Ecominded Mama

Herbal Clear Natural Deodorant

I was a little hesitant to try another natural deodorant after my experience last August with the Tom's of Maine one, but my sister (who isn't especially ecominded) convinced me that Herbal Clear Natural Deodorant was a winner. It's aluminum, paraben, and alcohol free, and a super bargain -- it was less than $2 at the grocery store (although it's $3.19 on Amazon). 

I've been using it for a few weeks now, and I have to say that I agree with my sister. Like the Tom's deodorant, it goes on a little goopy, but it dries relatively quickly and I don't have that recurring goopy feeling throughout the day. I won't be convinced that it's a true winner until after we've weathered a sticky, sweltering New York summer together, but I'm at least a winter convert.   

Good articles about eco-friendly diapers

The talk at my playgroup turned to diapers today, so I thought I'd see if I could find some insightful articles with reviews and information about eco-friendly diapers. I found three that, when read together, offer a pretty comprehensive overview of the eco-friendly diaper market:

• Green Your... Diapers: This article includes a broad overview of the environmental impacts of diapers, both cloth and disposable. It's a good place to start if you're deciding between the two types.

• The Case for Disposable Diapers: The first of a two-part series (the second part is Cloth Diaper Brands You Can Trust), this article focuses on the practical reasons some very ecominded parents go with disposables and gives information about readily available eco-friendly brands.

• Throw the Bums Out: The eco-friendly diapers reviewed in this article were put through real world (and real baby) tests. It also includes interesting information about the materials used in each of the diapers.  

The DivaCup

I started looking into organic tampons and maxi-pads a few months back because I was worried about the bleaching process used in the manufacture of conventional tampons and the dioxin in tampons (a known carcinogen) that's a by-product of that process. (The FDA says there may only be trace amounts of dioxin in tampons, but it still concerns me.) The environmental aspects -- adding however many tampons and pads to landfills each month, as well as all of the manufacturing associated with making, packaging, and shipping tampons -- was also a concern. I was astounded by the cost of organic tampons -- $7.69 for a box of 16 on Drugstore.com. Then I considered buying reusable cloth menstrual pads (there are lots of funky ones available on my beloved Etsy.com), but I can't deal with more laundry and the idea of hand-washing them grossed me out.

I decided to try the DivaCup. Inserting it takes some getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, it's simple. I love that I only have to worry about it twice a day, and I've had virtually no leaks once I figured out how to insert it correctly (a sure sign that it's not inserted correctly is if it's leaking or it's uncomfortable -- you shouldn't feel it at all). I've used it for two cycles now, so I feel confident in recommending it and can say with equal confidence that I will not go back to using tampons or maxi-pads. I bought my DivaCup on Amazon.com, but Drugstore.com (and I'm sure other vendors) also sells them. If you have more questions, the message boards on MenstrualCups.org are fantastic.

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P.S.: Check out the article Flow and Tell on Grist.org for reviews of the Diva Cup and other eco-friendly menstrual products. I was happy to see that the cup is the most eco-friendly menstrual product of all since it requires very little water to clean. [added November 21]      

A natural deodorant that works, but...

Before I get to this tip, I have perhaps an even more important bit of advice: Don't try out a new deodorant when you're on vacation in the middle of August. Unfortunately I'm speaking from experience, which is also why I haven't posted in a few days.

But I digress. I got Tom's of Maine Natural Long-Lasting Care Deodorant Stick in lavender about a week ago and have been using it ever since. It's only a deodorant, not an antiperspirant (as my husband said, "You'll still sweat, but you'll smell nice"). It does smell nice -- I'm a fan of lavender, and it has a mild, not overpowering scent -- and it has worked even when it's been really hot out. My complaint is that it's sticky when it goes on, and it takes at least 10 minutes for that goopy feeling to go away. But then when I get hot, it starts to feel goopy again. It's driving me NUTS. I've stuck it out for 5 days now, but this one is a thumbs down for me.

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P.S.: I happened upon Kate Sheppard's evaluation of several natural deodorants this morning on Grist.org. Although it was comforting to see that I wasn't the only one dissatisfied with my Tom's deodorant, it's pretty depressing that the others didn't fare well, either. Hmmm, is a magic crystal in my future? [added August 27]