7 Things For October

We are finally waking up to chillier mornings here in NC, although we’re still sweating by the afternoon most days. I’ll take what I can get though! I try to savor those first couple of hours in the morning that still feel a bit brisk and give me hope that fall truly is officially here. So grab your Pumpkin Spice Latte (healthier version below) and let’s chat about what you need to know for October.

First up is hand soap. With cold and flu season upon us, we’re all washing our hands a bit more. You may remember last year when I wrote about what’s really in your hand soap. Typically they’ve been cesspools of unnatural and very unnecessary ingredients. The good news is that the FDA is listening up and last month they announced they’re banning triclosan from hand soap. This is big because study after study has shown this ingredient does not clean your hands any better or provide better germ protection than just washing your hands with plain ole’ soap and water. What this ingredient does do is expose your family to endocrine disruptors and helps to create super viruses that are resistant to treatment. Studies have found it accumulated in breast milk, the bodies of teenage girls, and major water supplies. Getting rid of triclosan would be huge since our exposure rate is so high. Now let’s just be sure that what they replace it with isn’t any worse. If you’re looking for a better option, our family loves Kosmatology’s foaming hand soaps.

Speaking of soap, I recently became addicted to discovered Kahina Giving Beauty’s Beldi Soap. This jar of soap will leave your skin so soft and smooth! It has such an interesting texture and is honestly like nothing I’ve tried before. It’s soft enough that you can just scoop a little bit out and then use it on your entire body (they recommend using about a tablespoon’s worth). You can simply wash with it or you can leave it on for a few minutes and let it work it’s magic softening your skin. Then exfoliate with your favorite bath mitt or loofah and then enjoy your baby smooth skin. I have a feeling I’ll be using this all winter long. They just released the Moroccan Rose scent and it is so soothing and nice.

One of the biggest perks of fall (besides sipping red wine next to the fire pit), is switching up your makeup. I usually go really dark for fall, but seeing as summer has lingered here a bit and the humidity is still hanging around, this year I’ve been drawn to more peachy pink shades. I haven’t tried much from Ilia, but I have to say that I’m really impressed after trying their lip crayon in “Come Undone” and Multi-stick in “I Put A Spell On You”. The lipstick crayon is well pigmented, has staying power and I love the matte finish. The multi-stick is a little more moisturizing and can go more sheer or build up to a bolder color- It’s definitely a great product to use as either blush or lip color. Both are so pretty on and I have worn the lipstick crayon almost everyday lately!

If you do one eco-friendly thing this month, committing to a little less plastic going to the landfill is a good one (you all know how I feel about plastic). MABLE is changing the game with their biodegradable toothbrushes. Each year nearly five billion plastic toothbrushes are discarded and since plastic takes hundreds of years to break down, they will all still be hanging around for a while. Ever think about all your old toothbrushes hanging out at the dump and wonder what they’re up too? MABLE not only makes chic, eco-friendly toothbrushes, but for each toothbrush that is purchased, they give a toothbrush to a child in the U.S. and they even go into schools to teach about how our health and sustainable choices can go hand and hand. Pretty cool right? You can order individual toothbrushes or a subscription to receive a new toothbrush every three months. Be sure to check out Instagram later today, because we’re teaming up for something fun! 

An interesting brand that I recently tried is Mother Dirt. I think most all of us know by now that there is good bacteria and bad bacteria, and many of our modern habits of cleanliness actually strip away both. That can leave your skin open to issues that were once protected by the biome of bacteria and beneficial microorganisms on your skin. Things like bad bacteria and yeast and fungus can thrive without any pushback, and not to mention stinkiness. Turns out we do need to foster some of the good bacteria to balance things out on our skin and scalps a bit. That’s where Mother Dirt comes in. Their products work to promote good bacteria and tame bad bacteria. Their approach is totally different, but has research to back it up. I was able to try their Mist, Shampoo, and Cleanser. All worked well, but the mist was my favorite. A few spritzes a day to sweaty areas (like underarms) really makes a big impact on how you smell. I was amazed it worked so well. With cold weather approaching this type of approach may be a good defense against some of the common rashes and skin ailments that pop up in winter. A little bit of good bacteria may be the best thing that’s ever happened to your skin.

So each October we hear the same old song and dance- companies jumping on the pink ribbon bandwagon with their carcinogen-laden products, trying to make a buck off of breast cancer awareness. Many companies repackage in pink packaging or come out with a new pink lipstick color, but at the end of the day THEY are the problem. They’re selling items to women that are known to cause cancer, disrupt hormones and slowly wreak havoc on your health, all the while making an extra buck for pretending to care about your health. The truth is they don’t care. A great site to check out to learn more is Think Before You Pink.

Another perennial October favorite that’s laden with a toxic stew of synthetic colors, flavors and (sometimes) sweeteners is Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte. I know it’s hard to resist something so yummy that just screams fall, so here’s a healthier version that Suzi of Gurl Gone Green introduced to me, to get you through the next couple of months. xo