Peppermint Tea

Warning: This post is about poop.

It's natural, y'all! Everybody poops.

I get so annoyed by people who refuse to acknowledge it/pretend it doesn't happen. Pooping is an important part of wellness, after all. I have to ask patients all the time about their poop. When did you last poop? What color was your poop? Was it hard, soft, formed, etc etc etc... I often even get to inspect it myself. Patients save it for me per my request and I get to document all sorts of things about it.

I live in the city and by law I have to pick up my dogs' poo every single time they go. I clean the cat litter box daily. I know the bowel habits of my furbabies and sometimes I even get a surprise like a foreign object or parasite.... important things to know, wouldn't you say?

So anyway my point is, pooping is normal and talking about it shouldn't be taboo. I know a married couple who've been together 6 years and don't even fart in front of each other. They never speak about poop and go to great lengths to hide their bowel habits from one another. I can't think of anything more pointless and exhausting! I'm not saying you should be disgusting on purpose, but come on. Be real.

 I recently discovered that peppermint tea is a wonderful way to get things moving. I've always enjoyed a cup here and there and never really noticed a correlation between it and digestive health, but lately I've been trying to cut back on coffee (which really doesn't seem to make me go like people say it does). So without really realizing it I was drinking at least 3 cups a day... and WOOOOOOW I felt like singing. I mean, there's nothing like eliminating toxins to make you feel brilliant, and peppermint tea is my go-to!

So if you are looking for a daily dose of detox, have a few cups of peppermint tea. I promise you will feel .... regular.

Tea Tree Oil Zit Zapper

As great as coconut oil is for oh so many things, it's not perfect. For people with oil/acne prone skin, it can mean a nasty break out. After I used coconut oil to remove my eye makeup (and carelessly getting some on my cheek) I woke up to this bad boy:

Yikes! I used to be uber self-conscious about my enormous pores, but I don't even think about them anymore. I wouldn't mind finding a natural way to shrink them a bit... but that's another post for another day.

Forget the big pores. This angry zit is all I can see when I look in the mirror! So I applied a few drops of tea tree oil via Q-tip and this evil monster healed pretty quickly with no squeezing/picking/drying out/flaking. Day two was hard only because I REALLY wanted to pop this guy, but I refrained.

And today, day 3, I'm much more comfortable with this... and thrilled I didn't follow the same pattern of destroying my skin with drying agents and picking and squeezing.

Kinda just looks like one of my freckles! I can't believe how well tea tree oil worked to hasten the healing of this enormous zit!!

Trader Joe's Tea Tree Tingle Conditioner: A Review

Man I love Trader Joe's.

This conditioner is 3 bucks. It smells fabulous, it is organic, cruelty free, and it makes my hair soft. My scalp loves it.

The "tingle" is very mild, so don't expect to feel like you're washing your hair with Listerine. The peppermint, tea tree, and eucalyptus ingredients make for a really pleasant fresh fragrance that guys won't think is too girly and girls won't find too masculine.

I use it as part of my curly girl method routine in conjunction with Shea Moisture Restorartive conditioner (as a leave in). The one thing I learned about adopting this no poo/ curly girl lifestyle is that you really have to experiment to figure out what works for you. Be patient and talk to your girlfriends. If you can find a hair twin, use her wisdom!!

I feel like Trader Joe's Tea Tree Tingle is one of those products that will work great for a variety of hair types... and the price is right.

TWO THUMBS UP!!

Coconut Oil Eye Makeup Remover

I'm  a total coconut oil junkie.

I just discovered how fantastic it works to remove eye makeup and I'm just that much more obsessed! I luuuuuurv makeup. Thick winged eyeliner, smokey eyes, fun colors... I dig the dramatic eye. That said, I'm always struggling to remove all the war paint without tugging and stretching the delicate skin around the eyes. I've tried dozens of makeup removers and so called gentle cleansers. Owwwww they make my eyelids sting! I swear I have it all off and the next morning I look like a raccoon. ugh.

But not anymore!! With a tiny dab of coconut oil I barely have to wipe my eyes and bam... the makeup is gone baby gone. Simple. Organic. Safe. Cruelty free. Cheap. Already had it in my cabinet.

This was 3 swipes with a cotton ball and some coconut oil:

YESSIIIIRRR

*** Just be careful if you have oily/acne prone skin. If I'm not careful to keep the coconut oil just around my eye area, I will break out in a gnarly under-the-skin zit.

Think Before You Pink

A fellow crunchy nursing student recommended I watch the documentary Pink Ribbons, Inc.

I was so pissed by the time I was done watching it. I knew that Susan G Komen was an organization that I couldn't get behind. I participated in several Race for the Cures years ago and when I think about it I get pissed all over again. However I never put much thought in the pervasive "pink power" that has women buying pink flashlights and buckets of KFC.

