Wash Your Hair Backwards

No I don't mean stand the opposite way in the shower, that would just be silly! I mean, condition then shampoo! Why? you may ask, let me explain....

So while reading my wonderful copy of "No more dirty looks" (if you haven't read it, you should), I skimmed over a small side box talking about washing my hair backwards and the reasoning behind it. I didn't think to much of it but then one day (I was having a particular bad hair week), I figured, why not try it.And I have to say my hair was pretty amazing. Usually, after rinsing the conditioner, my hair is too dry in some spots and then too much conditioner hides in other spots, making my hair greasy and just overall ridiculous.

So why it works.....

Video: Try to Look Pretty

Love this 1 minute video, definitely how I feel! 

-Dana

Non-Toxic Nail Polish Please

I only paint my nails a few times a year, maybe that’s why it hasn’t been my highest priority to find a “clean” replacement for the toxic bottles I have at home.  Then I read an article in my Whole Living magazine about a lady in New York who started her own non-toxic line of nail polish "Priti NYC" and it got me thinking about it.

Why bother with non-toxic nail polish? 
3 of the ugly ingredients in regular nail polish 

(ALL of these are rated a 10 on the 0-10 hazard scale on the 
EWG Website):

1.) Formaldehyde- AKA: FORMALIN; FORMIC ALDEHYDE; MERTHALDEHYDE; METHANAL; METHYL ALDEHYDE; OXOMETHANE; OXYMETHYLENE.

Effects: Known human carcinogen, Known human immune system toxicant, Known human respiratory toxicant

The Great Coconut Oil Debate

Coconut oil: I have never used the stuff, I didn't even know it existed until a few months ago. I was researching natural ways to cure a dry scalp and coconut oil came up as a really great method. So, I was chatting with a co-worker one day and she commented on how good it is for you to eat.

I ordered some from www.well.ca (to try on my scalp) and my Step dad saw it on my counter and said "I hope you don't plan on eating that, it caused many people to die of heart attacks and now they have banned it from movie theatres!"

So my question is "How do you get 2 very different opinions on the exact same product?" I did my research and although I am not a expert, here is what I found:

A Clean Makeover

Is anyone else finding it frustrating to try and buy "clean" make up in  Prince George? I know on-line shopping is a girls best friend but sometimes I need it now!

For example, I have a couple great (but dirty) mascaras, but I am getting down to the last smidgens of them and now I have a Christmas party coming up this weekend and I have no mascara! Huge problem (since mascara is my go to, feel good cosmetic)!! And I know I should have foreseen this but I am having a hard time letting go of my mascaras, it is so hard to find great mascaras but then to find GREAT and CLEAN mascaras, next to impossible.

So my goal is to hunt high and low for a fabulous clean mascara, and my standards are pretty high so we will see. I will update with my findings.

Do you have any favourites? Even if it is one I have to order on-line....for future tries maybe!

-Kristin 

Anti Antiperspirant

I knew antiperspirant was bad news for a long time and really hesitated to make the big switch from antiperspirant (classified as a drug & always contains an aluminium-based compound that clogs sweat glands) to a natural deodorant (classified as a cosmetic & affects body odour caused by the bacteria from the break-down of sweat).

I had heard about how it was linked to breast cancer and Alzheimer's disease, but told myself -if I just choose brands with a "low" aluminium content, I was doing the best I could.....because how could I not use an antiperspirant?!?! I would sweat again! How inconvenient and uncomfortable! 

But after enough mocking from my husband who had already made the big switch years ago, (e.g. "Oooh, I can see Mrs.Healthy is still spreading cancer under her arms") and Kristin reassuring me that she had made the switch and lived through it, I thought I would give it a try!!