Kid's Gift Guide: Sustainable Gifts With All The Fun, Adorableness and Functionality To Please Little Ones And Parents Alike
Buying gifts for indecisive little ones can be tricky, here is your guide to gifts that parents and kids will welcome.
Buying gifts for indecisive little ones can be tricky, here is your guide to gifts that parents and kids will welcome. Gifts that are sustainably made yet without sacrificing cuteness, fun, imagination or functionality.
36 Sustainable Gifts To Indulge Even The Most Finicky On Your Gift List
36 Goodies that will sustainably indulge even the most particular loved ones on your gift list.
These gifts will sustainably indulge even the most particular loved ones on your gift list.
Serial Traveler
For The Home
Wellness
Give Your Hair The Boost it Craves This Summer -With These Natural Styling Products
After a day of fun, sun and water our hair can use some help and protection.
Fun in the sun is what summer is all about, but with all this fun comes dry and frizzy hair for me. After a day of the sun, water, and fun I’ve noticed my hair can feel a bit grimy, oily at the roots and dry at the tips, frizzy, and not able to hold the styling I do to my hair.
Dry hair is not isolated to just the summer season for me, yet the fun in the sun does intensify hair conditions even more since I have thick, course, curly hair (not the unified curl/texture type, I wish), frizzy if not blow dried. About five months ago now I cut my waist length hair to a longer “Lob” length to above my shoulders, which meant I had to style my hair everyday. Previously when my hair was longer the length helped with weighing the frizz/curl down, or I was able to throw my hair up more easily, meaning a bit less styling was needed.
Side note here, I have a fascination with other people’s routines and products they use, so I thought why not share mine? So during the summer my routine is washing my hair once or twice a week which I will blow dry. Then on the daily I make sure to really brush my hair well, I believe it helps distribute my hair’s oils throughout my hair so my hair doesn’t get as dry on the ends, then I will put dry shampoo at the roots rubbing it in well. So depending on my schedule or time I will straighten my hair or do some quick curls, both ways of styling I use my straightener, and yes you read that right I use my straightener to curl my hair too. On days I don’t need to really style my hair, when the styling from the previous day has lasted, I will just brush a bit and smooth areas with a smoothing balm (flatten those baby hairs). Or if I know it will be a more active family day or just lazy, I will throw my hair up, or put a hat on which doubles as sun protection for both my hair and face.
With the products I use in my hair I do try to use clean non-toxic products, and I must tattle on myself a bit in the area of hair styling products. Shampoo and Conditioner I found a couple of options in the “clean” space that work great and that I really love. However hair styling products I hadn’t really found any clean ingredients options that really worked, so I have been using products that I would classify in a grey area of “ok”, not the best as far as ingredients, but also not as bad as many other brands out there….
Now entering the picture to save my hair is Rahua hair care brand that is outstanding. I started using their shampoo and conditioner over 10 years ago now. I must admit I wasn’t even looking for a cleaner formula when I found this brand, I hadn’t really gotten into researching that area of clean, non-toxic, organic hair and skin care yet. Rahua Classic shampoo and conditioner got my attention I believe while on vacation, and I was shopping at a random store I again will say I was drawn to the brand by my infamous smell test of every product I use, and their products smell AMAZING! The other important factor that sold me was that both the shampoo and conditioner formulas didn’t seem like they would dry my hair out and the conditioner specifically seemed hydrating. Now fast forward, they have a Hydration formula of their shampoo and conditioner which I have used since it came out a few years ago, and again love this formula and scent, keeping my hair hydrated even during summer activities. I recently brought the shampoo and conditioner with me on a family vacation, knowing Rahua has clean ingredients also gives me peace of mind when my little boy wants to use my shampoo and conditioner. And my son loves the scent too, just like his mom.
