Creative Wanderings - Handcrafted Soap Review

About a month ago I went to a local craft fair and purchased a couple of bars of handcrafted soaps from Creative Wanderings. Oh. My. Gosh. These are the most amazing soaps I have ever tried.  I've always been a fan of handcrafted soaps; mainly because I don't find them to be nearly as harsh on my skin as conventional soaps. These soaps were absolutely amazing though.  They left my skin so moisturized that I didn't need to use a separate moisturizer and the smell - well it was all I could do not to eat the bars. Even my big kids made comments about how good they smell, and they are always wanting to use this soap over the other soaps in the bathroom.

Creative Wanderings is located in Kingston, Nova Scotia. All of the Creative Wanderings soaps are hand crafted using the cold process method, which retains all the naturally-occurring glycerin of the saponification process. The oils that she uses are all vegetable based, so vegetarians can feel comfortable knowing that no animal fats are present. Yay! for vegan soap!!

Sugar Rush                                   Jack Frost 

The first soap that we used was called Sugar Rush. It was absolutely amazing. The soap smelled like a mixture of cotton candy and vanilla cake. Every time I took a shower and used this soap I couldn't help but feel happy. The soap is made from all natural vanilla and it lathers up brown. At first I thought it was going to stain my wash cloths but it didn't. :) Last night Miss. Bean told me the next time I buy this soap I should buy 12 of them. I guess she's as sad as I am that it is all gone.

The second bar that we used was called Jack Frost. I bought this soap because it reminded me of how Christmas and winter smell. It is made from a blend of eucalyptus, peppermint, and spruce. This soap actually left my body feeling all tingly and refreshed. I really loved using this soap when my sinuses were bothering me or if I had a headache - it actually helped relieve the symptoms. I think I want to stock up on this soap to use in the summer months, because of how it made me feel cool. I bet it would be great on a hot, summer night before going to bed.

Creative Wanderings also sells shaving soaps, shampoo bars, body buttah, body balms, children's soaps and more! Check out their web page for all of their products.  They will deliver if you live locally and they ship anywhere in North America. These soaps would make fantastic Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers! You can also find them on Facebook - let them know I sent you. :)

Creative Wanderings is going to be at the Acadia & Somerset Christmas Craft Fairs  tomorrow, November 21st.  If you are a local, looking for some great handmade soaps for yourself or for a gift; I encourage you to head over to one of the fairs and support by purchasing local and handmade.

Creative Wanderings - Handcrafted Soap Review

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Sapadilla Product Review & Giveaway (ENDED)

Winner Announced!!

Congratulations Deanna! I know you're going to love Sapadilla as much as I do! :)

I read about Sapadilla eco-cleaners on the web and I was so impressed by their product that I wanted to try it. After looking on their website I realized no one had their products locally. So I contacted Sapadilla to see if they would be interested in allowing me to review their product for my blog.  If I can find a great eco-friendly company that is also in Canada I want to share it with you! They agreed and they sent me three of their products to try :  their All Purpose Cleaner & Counter Top Cleanser  in Grapefruit & Bergamot, and a bottle of their Dish Soap in Rosemary & Peppermint.

A little bit about Sapadilla:

• They are manufactured completely in Canada.
• Their fresh aromas are made from 100% pure essential oil blends with no synthetic additives. These heavenly scents were created by a natural perfumist and add mood-lifting benefits to household chores.
• They use alkyl polyglucoside as the main surfactant, or cleaning agent, in all our products. This ingredient is highly effective and derived from naturally occurring sugars. It is also endorsed for products eco-labeled “Good Environmental Choice” by the Swedish Society of Nature Conservation.
• All of the ingredients are plant-based, derived from renewable resources like coconut, palm and corn oil. They do not use:
o Synthetic fragrance or dyes
o Sodium Lauryl Sulfate/Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate
o Petroleum-based solvents
o Phosphates
o Ethylene Glycol Ethers
o Chlorine
o Ammonia
o EDTA
o Formaldehyde
o Parabens
o Any other harsh or questionable chemicals
• They donate 1% of their revenues to 1% for the planet. (www.onepercentfortheplanet.com)
  
• They are against animal testing and say so on their packaging.
• Their clean, modern package design means are oh-so countertop worthy.
• You won’t find them at unsightly bigboxmart type stores.

