Diva Review: Melaleuca Eco Sense

Not too long ago a friend of mine asked me what I thought about Melaleuca – so I did a little bit of research was intriqued. She is a huge fan.

It was a welcome coincidence a few months later when Melaleuca asked if they could sponsor my attendance of the EVO conference. I knew Melaleuca was doing good work and was excited to learn more about the brand.

Maleleuca is a company dedicated to providing natural, safe and effective products directly to the consumer.

Most of my readers are aware that I make many of my own cleaning products – and this is a great way to save money, but the truth is I know that most of you aren’t quite ready to become home chemists.  I know you are looking for a way to clean your home that is economical and safe – Melaleuca has created a line of products that meets both goals – Eco Sense.

The Eco Sense line contains Automatic Dishwasher Detergent – Diamond Brite, Laundry Products including a very effective stain remover – PreSpot, Furniture Polish, and a Thyme based antibacterial cleaner called – Sol-U-Guard.  To name a few of the products in their line.

What might be the best part of the EcoSense line is it’s packaging.  The Melaleuca starter kit contains empty spray bottles and corresponding concentrate.  You then add the concentrate to the bottle and fill with water from your tap.  When you use up the bottle of concentrate – you order another. This make so much sense; it saves money and is kinder to the environment.

The EcoSense line prices out much less expensively than conventional cleaners – one bottle of concentrate at $5.69 will make 96 oz of Tough & Tender – the EcoSense all purpose cleaner.  To buy the same 96 oz of 409 prices in at about $10 – not to mention the additional plastic that will be saved.

The Eco Sense line is not perfect, I’ve yet to find a brand that is.  Melaleuca is making every effort to meet the needs of their customers with a highly effective, safe product, while remaining as pure as possible.

Some of their products are a little more scented than I prefer – and not every scent 100% essential oil – but most are.  Any other fragrances ingredients used are European Union or EU compliant  – which is much more stringent than US regulations.

A discussion with Scott Hollander, Melaleuca’s head of Marketing – provided further explanation.  When they’ve made unscented products – they don’t sell.  I think I’ve gotten used to my homemade, lightly scented life – but most consumers have not.  I’m confident if their customers were asking for unscented – with their commitment to pure products – they would happily deliver.

Being a Melaleuca customer is a little different that shopping at your local market.   They area direct sales company and there are two ways to buy from them.

1. Invest in a $29 membership by calling 1-800-282-3000 – much like you would at Costco.  To maintain your membership they require a minimum monthly purchase, members typically purchase double what is required of them.
2. Conversely Melaleuca will introduce you to a local representative you can buy from without a membership.

Melaleuca also offers a money back satisfaction guarantee – so you can experience any of their products with the confidence of knowing that if you don’t like them – used or new – you can get your money back.

Love Letter to the FDC – I was not paid by Melaleuca or it’s agents to write this post, but Melaleuca did provide lodging and conference access to the EVO conference in Park City, UT – just to be clear about what sponsored means.  While they may have paid for me to be a part of an amazing event…. they did not pay for my opinions… those are and will remain my own.  Clear enough?

Welcome back to PND. It's good to see you again!Diva Review: Melaleuca Eco Sense

Diva Review: Cafe Blossom

While I was in New York City  for Blogher I had a chance to sit down with Neha from Greenista. We had lunch at Cafe Blossom, an organic vegan restaurant, located in the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

Now… to be fair,  when I eat out I lean towards conventional restaurants.  When Neha suggested Cafe Blossom I threw caution to the wind and went for it.  I was after all – on my own in NYC…  and I  write a naturally focused organic and eco blog after all…

Sitting down to order was a challenge for me.  Being a vegan restaurant meant  they had no dairy – which meant no cafe latte for me and even though it was lunch, I had been packing all morning and really could have used that coffee!  I settled for Earl Gray Tea with agave and lemon… steeped in a thimble sized cup.

Note to Cafe Blossom – if you are going to serve tea – serve it in a teapot or at least a cup that holds more than 4 oz of water.  It took us 20 minutes to get more hot water to dilute the bitter tea.

