Environment, Organics, Fair Trade & Recycling at Big Green Purse

EcoCentric Mom Box Review: Ooh, Aah, and Yum

Every Ecocentric Mom Box comes packed with a selection of interesting, useful and tasty treats that help me make healthier, more eco-friendly choices when I shop. Here's the lowdown on what's in this month's box:

FOOD FIRST

Kallari Organic Chocolate Bar - I've written before why it's so important for chocolate to be produced organically. And when you shift your spending to organic chocolate, you encourage more conventional manufacturers to become more organic, too. Your purse power aside, Kallari chocolates make the shift worthwhile just because they taste so good. The 70% cacao bar included in this month's Ecocentric Mom Box was smooth, creamy and very flavorful. Plus, I love the fact that Kallari is produced via a cooperative of 850 indigenous Kichwa families in the Ecuadorian Amazon basin. The cooperative shares 100% of their profits among 21 rainforest communities to "maintain our way of life in one of the most diverse ecosystems on Earth." Try a bar!

Ecocentric Mom Box: Put on Your Best Face (Mask)

An EcoCentric Mom Box is both dependable and surprising. Dependable because you can count on the sample products it contains to be non-toxic, low impact, and a great bargain. Surprising because every box introduces a whole host of healthy personal care products, shampoos, soaps, and even foods that you might have no idea existed. I like the box because it constantly gives me fresh ideas for ways I can practice my Big Green Purse commitment and shift my spending to greener goods to protect myself, my family, and my community.

  This month’s box is no exception. Here’s a rundown of the dependably surprising items I found. (NOTE: If you’d like to receive your own Ecocentric Mom box every month, you can sign up here. Big Green Purse readers get a 10% discount on any subscription plan you choose.  Be sure to enter code ECOMOM10 at checkout.)

7^th Heaven 100% Natural Face Mask – This mask uses Moroccan Clay infused with fresh fragrances of apricot and orange to hydrate, cleanse and tone skin.  After you use it, moisturize with…

Natures Gate Rice Bran Facial Moisturizer – This light lotion smooths on easily and leaves no greasy film behind.  It complements perfectly the…

Biotin Shampoo and Conditioner, and Acai Body Wash – Also made by Nature’s Gate, all these products combine botanical, herbal and floral ingredients to create personal care products you’ll feel good using, even more so if you brew a cup of …

Fragrance, Fitness and Fig Bars? Only in this Month's EcoCentric Mom Box

  If you like surprises, an EcoCentric Mom Box is just the thing for you. Every month, this box full of eco-goodies shows up at my door and I have no idea what's going to be inside. I hate to admit it, but I always hope there will be some new food try, and generally there is. But I'm also likely to find new cosmetics, some new kind of soap, coupons that offer significant discounts for e-stores I didn't know existed and lately, perfume. This month's box contained all that and more. The biggest surprise was a $50 gift card to itrain.com, an online source for downloadable workout programs, music, and HD videos.

I decided to use the gift card when I would need it most: after I snarfed down the food.

Nature's Bakery Fig Bars - These are not your normal gummy Fig Newtons! The actual cookie (see photo)  is made from stone ground whole wheat flour; yes, it tastes "healthy" - but it's delicious, too. The filling is thick, hearty and flavorful. Fig filling is what you expect for a fig bar, of course. But the raspberry-filled bar was just as tasty. Other benefits: these bars are dairy free, contain zero transfats, are kosher, and are made in the USA. Definitely something I'd put in my or my kids' lunch or take to the gym with me instead of a power bar.

Go Raw Spirulina Energy Bar - I was expecting this crunchy snack to taste, well, icky. But it's light, flavorful, and the faint banana taste might make it very popular with kids. PLUS: it's free - as in gluten, wheat, nut and GMO free. Organic, too.

EBoost - Here's an alternative to the powdered sugary energy drinks you might be mixing up. EBoost is sugar-free, contains no artificial flavors, and has only 5 calories per serving. Add it to still or sparkling water for a refreshing drink.

Natural Teething Toys, Fragrance-Free Baby Lotion Offer Moms & Babies, Safer, Healthier Options

Finding non-toxic baby products can be a real challenge for new moms. It's hard to know what to look for or where to find it, and with all the greenwashing that goes on, no mom could be blamed if she doubted a manufacturer's claims that its product was "natural" or safe. That may be the main reason why EcoCentric Mom's Baby Boxes are so valuable. Each month, they include a selection of safe and healthy products free of artificial fragrances and dangerous chemicals you don't need to hesitate putting on your baby or yourself, either, for that matter.

