Home Made Deodorant

I stopped using 'conventional' deodorant a quite a few years ago. I have tried various natural brands but never found one that I loved.

I have found that the biggest thing was making sure I drink enough water.  Sure, we all stink if we have been doing some serious manual labour or working out but for the most part if I drink enough water I didn't usually wear anything.  I figured that since sometimes I can smell myself I can distinguish between needing or not needing deodorant (hopefully this is true and I don't offend anyone!).

Your body needs to sweat, that's how it gets rid of toxins.  Deodorant can block those pores, actually preventing your body from working properly.

Sometimes I do like to have some on hand and so I decided to make my own.  Its super easy and cheap. I used an old deodorant container for easier application. I just broke off the old deodorant stick, wiped it out with rubbing alcohol. After turning the knob back down, I used a spoon to fill the container and make a traditional curve on the top for easy use.

• equal parts baking soda and cornstarch
• add just enough coconut oil to make it all stick together
• add a bunch of drops of tea tree essential oils

The trick is using the minimum amount of coconut oil.  Since coconut oil is liquid in the summer and solid in the winter, the consistency changes throughout the year which can be a little annoying.  But I now keep it in the fridge to solve any temperature fluctuations.

I have been using this long enough to say that you should try it too.

Anyone else making their own personal care products?

- Lauren

Cosmetics Data Base

I found out about this cosmetic data base website a few years ago and it has changed the way I buy beauty products.

Its a database of products and their ingredients, and then gives the product a score of 0-10 for hazards.

Hazard score key:

Low hazard	Moderate hazard	High hazard

Data score key:

Data: None		Data availability rating: the scope of ingredient safety data contained in Skin Deep®, and the number of studies available in the open scientific literature
Data: Limited
Data: Fair
Data: Good
Data: Robust

Not only has it made me think about the products that I use (moisturizer, shampoo, soap, make-up, sunscreen, it has almost any product that you can think of) but now I double check anything that I use on my baby girl. I have been given the advice if you wouldn't eat it, don't use it. And as babies put everything in their mouths (including my hands, arms, neck, face.....) its a pretty good guideline.

Products that I like (and their hazard ratings)

Dr Bronner's Baby Soap (1)
Shaklee Baby Soap (2)
Shaklee Baby Lotion (1)
Seventh Generation UnScented baby Wipes (1)
Nature Babycare eco sensitive fragrance free baby wipes (2)

Aveda Shampure Shampoo (5)
Aveda Rosemary mint Conditioner (2)
Dr Bronner's peppermint soap (1)
Olay complete spf30 defence moisturizer (4)
Burt's Bees Lip Balm and Lip Shimmer (2-3)
Curel Moisturizer (2)
Aveeno Moisturizer (2)

These are the products used most often around our house, and now that I have them all written out, its not too bad.  Ideally nothing would be above a 2 rating, I think now that I have it all written out like this its pretty clear that I should switch from Aveda Shampure to Rosemary Mint Shampoo to match the less hazardous conditioner that I already use.

There are a few products that I use that are not int the data base, but if and when I have the time, I can enter each of the ingredients and find out the individual hazards and decide if the product meets my requirements.

I also use various hair products and some makeup (which don't rank as good) - but these are not daily items for me.

I have heard a lot about using coconut oil as moisturizer, but I haven't tried it yet. and seeing as my current products don't rate too bad, I don't really have any extra motivation right now - I will have to wait until something runs out and needs to be replaced.

as the cosmetics database website says "use your buying power to change the market - and help make personal care products safer for us all".

- Lauren

Happy Movember!

For those of you who have never heard of Movember, or wondered why you see so many guys with mustaches this month......

MOVEMBER (THE MONTH FORMERLY KNOWN AS NOVEMBER) IS A MUSTACHE GROWING CHARITY EVENT HELD DURING NOVEMBER EACH YEAR THAT RAISES FUNDS AND AWARENESS FOR MEN'S HEALTH. www.movember.com

My husband has participated in the past - and although he is not currently growing a mustache, I still want to support this event (including my brother who is working on his 3rd movember mustache) and encourage you to support anyone you know growing a 'stache. I have even noticed a guy at our local coffee shop putting all his tips this month towards it.

And if you don't know anyone growing some facial hair this month - you can support the cause by making sure the men in your life go to the doctors for regular checkup - our health is important!

(and yes that is a stencil of my husbands face - complete with mustache on a hotplate - more on that later)


-Lauren

Our CSA season is over

You may remember that we (Leah and Lauren) joined Stevanus Farms CSA(community supported agriculture) which you may have read about it here. The season is now over, it was a fantastic summer, we ate at home more, ate more vegetables and ate things we wouldn't normally buy. Its a little sad that its over - although it will probably take a few more weeks to get through the remaining veggies.

Through out the summer, we have frozen a lot of veggies (green beans, peas, zucchini, beets, and fruit) so we are curious to see how much of it we eat. We have high hopes that we will be able to get through all the frozen food. (and that the food we have frozen will bring us the joy of summer in a meal)

Another thing is that we are going to have to start grocery shopping again - all summer all we bought was basically meat and dairy. Rarely leaving the store with more than a handful of items. It will definitely be harder to shop in the grocery stores again... peppers from Mexico, and spinach from Peru just doesn't seem appealing anymore. We have definitely been spoiled with such amazing produce.

Overall, it has been a totally worthwhile, and budget friendly experience. Check out the CSA's in your neighbourhood, it is beneficial for the farmers, as well as for you and your family

Any suggestions for eating locally over the winter months? Or recipes to try with our abundance of squash?

-Lauren and Leah

Community Supported Agriculture

I am so lucky enough to live in an awesome community where I can receive so much of my food from LOCAL farmers. When buying local food, not only does the produce, meat, cheese etc... taste a thousand times better than anything I would find in a grocery store, it is often picked the morning you buy it AND you support local farmers!! 

This is the first year my sister Lauren and I  have participated in a Community Supported Agriculture program. Lauren and I decided to get a full share amount of food (enough for a family of 4) and split the food between the two of us. It worked out to be approx $20 each for the week of produce which is delivered right to my door.

A bit of background on a CSA:


(Taken from Stevanus Family Farm's website:)

"Community Supported Agriculture farms develop a partnership between the farmer and those who consume their food. Our customers purchase a share in the harvest and are treated to the fresh, all natural, locally grown vegetables which are delivered to your door each week. [The farm] receive[s] the start up capital necessary to purchase seeds, supplies and soil amendments."

Today was our first week receiving our box of produce and we were not disappointed

Check out our loot:

Along with the veggies, we received a newsletter with recipes, and a description of the food and how to cook it (a few of the vegetables I have never cooked with, and I'm pretty excited to try them out!)

Have any of you cooked with white radishes, pak choi or garlic scapes before? Have you tried a CSA?

- Leah