As I transition into a greener, healthier lifestyle, I'm appalled by the pink shit storm I see everywhere. I pay attention to labels now more than ever and I'm outraged by the toxins in products that are made by companies that are so-called breast health supporters.

The companies pushing pink don't even have to give one penny to breast cancer anything. It's all a marketing bandwagon and it makes me want to puke.

I might piss people off with my ant-pink attitude, but that's OK. Maybe someone will set out to prove me wrong and learn for themselves that Revlon is up to no good.

THINK BEFORE YOU PINK

Curly Girl Method: The Dry Cut

I cut my own hair. When it's dry.

GASP!

I'd obviously rather have it done professionally, but my bank account says no way. Also, I've NEVER been to a stylist that was trained to work with curly hair instead of against it. Don't get me wrong, until very recently I felt like naturally curly hair was my dirty little secret.

Think about it, how many celebrities, politicians, models, or athletes can you think of that rock their naturally curly hair? (I have to let actresses off the hook because part of what they do is adopt new identities for a living.) From news anchors to governors to Miss America... from CEO's to the ladies that grace magazine covers.... even the knucklehead reality TV monsters... curly hair is just not seen as professional or desirable.

I've always done my own thing and not much cared for mainstream hoopla, but I realized I was a total sucker for the straight hair envy pushed on women in our culture. I still think straight hair is gorgeous and I love a great sleek bob, but I realize I'm no more a sleek bob girl than I am a small boned size 0.

I have wild hair. It's who I am. Hair identity is a REAL THING. It's powerful.

And I was hiding mine.

Now that I embrace my curls, I also refuse to destroy them with shampoo or have some stylist tell me I'm nuts for wanting my hair cut dry. So since I can't afford a stylist and can't find one that knows and loves the curly girl method, I cut my own hair. Dry. As needed, which is hardly ever. Need instructions? Allow me to introduce Lorraine Massey, the Deva Curl Queen....

There's Vodka in My Diffuser

It's true.

But don't worry... it wasn't the good stuff. It was just some cheap brand I've never heard of left over from who knows what.

I had a reed diffuser in my bathroom that smelled fantastic, but of course dried up in no time. My $8.99 impulse buy was a bust. No telling what kind of scary chemicals were in that stuff, anyway.

Rather than throw away the glass bottle and little wooden sticks, why not make my own yummy smelling concoction?

INGREDIENTS:

12 Drops of essential oils (I mixed lavender and tea tree this time around)
1/4 cup of a carrier oil (mineral, safflower, almond)
splash of vodka

Buycott App

I'm befuddled.

How is a crunchy girl supposed to navigate the murky waters of marketing and hype?

Most of my life I naively thought animal testing wasn't even happening anymore. I thought it was this archaic bonehead idea. So, so wrong.

I also can't keep straight fair trade, GMO's, organic, sweatshop labor, fluoride, MSG, Toxins, sustainability, etc etc etc etc....

If label reading has given you the kind of headache brought on by exasperation, then join me on Buycott. Its' free.

With this handy little app you can explore every cause near and dear to your heart and even some you've never heard of. Create your profile, then scan a product's barcode and voila! You are an informed consumer. 

Using Coconut Oil to Treat Pink Eye

OMG! Didn't you know that pink eye means you have poop in your eye?!

I've actually heard people say this. Adults. Sigh.

I've worn contact lenses since the 5th grade. I like to camp and swim in lakes and ponds and I ain't afraid to get dirty. I let my dogs & cat snuggle up on my bed. I love having my hands in the dirt whether it's to repot my houseplants or help my parents in their garden.

I also happen to be a neat freak in many ways. I wash my hands a zillion times a day, I wash my sheets twice a week, I groom my dogs weekly, I sweep daily, and I leave my shoes at the door. That said, I've still had the occasional conjuctivitis.

I most certainly do NOT get poop in my eyes. Pink eye is just inflammation of the membrane that coves the whites of your eyes and your eyelids.... which can happen because you slept in your makeup, you have an allergy, you got dust in your eye, or you have a virus.... just to name a few reasons. Anyhoo ...I got sidetracked defending my hygiene.

I didn't want to run to the Pharmacy and get antibiotics every time my eyes got irritated, but I didn't want to wait to see if it was indeed a bacterial infection with all the crusty glory and photosensitivity to treat it. I wanted to address the issue as soon as I noticed my eye was a little irritated.

