DIY dry shampoo

I love this recipe for a dry shampoo that I found on Whole Foods Market's website. I'm going to use it next time I go on a long camping trip and don't have any water to spare!

DIY Lavender Dry Shampoo

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup arrowroot powder (aka arrowroot starch or arrowroot flour)
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 5 drops Aura Cacia Lavender Essential Oil

Directions
Combine the ingredients in a container with a lid. Replace lid and shake to mix. Next, dip a large, wide makeup brush into the mixture. Carefully shake off the excess and apply to your roots wherever you need volume and oil control. Use fingertips to massage dry shampoo into your hair. Finally, comb through or blow-dry from roots to ends. (As with all dry shampoos, absorption times may vary depending on hair color and type.)

Poem for a green baby shower

I'll be throwing an eco-friendly themed baby shower, and I thought I'd share my little poem that we're putting into the registry notes:

Thank you for visiting our little sprout's registry,
We'll need strollers and toys, diapers and gadgetry.

But before you pick a gift, remember the theme:
Gently used gifts are welcome, to keep it green!

And gift wrap is pretty, but oh, what a waste,
With recycled paper, it should be replaced!

Feel free to use it as you wish, and please post in the comments if this came in handy for your own baby shower. I'd be happy to hear!

BPA and Phthalate Free Baby Toys

General Guidelines

A database of non-toxic toys can be found at HealthyToys.org, which has a searchable database of over 1,200 toys.

Manufacturers committed to safe, PVC-free toys include Brio, Chicco, Early Start, First Years, Ikea, Lamaze Infant Development, Lego, Little Tykes, Playmobil, Primetime Playthings, Ravensburger, Sassy and Tiny Love.

Small companies include Beyond-learning.com, Bioviva.com/us, Crispina.com, Kenanausa.com, Naturalplay.com, Novanatural.com, Oompa.com, Playstoretoys.com, and Treeblocks.com.

But generally, the best guideline is to buy things made from natural materials:

• Purchase toys made of solid wood (either unfinished or with a non-toxic finish).
• Purchase toys made of organic cotton, hemp or wool.

Source: http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/412/toxins-in-toys.html

Baby Shopping List

Here are some websites that already did the research to find non-toxic versions of specific baby items:

• List of Safe Baby Teethers from The Soft Landing

Non-toxic, safe contact lens solutions

I searched for contact lens solutions that are safe to use on the EWG database and Goodguide.com. These are the ones I found to be safe:

1. Allergan Complete Multi-Purpose Solution
   
2. CVS Rigid Gas Permeable Daily Cleaner
   
3. CIBA Vision AOSEPT Clear Care Cleaning and Disinfecting Solution
   
4. Miraflow Extra-Strength Daily Cleaner
   
5. AQuify Multi-Purpose Solution for Soft Contact Lenses
   
6. Pure Eyes Disinfectant/Soaking Solution
   
7. Barnes-Hind Daily Cleaner
   
8. Complete Blink-N-Clean Lens Drops for Soft Contact Lenses
   
9. Amo Complete Lubricating and Rewetting Drops
   
   
   
   No more ReNu for us!!

50 houseplants that filter air

Houseplants are a great way to clean the air in your home, and there are studies to prove it. For more than 30 years, B.C. “Bill” Wolverton, a retired civilian scientist for NASA, investigated the use of plants as air- and water-purifying systems for enclosed environments in space missions. Below is the list of 50 houseplants that he found worked best. If you're interested in learning more, buy his book, How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 House Plants that Purify Your Home or Office and find out about the exact rankings, and which one is best for filtering out which chemicals!

Boston fern
Florist's mum
Gerbera daisy / Barberton daisy
Dwarf date palm
Dracaena "Janet Craig"
Bamboo palm
Kimberley queen fern
Rubber plant
English ivy
Weeping fig
Peace lily
Areca palm
Corn plant (Dracaena fragrans)
Lady palm
Schefflera
Dragon tree
Warneckei dracaena
Lily turf
Dendrobium orchid
Dumb cane (Exotica)
Tulip
Ficus alii 
King of hearts / bleeding heart
Parlor palm
Azalea 
Chinese evergreen
Spider plant
Banana 
Red emerald philodendron
Dumb cane (Camilla) 
Elephant ear philodendron 
Golden pothos
Norfolk Island pine
Wax begonia
Prayer plant
Oak leaf ivy / grape ivy
Christmas cactus
Lacy tree philodendron 
Arrowhead vine 
Heart-leaf philodendron
Lady Jane
Peacock plant
Poinsettia
Cyclamen
Moth orchid
Urn plant
Croton
Snake plant
Aloe vera
Kalanchoe

Notes and legend

• Italics denote the shade-tolerant plants (semi-shade).
• Bold italics denote the most shade tolerant plants (full shade).
• The list is ranked with the plants best at filtering out formaldehyde at the top. Rankings by ability to filter out xylene, toluene or ammonia will be different.
• Red plants are toxic to children, cats and/or dogs.
• Green plants are non-toxic.

Much of the toxicity information was from ASPCA or from this site on Wikipedia that lists air-filtering plants.

A cheap, non-toxic mineral powder foundation

In my attempt to switch to non-toxic cosmetics, I've started using pure mineral foundation. However, before you go out and buy the first one you find, here are some points to be aware of:

1. "Mineral" doesn't always mean pure mineral. The term "mineral" can be used on any product that has minerals - typically mica, zinc oxide, and titanium dioxide - as its main ingredients, regardless of what not-so-natural additives it has, like fragrance, dye, and preservatives. Check the ingredients list to makes sure it truly only has mica, zinc oxide, and titanium dioxide.

2. Avoid talc. This is an anti-caking agent that dilutes down that pure mineral. It can also clog pores and irritate the skin.

3. More expensive isn't necessarily better. Bella Terra foundation and Elegant Minerals have the exact same ingredients. The first costs $60 for 8 grams, the second one is $15 for 20 grams. You do the math.

I found a great list of good mineral foundations here: link.

Of the brands listed, I went with Elegant Minerals, because when I have a hard time choosing, I tend to go with the cheapest of the choices. :) I've been extremely happy with the purchase. They have foundation sample kits that cost 1 cent (yes, that's $0.01), so you can pick the one that matches your skin tone the best. And I was happy to discover they have natural lipsticks, eyeshadows, and more! The only negatives are that your emails to them may get lost, and that their website needs a bit of updating.

I also got a studio Kabuki face brush on Amazon; the one by e.l.f. Cosmetics is amazingly soft!