Please note that I am taking an indefinite hiatus as I wrap up work on my current novel. Be sure to check back from time to time for updates on my status! Thanks.
In the meantime, here are some interesting articles worth reading:
Cleaners Hall of Shame
The Environmental Working Group's collection of the worst home cleaning products on the market. Check your closets ... despite my passion for going green, I've used Comet and Tarn-x in the past.
Does High Fructose Corn Syrup Make Kids Forgetful?
A recent piece in Mother Jones raises questions about corn syrup's effect on the brain and memory.
Best Sunscreens of 2012
Environmental Working Group's yearly round up of their best (and worst) sunscreens.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Monday, March 26, 2012
Product Review: Meow, Meow, Tweet Deodorant Cream
As a teenager, I struggled with antiperspirant and deodorant. The scented kind caused me to break out in rashes; unscented sticks and roll-ons left me with white stains everywhere. I didn't sweat that much and so I rarely used it. One container lasted half a year. I showered regularly and rinsed under my arms when I was getting smelly.
But post-kids, I smell sweaty more often. I'm definitely on my toes more, and exercise is a far bigger part of my life. Maybe it's just that I spend so much time caring for others that there's less time to groom myself. Still, this green mama, with an OCD need to find the best products on the planet, needed to find a solution.
I began the quest for an effective all-natural deodorant a few years ago. In my experience, these products are rarely as effective as the conventional, chemical-filled kinds. But the sales person in my local Whole Foods explained that I wasn't using them right. For all natural deodorants to be effective, they need to be applied twice a day instead of once in the morning. The purpose of these products is not to prevent you from sweating but rather to kill the bacteria (the smelly part) that grows in your armpits. (A little gross, but good to understand.) Still, who has time for multiple applications?
After some trial and error, I settled on Terressentials roll-on deodorant. Terressentials works very well most of the time, but I didn't find it effective for emergency quick changes when I had no time to shower. In those cases, I smelled like sweat ... and citrus. The product also goes on wet, and it takes a little longer to feel dry.
On a whim, I recently decided to try deodorant cream from a Brooklyn-based company called Meow, Meow, Tweet. ($12.00 for 2.5 oz)
I was, at first, admittedly, put off by the goop in the jar. I cringed at the strong tea tree smell and at the way the cream went on slightly dry and tacky.
But something crazy happened ... it worked. Better than any of the previous natural products I'd tried. Even better, it goes on dry.
Just a dime sized dollop of cream under the arm keeps me dry and smell free for most of the day. (I never remember a second application, and I rarely need one.) And, if I do sweat, I can put a little more on, and it masks the smell almost immediately. The tea tree smell is pungent, but it wears off quickly. I suspect it's this tea tree that kills the bacteria, eliminating the smell rather than masking it.
I would say my only reservation about this product would be travel. I can't imagine throwing a glass jar into a gym bag or overnight bag without having to protect it in some way. I certainly couldn't imagine a teenager toting around a glass jar of deodorant for after school sports either.
For toting times, I'll continue to use my faithful Terressentials roll-on, but I'm finding myself turning to the cream more and more.
Check out Meow Meow Tweet's unique deodorant. It goes on dry and eliminates odors without chemicals and additives, and a little goes a long way.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Lousy Stories Part Two...
As my daughter scratched her head last night, it occurred to me that it was time to do another lice check. I'm behind in adding part two to this blog, so what better timing?
Once you've established that your child has lice, there are two different approaches. Brace yourself, because each is time consuming, but worth it. I would never put pesticides on my child's head, personally, but I know lots of folks who wouldn't hesitate to do so. Regardless of whether or not you use the chemical shampoos, though, you still have to pick out all the nits.
APPROACH #1 (As outlined by a professional nit picker)
1) OLIVE OIL: The night before you tackle lice, apply 1/4 - 1/2 cup of olive oil to your child's (or your own) head. Massage the oil in well and sleep with the oil in your head. This is super messy (even if you cover your child's head), and I highly recommend spreading old towels on your bedding and removing comforters. If your child has very thick/dry hair, apply 1/4 oil about an hour before bed and then add another 1/4 right before going to sleep. Olive Oil suffocates live lice.
