Eco-Friendly & Green Living Blog

Tried out a product I’ve been meaning to for ages and was so happy with it I wished I’d tried it sooner!

It’s the Eco-Me Scrub Cleanser and it’s part of the whole Eco-Me line, which is built around the idea that you mix essential oils with simple ingredients and, voilà, you have effective cleaning products for your home and yourself. For the Cleanser, Eco-Me provides the reusable jar,  single use essential oil blend (tea tree, lavender, rosemary and lemongrass  – an antibacterial and antifungal combo), and microfibre cloth; you provide the baking soda, vinegar and water.

Mixing everything together is hugely fun. If you have kids, this is something you definitely want to do with them – it’s like a magic show/science experiment all rolled into one. Add water, vinegar and oil to the jar, then slowly, I repeat s-l-o-w-l-y, add some baking soda, and watch in amazement as the mixture foams up to the top of the jar in a spectacular fashion. The kids will be amazed and so will you! When everything has simmered down and you’ve stirred up the whole concoction, you’re left with a cleanser that’s ideal for your kitchen and bath.

I used it on my sink, counters and stovetop and it cleaned them all brilliantly and left my sink sparkling. I just had to be sure to rinse everything thoroughly.

Eco-Me sells a whole home kit that includes the scrub cleanser, all-purpose spray cleaner and wood polish spray cleaner. They also offer body- and baby-care products and items for your four-legged family friends, too.

Available at: www.eco-me.com

Price: $8 US; oil refill, $10 US (good for 6 refills)

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Do you have a product you’d like to recommend for this blog? Email me at naturalchic@styleathome.com!

I’ve had one of these therapy pillows for ages and love using it in the winter. I pop it into the microwave after I get back from riding my horse and am chilled to the bone, and it’s perfect for warming me up really quickly.

This version, though, is way better than my Plain Jane one. Not only is it much prettier, it also smells fantastic – the organic buckwheat and flax seed filling is laced with lavender flowers. Unheated it smells great; heated, the aroma fills the room and is incredibly relaxing. And in the midst of the bonechilling cold Toronto’s currently experiencing, you can bet I’ll be using it when I get home tonight!

Measures 15″ x 7.5″. The pillows also come in a Neck Hugger version that’s shaped to fit around your neck, or you can get an eye pillow to chill and use as an eye compress. A bonus: the covers, which come in lots of different patterns, are removable and washable.

For availability visit: www.mettevangso.com

Price: approx. $48 for Classic pillow (Acacia pattern pictured)

Do you have a product you’d like to recommend for this blog? Email me at naturalchic@styleathome.com!

This post premieres CHIC CHECK, in which I’ll test products on occasion and let you know what I think about them. I’ll also pick my fave from each batch, so if you’ve tried any out yourself, be sure to comment and let me know what you think!

1 ORGANIC KITCHEN LAVENDER BERGAMOT ANTIBACTERIAL HAND WASH
Green Cred No SLSs or parabens, synthetic fragrances, petroleum products, colourants and animal ingredients, biodegradable.
Scent Great lavender smell with a hint of bergamot (think Earl Grey tea) – pleasant, not overpowering.
Special Bonus Also available as a gift set with a matching lotion and a bamboo tray that’s perfect to use afterward as a key tray on a console table in your entryway or to hold jewelry or coins in your bedroom; $28.
Available at gift shops and department stores across Canada.
Price $12.

2 BURT’S BEES MILK & SHEA BUTTER HAND SOAP
Green Cred No SLSs or animal testing, paraben- and phthalate-free, bottle contains 80% post-consumer recycled material.
Something of a Surprise This soap doesn’t lather the way most do but feels more like a lotion. Not a problem for me, but some might find that off-putting.
Scent A subtle, sweet honey-like, beeswaxy scent, which I find intoxicating.
Available at stores across Canada.
Price $6.

3 ORGANIC SURGE LAVENDER & GERANIUM HAND WASH
Green Cred 99% naturally derived ingredients, no animal testing or animal-derived ingredients.
Scent Lavender, a known relaxant, perfect for those stressful days!
Charitable Work Part of the proceeds from the sales of Organic Surge products funds aid work in Africa.
Available at Shoppers Drug Mart/PharmaPrix across Canada.
Price $4.99.

4 METHOD WATER FLOW FOAMING HAND WASH
Green Cred Paraben-, EDTA- and triclosan-free, biodegradable, no animal testing
Scent Very light and subtle; I think my tween nieces will love it!
Fun Factor Wee ones will love the way the soap magically foams up when it comes out of the pump.
Available at stores across Canada.
Price $5.

♥ CHIC CHECK FAVE: BURT’S BEES!!
I absolutely love everything about this soap, from the way it smells to how it makes my hands feel to the fact that the bottle is made from recycled material. This will be the soap of choice in my apartment from now on!