REVIEW: Made From Earth

OllieOllieToxinFree (OOTF) product review policy: I accept free samples from brands I deem promising (with regard to ingredients, price point and philosophy). I agree to try the products and provide my readers with an honest opinion of them. If I do not like the products, I follow the Golden Rule (say nothing if nothing nice to say) but do report back to the brand contact with my concerns/dislikes. I post reviews of products I like, so my readers learn about new, OOTF-friendly products.

Some time ago, I was contacted by the marketing director at Made From Earth to see if I would review some sample products. (How flattering!) Soon after, I received a package with lots of samples, so many that I have still not tried them all. What Stergios didn't know—and I didn't think to mention—is that I have a pretty pared down beauty routine. 

So, while I'm sure I'll eventually get to test all of them, for now I'll just tell you about the ones I tried, all very good products. My favorite items were the Rosehip & Hibiscus Facial Serum (which is currently half off at just $12.50!) and the Citrus Fresh Lip Balm. I also liked the the Vitamin E & Citrus Body Gel and the pH Equilibrant Moisturizer.

General Notes

Fragrance is something I find challenging with natural concoctions. I like good-smelling products, but most true eco-brands avoid strong scents, even naturally derived ones, because some people have reactions to essential oils. But when potions have no smell or an odor that's not at least a tinge floral/fruity/musky, I personally find that unappealing. Made From Earth seems to have found the right balance with a barely there nontoxic fragrance for facial products and a light natural scent in the other products I tried.

I should also note that testing beauty products for me is always a crap shoot. My skin is highly sensitive and breaks into little dry crusty patches for no apparent reason—usually related to trying a new product or being in a new climate. I have used these products long enough to say unequivocally that my sensitive skin liked Made From Earth.

Looking at the ingredients, it appears that Made From Earth products would get a very low (which is favorable) rating on the EWG Cosmetics Database, however, no products are listed in that system. They specifically ensure that their products contain none of the following:

• Petrochemicals and Phthalates
• Parabens (Methyl, Propyl, Butyl)
• Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate Diazolidinyl Urea

My friend, Todra, at The Healthy Beauty Project, is a fan of Made From Earth. See her inside scoop on the company and the products here. She also tells me that they reformulate their products constantly, and they are very responsive to constructive feedback.

Product-Specific Notes

The Rosehip & Hibiscus Facial Serum has a great consistency, emollient but not greasy, and overall very lightweight. My skin is normal to dry, especially in winter, but it’s not generally amenable to heavy moisturizers, even at night. I love to use serums all over, morning and night, though I’m sure cosmetologists would say it’s not enough moisture for my skin type. I believe that moisture also comes from the inside—be hydrated and your skin will show it. But, I digress.

The Citrus Fresh Lip Balm was smooth and deliciously scented. It's made with beeswax, essential oils, and other natural goodness, and at $3.99, is quite affordable. Made From Earth also offers Mocha, Vanilla, Blueberry, Spearmint and a Chocolate/Vanilla combo pack.

The Vitamin E & Citrus Body Gel was not super sudsy, but most eco-friendly soaps are not, because they are sulfate-free. I found the scent to be refreshing, the texture was typical of a bath gel and I felt clean after using it. That's the point, right?

The pH Equilibrant Moisturizer was a nice addition to my nighttime routine, after the serum. It's light and non-greasy but definitely not as light as the serum. It absorbed into my skin easily and, it's worth mentioning again, did not cause any freakouts. I would like it to have a teeny tiny little bit more natural fragrance, but it wasn't a deal-breaker for me. 

One last product I didn't mention earlier, but did try, is their Grapefruit Glycolic Scrub. An interesting texture, its gel base is sprinkled with soft little scrubbing bits. It didn't feel harsh, but typically, glycolic-type products are not categorized as nontoxic. It's not in the Cosmetics Database, so its toxicity is unclear to me. I'd guess that it's "safer" than drugstore and probably department store brands, but I would use it sparingly, just for a little extra facial rejuvenation. 

All in all, this is a well-priced, low-hype, U.S.-made line of products with carefully selected ingredients that you'll likely really enjoy using. Thanks to the team at Made From Earth for introducing me to your line.

A novel concept: double-sided register receipts

Sometimes, I like to give props to companies who are taking even the smallest initiative to be eco-friendly. 

I was surprised to find that Karns, a local grocery chain, had different register paper so the receipt came out half the size of the monstrous receipts I get at Giant Foods, simply by printing on both sides of the paper. It's a little confusing the first time you look at your receipt; it looks incomplete. But, lo and behold, I flipped it over and there my tally continued, with no space-wasting frills. That is a great way to cut paper use in half. Kudos to Karns.

This post would be incomplete if I didn't also mention the growing concern about all these thermal receipts we collect -- the presence of BPA (Bisphenol-A) on them. 

Handle BPA-laden thermal receipts with care—or not at all!

Just today, I saw an article (which of course I can't find now) on this, and when I searched, came across this one. You can Google it yourself; these articles date back to 2000, but it's definitely attracting more media attention. As the Fox story says, some stores are already using BPA-free paper: Trader Joe’s, Home Depot, Albertson’s, Ace Hardware, Wal-Mart, Sears and Costco. 