Back to the menu…. I contemplated the Black Eyed Pea Cakes – but not being a fan of the black eyed pea – that seemed risky.  I considered the Autumn Sweet Potato Rolls, but was fairly sure I would be wishing for rice noodles while I munching on their raw coconut noodles and I wondered where the rest of the dish was for the Peas and Carrots – if it’s delish – it needs to be renamed!

I ordered the mushroom soup – which never made it to my table -  and the Veggie Grain Burger with sweet potato fries.  The sandwich my have looked a little plain, but it was delicious.  I didn’t miss the cheese at all (and I always miss the cheese!) and had the server ever returned I would have loved a little more of the yummy hummus.

Overall, service was a little too laid back for my style.  No one checked on our meal, to get more water for our tea I had to get up… twice… and by the time we flagged a server to get get our bill, we didn’t even have time to see if they billed us for the mushroom soup that never arrived.

After a little trepidation about the menu, I found the food to be very enjoyable.  I just wished the staff had shown even the tiniest care in serving their clientele, on the upside if you are looking for a vegan restaurant where they will leave you to linger in NYC this may be the spot for you!

Diva Review: Cafe Blossom

Diva Review – Kabana Organic Sunscreen

Kabana Organic Fragrance Free Tinted Sunscreen SPF 22

Planning a getaway for some fun in the sun this winter? You’ll want to protect your winter white skin from the sun with sunscreen, but you’ll also want to be sure the protection doesn’t care it’s own set of concerns.

Kabana Skincare offers a selection of ultra pure sunscreens, baby care products, soap & bodywashes that offer light UV protection for everyday protection, moisturizers, lip balms and sunscreens.

To learn more about the importance of careful sunscreen selections read the Diva Guide to Safer Sunscreen.

Kabana offer’s sunscreen in both Tinted & Untinted.  Many of the safer sunscreens contain a high amount of zinc, as does Kabana’s.  Many people don’t like the white pastiness you end up with from the zinc.  Tinted sunscreen provides a solution to this problem.  I’m very fair and the tint disappeared into my skin.  Those with darker skin my find the tinting a little pale.

Sunscreen is an important part of a skincare regime.  Not only does it prevent skin cancer, but wrinkles too.  Let’s face it, most of us are more motivated by vanity then our health.  According to the American Academy of Dermatologists – 90% of wrinkles are caused by sun!

What I love about the Kabana line is their streamline approach they take with their products.  Their Tinted Sunscreen has 8 ingredients.  Eight!  They focus on high quality, effective ingredients.  I was initially concerned that they didn’t offer a SPF 30.  Their founder,  Eric Kreider believes that an SPF 20 is all the protection we need and equates to absorbing 95% of UV, while an SPF 45 only gives you 2.8% more protection while exposing our bodies to more chemicals that typically carry a %300 increase in associated health risk along with a higher price tag.

With a Diva Total  13.7 of out of 15 points this product is: Divaliscious!

CLICK HERE for review criteria:

8 Points Skin Deep Low Hazard Rating ~ 1
2 Points for being Organic – The Tinted Sunscreen comprised of %86 organic ingredients.

1.8 Points for effectiveness Worn at the Beach in Sunny California and on a Palm Springs getaway, my fair skin didn’t get burnt. I did get a bit of extra sun on my nose – I should have reapplied after 2 hours as per the instructions.

.8 Point for Texture This product was very smooth and creamy. For a zinc based sunscreen I found it absorbed in more quickly than other products I’ve tried.

.7 Point for Fragrance The Kabana Sunscreen is unscented and doesn’t contain any fragrance to mask it’s natural scent.

.3 Points for Packaging Appearance The packaging is very sporty in appearance. Royal Blue with Bright Yellow and Green Writing accents.

.1 Points for Packaging SustainabilityThe Sunscreen is not packaged using any additional boxes, but there was no information on their site or the tube.