Like I mentioned I have had a harder time discovering clean hydrating hair styling products, and I admit to feeling a bit silly that I didn’t check Rahua’s website to see what products that they offered in the range of styling products. Just for reference after I towel dry my hair, brush it out (at this point if my hair is seriously knotted and tangled I can tell if the conditioner didn’t really work, not a problem I have ever had with Rahua) and then add a oil, even if I don’t plan on blowdrying my hair, I always add an oil to the tips to help seal them, and add extra moisture into my hair for protection against daily environmental elements, especially with my recent activities of enjoying pools, beaches, lakes, hikes and bike rides. When adding oil to my hair I also find it helps keep my hair from getting less tangled from all the activity. Rahua’s hair oil (Rahua Legendary Amazon Oil) works like a miracle in a bottle. First off other hair oils that I have used I usually have to do a few pumps, with the Rahua hair oil you seriously need just a few drops. It just smooths all the ends immediately helping me not to turn into a big hair poof ball whether I am blow drying my hair or not, also my hair is just more manageable after summer activities not feeling gross, odd texture and lifeless at the end of the day, instead it’s easy to brush and revive.
I don’t know about you but getting a professional blow out is amazing not only do I find it so relaxing, yes even with all the loud noise I easily could fall asleep, and the results pure Goalzzzz. Now flash to me in my bathroom sweating and cursing as my hair clips that are sectioning off my hair get tangled and my brush keeps getting caught in some invisible knot, the frizz continues to grow like some new character from Stranger Things (Season 3 Out on Netflix), the blow dryer cord keeps getting caught on the vanity drawer knobs, and my face looks like a tomato from the heat and frustration. All while pretending I can understand what my son is saying to me because I just want to get done with blow drying. So a bit of a process blow drying my hair and that isn’t even styling it lol, and yes I know first world problems, don’t worry I roll my eyes at myself too.
Thankfully the task of blow drying my hair has been made more streamlined with again another product by Rahua called Control Creme so this you can use if you want to define your curls, or to help control with anti-frizz. So I usually have slightly air dried hair by the time I blow dry it, I add the Control Creme to semi pretty damp hair. This creme reminds me a lot of makeup primers that are silicon based with the texture of this formula, and the bonus of its amazing gorgeously light yet beautiful scent. My hair is more easy to manage during the blow drying process and there is very little frizz so I don’t have to repeat going over a section of hair as often, cutting down on drying time. The Creme (again its not really a creamy texture more silky, dense without weighing down) helps also when I style because I don’t have to go over certain known frenemie pieces of frizz strands repeatedly, so the styling goes quickly as well. Then for all my baby hairs or random hairs I use the Rahua Control Balm this helps hold pesky hairs in place especially when I am going to be outdoors enjoying the weather, this smoothing balm smooths my over all look giving a finished polished look. I use the Smoothing Balm to even touch up my hair later in the day or the day after I have styled my hair, and the scent of lite Gardenia making me feel even more refreshed. I loved using the Balm on my vacation so from the pool, to the lake, and other activities where I was in the sun for longer periods of time I would use this balm to help refine my look, while helping moisturize any hairs that were starting to do the frizz thing.
Summer month’s fly by I can’t believe we are about to head in to August shortly, the time seems to speed up when you are enjoying moments with friends and family. My desire in sharing my current favorite hair products with you is that it saves you time and money, so you don’t have to waste your effort with products that don’t work, and you can have the peace of mind that the Rahua brand is focused on creating products that are safe for our bodies and our environment. I don’t want to waste my time on needless beauty steps when I can be out making memories with those I love, and I am wishing you all your very own amazing summer memories and great hair while your making those precious moments.
Best Swimsuits for Every Body, From Sustainable Brands
These new bathing suit fabrics are being made from recycled materials like that of recycled water bottles, regenerated nylon and other fabrics, or recycled old fishing equipment like that of fishing nets and lines. So amazing!
Summer is here which means hot temperatures for most of the northern hemisphere. Hot temps for our family usually means that we are looking to head towards the nearest body of water to swim in pools, the ocean and lakes ie. water haha.
