Skincare

Green Concoctions: Deodorant

A few years ago I became super vigilant about looking at labels, scanning the ingredient list for some of the big offenders. I wanted to avoid parabens, synthetic fragrances, propylene glycol, dyes, 1-4 dioxane, petroleum based ingredients, and--most recently--nanoparticles.

Reflections from a Hair Addict: Finding Recovery

When I was growing up my hair was a mess: frizzy, bushy and permanently dented from being tied in a ponytail. Part of this was due to era, the late 80s/early 90s, but a lot of it was because my hair was addicted.

Organic Ingredients and the Real Organic Brands

I’d been pouring over labels for years and considered myself a savvy shopper, but the skincare aisle almost had me duped.  I’m one of those people: the kind that stands in the Whole Foods aisle obsessively scanning every label.   I am not appeased by claims of Natural! Kid Safe! or Hypoallergenic. What I’m looking for are the ingredients. The rest, as far as I am concerned, is just fancy PR. I want to know what I’m putting in and on my body.

A Greener and Healthier Menstrual Cycle

My friend N. called me yesterday to tell me she just got her period.  "What is the Green Mama approach to dealing with this?" she asked.  N. was new to green, but had already begun cloth diapering her baby, ate local foods, and had generally become curious about many things she used to take for granted.  I am always surprised when women ask me about this issue, but I shouldn't.  It's a big one: expensive in dollars, health effects, and waste. 

Beauty & the Beast: The deadly side of beauty products

It was a gift.  The perfect little blue and white bottle of “Gentle! For Bebe!” baby shampoo in its foam pump bottle.  I used it on my baby for two years before I thought to check if it was safe.  It was French, I thought, it certainly wouldn’t contain known carcinogens, neurotoxins, and allergens. But, it did.

Start counting now. How many personal care (or beauty products) have you used already today?

Welcome to the Green Mama Blog

Welcome to the Green Mama Blog

My husband and I are environmentalists the way some people are Artists, or Christians, or Democrats. It defines how we live—how we shop, who we hang out with, what we read, and, of course, how we parent.

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