Sweet weekend - how to read skincare labels

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Making sense of labels on skincare when you're trying to 'clean up' your products can be totally confusing.
The majority of ingredients on many skincare products you'd find on your regular supermarket shelf are too difficult to even pronounce, let alone understand whether they're on the 'naughty' or 'nice' list.

Gorgeously Green recently discussed this very topic. And she has given some handy tips you can use when you're on your next product-shopping-spree:

• Always keep in mind that ingredients are listed in descending order of concentration, beginning with the largest. On many products you will find the first ingredient is often something like water or oil. Fragrances and colours are usually last. 
• Keep an eye out for terms used such as 'hypoallergenic', 'allergy-tested' and 'safe for sensitive skin'. The FDA doesn't require manufacturers to validate these claims so they're pretty meaningless. 
• Other red flags to keep in mind are terms like 'Natural', 'Natural Ingredients', 'All-natural', 'Ultra-fine' or 'micro-fine'. Again, meaningless without certification.
• Look for products that are hand-poured, and made in small batches as they tend to be fresher, therefore containing more active ingredients.
• Keep a look out for products with one of the following third-party certifications: USDA, Soil Association (UK), ECOCERT (Europe), BDIH (Germany), AIAB (Italy).
• A few ingredients to always look out for and avoid when purchasing new products include: parabens, petrochemicals, SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate), fragrance and talc.

Sure, there are plenty more nasties that you may find hiding in your skincare, but learning all the bad guys can be a little overwhelming.
My tip is try to stick to the basics, as mentioned above.
Another favourite trick I have noticed many skincare companies using is 'organic'. Many people believe that just because a product is stocked in your local health food store and it has 'organic' on it, means that it must be ok.
Well, think again!
There's really no hard and fast rules for the use of this one either. A product may use organic coconut oil for instance, and so with the use of this (along with a multitude of other not-so-organic ingredients), they decide to plant the word 'organic' in bold on the front of their packaging. I'm sure we've all fallen for that old trick before!

If you're interested in learning more about cleaning up your skincare then I'd highly recommend reading 'No More Dirty Looks - The Truth About Your Beauty Products and the Ultimate Guide to Safe and Clean Cosmetics', a book written by Siobhan O'Connor and Alexandra Spunt. These girls also write a fab blog that's worth checking out!

It's been a long time in between drinks... literally!

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So after a very lengthy break from this blog I decided it best I pop back in and say hello.

Where have I been, you ask? Well, the past couple of months have been somewhat hectic for me, and I think a part of me got caught up in the madness of life and lost a bit of my passion for sharing my thoughts in this blog.

Last time I was here I had not long found out my husband had been diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis and I had made the decision to take a leap of faith and jump back into study, deciding to follow my passion for alternative health by studying Naturopathy. Not only that, but we decided to put our house on the market and we have bought a new home, in which we are living amoungst the mess of a renovation. And just to make things a little more interesting I was blessed with the amazing news that I was going to be a mum!

So this week I will be halfway through my pregnancy, which totally excites and scares me all at the same time. I can't believe how quickly the past 20 weeks have gone!
We are now in our new home, and I have started studying.
I really can't believe how much has happened this year.

So even with the madness of my life at the moment I am hoping I will once again have time to stop in and share my thoughts, dreams and learnings along the way...
x

Clean product review - Cinderella Multi Purpose Spray

Not only have I been busy cleaning out my bathroom cupboard, I have also started working on my laundry cupboard too. Thanks to some recipes sourced by my lovely sister, I have mixed up a great concoction to use on tiles, the bath and in the shower, as well as an ultra-simple toilet cleaner (more on these soon...)
Although I know vinegar is a great substitute for multi-purpose sprays, as well as floor and bench cleaners, I was on the hunt to see if I could find a store-bought multi-purpose spray that would do the trick and leave me with a fresh smelling bathroom and kitchen, without the nasty chemicals.

I purchased a bottle of Cinderella Multi Purpose Spray on Down to Earth Organics, but I have since heard that it can be bought in store at Leo's supermarkets, as well as other online stores.
Priced at around $6.50-$8 at most stores, it may be a little more on the expensive side compared to other supermarket sprays, but hey, it's far less toxic, so in my opinion it's worth the extra couple of dollars!

The Cinderella line of cleaning products are made from
'renewable, plant based resources, with no ammonia, phosphates, petrochemicals or animal products. They work hard and once finished with are biodegraded quickly (9x faster than standard surfactants) so they don't irritate the environment. Food grade colours provide their funky, fun colours allowing the products to quietly fade away after you have finished with them and the bottles are made out the most recyclable plastic PET.'

The multi purpose spray has a lovely minty smell to it. Kind of a just-brushed-your-teeth smell.
Not only does it smell nice, but I have found it works really well as a general cleaning spray.
I have used it on my bench tops, bathroom sinks and cupboards and anywhere else I would normally use a multi purpose spray.

When it comes to removing the difficult stuff like grime in the shower, baked on grease in the kitchen, and other stains on bench tops I honestly can't say that it works wonders. But that's only because I haven't used it for anything 'hard-to-remove' just yet!

As a general, all-rounder I think it's great. Plus, I have to say the smell is my favourite bit :)