I think this is one of the few truly green, eco-friendly companies out there and I'm so excited to share them with you!

 As soon as I recieved my box of products and tore into it, the first thing I did was smell the product. Oh My! They are lovely! I was immediately excited to start using them, I knew they were going to make my home smell great but I wondered if I would get the usual migraine I get when I use commercial cleaners. Guess what? No migraine! That's impressive!

 The first product I used was the All Purpose Cleaner.  I added 1 tablespoon to my bucket and added 4 liters of water and went to work on my floors.  The scent from the product was lovely and mood-lifting and my floors were so clean. There was no residue left on the floors, no stickiness, just nice clean floors. This is a generous bottle (600ml) and you only use a very small amount, so this will last a long time.

 The next product I used was the Countertop Cleanser. I used it on the bathroom counter and in the kitchen.  It contains Lactic Acid which is a natural sanitizer. Just spray and let sit for a few minutes and then wipe up. It worked great and smelled so good. My counters were clean, shiny and there was no sticky or gritty residue left behind.

The last product I used was the Dish Soap.  I think this was my favorite one of them all.  I really love the smell of the rosemary and peppermint.  Even the kids commented on the smell, a couple times they would come in the kitchen and ask what I was making because it smelled so good! I actually get a little excited when I have to wash the pans that can't go in the dishwasher because I get to use this dish soap, and I hate washing dishes.  Know what else, my hands aren't all dry and rough feeling after washing dishes. That's amazing. I've used it a few times just to wash my hands in between cooking jobs and it feels really nice, and moisturizing. That's not the same feeling I get using a commercial dish soap as hand soap.

 I really love using these products. I love using them so much that I'm going to see if I can get some local boutiques to carry Sapadilla products.  What a great opportunity to support an eco-friendly, Canadian company.

 So now that you've read about this great company and how much I loved using their products wouldn't you love to try some yourself?  Well you can!

Buy it: You can check the Sapadilla website to find a local boutique or an online retailer.

Win it: Sapadilla has graciously offered one of my Canadian readers the chance to win 1 bottle of Dish Soap in Rosemary & Peppermint and 1 Countertop Cleanser in Grapefruit & Bergamot. This makes a nice sink set.

Mandatory Entry: (remember to leave each entry in a separate comment box or it won't count)

• Visit Sapadilla and tell me what product is your favorite or something you learned about their company. (1 entry)

Here are some ways to get extra entries (remember the mandatory entry is the only required entry):

• Blog about this giveaway linking back to Typical Ramblings, Atypical Nonsense and Sapadilla; leave the URL where you did (4 entries)
• Follow Me with Google Friend Connect (1 entry)
• Subscribe to Typical Ramblings, Atypical Nonsense (1 entry)
• Follow Me on Twitter @Luvschweetheart AND Tweet about this giveaway; leave the URL where you did. (you may tweet once per day for an extra entry) (1 entry per day) #Win a sink set of Sapadilla Eco-Cleaners from @Luvschweetheart for Earth Day! http://bit.ly/bkXrmA *Canada ONLY* #Giveaway
• Become a Fan of Typical Ramblings, Atypical Nonsense on Facebook (1 entry)

You must leave your email in your comment so that I can contact you.

This giveaway is open to Canada only! Giveaway will end April 30, 2010 at 10:00 pm EST. A winner will be chosen by random.org and will be notified by email. I will announce the winner at the top of this post as well. You must contact me within 48 hours. If you fail to claim your prize, a new winner will be chosen by random.org and emailed. 

**Disclosure: I received the Sapadilla products at my request, free of charge in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own**

Sapadilla Product Review & Giveaway (ENDED)

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Marcal Small Steps Review and Giveaway (ENDED)

Winner Annouced!!

Congratulations Kate! I hope you enjoy your Marcal Products! - Sadly Kate Didn't respond so I had to pick a new winner and that winner is:

Congrats Steph! Hope You will enjoy the Marcal products

I was contacted by Marcal Small Steps to see if I wanted to do a review for Earth month. Well, today is Earth Day and what better day to share my review with you!

