So here are a few photos with the henna paste still on and drying, followed by a few photos from the next day. I'm impressed it turned out so dark!
Thursday, April 28, 2011
The Henna Photos!
Oops... I guess when I said I would post these the next day, I meant several days later! What can I say? I'm a professional procrastinator!
So here are a few photos with the henna paste still on and drying, followed by a few photos from the next day. I'm impressed it turned out so dark!
So here are a few photos with the henna paste still on and drying, followed by a few photos from the next day. I'm impressed it turned out so dark!
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Henna Belly!
Tonight Adam and I experimented with a home henna kit. He set his new video camera to a time-lapse feature and then turned my belly into his canvas! Watch the video above and I'll post pictures tomorrow!
Friday, April 22, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Skin Deep Cosmetics Database: My Results
I decided to do an inventory of the bath products currently filling my bathroom and makeup stand to see how they stacked up in the Skin Deep Cosmetics Database. I'm not terribly surprised by the results, as I've always known I could be a lot more diligent about checking labels when I buy these products. So, in the interest of 'coming clean' so that I can truly clean up my cosmetics, here are my results:
**Note that the Skin Deep database does a lot more than just assign a number and hazard rating - so for more details, follow the links!**
Aveda Brilliant Anti-Humectant Pomade:
I swear by this stuff for keeping my carefully straightened hair straight on rainy days. It smooths my frizzies and prevents my hair from going back to it's natural wave/frizz when it gets rained on. That being said, any product that performs such 'miracles' is probably something I should have been skeptical of. So what did the database say?
This product scored a 4 (out of 10) which rates it as a moderate hazard.
Arm & Hammer Extra Whitening Triple Power Toothpaste:
I am pretty picky about the taste of my toothpaste. I think I've become even fussier since being pregnant and having many months where brushing my teeth often resulted in a whole lot of fighting with my gag reflex. So, I'm not sure if I'll change my toothpaste buying habits, even after I see the results for this product. However, I could try something once and let Adam finish the tube if I don't like it, and just keep doing that until we come up with something I can handle!
This product scored a 5 which rates it as a moderate hazard. (I used the closest match I could get, which was Arm & Hammer Complete Care Toothpaste Extra Whitening Fresh Mint).
Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Curl Boosting Mousse:
This product wasn't listed, so I'm just going with a random other mousse made by the same brand. As for the type I use, I am not surprised it doesn't rate very well, but I feel like it might be a long and expensive journey to find a suitable replacement. I like how well this mousse holds my curl and I've tried a handful of others and never been too happy with the results. I guess I just have to keep trying!
This product scored a 7 which rates it as a high hazard.
Aveda Brilliant Damage Control with Camomile:
This product was not listed and no comparable alternatives exist in the database at the present time.
Dove Sensitive Skin Day Lotion:
I can easily trash my Jergen's moisturizer (see below) and use this instead. I'm usually pretty happy with the results and the one I have happens to be fragrance free and dye free. It's never irritated my skin or clogged my pores, so it's probably okay to stick with using it. Also, I like supporting Dove because of their campaigns that show 'real women' rather than stick thin models. Using the closest match I could find, this was the rating:
This product scored a 4 which rates it as a moderate hazard.
Degree Ultra Clear Pure Rain Anti-Perspirant:
I usually have Dove anti-perspirant, but at the moment, the one in my bathroom is Degree. I'm not really attached to any particular anti-perspirant, so this might be the easiest product for me to replace with a less toxic option.
This product scored a 4 which rates it as a moderate hazard.
TRESemme Tres Two Extra Hold Hairspray:
I don't usually buy aerosol hair spray, but this is left over from our wedding when I quickly grabbed a few travel size toiletries that could be easily transported to our ceremony and reception venues in case they were needed. Well, I will happily be replacing this product! I hate the smell of it and I literally have to hold my breath, spray it, run out of the bathroom, then take a deep breath - that's how bad it is!
This product scored a 7 which rates it as a high hazard.
