green guide

I'm a nail polish girl, but I haven't done them in ages since I was pregnant and now nursing. It's not that I haven't had time (though I really haven't), it's that I'm just so much more aware of the chemicals in everything.

Did you know there are chemicals in a lot of polishes that are banned for use in Europe?

I realize I need to think about all these things more...and so whenever I polish my nails, I'm using one that is toxin free. Luckily there are a lot of eco-friendly (and people-friendly) polishes on the market.

Photo by BobMariah

Kiss without chemicals!

No one wants to put chemicals on their lips. Green by Nature lipstick is my new favorite, but if you're into making some homemade balm, I've got a recipe for you.

Photo from Target

When I got off the subway last night, I saw it -- the Loomstate for Target ad up on the wall. Um. How could I forget? Loomstate, which I normally cannot really afford, has taken their eco-friendly practices and clothing and shared them with the mega-store. Yep, 100 percent organic cotton, with prices starting at $14.99, for both men and women. Love it!

Can I just be transported to exactly where this model is...in her cute plaid dress?

Check out a few other styles....

Photo from Desert Essence

Being a green mama is not just good for you and your body, but for your kids, too. That all-natural body lotion and shampoo is good for the whole family. 

I tested a few different items and have the scoop on some of my new favorite eco-friendly products for your skin, hair, nails, and body.

Photo from Cafe Press

Today is Earth Day, and we've been celebrating green living (and sharing some eco-friendly ideas) all month in our Green Living Guide.

But Mother Earth will always be celebrated even when this month is over.

I found some cute tees (and a bib) to outfit the family.

I love the message (both of them) on this tank top!

Check out the others....

I finally hosting a swap party! Not only is it eco-friendly, but you can recycle your old items and get new ones for free. Cost effective!

My sister agreed to have it at her house -- it's bigger -- and we already sent out Evites (no paper waste) so the ladies can start setting things aside.

Want more details?

Here's how to have a swap party....

Just hearing the word strawberry and I can smell the tart sweetness of it. Long ago, I had the Strawberry Shortcake doll -- with her weirdly wonderfully fake strawberry essence. Loved her!

So imagine if your feet, one of the smelliest parts of the body (mine usually are anyway), were scented like this yummy fruit -- the real fruit?

Let's make a strawberry foot scrub.

My husband needs some, too!

Photo from Polyvore

Eco-friendly, inexpensive, and adorable -- three words to describe Zoe & Zac's shoe line for Payless. I want the purple wedges. The entire womens and girls collection is under $30. They have bags, too -- also under $30!

And have you heard of TOMS shoes?

I can't always splurge on high quality hair products, but when I do my hair thanks me by being shiny and bouncy. Plus, a lot of my favorite hair care solutions involve natural items. I'm a big fan of homemade beauty solutions.

I'm also a huge fan of eco-friendly companies, and Pureology is one of them.

This 100 percent vegan, never tested on animals, organic botanical hair care company also uses 25 percent post-consumer recyclables in their packaging. Plus, bottles can be recycled and they follow eco-friendly practices.

Want to win the 5-bottle EssentialRepair set featured here?

To enter, tell me...

Photo by LelandsMommy

Tetrachloroethene, or perc as it is known, is a man-made chemical used in dry cleaning and it's a big culprit in the contamination of our water. Cleanup from spills has cost billions.

The more I learn about the dangers of dry cleaning, the more I want to spread the word about safer alternatives. I want photos like this one of an adorable kid in the green grass eating an apple to be able to be snapped for years and years to come.

So I'm sharing what I know with you.