Marcal Smalls Steps makes toilet paper, napkins, and paper towels from 100% premium recycled paper- not trees. It may seem like a small thing, but it actually adds up. If every household in the U.S. replaced one package of traditional toilet paper with Marcal Small Steps, together we could help save nearly one million trees. And, in your own home, a family of four could save two trees a year (17 trees over 10 years) just by switching to paper products made from 100% recycled materials.

For those of us watching our budgets (who isn’t?!), Marcal doesn’t have the “green premium” often attached to earth-friendly brands. In fact, Marcal Small Steps typically sells for less than traditional paper goods that are made by cutting down trees and often contain dyes and fragrances that Marcal doesn’t use.

My Review:

I was really excited to receive the line of Marcal products to try.  I'll be honest, we don't use a lot of paper towels in our home.  For most jobs I use microfiber cloths to clean with, and towels for spills but I do occasionally buy a package (2 roll) of paper towels.  That will last a long time in our house because it's mostly used when I cook bacon or something that needs to be set on something to get rid of the grease, so a roll can last a couple of months.  The Marcal paper towel was fantastic.  I loved that I could tear off a small piece or a larger piece. The paper towels I usually buy doesn't have that option.  I did use it for one small spill so I could see how absorbent it was and it worked like a charm. Did the job without falling apart too.

Marcal also sent me a package of 180 ct Napkins in a Drawstring Bag. Again we mostly use cloth napkins, but these will be nice for occasional use. I really liked the drawstring bag. I've bought napkins other times and there is no nice way to store them without napkins everywhere. The drawstring keeps everything neat and tidy and I like that!  They were very comparable to other napkins I've purchased in the past. They did a good job and held up well.

Our family is never going to be one of those families that uses Family Cloth in the bathroom - not for bath tissue or facial tissue. Maybe if I lived alone, but I'm never going to convince my husband or the kids to use cloth. So the option of buying a recycled bath tissue is fantastic to me.  I have to say the first day that I put the Marcal bath tissue on the roller to use everyone noticed a difference in the softness. It wasn't public restroom hard but it wasn't quite as soft as we were used to. After a couple of days of using it though I can honestly say it really didn't bother me anymore. So if you are used to that squeezably soft stuff and wanted to change to a more environmentally friendly option I think you could do it fairly easily.

The facial tissue was very comparable to the usual facial tissue I buy.  I only buy the lotion tissue if someone has a cold (those sore noses hurt!).  I didn't even notice a difference in the way it held up - it did a great job. Also not only is the tissue made from recycled paper the cardboard box for the tissue was too. :)

The Giveaway: Marcal Small Steps has graciously offered to giveaway a Marcal starter kit (worth $25) to one of my lucky readers. The starter kit features an assortment of Marcal paper products—toilet paper, napkins, paper towels and facial tissues. Perfect for somebody who wants to give Marcal Small Steps a try!

Mandatory Entry: (remember to leave each entry in a separate comment box or it won't count) The only thing you need to do is go to the Marcal Small Steps website and leave me a comment about something you learned about the company or products. It's that easy!

Really want to try Marcal Small Steps products? Here are some ways you can get extra entries: (remember to leave each entry in a separate comment box or it won't count)

• Blog about this giveaway linking back to Typical Ramblings, Atypical Nonsense and Marcal Small Steps and leave the URL where you did (2 entries)
• Follow Me with Google Friend Connect (1 entry)
• Subscribe to Typical Ramblings, Atypical Nonsense (1 entry)
• Follow @Luvschweetheart and @MarcalSmallStep on Twitter; leave a comment with your twitter id (1 entry)
• Tweet about this giveaway; leave the URL where you did. (you may tweet once per day for an extra entry) (1 entry per day) * #Win Marcal starter kit ($25 value) of recycled paper products from @Luvschweetheart & @marcalsmallstep  http://bit.ly/bkXb4V*
• Become a Fan of Typical Ramblings, Atypical Nonsense on Facebook (1 entry)
• Add Marcal Small Steps to your Facebook Friends (1 enrty)

*Remember these are all extra entries, the only one you are required to do to win is the mandatory entry.*

You must leave your email in your comment so that I can contact you.