Overall:

With a nice texture, effective sun protection and ultra pure ingredient list, this is a great sunscreen option for your entire family.  If whiteness from the zinc bothers you, choose the tinted option.  Otherwise I didn’t notice a difference between the two offerings.

Note – Don’t forget to shake the tube well prior to application as it separates when it sits.

Diva Review – Kabana Organic Sunscreen

Diva Review & Giveaway: Miessence Organics

Congratulations to the winner!

I was introduced to Miessence Organics by Erin Ely an Independent Representative who has been following PND and knew that I had to check out their line!

What I love about Miessence Skin Care products is that every ingredient in the skin care line is certified organic to food standards by the Australian Certified Organic (ACO).

They also ship all of their products fresh from the factory and suggest their product be used within 6 months to ensure you get the full benefit of the active ingredients.  Miessence also uses cold pressed formulations – this ensures that heat will not kill the active ingredients during processing.

They have a full line of body care products,  skincare and makeup that you can use with confidence – the entire product range scores from 0-2 in the Cosmetics Database.

I wish I could go to the store to try all these fantastic products, but they are only available through independent distribution.  The line prices out with  cleansers at $42, shampoo & conditioner that are $22 each, and at $40 their facial serums are a bargain.

Erin did send me their Rejuvenessence Facial Serum to try – it was  little too rich for daily use on my skin, but I adjusted to using it 2 or 3 times a week and that has been just right.  It has a rich botanical fragrance and absorbs quickly into the skin.

Lucky for us, Erin has agreed to give one lucky reader a $50 gift certificate to try Miessence for themselves!  Use it for toothpaste, sunscreen, shampoo, make up – it’s your call – but use it with confidence because this company prides themselves on being 100% organic and natural.

Win a $50 Gift Certificate for Miessence Organics

HOW TO ENTER:

There are a few ways you can enter, leave separate comments for each entry.

Mandatory

Become an Email Subscriber to PND using the form in the sidebar. Leave a comment with a name I can print in our newsletter if you win. Winners are only announced in our newsletter – so don’t forget to check!

• The subscription must be confirmed. You will receive and email that you must reply to for your entry to be valid.
• Already a confirmed Subscriber. Complete any one of the additional entries options – Leave a comment letting Diva know you’re subscriber name and the entry option you selected.

Additional Entries

1. Go to ElyOrganics and share what you will use your $50 to buy!
2. Stumble, Digg, Kirsty, or Technorati favorite this post. Leave a comment with your name and the link.
3. Follow @purenaturaldiva (use link on the sidebar) and @erinely on twitter. Leave your twittername in a separate comment.
4. Become a Fan of Pure Natural Diva and Miessence Organics on Facebook. Post this giveaway as an update, leave your FB Name or Name with a copy of your update in a separate comment. One entry for each.
5. Tweet this giveaway. Copy and paste “WIN a $50 Gift Certificate for Miessence Organics, make-up, skin care… Diva Giveaway http://bit.ly/bhvrJ8 @purenaturaldiva #ElyOrganics”. Leave a comment and link in the comments.
6. Write a post on your blog linking to my blog and to the – Good for two entries. Leave this comment twice so you get both entries!

This giveaway will run through midnight on May 22, 2010 PDT, with winner being announced May 24, 2010 in the PND Newsletter. Winner will be chosen using Random.org from all valid entries. Winner will have 24 hours to contact me before the contest is re-opened until the following weekend.

Giveaway is open to residents of the U.S.

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Diva Review & Giveaway: Miessence Organics

Costco Line of Green Cleaners

Costco  introduced a new line of environmentally friendly cleaning products.   It is their own Kirkland Brand – and it’s packaged in 70% recycled material.

The Line Includes:

Liquid Laundry Detergent
Dish Detergent
Automatic Dishwasher Detergent
All Purpose Cleaner

I’ve happily replaced my laundry detergent (method $12 + per 64 load ) with the Kirkland green brand, around $13 for 110 loads. – I like the fragrance, leaves the laundry with a light fresh smell – but not at all over powering.

