On a budget, or flying solo these days? Don’t let the commercialization and hype regarding Valentine’s Day ruin your mood – take heart knowing you’re not alone and be sure to treat yourself to a simple indulgence that makes you happy. Light a few candles, pour some essential oil & Epsom salt in the bath and take a relaxing soak; or call a buddy to reminisce and have a few good laughs. Move to your own beat – compile a music mix of all-time faves for your listening pleasure.

Got a few bucks to spare? Here are a few fun ways to embrace loved ones, mother earth & yourself:

(above, from top) men’s organic cotton boxers from goodandfairclothing.com (in white or black; $26). Sexy bralet & cheeky thong by g=9.8; find more of our favorite eco lingerie for her and organic underwear for men @ bynature.co.uk

(above) Heart & Stone handcrafts personalized charms, rings, key chains and necklaces for men and women; pricing varies … Tiny Tags jewelry can be customized with names, dates and birthstones; $195-$395

(above) Coco-Zen offers fresh, deliciously decadent Fair Trade Certified chocolate truffles as well as pampering body and bath products. Feast your eyes on an array of gift ideas starting at $3, or snag a Green Gift Set of either Chocolate to Eat, Chocolate to Wear or a Combo Gift Set, $64 – $110.

(above) Gifts with heart and soul – from Alex & Ani’s Charity by Design collection, pretty expandable bracelets made from recycled material; designs customized to reflect the message and beauty inherent in each organization; 20% of all sales of the Best Friends Bangles are donated to the American Heart Association. set of 2, ($48)

(above) For body-friendly pleasure, babeland.com has you covered; recharge your battery with the newly designed rechargeable We-Vibe II.

(above) Be still my beating heart … get swept off your feet with a well-deserved hot-stone massage – add a healthy dose of massage oil (SpaRitual.com) or massage balm (badgerbalm.com) to totally unwind.

Love those traditional bouquets of flowers and boxes of chocolate? Just be sure they’re Fair Trade and organic so they’ll meet with mama earth’s as well as your sweetheart’s approval; try Whole Foods or OrganicBouquet.com … Happy V-Day!

Related: more eco-friendly gift ideas from The Alternative Consumer.

The message is all around us and the Beatles said it so well, “all you need is love.” As we approach Valentine’s Day couples make plans for a romantic evening together. Restaurant reservations are confirmed, flowers are delivered, cards sent and chocolates presented with a big red bow.  How can those of us who are flying solo get through the day without feeling lonely, rejected or just plain unworthy of romance? EcoChi reminds us that love comes in many forms…

• Love of self – Schedule a pedicure at a local salon. The winter can be tough on your feet so soak, moisturize and sit back and enjoy the foot massage. Choose a red nail polish to attract passion in your life or a soft pink or mauve to attract a kind and gentle lover.
• Love of Friends and Family – Plan a gathering in your home. Express your love with recipes that are a proven crowd pleaser. Most people would rather enjoy an old favorite than a new recipe. Comfort food like mac’n’cheese, hamburger sliders, coconut shrimp and chocolate chip cookies are sure to make everyone feel loved.
• Love of Community – Serve a meal at a local hospital or soup kitchen. Share your big heart with those in need and the result is an unexpected gift to yourself.
• Love of worship, prayer and spirituality – Studies have shown that people who have a place that they regularly visit for worship, prayer or spiritual practice have a feeling of belonging. This sense of connectivity and fulfillment can improve one’s health and leads to a happier and sometimes longer life.
• Love of Mother Earth – Take a walk outdoors, open your arms to the heavens and feel the magnificence of the universe. Gather pine cones, acorns or stones and put them in a bowl-bringing nature indoors. Light a candle (healthy choices are bee’s wax or soy), play calming music and meditate and then jot down your thoughts in a personal journal.

Connect with the love that lives within you on Valentine’s Day. Treat yourself with kindness. Splurge on fresh flowers and place them in a vase and showcase them in a place where you can enjoy their beauty. Break out a box of chocolates, get cozy with a book or favorite movie and celebrate the life you love!

Debra Duneier is an accredited LEED Green Associate, Certified Eco-Designer, Feng Shui Master Practitioner and Author of EcoChi: Designing The Human Experience. For more about EcoChi and Debra visit www.ecochi.com

Related: more articles from Debra Duneier on The Alternative Consumer

photo credit: heart island shutterstock.com

Yesterday Schick introduced its new Schick Xtreme3 Eco disposable razor. The new razor uses 100 percent recycled plastic in the production of its handle and 100 percent post-consumer paper in its packaging. Manufactured and shipped out of the company’s 99.9 percent landfill-free facility in Milford, CT, Schick estimates they’ll be saving over 103,000 pounds of virgin plastic material and 15,500 pounds of virgin paper from going into landfills each year by using recycled materials in the new razor.