Lucky for me this is the first year where I haven’t had to worry about a bathing suit, having gotten one earlier in the year and a couple of backup options from the previous year, and yes finding a suit can be hard, very hard. I am not fully comfortable being in a bathing suits which does mean that I want a suit that I do buy to feel comfortable in is important and key. I’ve been practicing letting go of some of my insecurities because I want to enjoy the time I have in the water with my son and husband. I want to be fully present and not needlessly worrying how I look the whole time (those thoughts do creep in) or wondering if is a boob going to fall out. I like a suit that is cute of course but also a bit supportive especially up top, my string bikini days are of the past, once you have a kid I feel your lounging around the pool days limited and you are required to participate in a activities a bit more hence why support is important to me (haha).
Another feature that I have been looking into with all my clothing is to find companies that have sustainable practices when it comes to making and manufacturing their clothing. Thankfully more companies each year are stepping up their practices and are using more sustainable materials and processes when making their clothing, and even better yet my picky bathing suit shopping needs were met by a few of these brands, so of course I wanted to share with you loves. In varying degrees the amazing way these new bathing suit fabrics are being made from recycled materials like that of recycled water bottles, regenerated nylon and other fabrics, or recycled old fishing equipment like that of fishing nets and lines. So amazing! I see for the future and hope that with consumer support these kind of these reimagined company practices on where to source materials from becomes a new standard of practice, and second nature in using recycled materials. I have found that companies that are designing with repurposed materials their products are of superior quality, because when you have to find new ways to construct per say the swimsuit fabric your attention to quality is a must to make sure the fabric works for the design. And the need for attention is key for swim suits if you consider what that specific material has to go through, like hold its shape through activity and stretching in/out of water, the color has to withstand sun, water, washing and fit.
So without further delay here are some of the amazing bathing suit companies i’ve found. Wishing you many memories from your fun in the sun, cheers!
Easy To Care For Indoor Plants -That Purify Your Indoor Space And Are Aesthetically Pleasing
Add Beauty To Your Indoor Space While Cleaning Your Indoor Air With These Top Rated And Easy Care For Indoor Plants.
Let us say staying indoors so much, can test anyone's sanity. Since many of us have spent more time in our home than usual, you are likely to have noticed that your interior features could use a little love or upgrading. One easy and more affordable way to change up any interior of a home is with indoor plants. With ease, indoor plants effortlessly add more character, dimension, and color to a room.
Another bonus many indoor plants help cleanse the air, which is especially beneficial when we spend extra time inside. Even if you keep a tidy home, it's easy to forget that there is off-gassing being released from furniture, paints, carpet, rugs, etc. Off-gassing can contribute to the toxicity of our indoor air. We lovingly use indoor plants to add our design aesthetic with the added benefits of helping the quality of our indoor air.
Indoor plants range in their difficulty of care, and we have all had that heartbreaking moment when we have killed a beloved plant. To help your plant skip a tragic end, we recommend some beautiful yet easy-to-care-for plants. While also linking you to articles and studies NASA did here and here about indoor plants and the benefits they have on our indoor spaces.
Rubber Plant
Beautiful leaves that provide any space with a powerful color palate. Their beautiful leaves also help remove formaldehyde and carbon dioxide from the air, a beauty with intelligence. Care is easy for this none finicky plant that needs little sun and if you forget to water here and there will cause it to grow slower, but plant can recover with consistent care. Removes from indoor air: Formaldehyde, Mold, Carbon Dioxide.
Peace Lily
Peace Lilys are a flowering plant which sets it apart from most indoor plants. This doesn’t translate to it being high maintenance. Does fine in low light, also beneficial Peace Lilys will help humidify the air. Removes from indoor air: Trichloroethylene, Formaldehyde, Benzene, Xylene, Ammonia. Now that will help you to breathe easily when buying this plant for your home.
Snake Plant
Now this plant I can’t recommend highly enough, specifically to you who are serial plant killers! Snake plants are not only stunning but are so easy to care for. They call for indirect sun, soil that drains well. And for those of you who are gone, travel or busy, you only need to water when soil is completely dried out and the Snake plant prefers the soil to be more on the dry side than moist. So overall perfect plant for those who kill everything! Removes from indoor air: Trichloroethylene, Formaldehyde, Benzene, Xylene.