2) WASH: In the morning, wash hair first with dish detergent and then shampoo as many times as it takes to remove all the oil. Dry thoroughly. Comb through hair to remove all knots. (If your child has very curly hair, you will find it easier to straighten his/her hair before beginning the process.)
3) GET COMFORTABLE: Seriously. Set your child up in front of the television or a computer or whatever it takes because you are going to be here a while. NOTE: It's important you do this in a location with good lighting.
4) LIGHTING: Bring a lamp where you can control the direction of the light and aim it right at your child's head, more specifically, at each section you tackle.
5) LINT ROLLER: Place a lint roller by your side with a fresh piece of sticky tape.
6) HEAD PREP: Using multiple metal clips, divide your child's hair into smaller sections and twist them up so that you only work with a small amount at a time.
7) PICK AWAY: Using the back of a fine comb begin taking small, thin sections of your child's hair. Lift each section up, making sure the light is shining directly on the hair. Look carefully for the nits. If you see any or even if you don't, take your nit comb and comb through that tiny section two or three times. Press all the teeth of the comb onto the lint roller tape, so that it makes full contact. Any nits or lice picked up by the comb will stick to the tape. Move onto the next section and repeat. NOTE: Some hair is so thin that you will need to use your finger nails to remove the nits.
8) COUNT: As gross as this sounds, when you are done combing through the entire head (anywhere from three to six hours later), you will need to count the number of live bugs and nits you've found. Write the numbers down.
8) REPEAT: It sucks, I know. But you need to do this process again the next day, and the next and the next. If you find live bugs again the following day, your safest bet is to repeat the olive oil within the next two to three days, too. Checking will get faster, and the number of nits and bugs you find should decrease dramatically. By the end of a few days, you will hopefully be checking, but finding nothing.
9) CHECK FOR TWO WEEKS STRAIGHT: Yes, I said two weeks. This isn't necessarily because you will find more bugs or eggs, but you might have missed one or two that hatches and then lays more eggs. Also it's likely other kids near your kid have lice, too. The last thing you want is a re-infestation.
10) CHECK REGULARLY: Now that you've gotten the hang of it, you might want to make checking part of your routine. It's much easier to deal with an outbreak early in the game than it is to once it's become an infestation. (During the peak of our school's outbreak, I found one live lice on one kid's head and three nits on the other's head.)
APPROACH #2:
1) COPY STEPS 1, 2, 3, & 4 from above.
2) CONDITIONER and TOWELS: Arm yourself with a roll of paper towels and a full container of white colored conditioner.
3) SLATHER: Cover your kid's head with condition. A lot of conditioner.
4) HEAD PREP like step 6 above.
5) BEGIN TO PICK: Using your nit comb, comb through small sections of hair. Wipe conditioner filled combs onto the paper towels. Nits and bugs should come off in the conditioner and will be present on the paper towel. You can throw live bugs directly into a trash can or plastic bag. (They can crawl, but they can't jump or fly.)
6) REPEAT. You simply need to repeat and repeat and repeat this process until you stop finding bugs and nits. (Again this could take hours.)
7) Follow steps 9 & 10 above.
NOTE: Some parents find approach #2 much easier. I have tried both, but I ultimately find approach #1 to be more effective first time round, and I can't help but cringe at the wastefulness of throwing away all those towels.
APPROACH FOR PARENTS:
If you're concerned that you may have contracted lice from your child, your best bet is to practice approach #2 in the shower. Make sure you comb your hair backwards and forwards and from side to side. Spend at least a full ten minutes combing through with gobs of conditioner. If you find anything suspicious, you may want to have a friend or your partner check you or contact a professional nit picker. It's very hard to treat lice on yourself. And the last thing you want to do is re-infest your family.
Lice will turn your family upside down no matter which technique you choose. Between your laundry and your picking, your time will seem to fly by. Be good to yourself. Order pizza for dinner and don't sweat the small stuff. A lot of parents spend more time cleaning their house than they do checking their kids' heads. This is a mistake because the lice would much rather hang out on your head than on your chairs. Definitely do a thorough bagging, washing and vacuuming, but then focus on the hair.
Good luck and happy picking!