In order to have a more immediate impact on the environment, Schick chose to use post-consumer recycled plastic instead of other biodegradable or recycled materials. Among the items retrieved and recreated in the Eco razor handle are common household items like hangers, buckets, and pails.

Schick Xtreme3 Eco is currently available for both men and women (the women’s razor is pink) at Wal-Mart with wider, national distribution in April.

Note: Though it’s a step in the right direction, it would be more impressive if this product were totally recyclable and/or biodegradable.

via: Schick press release

Related: more health & beauty products featured on The Alternative Consumer

Here at The Alternative Consumer we’re attracted to things that harm neither planet nor person; are useful as well as multifunctional, and made in the USA. When they’re fun as well – that’s the icing on the cake.

We’re shining our Tried and True Review spotlight on SOS Novelties, a company with three signature blends of soy candles that can be used in three different ways:

• when lit – they provide light, ambiance and scent in a room
• 30 seconds after blowing out the candle – they may be used as a silky massage oil
• while cold – the soy wax can be applied to the body to pamper dry skin or act as a perfume

Each 3-in-1 scented soy candle is crafted with: Aloe Vera oil, apricot oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil, Shea butter and vitamin E. Rather than derived from petrochemicals, this candle is derived from biodegradable, non-toxic soy, which ensures a slower, cooler, and soot-free burn. The soy wax is both paraffin- and lead-free. The candles are made by hand and free from sulfates, pertrochemicals or animal byproducts; the wick is 100 percent cotton.

I tried the Lueur Mon Amour (Glow My Love) scent of cucumber and melon, which was light and refreshing. Aside from warming up the room, the candle really works as both a massage oil and sweet smelling body moisturizer.

I received the sample tester in a small tin, which I plan to reuse as a travel container. If I had received the glass container, I would have reused it by filling it with beach sand and a votive. These 3″ x 4″ candles retail for $49.99/each (estimated to burn over 60 hours). Sample/testers also available for $5/each. find @ sosnovelties.com.

Related: healthy and beauty on The Alternative Consumer

We’ve rounded the corner on the new year, and after all the holiday hoopla we’re finally focusing on the most important thing in our lives – our health! To one degree or another, we’ve all probably made promises to ourselves to try and eat well, exercise a little bit more, and get whatever amount of sleep our body needs in order to function at 100 percent.

This year, I’m adding a new component to my personal wellness program – therapeutic massage. Every time I get a massage I feel so much better — I’m rejuvenated and feel more relaxed; I have more energy and a clearer mind. It seems to work like magic – removing cobwebs, kinks and energy blocks. I recently experienced an excellent massage at Elements Therapeutic Massage in Coral Springs and it’s sure to be the first of many. So to all of you seeking fresh starts this month, feel free to jump in and let us know what you’re doing this month.

photo credit: shutterstock.com

Make-up has been around for over 5000 years. Think about the ancient Egyptians, Native American Indians and African cultures and their use of body and face paints-to name a few. In our very modern world we have acquired a collective knowledge and scientific sophistication. One would imagine that living here in the USA we would not unknowingly be applying poisons to our skin.

We all want to look great but at what cost? There are many products that promise to make us look healthier, younger and better. Massive advertising campaigns for large cosmetic companies use words like pure, natural, organic and even hypoallergenic to give us a false sense of security so we will purchase their products – I call it “safe-washing.” We buy these items because we are fooled into thinking that they are safe and even good for us but have you read the labels? Why not look healthier because you are healthier-using products that nourish instead of poison you? If you are like most, reading the label means nothing because you don’t know what to look for.

The European Union has already banned most of the following ingredients from the cosmetic industry but the United States falls way behind in this area. According to www.PreventCancer.com: “A U. S. General Accounting Office report notes that the FDA has committed no resources for assessing the safety problems of those chemicals which have been found to cause genetic damage, biological mutations, and cancer.”

What we put on our skin goes into our body, so in an effort to get you on track for a healthier life, here is a list of 10 chemicals to avoid in your cosmetic and personal care items:

1. Mercury
2. Lead Acetate
3. Formaldehyde
4. Parabens
5. Toluene
6.  Petroleum Distillates
7.  Diethanolamine (DEA)
8.  Triethanolamine (TEA)
9.  Ethoxylated Alcohols
10. Polysorbates

Enjoy a feast for your senses at Terre d’Oc, 55 West 49th Street in Manhattan. I love the Moroccan anti-aging Elixir made with argan, prickly pear, dates and flower extract. Explore… we have more healthful choices than ever.

