oil) have natural antimicrobial properties, so I decided to replace my Lysol spray with a homemade version. I found a recipe online and mixed up a batch.

1/4 tsp. lavender oil
1/4 tsp. peppermint oil
1 cup water

This stuff smells fantastic and stops nasty odor much better than Lysol spray. I have no idea whether it is killing more or less germs ... short of taking swabs and culturing them I really couldn't know this. I am not really sure how much "killing germs" matters ... I think it's mostly psychological. I'd guess this spray probably does kill some stuff, but it's likely not 100%.

While reading about lavender I did see that using lavender scented things on kids, especially young boys can cause issues with their hormones. Also, if you tend to have skin sensitivities, some people have issues with essential oils (contact dermatitis). I would guess you'd have problems with chemical-based products, too, though.

Cost comparison on Amazon:
Lysol: $3.88 for 6 ounces
Homemade: under $1 for 8 ounces

Convenient access:
If you have essential oils on hand it's way easier to make your own disinfectant spray

Raw honey and homemade granola bars

I have been enjoying a blog called Kitchen Stewardship lately. I have gotten a lot of great tips from her on saving money, being green and eating less processed foods. She was my inspiration for making yogurt (although I don't use her recipe). She has a great recipe for homemade granola bars that I've made twice so far. The first time I used dried cranberries as a mix-in and this time I used mini chocolate chips. They're delicious and easy to make. Each batch makes about 20 or so bars. I never looked at the back of a standard box of store bought granola bars before, but there are a lot of random ingredients in them. I am hoping I can make these bars once every week or every other week, whatever rate we go through them.

Also, I've started using raw honey instead of regular honey. Here's why (copied from KS):

• Anti-Bacterial, Anti-Viral, Anti-Fungal
• Treats coughs/upper respiratory infections
• May promote better blood sugar control
• Experimental evidence indicates that consumption of honey may improve blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity compared to other sweeteners.
• Antioxidants
• Improved HDL cholesterol
• Boosts immunity
• Some research shows that taking a Tbs of raw honey made within 100 miles of your home fights off seasonal allergies.
  

This doesn't apply to regular honey, however if you're heating honey (in baking, for example) you may as well use regular honey because the heat will destroy the things that provide these benefits. I've been using raw honey on oatmeal for lunch. It's delicious!

Yogurt

Okay, so I'm a mere 6 posts or so into this blog, and I already lied. I made my own yogurt, despite claiming I never would. However, you would, too, if you found a recipe this simple: Crockpot Yogurt. This recipe was so easy I couldn't not try it.

It takes a long time, but there are really just a couple of steps. It makes the equivalent of two 32oz tubs of yogurt. My husband and I calculated that we spend over $1000 a year on yogurt between small cups for the 2 of us and tons of the 32oz Stoneyfield tubs for the babies. That's crazy! This recipe uses a half gallon of whole milk and a half cup of plain, whole fat yogurt (buy a cup the first time then use some of your first batch for your starter next time).

Current yogurt costs per week:
$4.09 per Stoneyfield 32oz tub x 3.5 tubs per week = $14.32
50 cents per cup of Dannon yogurt (average) x 10 cups per week = $5.00
Total spent per week = $19.32
$19.32 x 52 weeks = $1004.64 per year

Costs of making homemade (rate of 1.75 batches per week):
$2.00 per half gallon of milk x 1.75 = $3.50
+ 50 cents for a starter cup (if needed)
Total spent per week = $4.00 (or $3.50 if no starter)
$4.00 x 52 weeks = $208 per year

Total savings per week = $15.32
Total savings per year = $796.64

Wow, talk about savings! My first batch tasted yummy, but it was a little on the thin side. Next time I will filter it through a coffee filter or cheese cloth to get it to thicken up a bit. I flavored half of it with vanilla and a little honey and left the other half plain. I have been enjoying it all week for lunch!

All-purpose spray

Until very recently, whenever I needed an all-purpose spray, I would use Windex Multi-Purpose Kitchen and Glass Cleaner (discontinued), or sometimes just the classic blue Windex. I used these for cleaning shelves and drawers in the refrigerator, countertops, sinks, small spills on linoleum, spills in the microwave, scrubbing the stove top, etc.