For all purpose cleaner – I make my own for less than $1 per bottle – but I did buy a bottle to try. I’ll report back once I’ve used it.

The Automatic Dishwasher Detergent works equally well in my dishwasher as the Seventh Generation. The packaging doesn’t the little metal pour spout -which is greener, but I must confess I miss it. It won’t stop me from using this detergent.

Some reviews have said Kirkland Brand is not as green as brand like; Planet and Seventh Generation, but for those of you moving in the green direction it’s a much better alternative than conventional brands, a big step in the right direction by Costco. Not to mention being much kinder to our wallet that other green brands.

Costco Line of Green Cleaners

Diva Review: Ratana Eco Salon in Hollywood

My husband has been asking me for ages to go back to the Auburn Hair Color I was when we first met.  I stopped coloring my hair when I was pregnant with Lil’ Diva.  After she was born and I’d learned even more about the toxins in hair coloring – I was happy to avoid the exposure and keep my natural color.

Little did I know – there are other options.  You can find salons that offer beautiful color with dramatically safer color options.

Today I visited Ratana Salon – A hidden gem in West Hollywood off La Cienega just south of Santa Monica Blvd.  You even enter the salon off the back lane!

You won’t find any hustle or bustle here – instead you’ll meet Ratana, possibly her sister, Suchana, and be soothed with zen-like music in an intimate Spa like atmosphere.  There is one station for one  client, and the first thing I noticed after walking into the salon was the absence any chemical smell.

Ratana began the process of becoming a greener salon a year ago -  they’ve come a long way in that time.  After working as a salon owner and stylist for over 20 years, she decided to change over to a less toxic coloring system because the traditional chemicals were making her sick.

The color process she uses – Organic Color Systems – employs heat  to open the hair follicle and prepare it for the color.  Traditional coloring uses ammonia.  This system does take a little extra time – so if you decide to try it out be sure to allow 2 hours for your color process.

Ratana offers Organic Care Systems hair care line and Eminence Organic Skin Care .

Ask for tea or coffee and you’ll get an organic offering – right down to the organic cream… and… oh… it will be served in a real mug.

A trip to the powder room and you’ll find the paper products are 100% recycled.

Ratana decided we should try a semi permanent process on my hair  and successfully transformed me into an Auburn Diva once again.  Semi permanent is a great choice for those who don’t need to cover gray and want to have less pressure to “get your roots done.”

Whether you live in Los Angeles or not – if you color your hair it may be time to ask your stylist to make a few changes or find an Eco Salon in your area.  When I asked my personal stylist why more salons aren’t offering organic options – he said when it comes to beauty women just don’t care.  I truly hope this isn’t true.

Ratana Salon
916 1/4 N. La Cienega Blvd.
(enter thru La Cienega alley)

Phone: (310) 659-2239

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Diva Review: Ratana Eco Salon in Hollywood

Diva Review & Giveaway: revitaPOP – the B12 Lollipop

Longtime readers will be familiar with my experience with Vitamin B12 or Methylcobalamin B12 (Melthylated B12 or MB12) is that it is Vitamin B12 that has been  methylated to enable the body to absorb vitamin B12 better, in it’s regular form B12 doesn’t readily absorb.

For those who are not – B12 is one of my go to cold & flu remedies.  There is no scientific data to my knowledge supporting it’s use.  That said, I know when I get a sore throat – a dose of B12 and the sore throat is gone.

The challenge with this natural remedy is getting your hands on it in a way that our bodies will benefit from it.  You can’t just take a tablet.

You can:

Order it from a compounding pharmacy in Georgia with a prescription.

Make your own compound using 5000 mcg sublingual tablets crushed into .5 oz of water in a dropper or nasal spray bottle (Read Comments in Diva Cold & Flu Tool Kit).

Find a Doctor who administers B12 shots.

The B12 lollipop – revitaPOP – a delicious Lolli that no child will turn down.