Once you've established that your child has lice, there are two different approaches. Brace yourself, because each is time consuming, but worth it. I would never put pesticides on my child's head, personally, but I know lots of folks who wouldn't hesitate to do so. Regardless of whether or not you use the chemical shampoos, though, you still have to pick out all the nits.
APPROACH #1 (As outlined by a professional nit picker)
1) OLIVE OIL: The night before you tackle lice, apply 1/4 - 1/2 cup of olive oil to your child's (or your own) head. Massage the oil in well and sleep with the oil in your head. This is super messy (even if you cover your child's head), and I highly recommend spreading old towels on your bedding and removing comforters. If your child has very thick/dry hair, apply 1/4 oil about an hour before bed and then add another 1/4 right before going to sleep. Olive Oil suffocates live lice.
2) WASH: In the morning, wash hair first with dish detergent and then shampoo as many times as it takes to remove all the oil. Dry thoroughly. Comb through hair to remove all knots. (If your child has very curly hair, you will find it easier to straighten his/her hair before beginning the process.)
3) GET COMFORTABLE: Seriously. Set your child up in front of the television or a computer or whatever it takes because you are going to be here a while. NOTE: It's important you do this in a location with good lighting.
4) LIGHTING: Bring a lamp where you can control the direction of the light and aim it right at your child's head, more specifically, at each section you tackle.
5) LINT ROLLER: Place a lint roller by your side with a fresh piece of sticky tape.
6) HEAD PREP: Using multiple metal clips, divide your child's hair into smaller sections and twist them up so that you only work with a small amount at a time.
7) PICK AWAY: Using the back of a fine comb begin taking small, thin sections of your child's hair. Lift each section up, making sure the light is shining directly on the hair. Look carefully for the nits. If you see any or even if you don't, take your nit comb and comb through that tiny section two or three times. Press all the teeth of the comb onto the lint roller tape, so that it makes full contact. Any nits or lice picked up by the comb will stick to the tape. Move onto the next section and repeat. NOTE: Some hair is so thin that you will need to use your finger nails to remove the nits.
8) COUNT: As gross as this sounds, when you are done combing through the entire head (anywhere from three to six hours later), you will need to count the number of live bugs and nits you've found. Write the numbers down.
8) REPEAT: It sucks, I know. But you need to do this process again the next day, and the next and the next. If you find live bugs again the following day, your safest bet is to repeat the olive oil within the next two to three days, too. Checking will get faster, and the number of nits and bugs you find should decrease dramatically. By the end of a few days, you will hopefully be checking, but finding nothing.
9) CHECK FOR TWO WEEKS STRAIGHT: Yes, I said two weeks. This isn't necessarily because you will find more bugs or eggs, but you might have missed one or two that hatches and then lays more eggs. Also it's likely other kids near your kid have lice, too. The last thing you want is a re-infestation.
10) CHECK REGULARLY: Now that you've gotten the hang of it, you might want to make checking part of your routine. It's much easier to deal with an outbreak early in the game than it is to once it's become an infestation. (During the peak of our school's outbreak, I found one live lice on one kid's head and three nits on the other's head.)
APPROACH #2:
1) COPY STEPS 1, 2, 3, & 4 from above.
2) CONDITIONER and TOWELS: Arm yourself with a roll of paper towels and a full container of white colored conditioner.
3) SLATHER: Cover your kid's head with condition. A lot of conditioner.
4) HEAD PREP like step 6 above.
5) BEGIN TO PICK: Using your nit comb, comb through small sections of hair. Wipe conditioner filled combs onto the paper towels. Nits and bugs should come off in the conditioner and will be present on the paper towel. You can throw live bugs directly into a trash can or plastic bag. (They can crawl, but they can't jump or fly.)
6) REPEAT. You simply need to repeat and repeat and repeat this process until you stop finding bugs and nits. (Again this could take hours.)
7) Follow steps 9 & 10 above.
NOTE: Some parents find approach #2 much easier. I have tried both, but I ultimately find approach #1 to be more effective first time round, and I can't help but cringe at the wastefulness of throwing away all those towels.
APPROACH FOR PARENTS:
If you're concerned that you may have contracted lice from your child, your best bet is to practice approach #2 in the shower. Make sure you comb your hair backwards and forwards and from side to side. Spend at least a full ten minutes combing through with gobs of conditioner. If you find anything suspicious, you may want to have a friend or your partner check you or contact a professional nit picker. It's very hard to treat lice on yourself. And the last thing you want to do is re-infest your family.