This giveaway is only open to the US. Giveaway will end April 30, 2010 at 10:00 pm EST. A winner will be chosen by random.org and will be notified by email. I will announce the winner at the top of this post as well. You must contact me within 48 hours. If you fail to claim your prize, a new winner will be chosen by random.org and emailed.

**Disclosure: I received the Marcal Small Steps products free of charge in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own**

Marcal Small Steps Review and Giveaway (ENDED)

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Pure Fun - The Better For You Candy

Okay I can not let another day go buy without sharing my kids new favorite treat.  Last Thursday when I was out trying to find some decent treats to put in my kid's Easter Baskets I happened to come across a small display of Pure Fun candies in the organics section of my grocery store.  I picked up the bag and thought, organic candy - yeah right...How can hard, colorful lollipops be organic?  Then I looked at the bag...

At Pure Fun™ we're famous for the ingredients we DON'T use in our candies...
NO Gluten, NO GMO'S, NO FD&C Colors, NO Casein, NO Dairy, NO artificial flavors,NO dyes, NO Synthetics, NO Pesticides, NO preservatives
...nothing but Pure Fun™

Sounds good so far. So if they don't add any of that stuff what exactly are they making this candy with...I look over at the ingredients and this is what it says:

Ingredients - organic evaporated cane juice, organic brown rice syrup, citric acid, natural flavors, natural colors: Red beet and annatto, organic fruit juice, natural alfalfa extract.

Wow! No artificial dyes and no HFC's!  So of course I had to buy them and get them home as fast I could so we could see what they taste like.  First I try, because I'm nice like that - I wouldn't want to give the kids something really horrible. ;)  And then I offered them each one and all of the kids agreed they were very yummy.  I don't give the kids candy very often but at least with a treat like this I don't have to feel guilty that I'm giving them "junk food".  Mom's happy, kids are happy, what more could you ask for?

I went to the Pure Fun website and they carry more than just lollipops too - they make cotton candy!!.  My store didn't have all of the Pure Fun candies that are made, unfortunately. I am going to keep watching though because I really want to try the Cotton Candy (would be great to find this summer with all the carnivals and fairs that will be around selling it), the Root Beer Barrels and the Jaw Boulders.  I hope the next time you're looking for a treat to buy for your children you'll think of Pure Fun candy and give them a try - they are the better for you candy - and you can feel better about giving them to your children (or yourself).

Pure Fun - The Better For You Candy

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Skin MD Natural™ Review and Giveaway! CLOSED

Sarah won a bottle of SkinMD with the winning comment #20!!

My little guy has eczema and I have chronically dry hands year round so when I received an email from Amber at 21st Century Formulations with an offer to review a bottle of Skin MD Natural™ I was thrilled!

Here's what Skin MD Natural™ has to say about their product:

Skin MD Natural™ is made in the US and is specially formulated using high quality natural ingredients making it over 90% all natural with all ingredients being of food grade and on the FDA's most safe list. It is free of harmful fragrances, parabens, and colorants making it hypoallergenic. We don't participate in animal testing nor does the lotion contain any animal products.

A shielding lotion is unlike any other conventional, artificial moisturizers because it works with the skin to naturally moisturize and heal. Most conventional, artificial moisturizers only add moisture to the surface of the skin, but do little to repair the skin's natural barrier against moisture robbing irritants. Skin MD Natural breaks the dry skin cycle by working to help restore skin's natural protective abilities by bonding to the outer layer of skin, strengthening skins natural barrier against toxins and irritants that can dry the skin, while locking in the skin's natural oils.

The first time I opened the bottle and started using it, I noticed right away this wasn't your typical lotion.  It was silky. My hands weren't greasy or sticky while waiting for the lotion to dry.  In fact the lotion was absorbed right away so I didn't have to wait for it to dry! I was very surprised that right from the beginning my hands felt so much better and now they even looked younger.  I don't know about you but especially in the winter my face gets so dry and tight feeling.  Well, one morning after my shower I thought I'll go ahead and see how this works as a facial moisturizer.  At the worst I'd just have to wash my face right away.  I'm prone to breakouts so I really have to watch what I put on my face. Skin MD Natural™ was amazing! I've been using it every few days on my face and no breakouts!