The ingredients in the Multi-Purpose Spray aren't too horrible ... it's mostly water (96.25%). The other ingredients score a 4 on EWG: isopropanol (3.5%) and ethylene glycol (0.5-1.5%). Still, there has to be something better than that, especially when I have 4 little babies crawling around!

I decided to give Method's All-Purpose Spray (clementine) a try first. I loved the smell, and the bright orange color was really pretty. =)

Here are the ingredients:
1) Corn and coconut derived surfactants (code word for SLS)
2) Soda ash (aka sodium carbonate): - scores a 1 on EWG
3) Corn-based cleaning salt: appears to be potassium cornate, which is the potassium salt of fatty acids derived from corn oil. It acts as a surfactant. This scores a 0 on EWG but only because there's no data about it. From what I can tell, it doesn't act as an eye irritant, but is hazardous if ingested.
4) Potassium hydrate (aka potassium hydroxide): scores a 1 on EWG. I think it's used here as a pH adjuster.
5) Fragrance oil and color: umm what? Method claims these are non-toxic and non-carcinogenic according to the FDA and DEA. Natural dyes would promote bacteria growth and not give them the vibrant colors they want. I can see their point, probably safe enough, but I could do without these if possible.
6) Water: safe!

I really liked this spray. Honestly, I think it does just about the same job as the Multi-Purpose cleaner, but I prefer it because of the yummy orange scent. It helped block the nasty smell after my daughter threw up several times this past week. That's great! Still, I am not too thrilled with the long ingredients list ... I think it is safe enough and pretty environmentally friendly, but it's kind of expensive and I'd prefer a cheaper alternative.

Last week I took the plunge and ordered a well-reviewed 6 pack of 100% pure essential oils for $26 (included shipping). They smell so good and should last a long time, too. Some of these oils have natural antibacterial properties as well.

I found a recipe online for an all-purpose spray that was super easy to make and dirt cheap:
50% vinegar (white, distilled)
50% water
5-10 drops essential oil per 16oz solution (*see below for adjustments)

I made it with 10 drops of lemongrass oil. The solution itself worked just fine when my sister used it to clean out the fridge drawers, but it sort of smelled like a marinade. I added 10 drops of lavender oil to balance it out, and I found the scent to be pleasant when I used it to scrub some spots on the kitchen floor later. It smelled very clean and kitcheny (lemon was muted a little bit with the lavender).

Cost comparison on Amazon:
Windex: about $4.12 for 36 ounces
Method: $5.10 for 28 ounces
Vinegar/Water combo: $1.35 for 14oz of vinegar (or less $ depending on the jug) + 14oz water (almost free) + less than 43 cents for the oils

Convenient access:
It's slightly easier to locate vinegar than Windex or Method. You must have essential oils on hand, but the overall cost savings probably makes the homemade solution more convenient in the long run.

Once I got off my lazy butt and ordered the oils I was pretty happy to switch over to a homemade solution. Definitely saves money, I don't lose anything in cleaning power, and it is safer for my kids, myself, and the environment. Added bonus: less packaging waste!

Organic vegetables and fruits

It would be great if I could buy all organic produce, but it's simply not reasonable. First of all, you can't easily find everything organic. Even if you go to Whole Foods you won't find every type of fruit/veggie in an organic option, and Whole Foods is kind of far from my house. Secondly, organic produce is almost always more expensive (particularly at the grocery store). This will be a very difficult switchover for me because I love a good bargain. Strawberries for $2? Um, yes!

A general rule of thumb for what to purchase organic involves considering the skin of the fruit or vegetable. Is it hard/inedible (like a melon rind or orange peel)? Buy the regular stuff. Is it soft/tender or do you eat the skin? Buy it organic. Tomatoes are a great example of a thin skin that you eat.

A couple of helpful lists:
Dirty Dozen (worst first)
1) Apples
2) Celery
3) Strawberries
4) Peaches
5) Spinach
6) Nectarines (imported)
7) Grapes (imported)
8) Sweet bell peppers
9) Potatoes
10) Blueberries (domestic)
11) Lettuce
12) Kale/collard greens

Clean 15 (best first)
1) Onions
2) Sweet corn
3) Pineapples
4) Avocado
5) Asparagus
6) Sweet peas
7) Mango
8) Eggplant
9) Cantaloupe (domestic)
10) Kiwi
11) Cabbage
12) Watermelon
13) Sweet potatoes
14) Grapefruit
15) Mushrooms

Those are long lists and kind of make my head spin! Here is a wallet-size card you can download for easy reference (link on left side). There's apparently an app for it, too, since there's an app for everything these days.