 Here's what came in this month's Baby Box:

Family Bedrock Siliconies Diamond Bangle - This phthalate-free silicone ring is big enough for baby to hold onto, yet narrow enough to get inside a tiny mouth. It seems perfect for teething or just playing around.

Ringley Natural Teething Toys - These toys comine untreated Maplewood and 100% organic cotton terrycloth, perfect when your tot needs to do a little gnawing to soothe the new teeth poking through her gums.

In Love with Bodycare Baby Love Soothing Salve - This salve may be for baby, but I have found it perfect for my dry winter skin. It contains yarrow, calendula, and cypress, and I can imagine it is pretty effective on minor diaper rashes as well as parched skin.

Looking for New, Non-toxic Lotions, Cremes & Cleansers? Try the January EcoCentric Mom Box.

 This month's EcoCentric Mom box is chock full of exactly what I need in dry winter months: soothing organic skin lotions and cremes to moisturize my hands and face, gentle soaps, and cleansers and laundry "berry drops" that put the "clean" back in cleaning.

But first, the food.

I've said before that, as much as I enjoy the new non-toxic products from EcoCentric Mom that I get to try every month, I particularly like sampling the different taste treats that come in each box. This month, those treats included:

Simply 7 Snacks Lentil Chips - These flavorful snacks are made with gluten-free, non-GMO ingredients, have no preservatives, and contain nothing artificial.

Pure Matters Pea Protein Powder, in Chocolate and Vanilla - The vegan, non-GMO, plant based protein powder can be mixed with water or milk for a shake, or added to yogurt or fruit to make a smoothie.

PROBAR Meal Bar - A lot of energy bars disappoint - they seem too sweet, too airy, and way too full of processed ingredients. The PROBAR Meal Bar was surprisingly the opposite: very dense and chewy, tasty without being cloying, and so "natural" you could see some of the raw ingredients with every bite. I've got to say, I really liked it.

For my dry skin...

Candy I Don't Feel Guilty About, and a Whole Lot More in This Month's EcoCentric Mom Box

 The December EcoCentric Mom box arrived right in the middle of the holiday season, so I decided to open it in the new year instead. What better way to start off 2013 than by sampling some new organic taste treats and healthy products for my skin and hair?

Honey Stinger Organic Energy Chews - There was lots of food in this month's box, but my favorite by far were these candy-like "energy chews."  Made with USDA certified organic ingredients that are gluten- and dairy-free, they're wonderfully flavorful but not too sweet. I had intended to eat "just one," but gobbled them all right up once I tasted them.

Clandestino Milk Chocolate Banana Bar - Between the subtle banana filling and the milk chocolate covering, these bars pack a nice little energy punch.

Tisano Organic Chocolate Tea - I drink at least six cups of tea a day, and chocolate is one of my favorite foods, so you can imagine how much I liked trying out this new combo. One added benefit: though the tea is made from pure cacao beans, it's calorie-free.

Organic Nectars Chocolate Bars - Yes, more chocolate! These bars are certified organic, vegan and completely free of dairy, peanuts, soy, gluten, GMOs and refined sugar. I especially liked the one flavored witht raspberry.

EcoCentric Mom Box Features Herbal Eye Pillow and Organic Earth Bar

One thing that makes receiving my monthly EcoCentric Mom Box so much fun is that I never know what new, eco-friendly innovations it's going to contain. Pretty regularly, I find welcome non-toxic body lotions, face cleansers or cosmetics and organic taste treats inside. But there are always a few extra surprises included that introduce me to something I had no idea was available.

  For example, this month's box contained:

* Nardo's Natural Face Cleanser, Body Lotion and Lip Balm - What I particularly like about the lip balm is both the natural vanilla scent and the smooth way it glides on. It's not thick and sticky like some balms. In addition to the sample products, the Mom Box included an offer code to receive 20% off retail products and free shipping on orders over $75.

* Eli's Organic Earth Bar - There's just one word for this: YUM! Eli's Earth Bars are organic and Fair Trade in addition to delicious. Plus, the company gives back 5% of every sale to a non-profit charity that benefits kids.

Natural Newborn Vapor Rub - Congested? This rub has been formulated so it's safe enough for babies but works on us big babies, too. As you would expect, it's petroleum-free.

Hero Nutritionals Yummi Bears DHA - These vitamins contain purified fish oil but you'd never know it, hidden as they are in a gummy bear that's naturally fruit flavored.

Green Cupboards $10 Gift Card - Use this gift card to do your own shopping for health & beauty products, electronics, home and outdoor furnishins, and pet supplies.

