Mindful Momma

Honest Products from The Honest Company {+ a Giveaway!}

I'm not much of a celebrity groupie but I have to admit I'm pretty impressed with Jessica Alba. Last spring, she used her star power to rally for stronger Federal chemical laws on Capitol Hill. Now she is busy helping to run a new natural product company called The Honest Company.

The Honest Company offers an eco-friendly line of family essentials (diapers and wipes, bath and body care, and household cleaners) sold exclusively through their website, Honest.com. In a nutshell, here's what they are all about:

"Savvy style, sustainability, and extraordinary service & convenience all wrapped in a passion for social goodness, tied with a bow of integrity and sprinkled with a little cheeky fun."

Eco Strengths

The goal of The Honest Company is to deliver products that are as non-toxic, healthy and earth-friendly as possible while being effective, beautiful and fun at the same time. Check out their list of health and sustainability standards - it is quite impressive.

• Bath products are free of parabens, sodium lauryl sulphate, artificial fragrances and many other yucky chemicals.
• Diapers are made with sustainable, plant-based materials and are chlorine-free.
• Cleaning products are biodegradable and free of common chemicals like 1,4 dioxane and formaldehyde.
• Full ingredient list is available on website and product packaging.
• Charitable partnerships including Baby2Baby.org means the company is giving back to people and the planet.

What I appreciate about The Honest Company is that the are honestly trying to do better. Not only better than other companies, but they strive to make their business better and better each day.

Fav Products

Honest Hand Soap - I'm not a fan of highly fragranced hand soaps. This one has just a touch of yummy citrus scent. Plus the adorable bottle looks sweet on my bathroom counter.

Honest Lotion - A lightweight but rich lotion - a style that I love. It's fragrance-free, which is exactly what you'd want for baby. If it came in a citrus version like the hand soap, I'd be in heaven!

Honest Laundry Detergent - I only had a small sample to try (1 load) but it did a fine job on our dirty clothes. The product fragrance and dye free, making it suitable for babies, delicates and the whole family.

Honest Shampoo & Body Wash - I love multitasking beauty products and this one certainly delivers! It's super mild and safe for color-treated hair. And the vanilla tangerine scent is divine!

Second Thoughts

Up until now, the company business model has been to sell products in bundle only. However,they have listened closely to customer requests and will be offering the purchase of individual products in just a couple of weeks!

The hand wash contains two preservatives that are a bit controversial - Cocamidopropyl Betaine and Phenoxyethanol. It is my understanding that these preservatives are considerably safer than parabens and other popular preservatives but if you are uncomfortable with them you may want to skip this product. Meanwhile, the company is already working on reformulating the product. (see what I mean about working to do better?)

Giveaway!

Wouldn't you love to try some products from The Honest Company? I've got a Family Essentials Bundle to give away to one lucky Mindful Momma reader!

Win a one-month supply of non-toxic body care and household cleaning products for your entire family. Package includes Honest Shampoo, Body Lotion, Hand Soap, Healing Balm, and Laundry Detergent. ($35.95 value). Enter using the Rafflecopter form below.

Good Luck!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Better Snacks + a NatureBox Giveaway!

Calling all snack-a-holics! How many of you have felt guilty after giving in to a big time snack attack? I've got my hand raised! The good news is, the world of better-for-you snacks is moving way beyond carrot sticks and boring whole wheat crackers. Yes, you can still indulge and be healthy at the same time!

Here are a few healthy and great tasting snacks that have come across my desk recently:

NatureBox

The people behind NatureBox, a new subscription based, healthy snack delivery company, know that snacking is here to stay. Their mission is to help you snack to your heart's content without feeling the least bit guilty.

The NatureBox monthly snack delivery is filled with Nutritionist-approved, delicious treats made with wholesome ingredients and without the bad stuff like high fructose corn syrup, trans fats or artificial colors and flavors.

Each NatureBox includes 4 to 5 unique snack foods, based on a a new theme every month. The March box was focused on healthy swaps and when I opened up my box, I found Sunshine Chips made with sweet potatoes, squash, carrots, taro and green beans, Figgy Bars (fig bars made with honey), Firecrackers (rice-based sweet chili crackers), dried cherries and a delicious, homemade granola. The cost is $19.95 per box with free shipping.