Broad Leaf Lady Palm
Broadleaf Lady Palms (try to say that 3 times fast) offers great drama to a space especially since they can grow fast and tall, hopefully you are looking for a little drama from your plant. These plants are another versatile option due to them being flexible with lighting being able to thrive in indirect sun to shady areas. They do need well drained soil as they do like moist soil but are susceptible to their roots getting rot if the soil can’t drain. Removes from indoor air: Formaldehyde, Xylene, and Ammonia.
English Ivy
So if you are looking for a plant who loves bright light to indirect light. While this plant is still easy to care for, however the light situation does need to be saturated. Caution in the summer months make sure the light is indirect, because the light can burn the leaves if the sun light is direct. In the winter the English Ivy can be susceptible to pest and mildew when not receiving enough light. And if the vines are getting to long for your liking you can trim them and can easily be propagated in water. Removes from indoor air: Trichloroethylene, Formaldehyde, Benzene, Xylene.
Gift Ideas For Valentine's Day
Valentine’s Day is a great reminder to show kindness to yourself and others. Here are a few great ideas for gifts for her, him, or you.
Love is kind…. No matter if you are celebrating Valentine’s Day solo or with a loved one, V-Day is a great reminder to show kindness to yourself and others. Here are a few great gift ideas for her, him, or you. Have fun spreading the love. Hugs and Kisses!
Three Health Boosting Smoothies To Try Out In 2019
Smoothies are a great way to add a nutritional punch to your diet. These three smoothie recipes are filled with antioxidants, protein, fiber, minerals and adaptogens.
It is the beginning of 2019 naturally we are feeling inspired to start the new year off with a fresh start. Even though you might not have made resolutions for the new year it is common when overlooking the new year we want to focus our attention on our habits that we would like to shift. Most of us think of our health during this naturally reflective period and look for areas in which our health can be improved or tweaked. I find that my mind usually drifts to my health after being stunned that another year has passed so quickly. For 2019 I have found a couple of areas that I want to improve in relations to my health like getting more fresh raw fruits and veggies into my diet every meal, be more consistent with my yoga practice, and focus on my gut health.
Depending on your health goals I think a tip that benefits many and that will help my own goals is smoothies. When friends and family ask me for tips about how to eat more veggies for themselves or their kids smoothies are my first recommendation due to how quick they are to make and if your on the go they can be taken with you. Smoothies can also be prepped ahead of time and if that doesn’t suit your schedule you can just make bigger batches and store the extras in the fridge(what I usually do). The other factor I like is how you can really make them to your liking and needs. Stuff as many greens, superfoods in and not be able to taste them count me in. While juicing is great and another way I enjoy giving my diet an extra punch smoothies are more filling with their fiber content and I usually add protein powder to mine making them great for when I workout.
So if your a smoothie newbie or a pro I wanted to share three of my favorite smoothie recipes. These recipes are vegan, gluten free and kid approved. And according to your taste buds you really can tailor these drinks to your liking. I must also admit I usually eyeball the amount of ingredients I put in depending on my tastebuds and ingredients I have around that day. These recipes are filled with antioxidants, protein, fiber, minerals and adaptogens. All of these factors benefit anyone who is looking to be healthier. Beyond that adding adaptogens support our bodies with balancing our hormones and cognitive functions by helping our bodies adapt with daily emotional and environmental stressors. At the end of the recipes listed below I put some great ingredients that can be added to any smoothie for even an additional boost.