The super creepy thing about BPA is that you can't wash it off your hands. Anything that it touches, it attaches to, like paper money, your clothes, your skin. Ick. So what should you do with all these receipts? Recycle them, right? No, says the Washington Toxics Coalition. Read this short post on how to dispose of them and how to avoid BPA-laden receipts in the first place.

Bright Lights, Now 33% Whiter?

One morning last week, very early, I gazed out of the window of the regional jet I was flying to Chicago and took notice of all the lights. Street lights, headlights, parking lot lights, flood lights—all illuminating Central Pennsylvania in a dot pattern like a giant LiteBrite board. Looking closer, I realized the lights were two distinct colors: orange and white. Orange for old-school, incandescent bulbs and white for newer, LED bulbs. I scanned the area within my view and made the entirely unscientific declaration that about one-third of the fixtures were energy-saving ones. I found that encouraging.

Last week en route to Las Vegas, I didn’t take notice of white lights, but, then again, in Vegas, most lights are colorful. It’s hard to imagine the original Sin City worrying about their electric usage when that neon skyline is tied so closely to its image. Has anyone noticed how entrenched “white lights” are in cities you’ve visited?

Conventionally grown fruit or no fruit in the winter?

The wisdom and sustainability of certain things we take for granted, like grocery stores brimming with perfect looking produce all year round, should probably be questioned.

Photo (c)2010 Dr. Danny George, Farmers Market in Hershey

I find myself picking up organic apples only to put them down when I realize they're from New Zealand. I scour the red peppers for varieties from Canada rather than Mexico (mostly because I think the use of pesticides is not as great; unfounded assumption that it is). I find myself longing for organic grapes, no matter where they grow this time of year. My kids love fresh fruit and veggies and it's hard to figure out the best options for out-of-season months here in Central PA.

Like I said, I still buy peppers and cucumbers, mostly the greenhouse variety, and I'd love to know if these carry a lower toxic burden. I've done some research and posted questions on popular sites, but so far have not gotten any useful responses. I won't give up, but it's not at the top of my list at the moment. I also buy melons and bananas (I know that's a dirty business!) because they're good for my kids and they eat them. I wash the outside of the melons and always wash my knife in between cutting, to minimize the exposure to chemicals on the rind, but they're still being shipped from South America or somewhere else not very eco-friendly.

What's the right thing to do, for the planet: To eat less out-of-season food, even if that means less than a balanced diet, or prioritize healthy whole foods, regardless of their origin, all year round? It's not an easy answer. I'm guessing most people would opt for a middle ground, being sensitive to staying "as local as possible." Which is not local at all this time of year. Sigh.

New Year, New Resolution for This Blog

I admit, I've been a little neglectful lately of my OllieOllieToxinFree friends. It's not been intentional, but I've been busier than usual at home and at work. Yesterday, I renewed my URL (which I'd let lapse and thankfully no one had snapped up) and bought three years of hosting from GreenGeeks.com. If I'm going to do this, I'm going to make it legit. Stay tuned, for a new look (most likely, since I won't have this template) and the new live URL. Please keep sending me ideas for topics and thanks for all the support to date!

One post that caught my eye so far this year was on Inhabitots, a favorite blog. They asked folks in their green network to make predictions for 2011. The panel consisted of Inhabitots founder Jill Fehrenbacher; Danielle Friedland, Healthy Child Healthy World; Natalie Zee Drieu, CRAFTZINE; Micaela Preston, Mindful Momma founder; Nick and Kimber Christensen, Little Sapling Toys designers; Mari Richards, Small and Big founder; and Jennifer Chait, Growing a Green Family founder. 

Some of their thoughts:

• "...more parents will get turned on to the importance of simple, unprocessed food and toxin-free toys for their children, and this consumer demand will finally lead to major change in manufacturing processes."
• A lot of handmade and DIY solutions (make it, grow it, etc.)
• "We'll be demanding greener products. We'll be advocating for better school lunches. We'll be rallying against unsafe chemicals."
• "...eco-friendly, less toxic art supplies will be more plentiful and more varied."
• "2011 is going to be the year we see a shift in parenting values. Values that say it's okay for parents to ease up a bit and allow kids to be kids."

I agree that consumer consciousness is growing, which should mean demand will keep growing. People are starting to think more about what's in their food, in their personal care products and in the air they breathe. Credit is due to movies (Food Inc., King Korn); people (Michael Pollan, Jamie Oliver, Alice Waters, Michelle Obama); grassroots movements (the Slow Food Movement, Edible Schoolyards), research organizations (Healthy Child Healthy World, Environmental Working Group) and the media's willingness to cover these topics.

I think we will see non-toxic products become more mainstream as we find out more about BPA, phthlalates and other neurotoxins and endocrine disruptors. People will continue to spend more of their dollars on healthier products, and the market will keep shifting to meet demand. This will be a slow process, though, nothing breakthrough this year.

Unfortunately, I think we're also going to see more research proving the link between toxic chemicals and illnesses, from cancer to autism to diabetes. I've already seen some incredibly disturbing studies; this might be the year for the smoking gun.