Burt's Bees Orange Essence Facial Cleanser with Orange Oil:
I LOVE the smell of this cleanser. It makes my skin feel amazingly clean, however, I find that it can also dry out my skin if I use it too often. I mainly chose this cleanser because the brand has a good name and is assumed to be fairly eco-friendly. Thankfully, the results reassured me that I can feel comfortable continuing to use this product!
This product scored a 2 which rates it as a low hazard.
Jergens Natural GLOW Daily Moisturizer:
I'm actually cringing at the fact that I even bought this product. It does a nice job of moisturizing my skin and smells pleasant. However, I haven't ever noticed a change in my skin tone from using it, so it's likely ineffective. On top of that, why on earth did I think it would be safe to put something on my skin that is MEANT to alter my body?? This one is likely to be headed to the trash. (Can you believe I actually used it today? Yikes... this is precisely why I need to eliminate such products from my bathroom so that the temptation to use them isn't there to begin with!)
This product scored a 7 which rates it as a high hazard.
For some reason I have three sunscreens in my bathroom. I think I bought one for convenience (the Neutrogena spray), one because I thought it was better for me and the earth (the Burt's Bees) and then the third is leftover from a vacation (the Coppertone).
Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Body Mist Sunscreen SPF 30:
This is yet another product I knew better than to buy in the first place. But the sheer convenience (and lack of oily hands) of spraying on sunscreen won out over my own health. How bizarre is that? I chose to use spray on sunscreen that's bad for my health so that I wouldn't get a sunburn, which is also bad for my health. Apparently I'd rather get cancer from my sunscreen than from the actual sun. Sadly, I think skin cancer is probably more likely to be treatable than the type of cancer I might get from using this product. This baby's going in the trash!
This product scored a 7 which rates it as not recommended.
Burt's Bees Sunscreen with Hemp Seed Oil SPF 30:
I bought this sunscreen in an attempt to wean myself off of the spray on stuff, which I knew deep down was bad for me. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to smell it before buying it in the store, and I kinda think it reeks. So, it got used once and has since remained on my bathroom counter. Anyone want some free sunscreen? You might like the smell - it's just not for me!
This product scored a 4 which rates it as a moderate hazard.
Coppertone SPF 50:
For this one, I just used the closest match I could find, but it seemed like most of the Coppertone SPF 50s were rated the same, so it's likely to be fairly accurate. I think, at least for sunscreen, I might be okay with a rating of 5. It seems likely that it might protect me more than harm me. That said, it wouldn't hurt to continue to look for a better option. Also, if sunscreen expires (does it?) then probably all of mine are too old anyhow... or maybe they're fine, I don't know!
This product scored a 5 which rates it as a moderate hazard.
Neutrogena Deep Clean Invigorating Dual Action Toner:
This wasn't listed, but two other, fairly different, toners from Neutrogena were listed. I'm going to assume that this one would probably fall into the same range and be rated a 6 or a 7, which would rate it as a moderate or high hazard. I should probably invest in something safer.
Johnson's Baby Powder with Aloe & Vitamin E, Pure Cornstarch:
This isn't something I would normally use, but it has been the answer to one of my most frustrating pregnancy woes: the wonderful experience of my chest chafing against my belly. Oh how I miss underwire bras with all their lovely support! Alas, I have become a regular user of this baby powder. Thankfully, it doesn't rate too badly.
This product scored a 3 which rates it as a moderate hazard.
********************************************************************************
Well, that was definitely enlightening! This post took me the entire day to write (it was pretty depressing at times, so I took lots of breaks!). I think the end result is that I will immediately replace anything that received a high hazard rating (7-10), and then work my way down until all the products I use are in the low hazard rating (0-2).
I know not all of my readers keep blogs, but I would love to know if you looked up any of the products you have in your bathroom! Anything you've decided to trash? Anything you're happy to see rated as a low hazard? Leave me a comment here on the blog!