I've also been using the lotion nearly daily on E's eczema, and I wish now I had taken before and after photos for you.  He is all clear except for one spot near his diaper line - I think that would be all clear too if he was potty trained - but even that spot is so much better. He had a doctor appointment last week and even the doctor comment on how his eczema was clear except for that one spot. All the other lotions and creams I've tried on his skin never gave me the results I have gotten using Skin MD Natural™.

Skin MD Natural™ Benefits
See the list of ingredients

• No animal products or testing
• Dermatology tested
• Fragrance and colorant free
• Hypoallergenic
• Paraben free
• Non-comedogenic

So now that you've heard how much I loved the product don't you want to try it for yourself? Well you can!

Buy It: Can't wait to see if you win the giveaway? You can buy a bottle of Skin MD Natural™ for $18. Even better for the next 30 days (expires April 7, 2010) enter the discount code "RAMBLE" for 20% off your purchase!

Win It: One of you lucky readers is going to win a bottle of  Skin MD Natural™ (US and Canada!!)

Mandatory Entry: (remember to leave each entry in a separate comment box or it won't count)

• Visit Skin MD Natural and tell me what product is your favorite. (1 entry)

Really want to try Skin MD Natural™? Here are some ways you can get extra entries: 

• Blog about this giveaway linking back to Typical Ramblings, Atypical Nonsense and Skin MD Natural™ leave the URL where you did (2 entries)
• Follow Me with Google Friend Connect (1 entry)
• Subscribe to Typical Ramblings, Atypical Nonsense (1 entry)
• Follow Me on Twitter @Luvschweetheart AND Tweet about this giveaway; leave the URL where you did. (you may tweet once per day for an extra entry) (1 entry per day)
• Become a Fan of Typical Ramblings, Atypical Nonsense on Facebook (1 entry)
• Purchase something from Skin MD Natural before this giveaway ends and leave a comment. (5 entries)

You must leave your email in your comment so that I can contact you.

This giveaway is open to US and Canada! Giveaway will end March 21, 2010 at 10:00 pm EST. A winner will be chosen by random.org and will be notified by email. I will announce the winner at the top of this post as well. You must contact me within 48 hours. If you fail to claim your prize, a new winner will be chosen by random.org and emailed. 

**Disclosure: I received the Skin MD Natural free of charge in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own**

WINNER ANNOUCED:

   

Congratualtions Sarah! Hope you love SkinMD as much as I have. :)

Skin MD Natural™ Review and Giveaway! CLOSED

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Familytime.mine® Planner - Review and Giveaway!

I don't know about you, but I have tried a few day planners since at least my college years. I would start off really excited to get organized and not forget an appointment and then carrying around this big planner or the cover would get ripped off or something would get spilled all over it and that would be the end.

Flash forward to now.  I'm a SAHM to 3 kids.  That doesn't mean I am always home and we have nothing to do. So I have my big calendar on the fridge that I use to keep pretty good track of things when I remember to take it down so I can write on it.  I needed something more.  Something I could keep on the counter next to the phone that wouldn't be ruined if someone spilled juice.  I needed something that I could toss in my bag on my way to school meetings or appointments, so I could immediately write down future events and it wouldn't get ruined in my bag.  Enter the planners from Dotmine Group.

Tan Pottery Familytime.mine® Planner

They sent me the only planner I am every going to need again. Well, I'll need a new one in 17 months, because that's how long this one will last me. Not only is this planner functional it is pretty!  The front and back covers are made from sturdy plastic that I can just wipe off if any spills happen.  I also love that it is spiral bound. That makes it very easy to write on both sides of the planner.

When you first open up the planner the first 2 pages are made from heavy card stock that read Fall and Winter 2009 Schedule.  In the back of the planner there are two more pages for Spring and Summer 2009 Schedules. This is a great spot to color code your family's schedule that repeats itself weekly such as, sports, music lessons, ect.

After the seasonal planner pages there are some instruction pages, a page with a bit about the company and then there is a page for personal information, emergency phone numbers and holidays.  Then we get to the planner!  This is where I get really excited. =)

At the start of each month there is a big monthly calendar.  The boxes for the days are nice and big. I need lots of room to write, because more often than not I have more than one thing going on for one day.