Lice will turn your family upside down no matter which technique you choose. Between your laundry and your picking, your time will seem to fly by. Be good to yourself. Order pizza for dinner and don't sweat the small stuff. A lot of parents spend more time cleaning their house than they do checking their kids' heads. This is a mistake because the lice would much rather hang out on your head than on your chairs. Definitely do a thorough bagging, washing and vacuuming, but then focus on the hair.
Good luck and happy picking!
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Louse Stories from the Front, Part 1
Our school has been infested with lice since September. Just
when we thought it was safe, news of more outbreaks came pouring home. My older
daughter has had a full-blown case once and tiny cases twice. My younger daughter
and I have each been infected once.
By tiny case I mean that a bug landed on her head and laid
eggs, also known as nits, but because I was checking her vigilantly I pulled
them off immediately. By
full-blown case, I mean she had upwards of 400 nits and 150 live bugs. I know
this may sound like a shockingly large number, but apparently it can be much
worse.
We got our full-blown case when I decided to be the laid
back mom who doesn’t drive her kids crazy with weekly neurotic check-ins like:
“Is anyone sick? Puking?” “You need to put your hair up!” “You know you can’t wear
fashion boots to gym?” It was during my calm mommy phase, “Sure, use the
cucumber smelling shampoo instead of the lice repelling tea tree if it makes
you happy,” that my daughter was infected. And then my other daughter was
infected … and then I was, too.
I decided to suck it up and pay an exorbitant amount of
money to have a nit-picker come to our house. It’s not that I wanted to flush a
short trip’s worth of cash down the toilet, it was more that I knew I had lice.
And I had no one to take care of my curly, coarse, thick hair. We learned a lot
in our seven-hour session, and I thought I would share our new found information
with you:
1) Your best protection against lice involve the following
steps:
- For
boys and girls: never share hats or sporting helmets.
- Girls
should have their hair up in a ponytail or braid, AND they should wear a wide
fabric headband. Lice apparently use wisps of hair, generally along the sides of
the head, as bridges.
- Check
your child’s head for lice every week or so.
- Run
a lint roller over the surface of any fabric, public seat, including airplanes
and movie theaters, before sitting down.
- Do
not rely on lice protection products. Our nit picker told us she recently
treated an entire infected family that used Fairy Tales hair products religiously. That
said, there is some anecdotal evidence that neem shampoos, tea tree shampoos,
and even some strong dandruff shampoos do kill live bugs. (Not the nits.) I
used Babo Botanicals tea tree shampoo on my younger daughter and actually found dead bugs
on her shoulders afterward. I now use the shampoo and the conditioning spray
regularly in addition to regular checking.
2) If there is a case of lice in your child’s classroom,
check your child vigilantly IN GOOD LIGHT. This was where I messed up during
our first outbreak. My daughter’s head was itchy. I kept checking her over and over
again, but I didn’t see anything. I was in the wrong light. Sit your child in a
chair near a window and/or with a lamp directly above their head. Look
carefully and take your time. I divide the head into four sections and check
section by section using metal clips and the back of a comb to lift small
amounts of hair.
2b) If you are checking regularly and find that these
sit-down searches are taking long periods of time, another option is to lather
your child up with white colored conditioner and comb through with a real nit
comb, I like “Nit Free”. Comb each chunk in four different directions. This is
how I found my second tiny outbreak. After each combing, I wiped my comb on a
white paper towel. When I saw tiny brown eggs, I knew we had to take action
immediately. (This conditioner method is also a great way for moms to check
themselves.) This check should take at least ten minutes.
3) Look for BROWN nits (or live eggs). Not the white ones. White
eggs are no longer living, they are just the shells of already hatched bugs.
Brown nits are incredibly hard to see and they actually blend in with most
shades of brown hair. (It is apparently easier to spot lice on blond or black
hair.) When working with a light, angle your lamp so that the light mimics
sunlight. Nits will glitter, like tiny jewels.
For tips on what to do if you actually find that your child
has an outbreak… stay tuned for part two.
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