As Kermit once said, it's not easy being green. In a perfect world, I would buy only products that don't contain any potentially harmful ingredients, but it's not always easy to find "green" products that really work. And, when it comes down to it, I'm not going to buy a product that doesn't do the job.
Enter ... ecostore NZ! This 15-year-old New Zealand–based company has finally launched ecostore USA, so that we can get their "No Nasty Chemicals" stuff here too. (The nasties include paraben, glycol, and sodium lauryl sulfate—you won't find any of those chemicals in ecostore's products.)
Everything they make is super-concentrated, so a little goes a long way (which also saves on packaging). That's why their prices seem high at first glance, but you will end up using much less of each product than your usual stuff, which is loaded with water.
I received a selection of products to try, and it's all great. The Citrus Spray Cleaner works just as well as all those blue and orange products in my cabinet, but all you detect is a light citrusy smell, instead of ammonia (or worse). Likewise, the lemony Cream Cleanser quickly and easily removed a red wine ring on a white counter—my one and only test of such products!
For my hair, I got a bottle of Aloe Vera Conditioner, which is thick and rich, with a very "clean" scent. They also carry products for babies and for dogs.
So, what can I say? I'm sold. And I think you will be, too. In fact, I've decided to part with one of the items I received but didn't open, a bar of Manuka Honey & Kelp Soap. If you'd like to be entered in a drawing to win it, just visit the ecostore USA site and leave a comment below telling me something you learned from it. I'll pick a random winner out of all comments received by midnight on Sunday, January 18.
Wow, sign me up! I read on their site that household cleaning products are more likely than outdoor pollutants to cause cancer. I did not know that! I knew I shouldn't be cleaning my house.
Posted by: Elena | January 14, 2009 at 04:29 PM
BTW, does midnight, Jan. 18 mean midnight at the beginning of Jan. 18 or at the end?
Posted by: Elena | January 14, 2009 at 05:42 PM
Ok, I'm sure Richard would love to try the soap, so here's what I learned from the website: a woman who works from home (and presumably any stay at home person) has an increased chance of getting cancer from his or her prolonged exposure to the toxins in household cleaning products. I find this surprising because I imagine the chemicals used in commercial cleaning products are worse. Anyway, I'd love to know if the eco products (or the ingredients they use) have been tested by an independent lab. Do you happen to know? Maybe I could send them an e-mail.
Posted by: Janet | January 14, 2009 at 06:39 PM
Um, I think I mean 11:59:59pm on January 18. Late Sunday night.
Posted by: Karen | January 14, 2009 at 07:17 PM
I learned that in addition to the products you mentioned they also carry dishwasher and laundry detergent and a full line of baby care products. Nice.
Posted by: Gail | January 14, 2009 at 08:50 PM
I learned they also have green pet products. Not products for green pets but green products for pets. :-)
Posted by: Susan | January 14, 2009 at 11:27 PM
They now sell pet items. Great!
Posted by: Sharon | January 15, 2009 at 11:05 AM
And the winner is ... Gail! Congrats!
Posted by: Karen | January 19, 2009 at 11:07 AM
It's not easy to find good eco-friendly products. Ecostore definitely has an impressive array!
Posted by: Arshia | January 20, 2009 at 05:37 PM