And guess what? One of my crunchy cure-alls came to the rescue. Whether my eye gets a little pink or I wake up with full blown yuck, I just create a cool compress with a dab of my trusty coconut oil (after removing and cleaning my contacts). I apply this 3x a day, wear my glasses, and skip the eye makeup. Not only is it soothing, my eyes clear up within a day or two. No more crusty eyelashes and no more expensive/poisonous eye drops. YAY!

According to nutritionist and trans fat researcher Mary G. Enig, PhD:

The lauric acid in coconut oil is used by the body to make the same disease-fighting fatty acid derivative monolaurin that babies make from the lauric acid they get from their mother's milk. The monoglyceride monolaurin is the substance that keeps infants from getting viral or bacterial or protozoal infections. Until just recently, this important benefit has been largely overlooked by the medical and nutrition community. 

Child Abuse Awareness

April is child abuse awareness month.

Never did I think child abuse would be something that affected me directly, but it has. I was lucky; I  had an ideal childhood. My biggest worry was which brother was going to wipe his booger on me or fart in my face.

However.... some little ones that mean the world to me have been subjected to a terribly abusive caregiver and my heart is breaking in a million pieces for them.

This April I hope to spread the word that abuse isn't always physical, but it is always incredibly damaging.

Is Baking Soda on Your Skin a Bad Idea?

For me? YES.

Pinterest would have you believe that baking soda belongs in your deodorant, your hair, your bath, your face scrub, etc etc etc.

Growing up, my Mom always treated ant bites with a magical baking soda/water mixture that took the pain away (if you've ever been bitten by fire ants, then you know how essential this is to one's childhood). Many experts even suggest baking soda to help treat rashes and other skin problems.

Perhaps for some people, this works. Personally, baking soda has been a nightmare. When I first went no poo, I used baking soda to wash my hair for about a month. While I think it did clarify my hair from tons of buildup, it was just way too harsh to use long term (even with an apple cider vinegar balancing rinse).

Next, I tried it in DIY deodorant and even natural deodorant I bought on etsy. OUCH. At first I was thrilled with the effectiveness, but after about a week I was miserable. I searched for a reason for my discomfort and came to the conclusion that I had not waited long enough after shaving to apply. I applied ACV to balance the pH of my pits and went without the deodorant until the horrible rash subsided.

AAAAAAND we're back to square one. I was SUPER careful with the application of my beloved natural deodorant, but as I type this my armpits are aching. It doesn't take a genius to figure out RED, PAINFUL, SWOLLEN body parts mean your skin is trying to tell you something... kind of a big part of nursing assessment (duh)... but I was trying to convince myself I was "adjusting." Dumb. No. Absolutely not. Baking soda was destroying my arm pits, period.



I've never had sensitive skin; never even had razor burn under my arms. But this was brutal. Apparently this doesn't happen to everyone, but if you are planning to try out baking soda in any of your recipes, please use caution. I am just going to have to leave baking soda in the kitchen. After all, it's not some fancy all-natural cure-all that it's often claimed to be. It is used in the hospital and considered "medicine." I've seen it with my own eyes during my ICU rotation... Sodium Bicarb to treat metabolic acidosis. Granted, it wasn't the white powder; it was a hypertonic IV solution, but still. It's a chemical compound used in the hospital as well as a cleaner to scrub your toilets with. So it ain't to fancy hippie au naturale home remedy for body odor (in my humble opinion).



Without taking you back to basic elementary school chemistry, the stuff is too basic for your skin. Skin friendly treatments tend to be between 4.5 and 5.5. Baking soda is 8.3.




Bottom line? Don't believe everything you PIN. And beware of baking soda on your skin.

Amos Lee #MCM

Sigh.

My (Future) Humble Abode

The plan: to graduate nursing school in Spring of 2015 and move (back) south.

The humble abode: a fixer upper camper.

Yeap, you read that correctly. I'm going to live in a camper. I want an vintage travel trailer. As a kid my family camped on every vacation in our tents and pop-up Coleman. I honestly thought all families did that until I was about 12 or 13. Family trips to Disney? We camped. Going to grandma's? We camped. We even had Christmas camping.

Anyway, maybe that explains my willingness to refuse the cozy apartment life. Nostalgia. I just don't want to deal with leases and pet deposits and all that crap. I also don't want to pay rent when I can pay a minimal camping fee.

I love the idea of spending this summer fixing up a camper with the help of my Dad. We can customize it and get it ready for me and my furbabies.... I'll have my student loans paid off in no time and my gypsy soul will be well-nurtured. Perhaps when I sign on with a traveling nurse agency I can just relocate the trailer to my next destination.

All the Single Ladies

 The single girl saga.

I am going to start sending this to my girls that get a lil confused sometimes.... like when he only calls you at 2 am and you've been seeing each other for months but haven't met his friends. Hmmmmm....

