Archive for May, 2009
Thursday, May 28th, 2009
As we close energy month here is a selection of energy saving or monitoring superstars from our store.
With a power strip, you can stop energy vampires (those appliances that drain electricity even when turned off) in their tracks. Switch off the power strip and the energy stops flowing to whatever is plugged into it. With a
smart power strip, you don’t even have to flip a switch. It simply senses which devices are not being used all on its own (that’s why it’s smart!) and cuts off their power automatically, no clicking off on your part required. It’s perfect for an office or home entertainment system set up.
The
Kill-A-Watt is more of an electricity tracker. You attach it to any appliance and it tells you how many killowatts are being burned every minute, hour, or month of its operation. It’s an amazing tool for compiling your own home efficiency data and for finding out what it’s important to unplug or even replace with an
Energy Star version.
If you can’t yet afford solar panels or live in an apartment (though government
rebates on solar are glowing these days!), you can start small. Like with this
hybrid solar gadget charger from Solio. It’ll charge ipods, cell phones, cameras, any handheld digital device. It’s especially handy if you’ve got access to a bright window or the outdoors most of the day–then you may never have to plug in again–just talk on your phone, hang up, and charge up. Then repeat.
A
solar flashlight could be a perfect Father’s Day gift or accoutrement for a summer camping trip. The coolest part? The solar charge holds for three years! So even if you store in a closet for a few months, you can still switch it on whenever you need it in a jiff.
Finally, these are not as much gadgets as old-fashioned contraptions of the simplest kind. We carry a
retractable clothesline and
wooden clothespins for all your clothes drying needs. By skipping the dryer in favor of the power of our planet’s sun, you save major energy and get the benefit of sun-fresh, still toasty-warm laundry. I hang almost all of my laundry–even towels and sheets–out to dry.
Tags: energy gadgets, green home, saving electricity, saving energy
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Monday, May 25th, 2009
This All Shades blogger has two pals who are expecting little ones this summer. For both of them, I got a natural rubber pacifier from Natursutter and the much-heralded oh baby! belly butter that we carry from Mambino Organics.
I hear from my pregnant friends that this stuff is amazing. Not only does it have all the best ingredients for soothing and restoring elasticity to stretched, dry bellies (shea, mango, and cocoa butter to name a few), it smells delectable from its citrus infusions of sweet orange and mandarin. It’ll help soften and prevent stretch marks and help a belly rebound after giving birth.
And like all Mambino’s skin care offerings, it’s culled from the power of nature. Created by an admired aesthetician here in L.A. who was looking for safe, natural skin care products that work wonders, Mambino Organics carries ecological alternatives to synthetics, stuff you can rub on your skin and feel good about. And while they’re specifically safe for women who are expecting, they’re nourishing and skin-supporting for anyone (my husband uses a tiny belly butter sample as lip balm).
And consider toting something luscious from Mambino for a mama or bambino to a baby shower near you this summer.
Tags: mambino organics, organic skin care, pregnancy skin care
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Thursday, May 21st, 2009
From skin care to hair care, we’d like to introduce Simply Organic that carries natural, plant-based treats for your tresses.
And it gets a stamp of approval from our store manager, Natalie, as well who has thick hair, hair that’s simply loving Simply Organic.
Tags: natural hair care, simply organic
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Tuesday, May 19th, 2009
Crafted right her in Southern California by a woman following in her grandmother’s footsteps, Dana Sue’s company, Herban is one answer to an urban green liver’s body pampering routine. Herban’s bath and body products promise to please the senses and nourish the skin with aromatherapeutic herbs and bio-plant components.
In the store, for BODY, we’re carrying luscious soy bath milks (ylang ylang and spearmint/rosemary), salted butter scrub (ylang ylang) with sea salt and shea buter, and all over moisturizer for hands, elbows, feet, knees, or even the ends of your hair!
For FACE, we’ve got organic brown sugar and coconut butter sugar mud exfoliant. And for men, a unique treat, a daily clay bar cleanser set (pictured) complete with porcelain tray and shaving brush to be used as part of a gentleman’s gentle shaving routine (and perhaps a fitting Father’s Day gift).
Here’s to buttering up your body with natural pampering products any eco-urbanite will appreciate.
Tags: herban, herban skin care, natural skin care, organic skin care
Posted in natural skin care | No Comments »
Monday, May 18th, 2009
With spring in full swing and summer right around the corner, we want to share with you over the next week or two some of the fabulous (and totally natural) skin care lines we’re now carrying. That way you’ll be glowing in sunny weather.
We’ve already told you about Benedetta’s bottles of better skin care, full of organic, biodynamic, sustainable ingredients that store manager Natalie can’t get enough of.
But since there are more eco-friendly skin offerings on our shelves, we’re going to tell you about them, too!
Tags: natural skin care
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If you can’t yet afford solar panels or live in an apartment (though government rebates on solar are glowing these days!), you can start small. Like with this hybrid solar gadget charger from Solio. It’ll charge ipods, cell phones, cameras, any handheld digital device. It’s especially handy if you’ve got access to a bright window or the outdoors most of the day–then you may never have to plug in again–just talk on your phone, hang up, and charge up. Then repeat.