Then you turn to the weekly pages.  The weekly pages are a page per week. The boxes here are nice and big to hold lots of information. On the side is a gray column that is perforated and can be torn out.  You can write shopping lists, errands, ect there.  I have been using the light gray box to write my weekly dinner menu.  Works nicely for me so when I check my schedule each morning I just have a peek at the menu and take out something from the freezer if I need to.

At the end of the weekly/monthly planner pages are some fun extras! There are additional pages for you to write important numbers for coaches, dentists, banks, ect. A place for all those numbers you are always having to look up.  There are also a few pages to use as a mini-address book as well.  There is also a sheet for babysitters - a spot to write your address and important numbers.  Finally there is a sheet of stickers you can use to mark important dates on your monthly planner sheets.

I love using this planner daily.  There is only one thing I wish the planner had and that's an elastic cord so I could easily open to the week without having to search. I think that's a very small deal though because the rest of the planner is phenominal!

You can see a demo of the planner being used here:

Buy it: You can buy your own Familytime.mine® planner at Borders
or you can order online at Amazon.com.

Win it: Dotmine Group is offering a free planner to one of my followers.
So you need to make sure you are following my blog using Goggle Friend Connect and
then all  you have to do is become fan of Dotmine Group on Facebook
and send them a message that you found their page through my blog.
Once 50 of my followers have joined they will raffle off a planner and ship it to the winner.

Disclosure:  I contacted Dotmine Group about reviewing one of their planners.  They sent me a planner and I reviewed it.  I received no compensation for reviewing this planner other than the free planner.

Familytime.mine® Planner - Review and Giveaway!

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Eco Bebe Boutique Soap Nuts - Review and Giveaway! ENDED

This giveaway has ended. Winner announced at the end of the post.

Have you been searching for a laundry detergent and household cleaner that is truly eco-friendly and isn't going to break your budget?  I have found the product for you!  They are called soap nuts. I was browsing the Eco Bebe Boutique online and saw their Superior Soapnuts.  I tweeted that I was thinking of buying some to try and @ecomomwannabe graciously offered to send me some to try out.  I have been using them for about a month and a half (maybe a little longer now), and I have to tell you I am in love!  So let me tell you all about soap nuts.

What are soap nuts?  Soap nuts are actually a fruit that grows on the Ritha (sapindus mukorossi) tree in Northern India and Nepal. They dry the berries and this is what gives them their hard, nut like shell. They are completely sustainable - they are renewable and biodegradable.

How do soap nuts work? Soap nuts contain saponions (natural soap) that is released when it comes in contact with warm or hot water. They are low sudsing, which makes them a great alternative for use in front load washers, carpet cleaners, and for washing cloth diapers. Soap nuts can also be boiled to make an all purpose natural liquid cleaner.

How to use soap nuts in the laundry.  Your soap nuts will arrive with a small muslin bag.  In this bag place 4-5 soap nuts and tie the bag securely.  Toss this bag into the washer before you add your clothes.  When your washer stops remove the bag before placing the clothes into the dryer.

If you want to use a cold water wash it's recommended to soak 4-5 nuts in the muslin bag in a cup of hot water for 3 -5 minutes.  Pour water and bag into wash.

You do not need to use a fabric softener, your clothes will come out naturally soft.  If you want to add a fragrance with an essential oil, I recommend you add a few drops to a cloth and put it in the dryer with your clothes.  Essential oils can break down the fibers of your fabrics if added to the washer.

You can reuse the nuts 3-7 times. You'll know it's time for new ones when they become soft, mushy, lose their color and become thin.

Other ways you can use soap nuts. You can boil 6-8 soap nuts in water and use the liquid for laundry, all purpose household cleaner, fruit and vegetable cleaner, body soap and shampoo, window glass cleaner, jewelry cleaner, and even as mosquito repellent.

How I put soap nuts to the test. 

Laundry -  When my soap nuts arrived I could hardly wait to give them a go and I always have laundry to do. I was a little skeptical when I opened the bag and smelled them.  I thought hmm what is my laundry going to smell like. I forged on and tossed them in the washer with all my dirty clothes.  When the washer stopped and I opened it up I was met with clean clothes! And they smelled clean! There was no strong perfumed scent left behind it was just clean laundry.  I don't use fabric softener normally, just vinegar in the rinse cycle, but I left that out this time.  As I threw the clothes in the dryer I wondered if I would be getting static shocks while I folded my clothes later.  Once the laundry was dry I was pleasantly surprised to find my clothes were soft and static free.  Amazing!