Pineapple Banana Cacao Smoothie
You will need:
2 Cups Pineapple Fresh/Frozen
2 Ripe Bananas Fresh/Frozen
1 1/2 Tablespoons Cacao Powder
2 Scoops of SunWarrior Vanilla Protein Powder (or your favorite vegan protein powder)
2 Cups Almond Milk (or your favorite milk)
1 Tablespoon Almond Butter
OPTIONAL:
1 Teaspoon Ashwagandha Root Powder
1 Teaspoon Maca Powder
Super Green Pineapple Smoothie
You will need:
2 Cups Pineapple (Frozen/Fresh)
2 Ripe Bananas (Frozen/Fresh)
2/3 Cups Fresh Kale (use your favorite greens)
2 Scoops Navitas Organic Vanilla and Greens Superfood Powder (use your favorite vegan protein powder)
3 Cups of Almond Milk
OPTIONAL:
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Ultimate Blueberry Smoothie
You will need:
3 Cups Blueberries (Fresh/Frozen)
2 Ripe Bananas (Fresh/Frozen)
2 Scoops of Sun Warrior Vanilla Protein Powder
2 Handfuls of Organic Gluten Free OldFashioned Oats
2 1/2 Cups of Almond Milk (or your favorite
milk)
Optional Smoothie Add Ins:
-Hemp Seed
-Chia Seeds
- Favorite Nut Butters
- Spirulina
- Barley Grass
-Your Favorite Adaptogen: Ive been loving Four Sigmatic’s variety of easy to add Mushroom Mixes. Also Amazing Grass superfood and beauty blends that you can add to smoothies or water when your on the go.
And Cheers to you and your health in the New Year and all your smoothie making endeavors! Let us know your favorite recipes and superfood add ins I am always for looking for new tips and tricks.
Eco-Friendly Household Favorites From Amazon -Kid Approved
Amazon has become my time, money and eco-friendly solution to shopping.
Changing to an eco-friendly lifestyle can seem daunting. Especially when looking for products that align with being environmentally friendly. A hurdle for some can be not knowing where to begin, this understandably can stop many from making those first beginning steps. I know there is also the misconception that you better have a green thumb so you can start to grow your money tree (still waiting for mine to grow) because many people believe being eco-friendly equates to an expensive shopping choice and lifestyle. While you may have to pay a little more up front most products that are actually environmentally friendly should be long to ever-lasting, or come in more concentrated forms so that they are longer lasting as compared with many conventional non-biodegradable products. Another barrier i’m aware that many of us face is time constraints, and we are all so consumed with our busy over scheduled lives. However I do have a solution so you can quickly shop and be eco-friendly too.
Enter into the picture Amazon. Amazon has become my time, money and eco-friendly solution to shopping. Which my three year old also appreciates so he doesn’t have to be dragged on any more errands then he already goes on with me.
Another reason Amazon is a great option particularly for those who are on the go but want to improve some of their household staples because of indoor/outdoor environmental, health, children or other concerns that are related to many conventional products. Amazon makes it easy to search for items either by brands you’ve heard of or by additional easy search options. If you don’t know where to start your search simply type in “eco-friendly cleaning products”, “organic cosmetics”, or any other simple related term you will find hundreds of items. Again I can see how that also can be deterant by having so many options but here is where you as a shopper can apply your personal shopping strategy by narrowing items down by price, ingredients, or reviews.
When I started out learning about why changing to environmentally friendly items are important I found that starting with the basics was the easiest step to take. So with this post I felt a good jumping off point would start with my everyday items I use still, and that I use on the almost daily basis. Links for EVERY item is linked at the bottom of the post.
So the first item I use usually several times a day whether its for smoothies, juices, water, homemade salad dressing or overnight oats are Mason Jars which have grown into a necessity in our house. I have many different sizes but find the large size is the most used.
I admit I am constantly struggling and trying to continually to be mindful in drinking more water. Im just not a natural water drinker, now wine thats another story (haha). I do find I drink more water with my Hydro Flask that has a straw lid on it. The other reason I like this water bottle it is great on the go and somehow I always find myself sharing it with my son (who does have his own water bottles). I have used and still own several reusable water bottles which crowd our cupboards but I always reach for my two hydro flask. I like how they don’t get condensation on the outside of the bottle and keep the temperature. They are a bit pricey but they do last and I have had mine for a couple of years now. It has also lasted for so long because I can take apart the straw from the lid making it easy to clean.
Keeping with the theme of keeping hydrated we also use while home and on the go are metal straws. I found that if I keep them in my purse or on hand in the car I always have them around especially when we make an unexpected stop during our errands or whatever else we might be doing. So no need for plastic straws!
