going green

4 June 2013




The Twitter grapevine was chirping and thanks to @RazzleDazzleIce I ended up being sent a Living Naturally Soapnut sample pack. I have read about soapnuts but I had not tried them before now. Only the other week I was talking about "Going Green" and swapping your laundry detergent for environmentally friendly alternatives. I think using soapnuts will definitely make you an Eco Warrior. 



Soapnuts are dried fruit shells from the soapberry tree and they contain saponin which produces a soaping effect. They are 100% natural so great for the environment and ideal for anyone who suffers from allergies to laundry detergent. I have to say they are probably one of the most unusual things I have come across but as intriguing as the Konjac sponge. The soapnuts came in a small muslin bag which you place into the washing machine with your laundry. Softener is not required but if you want fragrance you can add drops of essential oil to the bag. 

I put these to the test on a load with towels and bed linen at a 60 degree wash. I need to stock up on essential oils but I had some clove oil (I use it to clean mould) so I decided to scent the bag with it. I have to say my laundry came out looking normal and smelling fresh. I put the towels through the tumble dryer and I admit I was not expecting them to come out soft but I was pleasantly surprised. The towels were not as soft as when I use fabric conditioner but they were pretty good, not scratchy or stiff. 

The soapnuts can be used 3-4 times and then you can dispose/compost them. If you would prefer an alternative to the "nuts" then Living Naturally do offer Soapnut Liquid Laundry Detergent or tabs. The product range also includes soap, shampoo bars and herbal hair rinse so it’s worth having a browse of the website www.soapnuts.co.uk. Plus Soapnut sample bags are available to buy for £3.49. 

Do any of you already use soapnuts? For those that do not, what do you think of the idea?

Sarah x

Disclaimer - sample pack sent free of charge, 100% own opinions, I was not asked to feature on my blog, links are not affiliated

8 May 2013


Recently I've seen requests for "Green Bloggers" and was wondering what exactly that means? Should a blogger who switches between natural and main stream products really be classed as a "Green Blogger"? Clearly there are several shades of green (yes, I realise what I just did there!).

Swapping out my skincare to natural products does not automatically mean that I will be out there hugging trees and saving the whales. However, using natural products generally means avoiding certain synthetic ingredients which could be harmful to the environment. Buying local handmade products supports the Country's economy and cuts down on air miles and carbon footprints. Often companies with Greener ethics are giving back to the local community and using recycled materials for packaging. Knowing what ingredients to cut out can be tricky. My advice is do your research and decide what is important to you, your skin and the environment around you. I have a page on my blog (under the header) which gives a basic list of ingredients which I look to avoid. I've argued many times that labelling a product natural does not make it a green product, so watch out for "Green Washing". 

I do think being Green should also extend to your lifestyle not just skincare. There are basic principles that you may wish to adopt

  • reduce pollution
  • conserve resources
  • conserve energy
  • reduce consumption and waste
  • protect the earth’s ecological balance

I'm not talking living in the woods without electricity and foraging for foods but I think it's important to think about small changes around the home. Here are a few I came up with
  • Consider the products you buy, are you wasting food or not recycling packaging? 
  • Do you use environmentally friendly cleaning products around your home? You can either buy eco-friendly products or make your own with ingredients like baking soda, vinegar and lemons 
  • Wash laundry on low temperatures
  • Sign up for paperless billing to cut down on paper and help save trees
  • Stop junk mail by signing up to Mail Preference Services 
  • Print on both sides of the paper
  • Do you buy Organic produce? 
  • Do you walk to the shops or take public transport or drive the car? 
  • If you have access to a garden, plant a vegetable patch or create a compost pile. 
  • Conserve water by not letting the tap run whilst brushing teeth or when washing up. 
  • Take reusable bags to the supermarket. 
  • If an appliance breaks down and is beyond repair, when buying a replacement consider the appliance energy rating. 
  • Donate or recycle old electrical/mobile/clothing
  • You can probably borrow books, movies, CD's from friends, neighbours, family or a public library
  • Re-purpose unwanted beauty products e.g a conditioner you don't like could be used to shave legs  
Obviously all the products I review are natural but here are some blog posts which have a environmental/green message.
What does the term "Going Green" mean to you? Do you have any "green" tips to share with readers?

Sarah x

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