Coconut Oil Hair Mask

You can't log onto Pinterest without seeing the gazillion amazing uses for coconut oil. Weeeellll... I'm a total CO junkie, so I kinda buy into it all. Like the Dad from My Big Fat Greek Wedding & his Windex.

Total cure-all.

My mask is simple: Coconut oil, Lavender, and Tea Tree Oils

If you don't do your research, you can end up with a mess. Here are some tips that I think a lot of the DIY hair mask posts are missing:

1. Use organic (duh)
2. Don't nuke it! Your body heat will be enough to melt it, so just use your hands.
3. Apply to dry hair (refer to oil vs water)
4. Cover your head to trap some heat. This will open your hair shaft and your hair will drink up the goodness!
5. To rinse out, DON'T GET YOUR HAIR WET before applying your cleansing conditioner (or shampoo if you aren't on the bandwagon yet). 
6. Also, don't use cool water because the coconut oil will become solid in a hurry.
7. Use warm water and cleanse, hydrate, and style as usual.
8. I do this weekly, but just experiment & see what works for you!

Grapeseed Oil for Your Face

I have oily skin.

Like, super oily. When I worked at a spa the estheticians used to gather around and inspect my skin under a magnifyer ooooing and aaaahing over how "tough" and oily my face was. I knew better than to get offended, because, they assured me this meant wrinkles weren't going to be a problem for me any time soon.

Luckily acne hasn't been an issue since my teenage years, but blackheads on my nose and a shiny face are my deal. This was all under control when I worked at the spa and got discounted high end skincare, but these days I don't have that luxury.

Soooo I'm still working on the whole blackhead issue, but my shiny face is just as matte as I want it!

The trick is my moisturizer. It's an oil, and some people bake with it. You guessed it...Grapeseed Oil!

I originally bought it for my hair but only use it for an occasional deep conditioning treatment. I kept reading about how great it was for skin and so I decided to test it out. Very few moisturizers have ever worked well for me.... Lord help me I was using leftover Oil of Olay I grabbed from the guest bathroom at my parents' house (times are tough)!

So I trashed that poison ... it literally stung my eyelids when I put it on... uhhh.. that can't be good.

So the past few days I've tried Grapeseed Oil and I loooooooove it! Two thumbs up. Not greasy. Not runny. No breakouts, no clogged pores. Simple, one ingredient moisturizer. I think I paid around $7 for 16 fl oz.

Essential Oils

Before nursing school, I was a spa coordinator. I LOVED it. I had a nutty boss, but I never got stressed out. How is that possible? The essential oils, I tell you.

I miss the atmosphere of that place, so I often try to recreate it in my little loft apartment. The concrete floors and exposed brick are a far cry from the soft and inviting decor of the spa world, but I have my serenity Pandora station, candles, and essential oils to make up for it.

Recently I've been really interested in the use of essential oils in a more clinical setting. I did a science project in 4th grade where I tested the antibacterial properties of tea tree oil, so it really just made sense for me to kind of dig a little deeper into this idea that essential oils aren't just for massages and aromatherapy.

I am especially interested because I've taken care of countless patients with all kinds of so called superbugs (thank you antibiotic mania) and aside from gowning up head to toe every time you enter the hospital room like you're on your way to some chemical spill, I just don't see that we as a health care community are doing enough to address the issue. Yes, stopping the spread of the superbugs is paramount. But maybe we ought to be looking into destroying the little critters with something other than heavy duty poisons.

Not only can essential oils aid in healing, but they can benefit the staff. Talk to anyone who works in a hospital. The stress factor is off the charts.

I'm all for it! Going to hit up some peer reviewed data and learn more about this trend. Evidenced-based practice is the cornerstone of nursing, and I am off to find out what studies are out there about essential oils in the hospital setting.

Check out this list of hospitals that currently use essential oils:

Alegent Health Bergan Mercy Medical Center, Omaha, NE
Aurora Healthcare System, Foxpoint, WI
Banner Health, Mesa, AZ
Benedictine Hospital, NY
Beth Israel Complementary Care Center, NY, NY
Children’s Healthcare, Roseville, MN
The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, NY, NY
Elk Regional Health Hospital, PA
Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, AK
Florida Hospital Medical Center, Orlando, FL
Goshen General Hospital, Goshen, IN
Heather Hill Hospital, Chardon, OH
Ingham Regional Medical Center, Landing, MI
Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Oakland, CA
Manilaq Hospital, Kotzebue, AK
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, NY, NY
Mercy Holistic Health, Cincinnati, OH
Pinnacle Health, Harrisburg, PA
St. Barnabas Healthcare System, Toms River, NJ
St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, Hartford, CT
St. John’s Riverside Medical Center, Yonkers, NY
St. Luke’s Medical Center, New Bedford, MA
Sentara Healthcare, Wilmington, DE
The Valley Hospital, Ridgewood, NJ
University of Michigan Hospital, MI
Wishard Memorial Hospital, Indianapolis, IN
Sharp Chula Vista, San Diego, CA
Primary Children’s Medical Center, Salt Lake City, UT

The Curly Girl Method: Advice to Newbies from a Newbie

Curly hair is a science. Don't believe me? Ask any curly girl to show you her arsenal of hair care potions and products.