The next three items I use daily but are mostly for my 3 year old however they do come in handy even for when I am on the go. First item is awesome at saving food like left overs and has made it so I don’t use plastic wrap anymore. The brand Bees Wrap is an awesome natural reusable food wrap that not only is functional, which I am always looking for but also looks pretty visually. Because the wrap is made from natural waxes you do need to hand wash the sheets and air dry for me it isn’t a big deal because you do get a few different sized sheets and a few come in a pack. One other food saving items we use for our son when we have to pack food for our kiddo when he is off to preschool or other lunch dates he might have are the U Konserve food “Cozy” that is made of BPA-free plastic we first got a pair as a present and I have bought another pair myself. Why I like them is that when you open them they are perfectly circular and have Velcro tabs at the bottom and top so you can fold it around the food item no matter what shape it is from quesadillas to a typical PB and J. These Food Cozies are dish-washer friendly making it simple when we have to reuse them for the next day of preschool. Again most people are on the go and so is our family! One convenient item most people have seen and parents love is food pouches. While I love them for their ease, and our son recognizes them no matter what store or Starbucks we are at, I always feel guilty when using single use products. In particular with the single use pouches and how much plastic they have on them. So on a random search I saw these awesome reusable pouches by Wee Sprout. They come in a 6 pack and are 5oz so you can fit quite a bit in them from applesauce to a smoothie creation I’ve made for the day. They are awesome for road trips or again for when im packing my son’s lunch. And are so easy to wash and reuse over and over. I do put them in the dishwasher on the top rack I have not had any problems but I’m not sure if they are recommended for the dishwasher, just a heads up.
The next loved item our household uses is the beautifully photographed and continually posted on Instagram the coconut bowl, everyone loves a smoothie bowl. I personally fell in love with them when our family was in Hawaii for vacation on a trip a few years back. They are beautiful first of all but also the perfect size for our kiddos food and he loves them as well which gives them bonus points. The first set I got was when we were on the island. Since then I wanted more of them to use because our son likes them and we kept running out of them when it came to meal time. So thankfully Amazon came handy again with these beautiful eco-friendly options. The coconut bowls I ordered are by the brand Coco Bowlz which is a family brand. I love that the coconut bowls came with spoons. And most mornings you can find our family using them. They are useful when going on a picnic for the day or traveling because while they don’t bend or fold (duh coconut bowl lol) they are surprisingly light in weight and do stack making them easy to pack up.
So wrapping up my list of Eco friendly Amazon favs is Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile liquid Soap. I just love the simplicity and versatility of this soap. Our whole family loves this soap and the wide range of scents it comes in. My husband actually really likes the peppermint scent and even request it when he is out (something he never does with any other product). I also use this soap as a cleaner so I have a few glass bottles (from amazon of course) to make a homemade cleaning spray, there are a whole host of purposes for this soap listed on the bottle and more on Dr. Bronner’s website. I prefer buying the unscented soap for making my own cleaning sprays because you can add your favorite essential oil to it so I can customize the mixture to my scent mood.(haha)
I hope this short list of nine products helps anyone who is trying to change their products to items that are more healthy for ourselves and our planet. I know some of you are living a Green lifestyle pros when it comes to using eco-friendly products so I hope this helped with discovering new products that you might not have tried yet. And as always I would love to hear from you with your ideas, your favorite products and of course feedback! I am sending you all positive vibes and thanks for stopping by.
Here are the list if links for all the products spoken about in this article. Happy eco-friendly shopping!
- Mason Jars: https://amzn.to/2AqVOES
- Hydro Flask with Straw:https://amzn.to/2LHrStx
- Metal Straws: https://amzn.to/2AsaBz9
- Bees Wrap Reusable Food Wraps: https://amzn.to/2n2p6A5
- U Konserve Food Cozy: https://amzn.to/2M73ayS
- Wee Sprout Reusable Pouch: https://amzn.to/2OzaYv4
- Me Organic Coconut Bowls: https://amzn.to/2v4QBNR
- Amber Glass Spray Bottle: https://amzn.to/2OwjqLm
- Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Liquid Soap: https://amzn.to/2AttUbh
A few of my eco-friendly favorites