green beaver natural toothpaste

on the hunt for a natural toothpaste, i encountered the line of green beaver products. since it is a canadian based company (and therefore more local) i decided to test it out. i found it very hard to find a natural toothpaste that does not contain SLS. this one certainly does not.

there are currently 5 flavours of toothpaste made by green beaver, as well as a toothbrush sanitizer spray. the price of this toothpaste seems to be a lot less than others i have seen. it goes for around $4.99 a tube. i am a big fan of mint so i chose the frosty mint flavour.

i have mixed feelings about this product. in terms of taste, it is very pepperminty, which i love. my teeth feel clean after i have brushed and my mouth is fresh. when squeezed, the toothpaste has the consistency of thick pudding. if you are looking for a toothpaste that "foams" this is not it (probably because there is no SLS). i have used 2 or 3 tubes of this toothpaste and in one of the tubes the toothpaste had become separated and was kind of oily and chunky. for this reason, i give it 3 leaves. i will probably continue to use this product because it is canadian and because it seems like one of the most natural products on the market.

avalon organics shampoo

i have long been on the hunt for a really great organic shampoo. i've spent many an hour in the organic aisle perusing the available products, giving some a sniff, and i have taken a few home to test.

the latest test product was Avalon Organics Peppermint Revitalizing Shampoo and Conditioner. the shampoo smells great and lathers up well. my husband likes it because it reminds him of After Eight mints. the day i use it, my hair is squeaky clean and the smell lingers for a while afterwards, which is wonderful.

the downside comes on day 2. in order to save water, i only shower and wash my hair every other day. this means that the shampoo has to keep my hair clean and soft for at least two days. this is where this product doesn't make the cut. on day 2, my hair becomes much greasier than normal. possibly i should have chosen another of the 11 different types of shampoo that they have available, but the peppermint one was the one that caught my eye. also, at $10 a bottle, i'm not really willing to rush out and try another one since the first one didn't work so well for me.

i would love if more of these products came in test sizes so i could try them out before committing to buying and using them for the next 4 months.

burt's bees lip shimmer

i am absolutely addicted to lip gloss. prior to going green i used to always carry around at least 2 different flavours of bonne bell lip smackers (dr. pepper was my favorite). i have never gotten over my love of flavoured lip glosses and this burt's bees lip shimmer really does the trick for me.

at $5.99 a stick, i can easily afford to choose more than one of the 11 different colours available (i have 3 right now!). there is also a radiance lip shimmer version which is colourless but justs adds a hint of sparkle to your lips.


the flavour is strongly peppermint, which i really enjoy, though i recognize its not for everyone. this product is highly recommended by me. if anyone wants to give me a few additional colours, please do!

ecochic philosophy

Eco chic is a term becoming increasingly prevelant - it simply means a combination of trendiness and environment. It's my belief that it is possible to live a greener life without losing a sense of style.

Many of us buy green for the sake of the environment or health and our purchase decisions have nothing to do with the prestige of the brand; but more the practices of the brand. This doesn't mean that we should have to necessarily compromise on style; but that we want the ability to choose a product based on our own preferences and research.

An important part of green living is not just what you purchase, but the amount you consume and discerning between need vs. want. Just because I want to purchase green products, it doesn't mean I want to have to compromise on my expectations that those products will work as they are supposed to.

Trends pass, functionality remains - go beyond the label, the flock mentality and the packaging when making your green purchase choices and not only the planet, but your wallet will likely thank you for it.