I'm no expert in the curly girl world. I am an expert in how to fight and destroy your curls with chemicals and heat to achieve a fleeting moment of sleek straight hair.

I'm moving into my 5th month of no shampoo, no curling irons, no flat irons, no chemical laden products, so I have a bit of knowledge to share about how to start the process. I've listed a few very important things to keep in mind .... because reading the gazillion forums/posts/articles can be a tad overwhelming.

*this book is a great place to start!

Curly Girl basics are cleanse, hydrate,  & style.

This means you cleanse first with no sulfates <--- curly enemy #1
Some people use a "low poo" or fancy sulfate free gentle shampoo, but I just use conditioner.
Next, you hydrate. Again, I use a conditioner. Some people use a leave-in instead, some in addition to... it's all a ton of trial and error. Unfortunately there is no simple step by step miracle, but even the worst results are better than going back to destructive chemical abuse!
Finally, it's time to style. Gel, cream, whatever... again, you just have to experiment.

Forget about suds, squeaky clean, and obsessing about rinsing out all your conditioner.

Suds are for dishes. Squeaky clean is just weird... why should my hair make noises? Don't fret if you don't get all your conditioner out. In fact, most curly girls I know either leave it in completely or barely rinse it out. Once your scalp adjusts to the no poo thing, your thirsty curls will never betray you by becoming greasy with conditioner.... it just doesn't happen. It's possible that your curls could get limp, but that typically means the product isn't for you. 

 

What works for one curly girl will not necessarily work for you, even if you seem to have the same hair type. 

I have type 2c hair (find out your type here  so you know what the heck everyone is talking about with this type stuff). That said, I can tell you it's not 2c all over and not even every day. It's currently pretty short- growing out an asymmetrical pixie- so I'm going off of memory and old photos where I was on vacation and didn't have access to my curl fighting weapons. A product or routine that works great for one 2c probably won't work that well for me. I have a different background... consider the variables: hard water, type/frequency of coloring, humidity, porosity.

 

Speaking of porosity, it matters!

Determine your porosity here. Porosity describes how well your hair holds/absorbs moisture, so knowing your porosity can help you decide what products/routines will work for you. I have low porosity, which means I should stay away from protein rich products and use a bit of heat with deep moisturizing treatments.

 

No sulfates, ever.

Become a label reader. My solution? Check out the brands dedicated curly girls like DevaCurl and Shea Moisture.

 

Apply product to soaking wet hair.

This one was hard for me to get used to. My hair holds water for days, so adding gel to soaking wet hair just seemed ridiculous. BUT... I have to admit it prevents friz like you wouldn't believe.

 

No towel dried hair, please.

Don't reach for the towel! Instead, use an old T-shirt (don't buy a special curly hair towel for $12... that's just silly). 

 

Hands off! 

Don't touch your hair while it's drying. Just leave it alone. This one is tough for me too, but makes a huge difference. 

DIY Flaxseed Hair Gel

Say what?

A classmate told me about this back when I first went no poo.

Simply boil 2 cups filtered water with 1/2 cup flaxseed. When it gets frothy, strain and add your choice of essential oils if you want some fragrance.

I keep mine in the fridge in a mason jar. Super cheap, super easy....... and super crunchy.

Two thumbs up!

Literally.

word.

Who Cut the Cheese? DIY Car Freshener

Super EASY way to make a stinky car smell fantastic.

Since I started cutting out chemical fragrance, I find that now my nose is OFFENDED by the stench of faux ocean breezes and the like. Blegh. Anyone else experience this?

I am now an olfactory snob.

So my trusty Xterra is a mutt cab. There is no way around it. It's perpetually hairy because my fluffy dogs shed like mad and so do I. Not much I can do about that except vacuum it like a madwoman, so I just accept that it's always going to be at least a little furry.

However, I do not accept it constantly smelling like dog farts. I'm amazed at how long I can smell remaining dog funk after a road trip with the windows down! What's a dog loving mutt cab driver to do?

Ahhh, essential oils.

I found some leftover felt and cut/ glued it into a happy flower. You can get creative with this and make all kinds of felt art, but this happened to be something I've made before with my nieces so I just went with it. Next I tied some twine to the masterpiece and dropped a 12 drop combo of lavender and tea tree oil & voila! My car smells great!

