Scheduling, sweat, and good stuff

I really do try and do this once a week, but being a working college kid makes that a little more difficult than it sounds.

There are two topics I want to play with today. The first being a review of Alba's Aloe Unscented Deodorant Stick. Now, organic deodorant came to mind after reading some articles about the potential side effects of the aluminum in almost all anti-perspirants. After reading words like 'brain disorders' and 'cancer', needless to say I got a little paranoid. I continued doing a little bit of research here and there and I realized an obvious fact: people need to sweat. It is necessary to controlling the body's temperature. So, blocking that sweat is not exactly great for your body. Now, I found this information and I accepted this information. Actually letting this happen, on the other hand, was a bit more difficult.

I can't entirely decide how I feel about this product. Yes, it is different that other deodorants that I have tried, because it does allow me to sweat. When I first tried it, I loved it, but then again, I was cold all day, so sweating wasn't a problem. Day two was a different story. My office was boiling. I wear loose clothing typically, so I'm not concerned about sweat coming through my clothes, but the feeling is less than appealing. Again, that seems completely understandable coming from someone used to not sweating. I've been assured time and time again that I did not smell, but I can't help but think I did. This is definitely a product that takes some getting used to.

Now, this is one of the few that comes in a stick form. Most organic and natural deodorants come in spray bottles (not aerosol, but more of a spritzer). I went this route because I wanted it to feel more like regular deodorant than as if I was just spraying perfume. I now regret that decision. I feel like if I went with the spray, it would be easier for me to reapply during the day. So, even if I don't need it, I can still feel refreshed. But that's a topic for another review.

One last little problem I had with it was the ability to recycle the container. I looked over the entire bottle and did not see a recycling symbol anywhere, as they do on their other bottles. Now, I may have overlooked it, that wouldn't be terribly unusual. The website claims that the majority of their products are recyclable and I would hate for that to not be the case on this one.

My next order of business would be the lovely area known as raw food. I'm extremely interested in trying this. Probably not entirely, but at least getting up to the point that I'm 50-75% raw. I've been doing some googling and found a few interesting websites. I've also been going around to all of the different grocery stores in the area to see what kind of selection they have. So, if anyone actually reads this and wants to throw in some tips, please do!

Green faces

So, I know I said a week the last time I posted, but I've been on vacation in the Northeast to visit friends, watch the ball drop, and battle New England snow. As far as the ball dropping goes, I really suggest everyone do it once for the experience..but never more the once. Anyhow, I'm back home to battle the beautiful (and obviously more American) Midwestern snow.

Now, I realize as I start this that a lot of the products I'm going to review for you are fairly superficial to you super hipster kids out there who may be reading this. Deal with it. At least I've found a way to be green and superficial. Plus, to most people, they're practical, everyday items. Every little bit counts, right?

Also note that everyone's body make up, especially skin, is different. What's excellent for me, may or may not be excellent for you. I can only go by my own personal experience.

I was in the market for a new facial cleanser recently and decided to check out a line of products that I've been interested in recently, Alba Botanica, a sub group of the larger Avalon Natural Products. What attracted me to this company was not only the fact that they use organic materials and come in recyclable containers, but they are also 100% vegetarian, something a little less available in my search for organic products. So, I decided to try out their Pineapple Enzyme Facial Cleanser.

First impression: It was love at first touch, really. I've always had a big problem with facial cleansers drying out my skin, particularly in the winter time when my skin is already dry. Yet, this not only did not dry out my skin, but moisturized it.

After the initial honeymoon phase I encountered with this product, I slowly started to become a little less than impressed with the effectiveness. Granted, it had only been a day or two, but hey, I'm terribly impatient and I want things to work quickly. Thankfully, after a few more days, it started working as it was supposed to and now my skin looks and feels awesome. It's easy to use, you apply it morning and night, put on and rise off, as you would a typical facial cleanser.

The last great part? Easy access! You can pick it up at your local Target store for a little under $13. While that's a bit more than I would normally spend on a facial cleanser, it's still not a ridiculous amount, especially for an organic product.

I plan on reviewing another Alba product next week, so stay tuned for a review of Alba's Aloe Unscented Deodorant Stick and the story of how I came to fear aluminum.

Here's the deal

First thing you should know about me, I constantly go off track. One thought leads to another and once I get to the end of my line of thought, the beginning doesn't seem to relate to the end. The reason I started to discover green living all started with a long search for wellies or rain boots. I never did find a good pair of wellies, but I did find a new interest in "green" products.

This is my mission:
1. To move slowly into green living.
-I'm a busy, young college student. I have a job. I have homework and tests. I don't have the time or energy to jump into things head first. Plus, I'm skeptical of everything, so with the time I do have, I put in a lot of research. I plan on taking this one product at a time.

2. Buy "green" things when I need them
-This ties into the first point of moving in slowly. I'm not going to drop everything I have and go replace them with "green" items. That's wasteful, in my opinion. I'm going to use what I have while I have it, and when it runs out, then I intend to replace them with natural or "green" products. Example, when I run out of my regular shampoo, I intend to replace it with a natural product.

3. Spend as little money as possible
-Have you seen the prices on natural products lately? They're pretty high. And like I said previously, I'm a college student. For those of you who have been through the college experience, you're fully aware that, even with a job, I'm still pretty broke. Still, I plan on working to find the best products for the smallest amount of money.

4. Remove the chemicals
-There are dozens of different concepts involved in "green" living. While I intend to focus on a lot of various topics, my most important mission is to remove many of chemicals involved in my everyday life. Several of my product reviews will probably discuss a lot of personal care items, such as shampoos, facial cleansers, and deordorant (my newest enemy, but more on that in the coming weeks). It won't be completely about those things, but there will come up often.

Now that that's out of the way, what can you expect from this blog? Aside from hearing from me once a week (which should be reward enough), you can expect to hear about my personal trials and tribulations, plenty of product reviews, and maybe even a little talk about raw food. Stay tuned!

-Stephanie