My toddler has sensitive skin, so I have to be really careful doing his laundry.  I worried that the change in detergent would bother him.  There was no need to worry.  He never broke out in a rash at all when I used it on his clothes.

Dishwasher - I used 3-4 soap nuts and just tossed them in the silverware holder.  I was told that the dishes needed to be rinsed when using the soap nuts in the dishwasher. Well, I had the dishwasher loaded before I realized I was out of my usual detergent so I figured why not test out the soap nuts.  Some of the dishes came out clean, the others not so much. That wasn't the fault of the soap nuts just my lack of following directions.  So I rinsed off the dirty ones and continued filling the dishwasher through that day.  That night I ran it again with the soap nuts (as directed) and surprise they all came out shiny clean!  Using them in the dishwasher has been fantastic.  I really have hated using commercial products in the dishwasher as they are not very eco-friendly and the ones that are cost a lot.  This is a wonderful alternative and the dishes really do come clean.

Liquid Cleaner -  I boiled the soap nuts in water, strained my liquid and then poured into a spray bottle.  I used this cleaner on everything.  I have cleaned my counters, windows, floors,  I even clean my bathroom sink with it daily.  It  does a fantastic job!  I love the fact that I can use it anywhere and it cleans.  I also love the fact that it really doesn't have a smell.  I have a sensitivity to odors and typical cleaning supplies give me migraines.  Never once did I even get a touch of a headache using the soap nuts liquid.  And I felt good knowing that I was cleaning around the house with a product that is non-toxic.  Having a toddler in the house that touches everything, I always worry about what gets transferred from his hands to his mouth.  Using the soap nuts liquid I didn't have to worry that it would make him sick.

I am so pleased with the results that I got using the soap nuts.  I love that the product is very eco-friendly.  I don't think there is anything "greener" out there to use.  I also am pleased with the cost. This is a product that I can afford to use all the time.

Now that you know how soap nuts work and how well they worked for me, don't you just want to try some for yourself?

Buy some - Eco Bebe Boutique is an eco friendly baby boutique in Ottawa Canada carrying a large selection of cloth diapers, baby carriers, organic baby bath and skin care, post-partum belly bands and much more. Visit them here.

Win some - Danielle from Eco Bebe graciously sent me 2 100g bags and 2 trial size bags of soap nuts to try for a review.  Well, I decided as soon as I got them that I wanted to pass on some of that generosity to you!  So I am going to give away 1 of the 100g bags and 1 of the trial bags so you can share with a friend that might want to try them. UPDATE: @ecomomwannabe has graciously offered to send the winner of the contest a 500g bag of soap nuts! That's awesome isn't it!!

How to enter:

First Entry -  This is mandatory. All you have to do is go to Eco Bebe Boutique and tell me one other thing you would like to buy.  Leave a comment here telling me what that is and you are entered to win! That's easy right! :)

Now I know you might want a couple other chances to win so, if you want to here are some additional ways you can enter.

1 extra entry - Follow my blog publicly through Google Friend Connect.

1 extra entry - Follow @Ecomomwannabe on twitter

1 extra entry - Follow @Luvschweetheart on twitter

1 extra entry - Tweet this giveaway and post a link to the tweet here (You can do this once daily)
1 extra entry - Become a fan of Eco Bebe Boutique on Facebook

1 extra entry - Become a fan of Typical Ramblings, Atypical Nonsense on Facebook
2 extra entries -  Blog about this giveaway and leave a link to your post.
5 extra entries -  Buy something from Eco Bebe Boutique between 10/3 and 10/16.  Leave a comment saying what you bought and when you bought it.


That's a lot of extra ways to win! Make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry so you get credit for each entry.

This contest will end at 11:59pm on October 16th.

The winner is:

    October 13, 2009 2:10 PM
cndflybaby said...

    Tweet!

    http://twitter.com/cdnflybaby/status/4875075889

Eco Bebe Boutique Soap Nuts - Review and Giveaway! ENDED

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