One Year Post-Injury

It's been a year since I injured my shoulder.

I dislocated my clavicle and fracture my scapula- a football injury. How did I manage this? I fell.

Well, technically I fainted. Dead weight meets concrete floor from a height of 5'8. Most people might end up with a bruise, but I managed to break a bone.

The soft tissue damage was by far the most painful part. I was petrified I'd have to have surgery and get behind a semester in school, but luckily with intensive PT I am good as new! I don't get sore or have trouble with it and I credit my physical therapists 100%.

I never want to be the person that allows an old injury to prevent exercise, so facing my shoulder disaster anniversary, I decided beast mode is officially ON.

Lift heavy, ladies.

Whenever I feel sad...

Funny cause it's true.

Shea Baby!

So I haven't used shampoo in 14 weeks.

There are a gazillion blogs/posts out there about how to go no-poo, shamphree, and some other catchy names for ditching this stuff we have convinced ourselves is totally necessary.... but I have come to the conclusion that no matter how you dress it up, there is no easy transition. HOWEVER it is well worth that awkward phase, so I urge you to grab a hat and commit to getting healthier hair.

At first, your hair is just yuck. Ya nasty (Raven voice).

No way around it. BUT your scalp gets over it and before you know it, you are so proud of your crunchy progress and you love the looks you get when you tell people you don't wash your hair. (OK, maybe that's just me.)

Obviously it's different for everyone, because hair is unique. Sometimes you find a more knowledgeable hair twin and you learn all kinds of info. I just recently found out about words like porosity and botticelli.

I am still learning.... but alas, I'll share my hair journey on another day. What I want to tell you today is that I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE Shea Moisture products.

I use the curl enhancing smoothie and raw shea butter restorative conditioner just to name a few. This company is organic, cruelty free, and affordable! I love that Walgreens and Target carry the Shea Moisture Line because it means I don't have to go all thew way across town to the hippie grocery stores (wow that sounded lazy). If I'm traveling and I need some product, I'm not sent into a panic because I can't get my hands on any.

In addition to hair care, they have soaps, body washes, manscaping products, and stuff for babies and kids. They've recently expanded to makeup and I'm so very excited! Imagine being able to get cruelty free organic makeup at your drug store. I guess in some parts of the country this isn't a big deal but for the South East it's damn near impossible to get quality organic anything at your local drug store.

Jason Isbell

I just love his voice.

Gypsy heart is a blessing and a curse, y'all.

Happy Monday!

No Poo Bandwagon

All aboard!!

I have wild, wild hair. I've battled it my entire life. As a kid, I sat on the corner of my Mom's bed and she battled it/me on a daily basis. Back then it was straight, but always long, thick, and unruly. As I hit puberty, I was horrified to notice the curls. I wanted stick straight hair with a mini fringe of bangs like the girls in Teen Magazine. Where were these curls in the 80s when people paid to get bad perms? UGHHH

I have dyed my hair every color imaginable. I have had ultra short sleek bobs, long wavy layers, ombre mid length curls, stacked bobs, pixies, and everything between. From bleach blonde to jet black to peak-a-boo pink highlights, I was never afraid to try a new look because I was sure it couldn't be any more of a disaster than my natural hair. I also had the extra fun "go gray at 23" thing going on, so my hair budget has been out of control my entire adult life.

A few months ago, I decided my bank account put the breaks on my fabulous visits to a great stylist. She was amazing... and affordable. But I still couldn't afford her. I loved my blonde asymmetrical pixie, but the upkeep was too much. What's a girl to do?

Get back to her crunchy roots. Literally.

I stopped dying my hair for the time being, I threw out my curling irons and my trusty flat iron and all products that weren't sulfate & paraben free (which was all of them). Since I stopped seeing my beloved stylist I started growing out my asymmetrical pixie by default... ugh I really didn't think that through before taking the no poo plunge... but hey, at least when it grows out it will be healthy hair! 

Here it is... my stylist was a miracle worker. I loved it (not sure why I look so pissed).  But it was a struggle to blow dry, flat iron, and curl.... all that effort and it was only a few inches long. Something not quite right about all that fuss.  Maybe that explains the sour look. Anyhoooo...

Truthfully, my hair felt extremely dry and humidity was more of an enemy than ever. My young nieces remarked at how my hair "felt like straw." Out of the mouths of babes. Hmmph.

Maybe it was the bleach, the crazy amounts of heat daily, and all the wacky chemicals. Just maybe.