In our family we use this remedy treating the common cold, but many say they have had great success using B12 with ADHD,  Irritable Bowel,  and autism to name a few of the symptoms they list on their site.

While their statements have not been evaluated by the FDA they do list numerous sources & studies pointing to it’s efficacy on their site.  I know if I had a child that suffered from autism I would be willing to invest in a few lollipops to see if I noticed any improvement.

revitaPOP contains – no gluten, no casein, no Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’S), no FD & C Colors, no dairy, no artificial flavors, no dyes, no synthetics, no pesticides, no preservatives.

Ingredients – Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Organic Rice Syrup, Organic Fruit Juice, Citric Acid & Natural Goji flavor.

Children may safely take 1 Revita Pop, adults may take 2.

My one wish was that they had formulated  revitaPOP without  Cane Juice – and that it was a little less expensive.  Revita Pops are $34.99 (plus shipping) per bag of 30 lollipops.

Conclusion:
RevitaPOP is a great way to easily administer vitamin B12 and it’s so yummy no one will feel even know they are taking their “medicine”.

They are currently offering a promotion that gives customers who subscribe to receive one bag monthly will get free shipping and get a bag of lollipops for the cost of shipping and handling ($10) when they subscribe.

Ready to Try revitaPOP for Yourself?

Enter to win a One Month Supply of revitaPOP – A $45 value.

HOW TO ENTER:

There are a few ways you can enter, leave separate comments for each entry.

Mandatory

Become an Email Subscriber to PND using the form in the sidebar.  Leave a comment with a name I can print in our newsletter if you win!

• The subscription must be confirmed. You will receive and email that you must reply to for your entry to be valid.
• Already a confirmed Subscriber. Complete any one of the additional entries options – Leave a comment letting Diva know you’re subscriber name and the entry option you selected.

Additional Entries

1. Go to RevitaPop and share your favorite fun fact about this great company!
2. Stumble, Digg, Kirsty, or Technorati favorite this post. Leave a comment with your name and the link.
3. Follow @purenaturaldiva (use link on the sidebar)  on twitter. Leave your twittername in a separate comment.
4. Become a Fan of Pure Natural Diva & revitaPop on Facebook. Post this giveaway as an update, leave your FB Name or Name with a copy of your update in a separate comment. One entry for each.
5. Tweet this giveaway. Copy and paste “WIN a One Month Supply of revitaPOP Vitamin B12 Lollipops a $45 Value Diva Giveaway  http://bit.ly/aFC7kB @purenaturaldiva”. Then come back and leave the direct link to your tweet (go to your twitter account, click on the words when your tweet was sent (ie. 5 seconds ago) and copy and paste that link in comments.
6. Write a post on your blog linking to my blog and to the – Good for two entries. Leave this comment twice so you get both entries!

This giveaway will run through midnight on April 10, 2010 PDT, with winner being announced April 12, 2010 in the PND Newsletter. Winner will be chosen using Random.org from all valid entriesl. Winner will have 24 hours to contact me before another winner is chosen.

Giveaway is open to residents of the U.S.

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Diva Review & Giveaway: revitaPOP – the B12 Lollipop

Diva Review & Giveaway: Seventh Generation

Regular readers already know I’m a big fan of making my own cleaning supplies. You just can’t beat the price!

I know that MANY of you are not ready to start mixing your own cleaners – clearly your sanity is still intact. That said – You do  want to know the best options for non toxic cleaning in your own home.

When it comes to green home cleaning products you can’t get too far into any discussion without talking about Seventh Generation, a leader in the non toxic, greener  household solutions industry.

What they have to say:

Seventh Generation is committed to being the most trusted brand of household and personal-care products for your living home. Our products are healthy and safe for the air, the surfaces, the fabrics, the pets, and the people within your home — and for the community and environment outside of it. Seventh Generation also offers products for baby that are safe for your children and the planet.

Seventh Generation is their committed to inspiring change – their product labels are clear and you can understand what you are reading.  Their products will often  include a statement about the eco impact of your purchasing decision.  Statistics that have inspired me.