The days when the cosmetic industry can pull the wool over our eyes is over. Unless of course, it is 100% certified organic wool!

Debra Duneier is an accredited LEED® Green Associate, Certified Eco-Designer, Feng Shui Master Practitioner and Author of EcoChi: Designing The Human Experience. For more about EcoChi and Debra visit www.ecochi.com

photo credit: woman in mirror via shutterstock.com

Safe. Healthy. COMFY. For a totally dreamy experience this new year, treat yourself to an organic mattress and pillow! We love our (USDA certified organic,) natural latex mattress from Savvy Rest and pillow from myessentia.com. Each company offers a nice selection of quality mattresses and pillows. They’re the real deal. (We lay our weary heads on them every night, and wake up refreshed and ready to go.) Shop with confidence and ease -  and get a good night’s sleep.

Psst – Canada-based Essentia BOXINGDAY at checkout. Be sure to take a peek at the Jeanius, made with organic denim.

Related:

• Savvy Rest – Alternative Consumer exclusive interview with founder, Michael Penny and
• Essentia – Natural Foam Pillow Tried and True Green Product Review

photo credits, above, top to bottom: Savvy Rest; Essentia

Challenge your self to go without face wash- which leeches skin’s natural oils, in turn causing skin to go into oil producing overdrive, giving it that greasy feel. Instead, try Thayer’s Alcohol Free Toner, a lil’ tap water rinse, and follow with a natural oil. Start with olive or coconut oil, whatever you’ve got in your kitchen, and gradually upgrade to something more exotic.

Nature’s Gift has a great selection of oils from fruits and seeds, such as: Kukui Nut, Evening Primrose, Apricot Kernel, Avocado, Pomegranate Seed, and Borage Seed Oils. Check out www.NaturesGift.com for the products listed above. Important Note: how to apply essential oils.

A fan of oils? You might also like Solar Recover from zausner.com. It’s a blend of organic and essential oils to slather on skin after the shower or add it to a nice hot bath. (And we also love Aura Cacia’s Sweet Almond Skin Care Oil – available at vitacost.com.)

Give it a shot!

Contributed by our west coast blogger, Crystal Carson.

As we all know by now, certain plastic food storage containers (recycle #7) can unfortunately leach Bisphenol-A (BPA) into liquids and food. For safe food storage, especially warm food – I prefer eco-friendly glass. Under proper conditions and use, glass can be microwave, oven, freezer, and dishwasher safe. Extra perk – you can easily discern what’s stored in each container in your fridge. Here are a few good glass food storage options you might want to try:

via Amazon – Anchor Hocking – with a rich made in the USA heritage, they manufacture wonderful food prep, baking, serving and organizing lines comprised of lead-free glass and BPA-free lids – perfect for heating (note FAQ) or storing homemade chili, stews or soups. Look for their traditional tempered glass bake ‘n store 2- 5 cup options, or their new TrueFit bake ‘n store clear glass line, (pictured above).

via Amazon – Walter Drake – company founded in 1947 in Colorado Springs, Colorado by … Walter Drake, a pioneer in direct mail.  I like the rectangular shapes for maximizing available refrigerator space. And they provide maximum versatility; you can multi-task with them and save extra cupboard space: serve, store, freeze or heat.

via Amazon – Glasslock – oven-safe tempered glass pieces or BPA-free plastic sets … made in Korea; also sold at various retailers, ie BBB, Target & Home Goods.

Related: eco-friendly and philanthropic holiday gift guides

• saves you money
• promotes healthier eating
• instills in your children an awareness of the impact purchasing & disposing of products has on the environment
• reflects the responsibility we have to take care of our personal health and that of the planet.

Whether dictated by school policy or not, the healthy and eco benefits far outweigh the minor inconvenience … we’ve outlined our Top 7 reusable and plastic-free, lunch packing alternatives to help you stay the course:

For waste free lunch bags and kits (above, top to bottom)

• Created by holistic nutritionist, Toni Desrosiers, Abeego BPA-free reusable food storage wraps that can be washed in cold water & (biodegradable) soap and last for about a year. buy @ branchhome.com
• Nifty Kids Konserve reusable lunch bags and storage containers
• Reusable and dishwasher safe stainless steel solutions a la Happy Tiffin
• Insulated lunch bags in Owl, Doggie or Kittie designs keeps food warm or cool for hours … free of both PVC and BPA @ reuse-it.com
• Find Preserve Apple Green storage containers, the Bento Box school lunch kit as well as over 30 more options @ shopecogoods.com (use AC20 code at checkout here for 20% off).
• Made from USA-grown organic cotton, Three Little Birds Design Company makes snack bags in small or medium and sandwich bags in large; sold separately or as a set.