**Note that the Skin Deep database does a lot more than just assign a number and hazard rating - so for more details, follow the links!**
Aveda Brilliant Anti-Humectant Pomade:
I swear by this stuff for keeping my carefully straightened hair straight on rainy days. It smooths my frizzies and prevents my hair from going back to it's natural wave/frizz when it gets rained on. That being said, any product that performs such 'miracles' is probably something I should have been skeptical of. So what did the database say?
This product scored a 4 (out of 10) which rates it as a moderate hazard.
Arm & Hammer Extra Whitening Triple Power Toothpaste:
I am pretty picky about the taste of my toothpaste. I think I've become even fussier since being pregnant and having many months where brushing my teeth often resulted in a whole lot of fighting with my gag reflex. So, I'm not sure if I'll change my toothpaste buying habits, even after I see the results for this product. However, I could try something once and let Adam finish the tube if I don't like it, and just keep doing that until we come up with something I can handle!
This product scored a 5 which rates it as a moderate hazard. (I used the closest match I could get, which was Arm & Hammer Complete Care Toothpaste Extra Whitening Fresh Mint).
Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Curl Boosting Mousse:
This product wasn't listed, so I'm just going with a random other mousse made by the same brand. As for the type I use, I am not surprised it doesn't rate very well, but I feel like it might be a long and expensive journey to find a suitable replacement. I like how well this mousse holds my curl and I've tried a handful of others and never been too happy with the results. I guess I just have to keep trying!
This product scored a 7 which rates it as a high hazard.
Aveda Brilliant Damage Control with Camomile:
This product was not listed and no comparable alternatives exist in the database at the present time.
Dove Sensitive Skin Day Lotion:
I can easily trash my Jergen's moisturizer (see below) and use this instead. I'm usually pretty happy with the results and the one I have happens to be fragrance free and dye free. It's never irritated my skin or clogged my pores, so it's probably okay to stick with using it. Also, I like supporting Dove because of their campaigns that show 'real women' rather than stick thin models. Using the closest match I could find, this was the rating:
This product scored a 4 which rates it as a moderate hazard.
Degree Ultra Clear Pure Rain Anti-Perspirant:
I usually have Dove anti-perspirant, but at the moment, the one in my bathroom is Degree. I'm not really attached to any particular anti-perspirant, so this might be the easiest product for me to replace with a less toxic option.
This product scored a 4 which rates it as a moderate hazard.
TRESemme Tres Two Extra Hold Hairspray:
I don't usually buy aerosol hair spray, but this is left over from our wedding when I quickly grabbed a few travel size toiletries that could be easily transported to our ceremony and reception venues in case they were needed. Well, I will happily be replacing this product! I hate the smell of it and I literally have to hold my breath, spray it, run out of the bathroom, then take a deep breath - that's how bad it is!
This product scored a 7 which rates it as a high hazard.
Burt's Bees Orange Essence Facial Cleanser with Orange Oil:
I LOVE the smell of this cleanser. It makes my skin feel amazingly clean, however, I find that it can also dry out my skin if I use it too often. I mainly chose this cleanser because the brand has a good name and is assumed to be fairly eco-friendly. Thankfully, the results reassured me that I can feel comfortable continuing to use this product!
This product scored a 2 which rates it as a low hazard.
Jergens Natural GLOW Daily Moisturizer:
I'm actually cringing at the fact that I even bought this product. It does a nice job of moisturizing my skin and smells pleasant. However, I haven't ever noticed a change in my skin tone from using it, so it's likely ineffective. On top of that, why on earth did I think it would be safe to put something on my skin that is MEANT to alter my body?? This one is likely to be headed to the trash. (Can you believe I actually used it today? Yikes... this is precisely why I need to eliminate such products from my bathroom so that the temptation to use them isn't there to begin with!)
This product scored a 7 which rates it as a high hazard.
For some reason I have three sunscreens in my bathroom. I think I bought one for convenience (the Neutrogena spray), one because I thought it was better for me and the earth (the Burt's Bees) and then the third is leftover from a vacation (the Coppertone).
Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Body Mist Sunscreen SPF 30:
This is yet another product I knew better than to buy in the first place. But the sheer convenience (and lack of oily hands) of spraying on sunscreen won out over my own health. How bizarre is that? I chose to use spray on sunscreen that's bad for my health so that I wouldn't get a sunburn, which is also bad for my health. Apparently I'd rather get cancer from my sunscreen than from the actual sun. Sadly, I think skin cancer is probably more likely to be treatable than the type of cancer I might get from using this product. This baby's going in the trash!
This product scored a 7 which rates it as not recommended.
Burt's Bees Sunscreen with Hemp Seed Oil SPF 30:
I bought this sunscreen in an attempt to wean myself off of the spray on stuff, which I knew deep down was bad for me. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to smell it before buying it in the store, and I kinda think it reeks. So, it got used once and has since remained on my bathroom counter. Anyone want some free sunscreen? You might like the smell - it's just not for me!
This product scored a 4 which rates it as a moderate hazard.
Coppertone SPF 50:
For this one, I just used the closest match I could find, but it seemed like most of the Coppertone SPF 50s were rated the same, so it's likely to be fairly accurate. I think, at least for sunscreen, I might be okay with a rating of 5. It seems likely that it might protect me more than harm me. That said, it wouldn't hurt to continue to look for a better option. Also, if sunscreen expires (does it?) then probably all of mine are too old anyhow... or maybe they're fine, I don't know!
This product scored a 5 which rates it as a moderate hazard.
Neutrogena Deep Clean Invigorating Dual Action Toner:
This wasn't listed, but two other, fairly different, toners from Neutrogena were listed. I'm going to assume that this one would probably fall into the same range and be rated a 6 or a 7, which would rate it as a moderate or high hazard. I should probably invest in something safer.
Johnson's Baby Powder with Aloe & Vitamin E, Pure Cornstarch:
This isn't something I would normally use, but it has been the answer to one of my most frustrating pregnancy woes: the wonderful experience of my chest chafing against my belly. Oh how I miss underwire bras with all their lovely support! Alas, I have become a regular user of this baby powder. Thankfully, it doesn't rate too badly.
This product scored a 3 which rates it as a moderate hazard.
********************************************************************************
Well, that was definitely enlightening! This post took me the entire day to write (it was pretty depressing at times, so I took lots of breaks!). I think the end result is that I will immediately replace anything that received a high hazard rating (7-10), and then work my way down until all the products I use are in the low hazard rating (0-2).
I know not all of my readers keep blogs, but I would love to know if you looked up any of the products you have in your bathroom! Anything you've decided to trash? Anything you're happy to see rated as a low hazard? Leave me a comment here on the blog!
Monday, April 18, 2011
Book Review: Better Off: Flipping the Switch on Technology
I wanted to write a blog post about this book before a) I forget or b) I become too lazy. To be fair, I can only review Part I of the book, since that's as far into reading it as I've gotten. But honestly, I am thrilled to have found it! It's an incredibly interesting book that makes you think pretty intensely about your own use of technology and, for myself, about my relationship with food (where it comes from, how it's preserved, etc).
The book is actually about a couple who decide to live technology-free in an Amish-like community for 18 months. The challenges and rewards and learning experiences Brende writes about are so fascinating that I honestly believe everyone would enjoy reading this book!
So even though I'm not finished reading it yet - I give it a whole-hearted recommendation! Get it from your local library, a used book store, or order it off of Amazon!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Long Overdue Update!
As it turns out, this baby has kept me pretty busy (and she's not even born yet!) and as a result, I've neglected this blog! Well, if you're up for it, get comfortable - this post is a very lonnnnng update on the last few months.
