This one’s for the ladies

All right, ladies, today I’m going to be covering a topic that some of you might find a little icky, but I’m actually really psyched about it. (For the guys, if you are uncomfortable hearing about female bodily functions, you may just want to close your browser now.)

I recently started using a menstrual cup instead of tampons, and it’s totally awesome. I wish someone had told me about these things years ago. I think it is one of the best things we gals can do for our health and for the planet.

Facial Product Face-Off

As I previously mentioned, I am in the market for a new line of natural facial products. Over the next few weeks, I will be reviewing a few different brands to determine which one best meets my needs.

Please note that my incredibly subjective testing process is not intended to evaluate long-term effectiveness of any one product. Rather, I will be sampling a variety of product lines and offering my initial impressions in terms of quality of ingredients, product diversity, and commitment of the company to providing safe, eco-friendly products.

What I’m Coveting

So right now I am totally coveting these Haiku To-Go bags. They’re earthy without being too hippie, big enough for all the essentials plus maybe some workday extras like a magazine and a water bottle, yet small enough to use as an everyday bag. Since I’m starting my new part-time downtown corporate job this week, it would be nice to have a new functional yet stylish bag.

Natural Product Lineup

In my ongoing mission to eradicate synthetic chemicals from my daily routine, here are some of the personal care products I am comfortable using and endorsing based on both ingredients lists and packaging.

Shampoo

I’m using my Chagrin Valley Café Moreno shampoo bar. My scalp feels so much better now that I am not using SLS-based shampoo. Surfactants like SLS strip hair of its natural oils, causing the scalp to produce more.

The Diet Detective

Ryan and I have recently discovered this great new show called I Want to Save Your Life. It’s on WE (Women’s Entertainment Network), but Ryan found it while browsing through health and fitness show titles on the cable guide. The show features nutrition expert Charles Stuart Platkin, who calls himself the Diet Detective. Platkin ambushes unsuspecting subjects who have been nominated by friends and family members for a diet makeover. The ambush usually occurs during a meal, so Platkin can catch them in the act of chowing down on fatty fried foods or calorie-laden quiche.

Productivity and Prospects

I was feeling cooped up in the house this afternoon, so I decided to escape to Starbucks. My last attempt to write in a coffee shop wasn’t very successful (you can read about it here), but what’s the fun of freelancing if you can’t change up your surroundings every once in a while? Besides, it’s way too nice of a day to be stuck inside. I’m on the patio, where the music is at a much more practical volume and the sounds of passing cars are surprisingly easy to tune out.