valhalla goat farm bar soaps + baby goats!

back in the summer of 2012 my mom gave me a bar of soap.  the bar of soap was actually a bar of shampoo soap, from the valhalla goat farm.  at first i was a little hesitant - washing my hair with a bar of soap?  definitely sounds weird, but it's been a few months and i'm totally switched from liquid shampoo to bar shampoo.    

shampoo bar on top, rosemary detox on bottom

since switching to bar shampoo, i've also switched to a bar soap for my face as well as body wash.  all the soaps from the valhalla goat farm are all natural, and made with goatmilk!  the shampoo works into a great lather, sometimes i don't even use conditioner (searching for a good, all natural alternative to conditioner)!  it doesn't leave a residue and my hair looks just as good as it did when i was using a expensive salon shampoo & conditioner.  i also started using the rosemary detox for my face, which i love!  it has activated charcoal which is great for skin, and i love the rosemary scent!  

a little bonus - the last time i went to my mom's house we made a stop at the farm to see the goats!  two baby goats had been born just over a week before my visit, so i really wanted to go see the babies!

has anyone else tried a shampoo bar?  would you ever try it?  aren't the baby goats cute?   

transitioning to less waste - diy make-up remover

i haven't given up on my goal of reducing the amount of waste i produce, even though its been ages since i first brought up the subject. i have been busy testing out homemade alternatives to all the products i used to buy, use then throw in the trash (or recycling)! soooo, one of my biggest waste creating products - the oh so convenient make-up remover towelettes. you know, they come in a plastic package (waste), you pull one out, clean your face, and throw it away (more waste). did i mention that these things cost at least $8 dollars a pack (before adding tax)? did i also mention that the number one ingredient is water? followed by other things i can't pronounce. yes ladies, we have been paying close to $10 for paper towels soaked in water. yup.

so i did a little internet research and found some recipes for homemade make-up removers.  and then i felt awful because for years i'd been wasting my money on those towelettes when the whole time i had everything in my house to make a make-up remover.  think of all the clothes i could have bought with that saved money!!!

ultimately, i decided to use the measurements from one recipe i found but different ingredients.  this is literally the easiest diy ever and i'm almost embarrassed to even call it that, but i'm sure someone out there will be amazed at this.  i decided to use coconut oil instead of olive oil - i don't know if you've heard, and its not scientifically proven, but coconut oil has magical powers.  you can use it for everything.  i'm pretty sure that when you use coconut oil in a homemade make-up remover it actually makes you more beautiful.  like i said, its not scientifically proven but i'm like 90% sure its true.  i also used dr. bronner's liquid soap instead of johnson's baby shampoo.  dr. bronners is made from vegetables, completely biodegradable and yeah, i also think there might be some kind of magical powers in this soap (the website even says that its magic).

homemade make-up remover instructions:

grab a jar with a lid.  heat one cup of water, you should probably do this on the stove and not in the microwave.  pour hot water into the jar, and add one table spoon coconut oil and one tablespoon the soap of your choice.  screw the lid onto the jar and shake to combine.

that is it.  homemade make-up remover.  you should wait for it to cool down before using it.  and if you are sitting here thinking "zero waste?  what about the cotton pads that you will use to apply the make-up remover?"  i've got a solution for that too.  i made some flannel make-up remover squares like these.  you could also just use an old t-shirt that you cut into squares, but the flannel squares are cuter.   

a few tips - do not use the peppermint dr. bronners, it will burn your eyes.  i'd suggest the lavender, rose or the unscented mild baby soap.

will you try the homemade make-up remover?  i've been using it for months and i works just as well as the expensive, throw away towelettes.  let me know what you think in the comments!   
  

transitioning to less waste

i've always been environmentally conscious - recycling everything i could, using canvas bags at the grocery store.  i thought i was a good eco-friendly, hybrid driving, NPR listening person - until a few months ago i came across the zero waste home blog.  i became inspired (and maybe a little obsessive) to transition to zero waste.  i read the entire blog.  i watched movies, read other blogs and started making a book list.  

i came to the realization that reducing the waste would effect not only the planet - it directly effects my health.  reducing waste means buying un-packaged food, fresher fruits and vegetables, dried beans and whole grains from bulk bins.  it also means i won't be buying chemical ridden cleaning and personal hygiene products.  i've only just started reducing my waste a few months ago and i've already noticed a difference.  

transitioning to zero waste is a lot easier than it sounds, and you don't have to be a "tree-hugger" to want to reduce your waste!  the first thing i did when starting to transition was think about the things i do & use that create the most waste, and find re-useable solutions for those things.  i've put together a kind of "starter kit" to jump start the transition to zero waste!

1.  re-useable grocery totes -  this is an essential to reduce waste, especially if you live somewhere that has banned plastic bags (LA has, although plastic bags will still be available at stores like target, and plastic produce bags will still be available.  still, a step in the right direction.).  try to get bags made from natural fibers.  canvas is my favorite and the bags will last forever!  i have some canvas ones that i inherited from my mom!  also, most grocery stores have started offering a small discount if you bring your own bag!

2. muslin produce & bulk bags - use these bags for buying dried goods from the bulk bins.  buying from the bulk bins not only reduces the amount of waste, but you can avoid the plastic coated cans (which contain BPA) and its actually ends up being cheaper buying dried beans over canned!  make sure you get a water soluble crayon to write the bin number on the outside of the bag.

3. net produce bags - these are lightweight and great for buying loose produce.  i take them to the farmers market where i can buy loose lettuce mixes, beans in the pod, apples, etc...  you can also just throw the bag with the produce into the refrigerator to use as storage! 

4. re-useable water bottle - there are a lot of options for water bottles out there, but i prefer the stainless steel over BPA - free plastic ones.  i've been searching for a bottle completely free of plastic and finally found one from kleen kanteen. 

5. kishu binchotan charcoal - the zero waste water purification system to replace your brita filter!  use in a glass pitcher on the counter.  i also have a few glass bottles (from french lemonade) that i fill with the purified water and then put in the fridge so i have cold water.  the charcoal in a pitcher also can serve as a functional decoration on your kitchen counter! 

6. re-useable insulated cup - if you love going to get coffee and take it to-go, a re-useable insulated cup is a MUST.  just think of all the paper (which are lined with plastic) and plastic cups you'll save!  since it is insulated you can put hot and cold drinks in it. 

7. stainless steel kitchen compost bucket - i've had an outside compost (earth machine) for over a year now, but once i got a kitchen compost bucket i've started composting almost everything i produce!  the obvious compostables are fruit and vegetable trimmings, you can put paper (toilet paper rolls, cut up cardboard boxes), dryer lint, even hair that falls out when you brush you hair.  i've also read that you can pee in the compost, but i haven't tried that yet.

8. glass canisters - take these to the grocery store when buying wet products - meat, fish, cheese.  buy it at the deli counter, rather than the pre-sliced packaged meat & cheese.

9. mason jars - use these to store dried grains and beans in when you return home from the store.  i also have some old tomato sauce jars that i use to store my cooked beans in for the week.  also, good for canning!

and just in case i haven't inspired you - check out some of the things that have inspired me to go zero waste:

the zero waste home

no impact man

bag it

food matters

chemical nation

non toxic revolution
 
i'm going to be sharing my experience transitioning to zero waste, and would love to hear from anyone who is/starts to do the same!  while this may not be fashion related, being environmentally conscious is a big part of my personal style.