The rule of thumb I mentioned above holds true for 100% of the dirty dozen (if you eat potato skins) and for 10 of the clean 15. The full list is worth a look, too, but if it all gets jumbled in your mind then just try to remember the rule of thumb.

This year we had a trial vegetable/fruit garden. Things I liked growing included cilantro, raspberries, tomatoes, italian green beans, spinach, and basil. I love tomatoes and find homegrown ones to be vastly superior in flavor. Our beans were delicious, the spinach was easy and flavorful, the herbs were no issue, and the raspberries grow wild and spread quickly.

Things I still haven't decided whether I'll repeat include cucumbers, zucchini (both are very unruly and this stresses me out ... neat rows are my thing), peppers, carrots, and radishes. Things I definitely will not waste time growing again include onions (way easier to buy), strawberries and sugar snap peas (getting a couple berries/peas every so often isn't worth it). Next year I will definitely have a potted herb garden of parsley, mint, basil, and cilantro and maybe thyme because we use those herbs so often when we cook. It has been great going out to the garden to snip cilantro or basil whenever we need it.

Strides I've made at the grocery store:
1) Switched to buying organic canned tomato products (for sauces)
2) Bought organic potatoes, carrots, spinach and leeks for recipes this week

Still can't quite let go of the $2 strawberries ... maybe one day. Every little bit helps though.

Lip balm and gloss

I have known for a while that I probably shouldn't be using Blistex Medicated Lip Medex. You know the kind I'm talking about -- a tiny blue jar that works miracles on chapped lips. I don't use lip balm often, but if I had severely chapped lips during cold, dry weather or if I was sick I would turn to this little jar.

This stuff earns a 6 on the EWG database. Here are the ingredients:
Petrolatum (59%), Camphor (1%), Menthol (1%), Phenol (0.5%), Cocoa Butter, Flavor, Lanolin, Mixed Waxes, Oil of Cloves

The absolute worst thing on this list is the phenol. It ranks a 9 with a good amount of data to back it up. I knew this from working in a lab. When we use phenol we wear gloves and keep it from touching our skin. I found myself holding my breath around it, too. It's not like it will instantaneously zap you with cancer, but if I'm wearing gloves to handle it in a lab then perhaps
I shouldn't be smearing it on my lips! The other ingredients fall in the yellow and green zones and aren't really worth mentioning since a chemical ranking a 9 should be enough to send you running for the hills.

I stopped using this stuff when I was pregnant. One of my worst pregnancy complaints was severely chapped lips. I tried Chapstick (also scores a 6 due to fragrance and parabens). No phenol, but not really great. Plus it didn't work.

My friend got me a bunch of Burt's Bees stuff as a gift, so I gave the Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm a try. I have it in both the tin and the tube, but the tube is easier to use. It scores a 2 in the EWG database, placing it in the green (safe) zone. The major advantage I've noticed is that it seems to actually decrease my need for lip balm in general. When I use Chapstick or Lip Medex I feel like I am constantly needing to put on more. I don't know why this is -- maybe it's all in my head?

Ingredients in Burt's Bees Lip Balm:
Beeswax, cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, mentha piperita (peppermint) oil, lanolin, tocopherol, rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract, canola oil, glycine soja (soybean) oil.

Lanolin is the only ingredient that scores in the yellow zone (4). It can be an allergen. I am not too worried about it, but if you're prone to allergies/sensitivities there are tons of options that get a zero in the EWG database.

Cost comparison on Amazon (single tube/tub):
Lip Medex is significantly less expensive. That being said, the difference between paying $1-ish and $2-ish is minimal to me for a product that I only buy about once a year max.

Convenient access:
I actually am able to find Burt's Bees Lip Balm much more easily than Lip Medex. I often went to several drug stores before locating Lip Medex. It's probably because phenol is horrible for you. =) However, Burt's Bees and Chapstick are equally as convenient to find.

