Category Archives: Product Reviews

Review: Nourish Your Skin With Bard & Finch Beauty Products

  By Donna DeForbes | July 7, 2015 - 5:00 am | , ,
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Natural Skin Care from Bard & Finch | Eco-Mothering.com

My awareness of my skin seems to increase in summer, the season of allergies, hearty UV rays and hungry little bugs. I used to throw on any old skin product, usually based on whatever was on sale. Since I entered my forties—and learned more about product ingredients—I’ve become more interested in nourishing my skin so that it thrives for the next forty years. Happily, through this blog, I’m frequently introduced to new companies and their fabulous products. Today I want to tell you about Bard & Finch, a family-owned company on the coast of Maine, surrounded by vibrant finches and chatty barred owls. Their focus? Harnessing nature’s nutrients to create nourishing products for healthy skin. The Importance of Our Skin Skin is our body’s largest organ and often reflects our health. The role of skin involves: Protecting our internal selves from bacteria and other environmental pollutants. Regulating our body temperature. Both … Continue reading →

Review: Bottles & Wood Upcycled Jewelry

  By Donna DeForbes | June 9, 2015 - 5:00 am | ,
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Bottles&Wood Upcycled Jewelry | Eco-Mothering.com

I’m a big fan of upcycling and creative reuse… and I also love pendant necklaces. So I jumped at the chance to review Bottle & Wood’s repurposed jewelry for The Green Mama. (Manda has a really awesome site and book, both of which you should check out!) Bottles & Wood is a California company that rescues used wine, liquor and water bottles from local hotels and restaurants and crafts them into gorgeous bangles, earrings and necklaces — like this Bombay Sapphire pendant necklace. Read my full review on The Green Mama — and receive 15% off your jewelry purchase!  

Beauty Inside and Out: Goddess Garden Safe Sunscreen Review

  By Donna DeForbes | May 19, 2015 - 9:00 am | , ,
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safesunscreen

This post is sponsored by Green Sisterhood but, as always, the opinion is my own. The recent beautiful New England weather has my family spending more time outdoors, which means it’s time to lather ourselves with Goddess Garden’s safe sunscreen. I learned about Goddess Garden last year, and it’s been our family’s go-to sunscreen ever since. As a forty-something woman who knows about the increased importance of skin protection, I want to avoid sun damage. I don’t want wrinkles and pigmentation to keep me from feeling beautiful on the outside. And I’ve learned how external beauty is often affected by what’s inside our personal care products. In the same way you want to fuel your body with healthy foods, you only want healthy products to soak into your skin—both have a direct impact on how you feel and how you look. Thus, over the past five years, I’ve gradually transitioned … Continue reading →

Safe Living with Ava Anderson Non Toxic Personal Care Products

  By Donna DeForbes | May 5, 2015 - 5:00 am | , ,
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Ava Anderson Non Toxic Products | Eco-Mothering.com

A typical fourteen-year-old likely spends her time shopping, sleeping in and socializing with friends, both in person and digitally. Ava Anderson was not your typical fourteen-year-old. At that age, horrified by an EWG report that discovered dangerous chemicals in teen urine, she began researching the health effects of the chemicals found in personal care products. She tossed her family’s supply of lotions, shampoos and makeup since they were not up to her newfound standards of safety. Unable to find products that were safe enough, Ava and her mom Kim founded Ava Anderson Non Toxic in 2009. The focus: Quality products WITHOUT harmful chemicals. What does that mean? It means NO parabens, synthetic fragrances, dyes, phthalates, formaldehyde, glycol, sodium laureth sulfate or petroleum byproducts. Why are these chemicals bad for you? Ava’s done the research. Learn what each chemical means, and be sure to read your labels!   Toxic Facts Europe bans … Continue reading →

Product Review: Adopt a Healthy, Sweeter-Smelling Herban Lifestyle

  By Donna DeForbes | April 21, 2015 - 9:00 am | , ,
3 Comments
Herban Lifestyle Body Butter | Eco-Mothering.com

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Green Sisterhood. I received products to review but was not compensated for publishing the review. Opinions are all my own. One of the best things about being a blogger is forging relationships with small, natural living companies that I may never otherwise have discovered. Herban Lifestyle is one such company that makes it easy for us to balance our urban lifestyles with herbal habits. Owner Mary Kearns grew up in an ecologically conscious family and began making herbal bath and beauty products in 1999, selling them at local farmers markets. Her interest in the healing properties of herbs led her to found Herban Lifestyle in 2008 and share her products with a larger audience. Mary has also served as a wellness consultant on the scientific review of cancer prevention programs. With a mission to “make the world a happier, healthier, better-smelling place,” Herban Lifestyle creates products of … Continue reading →

Commit to Non-Toxic Living with Green Virgin Products

  By Donna DeForbes | January 20, 2015 - 5:00 am | ,
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Non-toxic Household Cleaner | Eco-Mothering.com

Some people adopt a healthy, non-toxic lifestyle because they’re aiming to be the best they can be. Some people adopt a healthy, non-toxic lifestyle because it helps them overcome a medical condition. Some people, like Ken and Lola Marion, were inspired to go down the non-toxic road following the loss of a loved one. Ken and Lola’s research into possible causes of their brother’s untimely death from cancer led the couple to discover how everyday household products, from cleaners to laundry detergents, are filled with carcinogens. According to U.S. Poison Control Centers, cleaning products alone were responsible for nearly 10% of all toxic exposures.1 Multiply that exposure on a daily basis and it’s no wonder health problems such as allergies, asthma and bronchitis are on the rise. The Marions were inspired to create an affordable, alternative line of products safe for use on people and the environment; thus, in 2009, Green Virgin … Continue reading →

WILD MINT SHOP: One-Stop Holiday Shopping for Safe, Sustainable Toys

  By Donna DeForbes | November 4, 2014 - 5:00 am | , ,
6 Comments
Wild Mint Shop Toys | Eco-Mothering.com

This post was sponsored by Green Sisterhood. As always, all opinions are my own. Do you have a lot of extra time around the holidays? I doubt it. Do you aim to buy gifts quickly without a lot of hassle or research? Ideally. And can you trust that those gifts are not only bound to put a smile on the intended receiver, but are also safe for their health and for the planet? Ummmm…. Yeah, who thinks of that? Of course you want your kids, nieces and nephews to play with toys that won’t emit formaldehyde or lead to early puberty or cancer. But that simply isn’t front of mind when we’re shopping, is it? We have a list, we have a budget, we pick something off the shelf or online. Wrap it up. Done. And it’s not that we’re cold-hearted or careless. It’s that we kind of want to … Continue reading →

Greener Coffee: Eco-Friendly Single Serve Cups from Equal Exchange

  By Donna DeForbes | October 28, 2014 - 5:00 am |
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Eco-friendly single serve coffee cups | Eco-Mothering.com

Single serve coffee cups have taken America by storm. When I first saw them several years ago, I thought: “Well, this is a wasteful fad that won’t last.” I was wrong. 25% of Americans now use them in their home or office. Then I swore we’d never be one of those families who bought a single-serve coffee machine; we were happy with our French press. I was wrong again — sort of. We didn’t buy the machine, but my husband received one as a gift. And, I admit, we both got kind of addicted. I’m not an every day coffee drinker, but I like my weekend mug of joe. And I couldn’t help feeling guilty about tossing all those plastic cups afterwards. So I was thrilled to learn that Equal Exchange, that model of fair trade partnerships, has introduced environmentally friendly single serve coffee cups. (Scroll down for a discount … Continue reading →