Here’s a Tried and True Review for anyone who loves shoes and their feet … We received 2 complimentary ToeSox products: a pair of Ultra Sport ankle sox and Five Toe Sandals – they’re designed to help strengthen feet. Gimmick? I think not…

Toes and feet are sexy. Did you know that each foot contains approximately:  26 bones, 20 muscles, 33 joints and 100 ligaments? Keep them in tip-top condition. I stretch the space between my little toes during my yoga practice. It’s challenging. Anyone with squishy toe syndrome (my terminology), probably knows what I mean. So for extra conditioning when off the mat … enter ToeSox.

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We received a few samples of complimentary Indie Tea products for the purposes of this Tried and True Green Products Review…The free samples included an unusual item, a tea-based bath soak. Put to the test, here’s the verdict: whether you sip or soak, everything is aromatic and comforting – you drink in natural goodness…

Having sampled some of their hand-made teas previously, (December, 2010) I was no stranger to the Indie Tea scene. Each tea is a unique blend of certified organic ingredients – packed with tasty exotic flavors … now you may slip to far away places with each sip … or soak. (more…)

Over the past few years many environmentalists and earth-conscious consumers have started using reusable water bottles to do their part in reducing the number of plastic bottles in the wastestream and floating around our oceans. While this effort does help reduce waste, many of these reusable bottles are made of either plastic or stainless steel, two materials that create both a carbon and chemical footprint in their manufacture. (more…)

Since most of us would have to admit that our diets are at least slightly lacking in healthy fruits and vegetables, vitamins and supplements have become part of our daily ritual. But even the most complete multivitamin can lack many nutrients that the body needs for optimum health. Pomology seeks to solve this problem by using a pomegranate base for all of their vitamins and supplements.

Pomegranates are considered one of the most potent antioxidant fruits found anywhere on Earth. (Some even consider it an important superfood.) (more…)

Thanks to BodyVerde for providing us with a complimentary bottle of EZ Waterless Shave. We gave it a try and here’s what we think: it’s a great way to save water and go chemical-free when shaving.

Initially, I was skeptical about just how effective and real this product might be. With claims of

• no lathering & no rinsing
• no bumps & no burns
• no water needed
• great for legs, face or body
• all natural proprietary botanical blend

… it all sounded just a little “too good to be true.” Don’t you think?

But after both my hub and I used it – we have to say that it’s all true – the only water required was a little to rinse the razor. Absolutely no water is required to lather or rinse your face, legs, underarms. Do you realize how much water that can save? On average, a person may use as much as 3 to 5 gallons of water to shave at a sink and up to 5 gallons per minute in the shower.

The lotion itself is moisturizing, goes on and comes off smoothly, and smells nice. A little (more…)

Summertime, your skin is likely to be up for a little extra TLC after all that extra time in the harsh sun.

While they’re abundant, pick up some organic strawberries and a cucumber next time you’re at the market. Fruit is full of wonderful enzymes that are good when put in your body but they also work wonders when applied to your skin. The cosmetic industry is aware of the benefits of these enzymes being applied to the face. So, skip the chemicals and all the production, and go right to the source for some fresh and beneficial homemade skincare.

Strawberries have astringent and bleaching properties, which also work on your teeth. (more…)

Imagine yourself strapped into a Baby Bjorn about to experience your first wilderness outing, 10 months old and helpless unable to tell your unwitting parents how badly the sun hurts. (Fortunately, most of us had, and are, better parents than this.) For all types of parents, say hello to UV Natural’s Baby sunscreen.

The name alone tells you that the ingredients in UV Natural sunscreen are all natural things like grape seed extract, vitamin E and macadamia sea oil. What’s more important are the chemicals it lacks: parabens, phthalates (good luck pronouncing that), and sodium lauryl sulfate. These chemicals are known endocrine disruptors, carcinogens and estrogenics, and have been found to produce metabolic complications, breast cancer, and a number of other ailments.

An added benefit to UV Natural products is that they are biodegradable, animal cruelty-free and contain a number of antioxidants and moisturizers for the skin. You can purchase this nontoxic, baby sunscreen at practicalorganic.com.

Men’s Health and the Environmental Working Group (EWG) are on a mission to find out if organic food is really worth all of the hype. EWG, a non-profit that investigates the safety of consumer products, recently released a list of the “cleanest” and “dirtiest” produce items, in terms pesticide absorption. So, are our favorite fruits and vegetables so “dirty” as to necessitate busting the bank account to buy their chemical-free counterparts?

Perhaps you can answer this rhetorical question for yourself after seeing what the folks with the EWG found. A decade’s worth of produce data from the Department of Agriculture and the FDA shows us that we may not have to buy all organic in order to avoid pesticides. If you’re looking to buy foods such as apples, strawberries, spinach and lettuce, your best bet is to go organic, as these are just a few examples of “dirty” produce that tend to absorb high amounts of pesticide. On the other hand, onions, corn, kiwi and watermelon are a few “clean” foods that tend not to absorb large amounts of chemicals. (more…)

DEET is used in most standard insect repellents sold today. This chemical is known to have negative impacts on our water supply and wildlife. There is also evidence of DEET having adverse neurological impacts on humans. Although we can’t vouch for their effectiveness, here are some safe, environmentally friendly insect repellent alternatives that you might like to try. They’re all DEET-free, which makes them body-friendly, too:

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