Green Beaver Beauty

I'm finally back at it... and as promised I wanted to let you all know the natural beauty products I use!

Green Beaver is my FAVOURITE natural beauty brand. Their products have never disappointed me, they are not uber expensive, AND they are Canadian! I'm so proud. Green Beaver products are made of 100% natural ingredients, all organic, gluten free and vegan. Most importantly... THEY WORK!

I first fell in love with Green Beaver's "Daily Facial Cleanser for sensitive and acne prone skin" after trying some on a trip I took with one of my friends.  My skin felt super clean and smooth after I used it so I went out and bought my own as soon as I could. It's made with grapefruit enzymes, which gets rid of excess oil and smells delish, and aloe vera, which is gentle on skin and helps to reduce redness. The thing that makes me the happiest is that you don't have to use much which means that one tube lasts a very long time. This cleanser is by far my favourite natural beauty product that I've come across so far.

And then came Christmas! My parents gave me a collection of Green Beaver products -  tooth paste, boreal body lotion, and boreal hand balm.  I will admit that the toothpaste is not my favourite but I am super picky about my natural toothpastes.  The body lotions and balm on the other hand are awesome.  They leave your skin a little bit tingly (i think they have eucalyptus in them) and the only way I can describe how they smell is "like a forest" which is oddly appealing. 

Even better are my latest purchases - green beaver's fresh mint hand soap and fresh mint body wash. I have a bit of an obsession with body products with mint in them. It is  one of my favourite smells. Once again these two products make your skin tingle, they always smell delicious and they leave you feeling clean - which is the most important thing!! Next, I am hoping to try Green Beavers shampoo and conditioner - I have high hopes! 

Moral of the story... if you are thinking about switching your beauty products, Green Beaver is an excellent place to start!

Wrap it Up!

So you've finished (hopefully) all of your Christmas shopping and now it is time to wrap. You could go out and spend more of your money on wrapping paper and tape, bows and ribbon (most of which will just end up in the trash) OR you could chose to go green with your gift wrapping this year.

Now, when I hear the term Eco-friendly gift wrapping, my mind automatically goes to boring boxes wrapped up in old newspaper. However, as I have recently discovered Eco-friendly wrap can be quite pretty. It just takes a little bit of creativity and items that you may have lying around the house. Not only will you eliminate a lot of the garbage produced by your family Christmas, but you will also save money too!

If you want to go the newspaper route, add a nice ribbon to make it look festive. You can use the comic section for wrapping children's toys or for something a little different, use old maps instead... maybe from a recent vacation or a trip you are planning to take. For a fun grandparents gift, wrap your presents in scrap paper and have the kiddies decorate the packages!

For those of you who are fantastic scrapbookers, use plain brown paper bags and jazz them up with fun paper cut outs, ribbon, glitter etc. You can also cut the bags up and fold them around your boxes like this... And once the presents are unwrapped the bags can be tossed in the recycle bin. You can even make your own bows to put on your presents!

Using fabric can also add a special touch... Use old clothes and pillow cases and tie them ribbon.  For big presents use a sheet! You can use the wrap over again or donate it when Christmas is over... Either way it will look great under your tree.

Fill a reusable cookie tin with hot chocolate, cookies or other home made treats.  Create a gardening themed gift by filling a watering can with hand tools, pruners and seeds and top it off with some tissue paper. No need for wrapping paper!

For those of you who are less creative, all is not lost! Instead of wrapping paper... just use gift bags and tissue paper instead.  Super Simple! They can be re-used over and over again and the tissue paper can be thrown into the green bin when you are done with it!

And if wrapping paper is truly what you want to stick with... not a problem!  Just try to find wrapping paper that is not only made from recycled material but also can be recycled (most paper has to go in the trash).  You can also find biodegradable wrapping paper that can be put in the green bin or compost bin!

For more eco-friendly wrapping ideas Try this Web Site! The key is to have some fun with it... and no matter what you create your friends and family will have tons more fun unwrapping it!

Tis the Season

As the holiday season approaches, it is easy to throw all of your good habits away. Whether it’s going to the gym, eating right or staying green, we tend to lose track of them as Christmas gets closer. 

In my next few posts, I will provide some tips to that will allow you to have a great Christmas, as well as a Green Christmas! Today’s post is all about shopping!

We have all had it drilled into our heads that we should be bringing reusable shopping bags to the grocery store with us. I have a plethora of reusable bags stashed in my closet - from every chain of grocery store in town, from some clothing stores and from every environmental event I have attended in the past few years – and yet I still forget them almost every time. I’m that girl you see in the parking lot loading groceries into her car item by item because I refuse to take a plastic bag.  

Most grocery stores have stopped charging for their plastic bags, but a lot of us still use reusable bags for groceries. If you haven’t gotten into that habit, try keeping bags in your car. Just make sure you bring them into the store with you to pack up your Christmas feast and put them back into your car after you unpack (that one is usually my downfall). 

 A less common occurrence is the sight of reusable shopping bags at the shopping mall. Now as much fun as it would be to carry around a couple of those thick canvas totes as you do your Christmas shopping... That’s not what I am talking about. Believe it or not, they do make reusable shopping bags that are compact and actually practical when it comes to shopping. Plus they come in all different styles colors and sizes for the fashionista in you! 

Pack one or two in your purse or pocket before you hit the mall and pull it out when you make your first purchase. If you forget to bring them, try to put all of your purchases in one bag – just ignore the strange look you get when you tell the cashier “I don’t need a bag for that.”

Also, consider giving a compact shopping bag as a gift for Christmas - they would make a great stocking stuffer. That way your family and friends can make an impact too!