As I started to do some research, I realized women everywhere were sick of being told they needed to wash their hair. The little old ladies I take care of in the hospital? They go to the salon once every two weeks for a wash & style. This is a generation thing, girls... these ladies are older than shampoo. Shampoo is HARSH. It is also totally unnecessary. Google pictures of women in the early 1900s before shampoo was even a thing. Hair looks pretty fab, if you ask me.

Won't my hair feel disgusting? What about the dirt and oil?

OK, so for the first month I used 1 Tbsp baking soda to 1 cup water twice a week. Massaged it into my scalp and I really felt like it removed build up. I missed the bubbles and fragrance at first, but that didn't last. In my opinion, baking soda is kinda harsh and since my hair is curly, I decided to switch to cowashing (fancy word for using 2 conditioners and no shampoo).

This is after a month of baking soda and bye bye blonde.

It's been 14 weeks, and I'm thrilled with the results. No heat, no parabens, no sulfates, no shampoo. Just organic conditioner and products.

It's not as curly as it used to be, but I think that has more to do with the fact that my hair tends to be curlier when it's longer. The point is, for the first time in my life it's NOT FRIZZY!!!!!! Miracles do happen. I'm on this No Poo Bandwagon for good.

Zoya, Non Toxic Nail Polish: A Review

I did it. I dumped all my nail polish.

I figured it would take entirely too long to transition slowly, and I can only paint my toes anyway (thanks to nursing school). So I ditched every last bottle. It was liberating, actually. Like tossing junk food without the regret.

I had never used non toxic nail polish and was skeptical it even existed. I've never been a fake nail kinda girl and it honestly boggles my mind that young girls get manicures and acrylic nails these days. I also work with tons of brides via Stella Clare and I always secretly cringe when they stick these ultra awkward looking faux nails on their fingers. Also, the dead giveaway that a girl knew her man was about to propose? French manicured fake nails in her obligatory engagement ring facebook photo upload! hahahaha! How is that even a thing? (<--- I ask that question way too often)

The fact that nail salons are in Wal Mart is reason enough to steer clear. Am I the only one that thinks these poor salon workers are in danger? The flimsy little masks should be our first clue that this stuff is not safe. I also see long fake nails and automatically think bacteria-fest. You know those girls aren't scrubbing under those talons every time they use the potty. Ew.

Anyway no offense to anyone that finds acrylic nail art attractive. I certainly love a good manicure. I don't find it in my meager budget to get pampered like that, either. I have never had a manicure I thought was worth THAT much money. A massage? Yes. A facial? Of course.

Manicures? I think I'll just keep it DIY. So Zoya is what appealed to me as far as color selection and the fact that it is a legit non toxic polish. Apparently there are some liars out there that market safe polish but aren't. Shocker.

No formaldahyde. No toluene. No DBP. <-- That's what they call the "toxic trio." Also, no camphor. So when I have a mani pedi party with my precious nieces, I don't have to worry about toxins. When my crazy cat licks my fingernails, I don't have to worry she's melting her brain cells. I also don't have to worry that I'm applying scary chemicals directly onto my body.

The color I chose was charisma. LOVE! It smells different than regular polish.. still strong, but not nearly as awful as the other stuff. It also just feels very different. Fast drying & a bit matte, which I like. Color was exactly the color of the bottle, which never seems to happen with the other stuff. Price was $7, which isn't cheap but many of the other non toxic brands I looked into were like $20!

However, I highly recommend using a top coat. 12 hours and one shower after the above photo was taken, this is what my nails looked like:

Catching Fire- the Natural Deodorant Saga Continues...

Advice (I wish someone had shared with me) for anyone looking to make the switch to natural deodorant:

Do it in the winter- unless you are extremely lucky, this will be a trial and error undertaking.
Don't cake on gobs of the stuff- (esp if you use one with baking soda) I don't know if it was out of skepticism or habit, but I realized I was really loading up.
Buy before you DIY- self explanatory. I recommend etsy over commercially produced stuff like Tom's. You get to sample something made by someone with experience... before you make a huge mess in your kitchen.
For Pete's sake don't forget to wait at least an hour after shaving to apply- I'm so guilty of this, but it's terrible for your skin no matter how natural the product.


Here's my story:


My armpits are on fire!

I couldn't imagine this transition in the sweltering summer.

So I found a natural deodorant that I absolutely adore. You can find it & a bunch of other fantastic products at Hippie Chick Herbal Harmony on Etsy. This stuff smells amazing and I really am very happy with it.

Then, about two weeks in (which, for the record is the longest I've ever stuck with any natural deodorant) I started to notice that my armpits felt a little sore. I didn't see any redness, so I figured I was just going through an adjustment. Then I did a bonehead thing and applied the deodorant without waiting {at least an hour} after I shaved. Redness, bumps, pain.. eek.