For Example

If every family replaced just one roll of virgin fiber 120 count Paper Towels with 100% recycled paper towels we would save 1 million trees!

If every family replace just one bottle of conventional liquid laundry detergent with a plant derived alternative we would save 466,000 Barrels of Oil!

Seventh Generation sent me their Free & Clear Home Started Kit to try out.

The kit includes:
Free & Clear Natural Glass & Surface Cleaner
Free & Clear Natural All Purpose Cleaner
Free & Clear Natural Dish Liquid
Free & Clear Natural Laundry Detergent, 32 oz
Free & Clear Fabric Softener, 50 oz
Natural Paper Towels (-1) 120 Count
Reusable Tote

If you haven’t ventured into non toxic, eco friendly cleaning & household products, this is a great company to try.   As a leader in the “green household solutions’ market I’m proud to share their products with my readers. Seventh Generation is aware of the fact that if their products don’t do the job – people won’t use them!  So the product effectiveness is imperative to them.

As a company they have a goal of being as transparent as they can with consumers.  They share both their victories and where they fall short of their goals on their website.  Repeatedly their products lead the way for being some of the best choices from both an toxin standpoint and their environmental impact in the industry.  Green is more than a marketing ploy, it is part of their corporate vision.

As a mother – one of the most compelling things I read on their entire site wasn’t statistic or figures, rather this story that was shared in their corporate consciousness report:

Dear Seventh Generation:
My heart has been overflowing with gratitude since Saturday night. I was emptying the
dishwasher, and hadn’t realized that it had malfunctioned (all of the dishwashing powder
was still in there). My daughter had opened the little detergent door when I wasn’t paying
attention. I looked down to see her with two handfuls and a mouthful of your dishwasher
powder. Frantic, I called Poison Control. “My daughter ate dishwasher powder.” They asked
what brand it was. “Seventh Generation.” “Oh, it’s fine then. Just wash it off her hands, and
give her a glass of water.” Thank you, thank you, thank you!   — Gabrielle

From my perspective this letter illustrates so much of what motivates me to make better choices for my family and care more about the environment for the future.  It’s about our children and their future.

Seventh Generation has a great website full of information & coupons.  So don’t forget to take advantage and save a few dollars – it all adds up!

Seventh Generation is Giving One Lucky PND Reader a Home Starter Kit (Retail Value $42)

HOW TO ENTER:

There are a few ways you can enter, leave separate comments for each entry.

Mandatory

Become an Email Subscriber to PND using the form in the sidebar.  Leave a comment with a name I can print in our newsletter if you win!

• The subscription must be confirmed. You will receive and email that you must reply to for your entry to be valid.
• Already a confirmed Subscriber. Complete any one of the additional entries options – Leave a comment letting Diva know you’re subscriber name and the entry option you selected.

Additional Entries

1. Go to Seventh Generation and share your favorite fun fact about this great company!
2. Stumble, Digg, Kirsty, or Technorati favorite this post. Leave a comment with your name and the link.
3. Follow @purenaturaldiva (use link on the sidebar) and @SeventhGen on twitter. Leave your twittername in a separate comment.
4. Become a Fan of Pure Natural Diva & Seventh Generation on Facebook. Post this giveaway as an update, leave your FB Name or Name with a copy of your update in a separate comment. One entry for each.
5. Tweet this giveaway. Copy and paste “WIN Free & Clear Home Starter Cleaning Kit!!! Diva Giveaway  http://bit.ly/aFC7kB @purenaturaldiva”. Then come back and leave the direct link to your tweet (go to your twitter account, click on the words when your tweet was sent (ie. 5 seconds ago) and copy and paste that link in comments.
6. Write a post on your blog linking to my blog and to the – Good for two entries. Leave this comment twice so you get both entries!

This giveaway will run through midnight on April 3, 2010 PDT, with winner being announced April 5, 2010 in the PND Newsletter. Winner will be chosen using Random.org from all valid entries. Winner will have 24 hours to contact me before the contest is re-opened until the following weekend.