I'm gonna go back as far as January, when we had a little poll on the right side of the blog to see what everyone thought our baby's gender would be. Well, it turns out you guys guessed pretty well! We are having a baby girl! We had to drive 2 hours to the nearest big(ger) city where there is a 3D/4D ultrasound clinic that is willing to tell people the gender (anything run by public health care on the island will no longer tell people, so we forked out the big bucks for the fancy private clinic). Boy was that ever an adventure! We went in for our appointment, but baby was being pretty modest. With a foot covering it's nether regions, the baby wasn't sharing any news with us. The ultrasound tech had me rolling from side to side, she was gently pushing on my belly from all sides, and she even had me get up and jump around a little. No luck. Baby wouldn't budge! Thankfully, the clinic staff were very understanding of the fact that we were 2 hours from home and en route to the next city over to visit friends and family for the weekend (so coming back another day wasn't really an option - we were hoping to be sharing the news later that day!). So we were sent away for an hour to drink a cold, sugary slurpie (which was pretty gross!) and come back for another try. Adam even drove a little too fast over some speed bumps hoping to 'bump' the baby's foot out of the way! When we got back to the clinic, it took about 10 seconds and we got our first clear shot and definitive results: we have a baby girl in there!! I will be the first to admit, I was a mess of tears. Even one of the techs cried a little. It was a pretty magnificent moment!
From the ultrasound clinic we headed to our former home town to visit friends and family and share our news. Mom was pretty excited. She adores the two grandsons she has already, but being an avid sewer and crafter, I could tell she was anxious for a little girl to make things for. I was definitely right - she was ecstatic! And since then she has been very busy with all sorts of patterns - she sews, crochets, crafts, etc. She's even found some super adorable outfits for the wee little one. We definitely have a very lucky baby coming our way!
February was a little less hectic. Just the usual doctor's appointments and baby prep. And by less hectic - I just mean less time spent on the road - not less busy! We've had a running to-do list since September when we found out we were expecting. The friends who know me best will probably not be the least bit surprised that this 'to-do list' is actually a giant spreadsheet of tasks, dates they need to be completed by, and who has to complete the task. I'm pretty happy to say we're only a couple tasks behind on our next task deadline, which is April 15th. I think the only things we need to do before then are pack the hospital bag, get the diaper bag set up, and make sure I have a stash of postpartum pads.
Oh - on that lovely note: I'm excited to be finally giving Lunapads cloth pads a try! I got their postpartum kit from one of my best friends as a shower gift and can't wait to try them. I've actually read they're much nicer after the birth since they're so much softer than conventional disposables (especially if you have stitches down there!). But I still want a package of disposables in case I don't have enough cloth to last between laundry loads. I'll have to let you know how I like them once I've used them!
So that brings us to March - the month of the baby shower and my birthday. Actually, both happened the same weekend! It was definitely a whirlwind of a weekend. We drove down to our old home town for the shower, which one of my best friends planned and hosted. It was perfect! I've been to a couple showers before and some feel pretty awkward, but I can honestly say I had tons of fun and think my friends and family did too! We did a potluck of finger food which was delicious and just sat around socializing for a little while. Given that I no longer live in the same city as all my wonderful friends, I probably could have spent the whole time just talking to them! But we did manage to fit in a few games. We did the game where we wear a soother on a necklace and can't say the word 'baby' for the whole shower. I was doing very well catching other people and collecting their soothers, but then a friend of mine caught me and took all of them away! It was pretty fun! We were also tested on our knowledge of baby animal names (some of these were surprisingly difficult!) and nursery rhymes and our taste buds got to test baby food. We had to take a little taste of unlabeled baby foods and try to decipher what they were. I have a new found sympathy for babies that have to eat that stuff! Hopefully when I get to the baby food making stage I can whip up somethings that are a little tastier than the jarred stuff we got to try! Finally, we ended the shower with presents. Our little one (and me too!!) are very, very spoiled! Given my raging hormones, I'm pretty surprised I didn't cry all the way through (one of my friends even gave me a card with her son's hand print in it - I love him!! It was so sweet!). I did tear up once, but only for a second!
Adam (and the dog!) picked me up after the shower and we drove another hour or so to the ferry terminal so we could get away for a couple nights on a smaller island and just enjoy a quiet weekend to ourselves. Despite a few setbacks with the cabin we rented, we were pretty happy to spend a whole weekend without technology, with a wood burning stove, and just us and the dog. It was beautiful, quiet and super peaceful. Adam even packed along some birthday presents for me and spoiled me rotten. I kept saying it was the best weekend of my life (with the shower and the island getaway) and, aside from our wedding weekend, I really think it was! It was probably the last time in a very long time that we will go away on our own without kids. So we really took the time to appreciate the silence and enjoy each other's company. I'm very lucky to have such a wonderful husband that I love to pieces!