Interested in trying NatureBox? The company is offering a one-month NatureBox delivery to one Mindful Momma reader! (See details at the end of this post.) If you don't win, use the code HEALTHY for 25% off your first month with a month-to-month subscription. Also keep in mind that you get 1 month free with a 6 month subscription, and 3 months free with a 12 month subscription. Wouldn't this make a wonderful gift for a college student or new mom?

Bare Fruit Apple Chips

When you're dying for something crunchy but don't want to give in to potato chips or crackers, Bare Fruit apple chips are just the ticket! Super crunchy and 100% organic, these chips are dry baked without oils and are only 29 calories per 2.6 oz bag. Available in Cinnamon Apple, Granny Smith Apple or Fuji Apple.

Navitas Power Snacks

Sometimes you are just plain hungry and you need a snack that will stick to your ribs and tide you over until the next meal. Navitas Power snacks are good for that. Made with a base of date paste, nuts and seeds with superfoods like maca, camu-camu and lucuma mixed in for added nutrition, Navitas Power Snacks are certified USDA Organic, raw, vegan and gluten-free. Available in Blueberry Hemp, Citrus Chia and Cacao Goji.  (They make an awesome superfood chocolate making kit too!)

What are your favorite "better" snacks?

(Full disclosure: I was sent free samples of these products in exchange for my honest opinion. There are affiliate links in this post. Any purchase you make helps support this blog. Thank you!)

New Sponsor: Heritage Botanicals {+ a Giveaway!}

 

Please help me give a green & healthy welcome to my newest blog sponsor, Heritage Botanicals!

 

About Heritage Botanicals

Do you love handmade beauty products but don't have the time to make them yourself? Do you prefer to support small, family-run businesses instead of enormous companies? Then Heritage Botanicals might be exactly what you are looking for!

This tiny little company was started by two sisters who wanted to care for their babies skin without chemicals. After a bit of research, they developed a line of balms and skin creams for babies made with 100% natural ingredients and completely free of preservatives. They eventually branched out into natural beauty products for women and men as well.

Favorite Products

I had the opportunity to sample a few of the baby products and there isn't one I wouldn't recommend:

Calendula Baby Balm - A super-rich blend of oils and botanicals formulated to soothe and prevent diaper rash - but there's no reason not to use it on yourself!

Sleepy Baby Moisturizing Cream - An all-purpose body cream scented with calming lavender essential oil.

Aromatherapy Balm - A menthol-based balm to relieve nasal and chest congestion. It's a healthier alternative to Vicks Vapor-Rub.

Rose-Tint Lip Balm - A mix of organic cocoa butter and organic oils, lightly colored with alkanet root.

Note: Because Heritage Botanicals products contain no preservatives, they should be stored in a cool, dry location and used up within about 1 year.

The Giveaway!

Heritage Botanicals is giving away a Baby Sampler gift set including 2-oz sizes of the Calendula Baby Balm, Sleepy Baby Moisturizing Cream and Satin Baby Skin Cream plus a lip balm. (Retail value $29.99). Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter.

 

Today's Birkenstocks: Hip, Not Hippie

 

Hippie shoes. That's what I remember thinking about Birkenstocks back when I was in college. Many of my friends had them, but I was never quite on board with the style. But when Planet Shoes recently asked me to review a pair of the infamous hippie shoes, I decided to take a second look.

Eco Strengths

Birkenstocks have been around for well over 200 years and environmental sensibility has been at the core of their business.

• Sustainable materials - Footbed made from a base of renewable cork, along with jute and natural latex.
• Low waste production - Excess production materials are repurposed and recycled.
• Easily repairable - Shoes are designed to be long-lasting but many retailers will also repair.
• Recycled content packaging - Boxes are made with 90% recycled content and printed with eco-friendly inks.
• Environmentally responsible practices - recognized in Marin County, CA for conservation and sound environmental practices.

The Basel Clog

Either I've turned into a hippie or Birkenstocks have become hip! I'm loving my new pair of Basel clogs. This cute and comfy style is made with soft wool and leather on top and the traditional cork/latex footbed on the bottom. Admittedly the raised toe bar and arch support felt odd at first but I got used to it quickly and appreciate the orthopedically correct support. The longer you wear your Birkenstocks, the more they conform to your own feet.

Second Thoughts?

I look at shoes as an important investment in the health of my body. That said, I don't always have $130 to plunk down on a pair of new shoes. Many of my shoes have come from consignment shops - I've been lucky enough to find some high quality shoes at bargain prices over the years. If you are saving your pennies for a new pair of really good shoes, Birkenstocks are well worth the price.