I wanted to end by mentioning Burt's Bees tinted lip glosses. They rank a 2 on EWG and come in a variety of colors. I don't use lip gloss very often, but these are easy to find. I have only worn lipstick a handful of times in my life, so I am not going to review it. However, standard lipstick brands rank from a 4 to as high as a 10 on EWG. Smashbox has some lip tints that score a 10. Yikes. I'd check out EWG before buying lipstick for sure.

The toilet

Toilets are gross. I absolutely hate when they get a ring in them. I was using Lysol toilet bowl cleaner, but we just ran out. I decided to switch to Seventh Generation brand (Emerald cypress and fir). I thought the scent was a bit strong when I sniffed it at the store, but I just cleaned the downstairs toilet with it and it smelled pretty good. It's definitely better than the fumes from the Lysol and certainly better for my lungs. The toilet had a slightly pink ring (okay I'm a slacker, I have 4 babies, whatever). I was able to get the toilet beautifully white without any trouble. Sure, I wish it could kill 99.9% of viruses and bacteria like Lysol does, but I suspect that isn't as important as it seems psychologically.

Ingredients in Seventh Generation toilet bowl cleaner:
Water, lauryl polyglucose and decyl glucoside, lactic acid, xanthan gum, essential oils and botanical extracts

Lauryl polyglucose and decyl glucoside both appear in the EWG database in shampoos scoring a zero, so if you can put it on your head I guess it's safe enough if you come in contact with it cleaning your toilet. I'm not too worried about lactic acid (scores a 0 or a 4 on EWG depending on its form). Xanthan gum gets a zero as well. Essential oils and botanical extracts? Sure. Water? Well, duh.

Cost comparison on Amazon (single bottle):
Lysol: $5.99 for 16 ounces
Seventh Generation $4.84 for 32 ounces

Convenient access:
Equal to Lysol (easy to get at Target)

I think I could also try a mix of vinegar, water, and baking soda, but most of the recipes say you have to let it sit for a long time or dump half a box of baking soda in the toilet or something. I am not really into having a ton of baking soda around, it's just random. I also like that the Seventh Generation stuff has a classic toilet bowl cleaning spout and clings (although not as well as Lysol brand) so that it's easier to use with the scrub brush and gets in all the parts of the toilet (like under the rim). I like the scent, and it's cheaper than what I was doing before. I gave up almost nothing with this switch. My one hesitation would be if your toilet is seriously disgusting. You might need to bring out the ol' Lysol for that.

Overall, it's a win for green.

Intro

I am skeptical about being green. It's not that I'm opposed to it -- I'm not. I just feel like it's become a fad. When I think of people who live "extremely green-ly" (for lack of a better phrase), I often think of snobs. No, seriously. I think a lot of people have gotten so obsessed about green living that they use it as a way of feeling superior to others. They don't admit it, but the air of smugness is very irritating. I can think of so many people like this and it just irks me. There are people out there who don't have the time, the money, or the energy to go green and that's just fine with me. You do what you can. Ideally all the products on our shelves would be green and it would be easy and economical to be environmentally friendly all the time.

While technically there are ways to live greenly (and I use this as a broad term for eating free-range, organic, cleaning safely, using environmentally friendly products, etc) that can rival the frugality of Wal-Mart and coupons, this is not the norm. Most likely you're going to need to spend a few extra bucks to change your ways. That being said, I want to be as frugal as I can about this.

I also want to be smart about it. Just buying Burt's Bees, Tom's of Maine, and anything that says organic on it is not the answer. It's naive to think that a company is green or safe in everything it does. For example, based on the ratings of the Environmental Working Group, Burt's Bees beeswax lip balm is safe, but most of their shampoo is not.

Finally, I want to be reasonable about this. I want convenience. I want my family to enjoy themselves. I am willing to make sacrifices in comfort or convenience to a point, but I'm not going to save money culturing and making my own yogurt nor am I going to be safe by using olive oil as my body lotion. That's just gross. I suspect over time I might be willing to make more of my cleaning supplies, but I also want trustworthy reasonably cheap options I can purchase when I'm too lazy or busy to make my own.

I'm honestly skeptical about a lot of the risks of the chemicals in products and I'm skeptical about the actual health benefits of eating organic, etc. I think there are benefits, I just am not sure how many. I do, however, think it can't hurt and could help. I also think we ought to treat our animals and the earth with more respect.

So I'm going green. Slowly. Carefully. Easy does it. We'll see what happens.