And that brings us to April! I'm a little behind on updating this blog with belly photos, so here's one from 30 weeks and then the most recent one from last Friday, at 33 weeks.
It's not my favourite photo, since I had just worked all day and was truly exhausted. But it gives you an idea of how big this baby and belly are getting!
As for the goings on in April - we spent this past weekend at labour and delivery classes, we have a baby cpr class tomorrow, and next week is a breastfeeding class. So apparently this is the month when we learn what we're doing!
And that should bring us fully up to date! Hopefully I will keep this blog updated more regularly for those of you that check it (or maybe I should just say 'for mom' since I'm not sure if anyone else reads this!). :o)
I'm gonna go back as far as January, when we had a little poll on the right side of the blog to see what everyone thought our baby's gender would be. Well, it turns out you guys guessed pretty well! We are having a baby girl! We had to drive 2 hours to the nearest big(ger) city where there is a 3D/4D ultrasound clinic that is willing to tell people the gender (anything run by public health care on the island will no longer tell people, so we forked out the big bucks for the fancy private clinic). Boy was that ever an adventure! We went in for our appointment, but baby was being pretty modest. With a foot covering it's nether regions, the baby wasn't sharing any news with us. The ultrasound tech had me rolling from side to side, she was gently pushing on my belly from all sides, and she even had me get up and jump around a little. No luck. Baby wouldn't budge! Thankfully, the clinic staff were very understanding of the fact that we were 2 hours from home and en route to the next city over to visit friends and family for the weekend (so coming back another day wasn't really an option - we were hoping to be sharing the news later that day!). So we were sent away for an hour to drink a cold, sugary slurpie (which was pretty gross!) and come back for another try. Adam even drove a little too fast over some speed bumps hoping to 'bump' the baby's foot out of the way! When we got back to the clinic, it took about 10 seconds and we got our first clear shot and definitive results: we have a baby girl in there!! I will be the first to admit, I was a mess of tears. Even one of the techs cried a little. It was a pretty magnificent moment!
From the ultrasound clinic we headed to our former home town to visit friends and family and share our news. Mom was pretty excited. She adores the two grandsons she has already, but being an avid sewer and crafter, I could tell she was anxious for a little girl to make things for. I was definitely right - she was ecstatic! And since then she has been very busy with all sorts of patterns - she sews, crochets, crafts, etc. She's even found some super adorable outfits for the wee little one. We definitely have a very lucky baby coming our way!
February was a little less hectic. Just the usual doctor's appointments and baby prep. And by less hectic - I just mean less time spent on the road - not less busy! We've had a running to-do list since September when we found out we were expecting. The friends who know me best will probably not be the least bit surprised that this 'to-do list' is actually a giant spreadsheet of tasks, dates they need to be completed by, and who has to complete the task. I'm pretty happy to say we're only a couple tasks behind on our next task deadline, which is April 15th. I think the only things we need to do before then are pack the hospital bag, get the diaper bag set up, and make sure I have a stash of postpartum pads.
Oh - on that lovely note: I'm excited to be finally giving Lunapads cloth pads a try! I got their postpartum kit from one of my best friends as a shower gift and can't wait to try them. I've actually read they're much nicer after the birth since they're so much softer than conventional disposables (especially if you have stitches down there!). But I still want a package of disposables in case I don't have enough cloth to last between laundry loads. I'll have to let you know how I like them once I've used them!
As for the goings on in April - we spent this past weekend at labour and delivery classes, we have a baby cpr class tomorrow, and next week is a breastfeeding class. So apparently this is the month when we learn what we're doing!
And that should bring us fully up to date! Hopefully I will keep this blog updated more regularly for those of you that check it (or maybe I should just say 'for mom' since I'm not sure if anyone else reads this!). :o)
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