Giveaway!

Planet Shoes is giving away a free pair of Birkenstocks to one lucky winner this week! Enter for a chance to win by midnight on Sunday, February 12th, 2012.

Have you ever owned a pair of Birkenstocks?

 

 

(Full disclosure: I was sent a free pair of Birkenstock Basel clogs in exchange for my honest opinion.)

Green & Healthy Roundup

Hey Mindful Momma readers! How are you surviving the holiday madness? I asked that question on Facebook and Twitter this week and got a variety of answers - from I'll all done shopping and not stressed at all to I have way too much to do and wish it were over! If you're feeling stressed, I recommend a yoga class, a warm bath or even just a cup of tea and a good book. Don't forget to make time for you!

Here's what's been going on in my green & healthy circles this week:

Holiday photo for safer chemicals!

Send your family holiday photo to your Senator and ask them for the gift of safer chemicals. I submitted mine and it's on the Safer Chemicals Healthy Families website! Will you submit yours too? (it only takes a minute - promise!)

Twinkies for breakfast?

You wouldn't serve your child a Twinkie for breakfast, would you? Well, a new report from the Environmental Working Group shows that some popular children's breakfast cereals contain more sugar than a Twinkie! One Twinkie has a whopping 18 grams of sugar - so go check those boxes in the cupboard and see how your breakfast stacks up against this iconic junk food!

Holiday Shopping Guide from WVE

Women's Voices for the Earth is an amazing non-profit advocating for women's health. To help you make safer gift choices, they put together a holiday shopping guide, highlighting helpful resources and responsible companies. Much to my surprise, they included a link to my Make It Green page (which I just updated!). It's full of DIY craft ideas and healthy recipes - so take a peek!

Two Giveaways!!

Take a chance and put your name in the hat for the two green & healthy giveaways I've got going right now!

Conscious Box - A box full of green, organic & natural goodies from unique, small businesses! (through Tuesday, Dec. 13th)

My Mama's Love Herbal Remedies Gift Set - Wonderful, handmade herbal remedies to soothe the itchies and heal chapped skin. (through Saturday, Dec. 10th)

Hope you have a green & healthy weekend and I'll see you next week!

A Gift with a Conscience: Conscious Box {Giveaway!}

If you are looking for a gift with a little more meaning than a knick-knacks purchased at the mall and a little more excitement than a new set of dishtowels, may I suggest Conscious Box?

What is Conscious Box?

Conscious Box is basically a green goodie box, filled with natural and eco-friendly products! The mission of the company is to help people discover ethical, honest, eco-minded businesses and new products that may make their lives a little better.

• Products are handpicked from businesses who care about sustainability, environmental stewardship and social responsibility.
• Emphasis on smaller businesses vs. large corporations.
• Includes natural, organic, Fair Trade, non-GMO, vegan, gluten-free etc...
• Most products are sample sized although some are pretty generous for samples.
• Packaging is 100% post consumer recycled cardboard.
• The company is mindful of the impact of shipping and uses as few resources as possible.

How do I buy it?

Each month, a brand new Conscious Box is created with a new assortment of goodies packed inside. Sign up for monthly delivery (you can cancel anytime) or get a 3 or 6 month subscription. The cost is $19 per month ($12 + $7 shipping) or $54 for 3 months and $106 for 6 months. Each box is valued at at least $30 if not more. I personally will be giving the 3-month subscription to at least one person on my list!

Can I have a peek inside?

Normally, you can't find out what is inside a Conscious Box - it ruins the surprise! But since I was sent a sample of the December box, I get to give you a sneak peek:

I already gobbled up the Daily Mocha Mantra bar (chocolate hemp!) and I'm very excited to try the Berryplus laundry detergent. There's a sample of Justin's almond butter, a couple of great-smelling soap samples and much more!

Win a Conscious Box!

One lucky Mindful Momma reader will win a Conscious Box of their very own! I am trying out Rafflecopter for the very first time. I've heard it makes entering a lot easier but let me know what you think of it!

Daily Deal and Giveaway: My Mama's Love Skin Remedies from Lullaby Organics

Got kids? Then you've got boo-boos, itchies and chapped skin, no doubt! Instead of treating them with conventional petroleum based, artificially fragranced products, wouldn't you rather use something natural and non-toxic? 

