My teenage acne skin at 30

I have been trying to slowly switch ALL our cosmetics and household products to more organic, paraben free, non-toxic kind of things-but, the one thing I was holding onto was my acne care. I have done it all from Benzoyl Peroxide, Salic Acid, Rentin-A, and even Accutane. Though I am not pimply anymore I guess they are still hiding under my maticulous care and product usage. I have been on the Proactiv bandwagon for years-using the cheaper version Acne Free from Target (how many brand names can I drop in one sentence?) Anyway I tryed to go organic with a very pricey product line from Juice Beauty and let me just say-zit city. It may work for some-but not my persistent acne! I had so many chin zits I wouldn't even dare put a picture here. I didn't leave without makeup, I hated leaving the house at all, and my lovely husband who usually overlooks such details as a few blemished nicely said my new products weren't really working. So, I found this Nature's Gate line that is an organic copy of Proactive with cleanser, toner and lotion. SO AWESOME and it was only $25 at my CVS next to TJs! If you are looking to switch I have tested it for you. It works and I love it. So does my chin.

False Eyelashes and Organic Makeup

Yesterday I got completely ready in my four year old's bathroom. Is it crazy that she has enough product to support her 30 year old mommy? There was deodorant, makeup, a hair dryer, moisturizer and mousse...I did have to use a Little Einstein bandaid and went for the gusto with her face glitter. Which, by the way what is up with the fact that every single mascara ad features a model or celebrity who is most obviously using fake eyelashes?

Nobody wears those things daily and it is totally false advertising. I even read there are controversies about it. Why not just show what your product really does? I want to start using Nvey Eco. It is organic and paraben free-any users? Does it work?

Wow-I have a lot of gray!

So this is totally not me-but I want it to be. Is she not hot? I used to color my hair all kinds of weird colors when I was young and funky. Now I am getting older and organic or natural. I guess old and funky just sounds like something that smells like an old pair of gym socks-so natural is better. Anyway, I have grown out all the dye and don't usually see all the gray hairs in my home bathroom, but I was just brushing my teeth in a hotel bathroom that has the harshest fluorescent lights (really bad for the thigh and belly cellulite of a recently pregnant girl) and WOW-POP-a ton of grays all over my brunette head. Crazy. Maybe I will look like my beautiful Mother before I know it. I think it is sexy to be all gray, and so does this fashionista. I hope I can be THIS sexy though!

Why I am a environmentalist...

We recently did a DARE to know, grow and go series at church. It dealt a lot with social injustice and it was awesome. I wish these kind of issues were the topic of every sermon. But I heard little rumblings of "Is our church going liberal?" Oh, gracious. I am a liberal I guess, but I think Jesus calls us to care for people and His creation. Doesn't he? I was raised to think this way and come from a family that has these concerns ingrained. I don't think it is a politically liberal issue to care about the earth. I think it is being good stewards of the beautiful creation we have been blessed with. No matter what state you believe the environment is in, why-with all these easy ways to be sensitive-make more of an impact than we need to?

Some simple things we do are (at least the seem simple to us):

*hang clothes on a line outside instead of the dryer

*use ALL energy efficient light bulbs

*recycle everything that is recyclable-plastic, metals, paper

*compost all organic materials

*use flush able or cloth diapers

*eat organic and fair trade foods

*avoid chemicals in detergents, pesticides, soaps, and cleaners around the home

*take our paint and batteries to the hazardous waste collection days

*water less and plant all drought tolerant plants

*shorter showers and no running water while brushing teeth

*avoid using paper products-and never Styrofoam

*drive a lower gas mileage car

*have ceiling fans and run the air/heat as little as possible

*use rags instead of paper towels

*no chemicals on our lawn

*donate everything we don't want or need to goodwill instead of sending it to a landfill

*use canvas bags when shopping

*fill sport bottles for on the go water rather than water bottles

*wash all clothes in cold

*run the dishwasher only when jammed full

*natural bug control-no pesticides

*use recycled paper products for toilet paper, napkins, etc.

*walk to events when possible, rather than drive

Some harder or more expensive things we are striving toward:

*drive a hybrid car ($5000 more)

*drive a motorcycle or scooter (where to put the kids? :)

*install solar panels on our house (will the historic society let us? and do you have $30,000?)

*buy organic or fair trade clothes (Target is more our price range)

*use cloth napkins instead of paper (hm...lazy)

*mow with battery operated or push mowers (we still have a service)

*use less individual serving pre-packaged snacks (then I have to have self control!!!)

*remember to take my refillable coffee mug to Starbucks

*flush less-I just can't leave pee in the toilet yet (though I did this growing up)

Just thought I would let people in to our life a bit because I guess I grew up thinking everyone was like this, but am now realizing that is not the case. I was kind of taken aback when Adam explained that some people think Environmentalist are just pushing their agenda to make a profit and that people actually think the earth is fine. I guess I am naive there, but I just want to earth to be all God created it to be for a long time. Why not? It is not that hard.

I found some great groups of Believers that are living this green lifestyle too. It is ok to be a Believer in Jesus and love the earth-really. Earth Ministry, and Restoring Eden Maybe we should start a chapter out here. Then I would really be weird (not that my baby wearing, homeschooling, organic, green, extended nursing, co sleeping ways haven't conveyed that message already to my surrounding so cal suburbanite conservative Christians-oh well.)

Natural Pest Control

I do not generally like bugs-unless they are girly and harmless like butterflies, ladybugs and um I think that is it. Adam classifies my fear of bees as irrational, I may give him that. But, I also have a completely (in my opinion) rational fear of cockroaches/spiders and an annoyance of ants. Anyway, we have always paid for a Pest Control Service because if it. When we had kids I started to worry about the fact that the back of the bill lists poison control numbers and a disclaimer that we understood that they were spraying poison. Then when my bug guy got annoyed that I started composting a few years ago my concern grew. You're just attracting them, he would say. I started thinking that it was rather silly that I paid more and went out of my way to buy organic groceries, and then ate my own home grown fruits and veggies that had pest defense junk on them. But, finally the last straw was that I reduced my workload and thusly my paycheck. We were simplifying and the pest control is one thing that went. (Funny that the financial is what finally made me go green here.) As I was hanging the clothes on the line today I saw some ants and quite a few spiders. I started thinking, maybe I should get around to researching those natural pest defense ideas I know I could find on the Internet (My daughter has started saying-Yeah, I know that because I read it on the Internet...her source of information is so different than mine at four). This is what I found. EathEasy.com. Awesome site, awesome ideas. Gotta get to work on it though-if I see a roach in my house I will freak out...Wish me luck.