Lunapads - These washable cloth menstrual pads offer a sustainable alternative to disposable paper products. This month's Mom Box included a coupon to redeem for one free mini pantyliner.

Herbal Eye Pillow Gift Card - These eye pillows are filled with organic flax seeds, lavender, and peppermint. They block out the light and send you off to sleep with a little aromatherapy, too. Use them at night, or at the end of any yoga class.

Each of these products comes with a special offer coded that gives you some kind of discount, usually 20% off the purchase price. 

For All Canada Moms...because Ecocentric Mom only ships within the US, they have teamed up with a brand new subscription box company based in Canada.  This new company only ships within Canada.  If you live in Canada and would like to receive monthly eco-friendly mom and baby boxes, please visit www.LittleEcoFootprint.com to sign-up and tell them Diane sent you.

 

By the way, if you haven't subscribed to EcoCentric Mom boxes in the past, here's what you've missed!

September's Mom Box Review

Baby Box Helps New Moms Find Safer Lotions, Foods

EcoCentric Mom Box Features Green Cleaners, Organic Body Treats

September's EcoCentric Mom Box Review

This month's "Mom Box" from EcoCentric Mom contained a great assortment of cleaning products, personal care products, and even a few snacks.  

  On the laundry front, the box included two sample pouches of Ecover Natural Laundry Powder ZERO, as in fragrance-free.  I'm partial to laundy powder as opposed to liquid in a plastic bottle, so I particularly like this sample. I should get four loads of laundry out of the pouches, given how little detergent my efficient, "high e" washing machine uses.

The personal care products featured:

Lotus Wei Joy Juice Mist, a combination of blood orange, Davana (strawberry-like) and Marigold essences, plus pink daisy. It comes in a glass bottle, with just a minimum plastic spray pump attached, which I appreciate, as I'm trying to keep my bathroom plastic-free.

Beauty Without Cruelty Facial Cleanser. This is a lightly-foaming, soap-free cleanser, that is paraben free and has never been tested on animals. I like the slightly fruity scent. 

"Baby" Box Helps New Moms Find Safer, Greener Lotions, Jammies & Food

  Whether you're a new mom or your kids are a little older, you're probably always on the look-out for non-toxic and healthy products that will help keep your child happy and safe. EcoCentric Mom makes your job a lot easier every month by sending out sample boxes of new products you should at least know about when you go shopping.

I have the enviable job of reviewing EcoCentric Mom's samples each month. My August "baby box" arrived recently, full of products I wish had been around when my own two children were younger. Thanks to EcoCentric Mom, I now know about some terrific options that are worth switching to if you use more conventional brands:

Ecover Natural Dishwashing Liquid - I've used Ecover clothes washing detergent and dish washer powder for a while now, but I hadn't given their dishwashing liquid a try until now. It foams nicely, does a great
job cutting grease, and given my sensitivity to synthetic fragrances, I appreciate that the scent is naturally derived from grapefruit and green tea. This month's box came with a nice sized sample, plus a coupon for $1.00 off any Ecover dishwashing products.

Lunch Skins - Just in time for day care, pre-school, or full-day school lunch boxes, these reusable sandwich bags can be used a thousand times. They're BPA, lead, and phthalate free, and handsewn in the USA by a local family business. If they get dirty, just toss them in the dishwasher.

Molly's Suds - This laundry powder does the job minus fragrances, dyes, formaldehyde, 1,4-dioxane and phosphate. It has not been tested on animals, and is ultra concentrated so a little goes a long way. Though formulated for kids, you can wash your laundry in it, too.  

Sign Up Now to Get Tomorrow's Free Newsletter Featuring Eco & Safe Lunch Boxes & Other Green Back-to-School Tips

Don't miss tomorrow's free e-newsletter, featuring easy links to eco-friendly, non-toxic lunch boxes that will save you $15-$20 a week on throwaway school lunch wrappings. 

Plus:

* Other money-saving, back-to-school tips and links

* Energy-saving back-up lights so you won't be in the dark when the next power outtage strikes

* An introduction to my new refrigerator

 

Wait, there's more!

How do your kids save energy? If they tell their story - in words, pictures, drawings, video - they could win a new phone, computer monitor, or television. Get the scoop in Big Green Purse Alerts tomorrow!

AND...

Learn more about EcoCentric Mom, a monthly subscription to Mom, Mom-to-Be and Baby boxes that help you find non-toxic and eco-friendly cleaning and beauty products.

 

Sign up here. It's free.