My Mama's Love is a Mom-run company making gentle and effective skin care and remedies made from natural ingredients like beeswax, olive oil and vegetable glycerin and healing, organic botanicals. I had a chance to try out the products in the Nature's Remedies Gift Set kit so I can attest to how wonderful they are! Here's what you will find in the set:

Kiss My Boo-Boo - Keep this twist-up tube of salve in your purse or diaper bag so it's handy for all those little scrapes, cuts, scratches & bug bites that come along in a typical day out with the kids.

Complete Skin Ailment Curative - An herbal salve perfect for diaper rash, eczema, bug bites, dry skin and more! Made with organic olive oil, beeswax, organic licorice and organic myrrh.

Mama Nose Best - An all natural alternative to petroleum based decongestant creams. Otherwise known as "Vicks without the ick"!!

The Daily Deal

As part of the Lullaby Organics 12 Days of Holi-Daily Deals, you can get this special deal for today only:

    40% off the Nature's Remedies Gift Set

   30% off all other My Mama's Love products

Be sure to check out the rest of the 12 Days of Holi-Daily Deals and Giveaways - I bet you'll find something you like!

• Each day for 12 days, starting Friday, 11/25, and running thru Tuesday, 12/6, a different eco-fabulous blogger (or sometimes two or three!) will post a review and giveaway from Lullaby Organics.
• In each day’s post, the blogger of the day will "REVEAL THE DEAL" for that day.
• Each deal might be on a single item or a collection of items, but when the deal of the day is sold out, that daily deal is over and there will be a different deal the next day! 

The Giveaway

I'm excited to have the chance to give away a Nature's Remedies Gift Set to one lucky Mindful Momma reader! For a chance to win, please visit the Lullaby Organics website and let us know what products catch your eye. For additional entries you may do the following:

• Share the giveaway on Facebook
• Tweet about the giveaway using @MindfulMomma and @lullabyorganics in the tweet. (sample tweet: Win a #green gift set from @lullabyorganics on the @MindfulMomma blog! http://ht.ly/7NBLk Pls RT!
• Subscribe to Mindful Momma via RSS feed or email
• Like my Mindful Momma Facebook Page
• Like Lullaby Organics on Facebook
• Action entry: The Safe Chemicals Act of 2011 needs your support! Our current chemical safety laws (enacted in 1976) are severely out-of-date and leaving parents without the tools and information we need to protect our families. Please ask your representative to support this legislation so chemical companies will be responsible for proving their compounds are safe BEFORE they can be used in products we buy for our families, schools and workplaces!

That's 7 entries per person (please leave a separate comment for each thing you do). Winners must have a U.S. shipping address. The giveaway will be open through midnight CST on Saturday, December 10th.

Good luck and may your skin be nourished, soft and healthy!

(Full disclosure: I was given a free gift set to review in exchange for my honest opinion and participation in the 12 Days of Holi-Daily Deals promotion with Lullaby Organics.)

The winner is Darcy! Congrats and enjoy your gift set!

Green Discoveries

Do you have big plans for the weekend? My just-turned 7 year old is having a "hatchday" party at our local Raptor Center. I love that he is into animals and nature! Instead of goodie bags filled with cheap, plastic junk we bought each child a wooden build-it-yourself animal kit. They are inexpensive at the craft stores.

Here are a few things for your weekend reading pleasure...

Toxins in the News

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but now there's even more reason to avoid toxic BPA in products and food. BPA exposure during pregnancy has been linked to anxious, depressive and hyperactive behaviors in girls.  

Halloween Craft

Avoid PVC-laden face paints by whipping up your own non-toxic face paint using this handy tutorial by Jennie from Sweet Greens - posted on Inhabitots.

New Blog Discovery

If you like to craft (or just drool over cool crafts), I think you'll love The Crafty Nest. She's got some fun Halloween craft ideas and a weekly Do Something Crafty Friday link-up. I just linked my felted sweater coasters craft up there!

Post on the Clear Conscience Blog

I've got a new post up on the Clear Conscience blog published by J.R. Watkins Naturals. It's all about ways for reducing waste at home. Try some of the tips and see how low your garbage can go!

Giveaway!

Don't forget to enter my giveaway for a free Lifefactory glass bottle. It's an awesome gift from my new blog sponsor - Essential Safe Products!

Hope you have a green & healthy weekend!

{image credit: Pampered Delights via flickr using Creative Commons}

New Sponsor: Essential Safe Products {+ Lifefactory Glass Bottle Giveaway!}

Please join me in welcoming my newest sponsor: Essential Safe Products!

