Reviewing My Favourite Eco-friendly Products!

Guest Blogger – Rebeccah Fuaco

Pure Goat Milk Shampoo Bar From Beekman 1802

This was the second shampoo bar I tried and I’ve been using it for over one year now. At first, I’d have to say that the hardest part about switching to shampoo bars is the inconvenience of having to change up your shower routine because it feels more natural to use liquid shampoo. This will change though!

Once I got past the routine issue (try keeping both a bar and liquid shampoo in the shower as you transition), I started to notice little things. Initially, I do think that I thought my hair looked greasier, and maybe it did. But, after a year of using shampoo bars, I’ve noticed the following changes:

• My hair doesn’t get any greasier than it did when I used liquid shampoo
• One shampoo bar lasts me approximately 5-6 months as a solo user
• Conditioner bars didn’t work for me and I found that I didn’t need them, so I only shampoo my hair now
• My hair doesn’t get split ends as frequently as it used to (cut my hair last July and nothing yet!)
• The lathering process is weird, but shampoo bars can still lather once you get used to using them
• My hair feels thicker when I run my hands or a brush through it
• I can leave my hair unwashed for a bit longer than I used to – but the frequency that I wash my hair hasn’t changed all too much

This bar comes in a cardboard box, which is recyclable and once the bar is used up, there’s no additional waste after that! I just use the pure goat milk bar, but Beekman 1802 also offers charcoal, honey and orange, and honeyed grapefruit bars too!

My shampoo bar, I get from a local Port Colborne store, Harmony on West for $11.98 plus tax. The same shampoo bar is sold online at Beekman 1802 for $12.00 plus tax.

All-Natural Deodorant From Charcoal & Rose Petals

I found this Canadian-made, all-natural deodorant visiting a friend in Peterborough last summer. It’s been working great for me and has replaced my previous roll-on and aerosol deodorant/antiperspirant. I found this company’s product at Watson & Lou, a cute little boutique store that sells local goods from a huge variety of vendors.

This deodorant comes in a surprisingly tiny, 1oz tin container that I am excited to reuse when I finally empty it. The first tin that I bought is almost empty, but I’ve had it since last July, so these suckers last waaaaaay longer than roll-ons and aerosols. I’ve been using roll-ons here and there still just to use up what I have left, but I would say that one tin would still last you well over 4 months if it’s the only thing you’re using.

Similar to the shampoo bar, this deodorant is weird to get used to because you actually have to rub it in on your underarms, rather than using a stick or spray. I do find that there is a bit of white residue left on my underarms since it’s a baking soda-based product, but that goes away in a few minutes once my skin has absorbed it completely. The scent I have is the wintergreen one and I find that it isn’t overpowering or chemical-y, and it has a sort of muskiness to it (which I like, but some people might not). I bought the lavender one next to try out!

One thing to keep in mind with this deodorant is that you do NOT need to put a lot on your underarms because it goes a long way once you start rubbing it in. It also has a slightly gritty texture – I assume from the baking soda component – which is a bit strange initially, but also something I’m used to now.

My deodorant was $12 from Watson & Lou, but depending on where you’re located, there’s also a flat shipping fee of $12 anywhere outside of Peterborough. You can also purchase directly from Charcoal & Rose Petal’s website, where the deodorant is $14.99 plus $10.99 shipping to Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec.

Eco-friendly Laundry Strips From Tru Earth

The last product that I’ve started using recently is Tru Earth laundry strips. This is a subscription-style company, so I was a bit hesitant at first to try it out because of that. The great thing with their subscription, however, is that they offer the delivery frequency based on how many people you have in your household. I opted for the 32 loads delivered every 3 months, but you can choose as little as 32 loads semi-annually or as much as 64 loads per month. Lots of flexibility!

I find the scent of the strips very fresh (I got the Fresh Linen scent), but super light once my clothes come out of the wash. I haven’t had an issue with clothes not getting clean yet, but I know that you can also use two strips instead of one if you have a load of wash that’s very dirty.

These laundry strips are a very simple way to reduce plastic waste of the big jugs of detergent and I even put my strips in a cute jar next to the washing machine. They are also very convenient because they get delivered right to your door. Not much else to say other than that!

I currently pay $12.95 for 32 loads of the laundry strips because there was a promotion that was running, but the regular price is $19.95 for 32 loads.

Comment below if you have tried any of these products!!

About the Author – Rebeccah Fuaco

• Avid eco-friendly product user
• Pot-bellied pig mom
• B.S. from Queen’s University in Life Sciences
• Certificate from Niagara College in Wine Business Management
• Currently a restaurant Assistant Manager
• Currently an online coordinator for various US sports industry leaders