Giveaway is open to residents of the U.S.

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target=”_blank”>Click here to see the entire Blog Hop List….

Diva Review & Giveaway: Seventh Generation

Diva Review: Vapour Organic Siren Lipstick

Vapour Beauty is a New Mexico based company that joined forces with renowned make-up artist Erik Sakas.  They created a line of organic beauty products that is made using food grade organic ingredients.

Vapours shares many of the values that we embrace here at PND.  Acknowledging that as our largest organ; care should be taken with what we put on our skin.  Topically applied products will be absorbed into our bodies!  Adding toxins and chemicals will unduly burden our system, contributing to illness and disease.

They recently sent me a sample of their Siren Lipstick to review.

With a Diva Total of 14.8 out of 15 points this product is: Divaliscious!

Click here for review criteria:

8 Points for Skin Deep Low Hazard Rating of 1 - Excellent!
It should be noted that PND input the product ingredients and one item was not found in their database.

2 Points for being Organic – 95% organic content

2 Points for effectiveness – I was concerned that it wouldn’t have very good staying power and while it may not rival those in the extended wear lipstick category it’s certainly surprised me.  It nicely made it through lunch with the girls.  I also enjoyed the conditioning properties in the lipstick.  These days most lipsticks feel very drying on my skin, but the Siren felt hydrating.

1 Point for Texture – The texture of their lipstick was really nice, not sticky or heavy.

1 Point for Fragrance -  The fragrance is delicate and just a little fruity.

.4 Points for Packaging Appearance – Their lipstick comes in a tube and twirls out, much like chapstick.  Part of me missed the conventional twirl out of a more traditional lipstick.  However, when Lil’ Diva got her hands on the tube and I was able to “save” the tube by compacting all the lipstick back together again, I was VERY grateful!

.4 Points for Packaging Sustainability – Vapour uses wind power for all of their manufacturing.  Packaging is either recyclable or made from recycled materials.  We’d love to see all packaging made from post consumer materials, but they’ve made some great choices and hopefully will strive toward that goal.

Overall:

Vapour delivers a high quality organic lipstick using food grade ingredients.  This is fantastic because we wear it on our lips which means we’ll likely be ingesting a little of it!

Siren lipstick is available in 5 colors, desire, hint, knockout, ravish and tempt and retails for $19.

Ready to try Vapor for yourself… find it on www.ShopNBC.com and www.VapourBeauty.com.

Diva Review: Vapour Organic Siren Lipstick

Diva Review: The Looking Book

We have made a real effort to curtail the amount of Television our children watch.  Or at least I have, Dude and I aren’t exactly on the same page.  He thinks I’m doing it the hard way.  And he’s right, there are many times when turning the TV on would be much easier in the short run.

By leaving the Television off and limiting their exposure, I’m convinced they are developing their creativity and learning to come up with their own activities.

They also REALLY look forward to Saturday mornings with their father when they get to watch TV (and mom get’s to sleep in, so we all win!).

Recently, PND was asked to review The Looking Book by P.K. Hallinan.  P.K. has spent his career writing books that help children and parents alike.  With the  Looking Book he continues on that path.    His other books; Heartprints
and How Do I Love You?
are favorites in our family.

The story follows two brothers that go on a magical adventure in their own backyard.  The Looking Book gently encourages young readers to get outside where they can get lost in nature.

Like other P.K. books I found it easy to get energetic and “into” reading this story.  There were a number of places where it was easy to get excited with the kids, play and have fun.  As they explore it was also easy to segway into a conversation with Lil Diva & Dude about all the things they love to do on their outside adventures.

I love reading stories to my children that reinforce the values that we are working hard to instill.  It’s tough out there in this fast paced media driven world and anything that makes it a little easier to pry our children away from the electronics are  much appreciated!

The book is fun to read, is the right length, and has a sweet message with a timeless feel.  We’ll enjoy it for many a story time.

CLICK HERE to learn more about PK Hallinan.

Diva Review: The Looking Book

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