Started by a mother of 6 who transformed her own kitchen into a safe and healthy place to cook and eat, Essential Safe Products (ESP for short!) is a one-stop shopping place for non-toxic kitchenware and food storage products. Let me give you a little peek into what this cool little company has to offer:

• Stainless steel and cast iron cookware and bakeware by quality brands like American Kitchen and Lodge.
• Bamboo cutting boards and tableware including this beautiful bamboo salad or serving bowl.
• Glass bakeware and food storage containers in many shapes and sizes.
• Various types of high quality cook's tools and mixing bowls - I especially like the WMF stainless steel cooking utensils.
• Both glass and stainless steel BPA-free drinking bottles from a variety of reputable manufacturers.

Plus the ESP website has a bunch of helpful info on chemicals to avoid in the kitchen and tips for making your kitchen as safe as possible. Check out their blog - A Cup of ESP for even more valuable information.

The nice folks at ESP sent me a cookie sheet from the American Kitchen collection and after testing it with a batch of peanut butter cookies, everyone in my house gives it two thumbs up! It cleans up easily and is not coated with a toxic non-stick coating like so many cookie sheets are these days. I've also used American Kitchen cookware - my mother has a few pieces and they are wonderful!

See something you like? Use the code ESP2 for 20% off your entire purchase!

WIN IT!!

Essential Safe Products has a little welcome gift for one Mindful Momma reader! They are giving away a Lifefactory glass bottle in the color and size of the winner's choice! For a chance to win, leave me a comment with your favorite product from the ESP website.

Additional entries for:

• Sharing the giveaway on Facebook
• Tweeting about the giveaway using @MindfulMomma and @acupofESP in the tweet. (sample tweet: Win a glass Lifefactory bottle from @acupofESP on the @MindfulMomma blog! http://ht.ly/78sw4 Pls RT!
• Subscribing to Mindful Momma via RSS feed or email
• Liking my Mindful Momma Facebook Page
• Liking Essential Safe Products on Facebook

That's 6 entries per person (please leave a separate comment for each thing you do). Winners must have a U.S. shipping address. The giveaway will be open through midnight CST on Tuesday, November 1st.

(Full Disclosure: Essential Safe Products is an advertising client of Mindful Momma. They also sent me a free cookie sheet in exchange for my honest opinion.)

Congratulations to Christine - who chose a 16-oz Lifefactory bottle in turquoise!! If you didn't win, don't forget you can get a 20% discount on an order from ESP using the code ESP2 at checkout!

Click for Fair Trade with the New Fair Trade Finder App {Giveaway!}

In honor of Fair Trade Month, Fair Trade USA has introduced a new crowd-sourced social media tool to help people like you and me find and share Fair Trade Certified™ products. It's called the Fair Trade Finder and it is available as a mobile app for iPhone and Android as well as on Facebook.

Apparently the ability to find Fair Trade products is a major barrier to purchase and a recent Omnibus survey found that  2/3 of consumers would buy more Fair Trade products if they could only find them. The Fair Trade Finder is attempting to bridge that gap but the crowd-sourced database means that they are counting on us to help put products on the map.

So if you are looking to find Fair Trade products in your area, just jump on the app, plug in your zip code and start searching. Then, add your favorite products to the app yourself - to make finding Fair Trade easier for others. I just added Green & Black's chocolate at my local co-op, The Wedge! You can even include a photo if you want (I did)!

Fair Trade month wouldn't be a celebration without a little giveaway, now would it? Fair Trade USA is offering this Fair Trade goodie bag to one lucky Mindful Momma reader.

 
Would you like to win? Just plug in your zip code on the Fair Trade Finder and let me know one Fair Trade product you found in your neighborhood (or what you would like to find, if nothing is listed yet)!

Additional entries for:

• Subscribing to Mindful Momma via RSS feed or email
• Liking my Mindful Momma Facebook Page
• Following @MindfulMomma on Twitter

That's 4 entries per person (please leave a separate comment for each thing you do). Winners must have a U.S. shipping address. The giveaway will be open through midnight CST on Thursday, October 20th.

For the Fair Trade Finder to be a success, they need all of us to add products. Will you help add Fair Trade Certified™ products to the Fair Trade Finder?

(Full Disclosure: I received a free Fair Trade goodie bag in exchange for my honest opinion.)

The winner is Alicia from Green Lifestyle Consulting. Congratulations Alicia - enjoy your Fair Trade treats! Thanks to everyone who entered!