I've never had heat rash, razor burn, or any other irritation on my pits. Lucky? No. I get it elsewhere. Ugh. So since this is new territory, I decided to stop shaving and stop the deodorant and do some research.

Turns out that I have a pH problem. Baking soda is incredibly alkaline, and that means irritation. So how do I get my pH back to normal? Distilled water and good ol' Apple Cider Vinegar (1 Tbsp to 1 Cup) twice a day.

And LET ME TELL YOU there ain't nothing in my life that has made me feel so crunchy. Smelling my vinegar-y musky pits these past few days has made me oh-so-grateful that I am on spring break. My, how different spring break for me for degree #2. Ten years ago I was partying in Hawaii.

Back to arm pits! I chose to take the full week off from any deodorant and just do the ACV routine. I'm also not shaving. So I smell ultra funky and I'm rockin the Chewbacca look.... needless to say I have no dates lined up this week.

At night I'm putting a bit of coconut oil on the irritated skin and it seems to be clearing up really well. Two more days and I'll get back to my beloved Perfect Pits in Lavender.

DIY Natural Soothing Dog Shampoo

My stinky furbabies have been super itchy as of late. They are indoor pups but we love to play outside, go on road trips, visit our fur cousins, and occasionally trek through the woods and get dirty and smelly.

I recently decided to stop using traditional flea and tick prevention because I'm just not comfortable with a monthly dose of poison nor am I thrilled about the price tag of said poison. Now, my veterinarian brother doesn't know about this yet & I'm not sure what his reaction will be, but I'm hoping he will agree that I carefully weighed the benefits and risks. Do I want my young nieces exposed to pesticides by snuggling up with my pooches?

As of now, we don't have a flea/tick problem. However, we just returned from a road trip where we visited my sister in her new apartment (no telling what kind of chemicals the landlord applied to the carpet prior to her moving in) and my parents' house in SC (where the mosquitoes are already biting).

In the old days I would have gone straight to PetSmart and grabbed an assortment of shampoos, but because my crunchy heart told me to figure out how to treat the itch naturally, I did just that.

Turns out I had all the things I needed already. SCORE!

*This recipe makes enough for two Medium-Largish really fluffy dogs 
(one is a shepherd/chow mix and the other a great pyrenees)

Road Trippin... on the way home, obviously.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups oatmeal- soothes skin
2 cups baking soda- cleanser
1 Tbsp honey- antibacterial
10 drops tea tree oil -antibacterial and stink-fighter
10 drops lavendar oil -antibacterial and stink-fighter
2 1/2 cups water

DIRECTIONS:

1- Grind up that oatmeal. I just threw mine in my cheap blender.
2- Add the water, blend again.
3- Add baking soda, honey, & oils
4- Pour into a mason jar (I used an old tomato sauce jar)
5- Store leftovers in fridge

My dogs HATE baths, so it's like WWE SmackDown when I have to get them in the tub. For this reason I don't use glass when it's time to do the deed... but for storage, definitely use glass.

Anyway the shampoo came out a bit watery but for us that was necessary- too thick and the stuff would have been like paste in their fluffiness. There were little flecks of oatmeal that I couldn't really rinse completely out, but I figured I'd much rather deal with that than the toxic suds I usually can't rinse all the way out. After they were dry I just gave them a good brush and woooooow do they smell great! Also, it's only been a few hours, but there's been no itching!

Success!

Rocko thinks he smells quite nice.

Bear doesn't know what just happened.

Pet Cooties & the Heart Worm Dilemma

I have two dogs and a cat & they're all from the streets. Literally. They all came to live with me flea bitten, half starved, and crawling with cooties.

I'm from the country, so finding a tick doesn't freak me out. I just yank that sucker (hehe) off and flush it. However, I don't want my fur babies to have ticks or itch constantly nor do I want to snuggle up to my sweethearts if I'm going to come away with dozens of bites myself.

I've always had mixed feelings about flea prevention/heart guard. My brother just graduated from Veterinary school and while he isn't the least bit crunchy, his new (also veterinarian) lady friend is .... and I suspect his tune will soon start to change a bit. Anyway, I plan on having a chat with him about the risks/benefits of monthly prevention treatments and alternative cootie repellant.

I'd really like to find a non toxic way to keep my pets healthy. Bear, my recent addition, has tested heart worm positive and I am facing a dilemma with his treatment. My family has had several dogs beat heart worms no problem. We tend to have dogs that live to be 15 + years old. When I was a kid there just wasn't a push to do this monthly treatment like there is today.

Anyway I plan to do some organic pet shampoo shopping. I'll let y'all know how my furbabies do... as of right now, no one has fleas or ticks so our goal is PREVENTION.

Now if I could only find something to keep my car/apartment from smelling like dog farts.....