You like green stuff, right? Yeah, we knew that about you guys (we haz powers!) and that’s why we’ve partnered with Ecostore USA to give away a $25 gift certificate to one lucky reader. Ecostore USA carries plant and mineral-based, non-toxic personal care stuff, baby stuff, household stuff and pet stuff and and it’s all “super concentrated” so that a little bit goes a long way and saves you some of that other kind of green.

Find It Here: Ecostore USA

Win It: We’re giving away a $25 gift certificate to Ecostore USA. Click here to fill out our simple entry form. Just enter ECO5 as the giveaway name and provide the answer to this question: What is the Ecostore USA slogan? Enter by 5/21/09. $25 value. Open to US and Canadian residents. Contest closed. Congratulations to Beth!

Of course, we dig everything we feature on this site but it occurred to me recently that I’ve never really written about the green products I use in my everyday life. Sooo…I thought that every now and then I could feature some of the things I really can’t live without because I love them THAT MUCH!

One thing I refuse to compromise on is my toothpaste. I won’t use any of the conventional brands anymore. Why? Because they have a lot of nasty chemicals in them that aren’t necessary to have clean, healthy teeth. My personal fave is Tom’s of Maine Natural Whole Care. We’ve been using it for about two years now and it does exactly what it’s supposed to do but without so much toxic junk in it. And it also tastes really good, thanks to actual spearmint and peppermint oils. Additionally, The Environmental Working Group’s Cosmetic Safety Database gives it a 1 out of 10 which means it’s regarded as “low hazard.” It does cost a little more but considering that we brush at least twice a day and it goes in our mouths, I’m willing to pay more for it. One way to save is to stock up when it’s on sale OR buy it in bulk on Amazon.com when it’s on sale and save BIG!

Find It Here: Tom’s of Maine

If you have a little girl, there’s a very good chance she’s already asked to have her nails painted—and if she hasn’t, you can bet she probably will at some point. The problem is that conventional nail polish is full of nasty toxic chemicals that can and DO find their way into the human body. Yuck! There’s nothing cute or glam about THAT! But rest assured that we’ve found an awesome alternative that’s water-based, non-flammable, odor-free and completely safe for your wee ones to wear on their nails. It’s Piggy Paint non-toxic, kid-friendly nail polish and it’s 100% free of formaldehyde, toluene, phthalates, biphenyl A, ethyl acetate and acetone. As the Piggy Paint folks like to say…it’s as natural as mud (but comes in way better colors!)

Find It Here:  Piggy Paint

According to the Breast Cancer Fund’s Pure Prevention Campaign, only 1 and 10 women with breast cancer have a genetic history of the disease, and science increasingly points to radiation and harmful chemicals in our everyday environment as factors for the high rates of breast cancer. Yet some people are still not aware of the environmental links to this terrible disease. During the month of October, The Breast Cancer Fund is focusing its breast cancer awareness efforts on the importance of prevention by asking a simple question: What do chemicals (like those in some of our food, make-up and cleaning products) have to do with breast cancer? Visit the Pure Prevention Campaign to find the research behind this link and why prevention is so important. Then check out their 5 Tips for Prevention and help spread the word by sending an e-card to share simple, everyday prevention steps with your loved ones.

Take Action! Send a Breast Cancer Prevention E-Card

According to my son, bathtime is waaaay more fun when bubbles are involved. Unfortunately, I banned the bubbles for a long time because I was having a hard time finding a bubble bath that didn’t contain toxic ingredients. Then I stumbled upon Little Twig. Little Twig is this really fun line of children’s bath products that includes a bubble bath line without synthetic fragrances and artificial colors, which by the way, is totally hard to believe when you smell their Tangerine Bubble Bath. The scent is so yummy and fruity that is just doesn’t seem possible that it could not contain phthalates. But no! As confirmed with the company, none of their bubble bath products contain phthalates, parabens or sulfates. And for those with allergies, the Little Twig Extra Mild Unscented formula is also wheat, soy and nut free. And before you worry too much about the plastic bottle it comes in, Little Twig bottles are totally recyclable. They also donate a portion of their proceeds to the Everychild Foundation. But the best news for my kids is that bathtime is fun again thanks to Little Twig!

Find It Here: Cocotier Kids

Win It! We’re giving away a Little Twig Gentle Care Gift Pack worth $40! The pack includes unscented bubble bath, body milk, body wash and a ladybug washcloth. Click here to fill out our simple entry form. Just enter “CK21” as the giveaway name and provide the answer to this question: What is your favorite Little Twig product available from Cocotier Kids? U.S. and Canadian residents eligible. Enter by 8/14/08. Contest closed. Congrats, Lily K!

Some time ago I’d heard that it was common for fragrances to contain petrochemicals and other toxins but in my ignorance, I didn’t allow this bad news to tear me away from my beloved Angel by Thierry Mugler. It smelled so completely unique and delicious that you could instantly zero in on another Angel wearer in a crowd, inevitably leading to this total perfume bonding moment in which we would gush over our mutual love of the scent. So…imagine my shock and dismay upon learning that my most favorite perfume ever is allegedly made with the same ingredients found in pesticides & chemicals that attack the eyes, skin, central and peripheral nervous systems, respiratory, hepatic, hematological & reproductive systems along with damage to the DNA of sperm in adult males. In fact , a class action suit is being considered for Nordstrom employees who were unknowingly and continuously exposed to the aformentioned toxic chemicals while selling Angel. Oy. I guess it’s a good thing I could never afford to wear my most beloved scent every day (and now, of course, I don’t wear it at all). But what about your favorite fragrances — just how safe or dangerous are they? Our hardworking friends over at the Environmental Working Group have made it easy peasy for you to find out by consulting the Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database. In fact, there’s a section just for fragrances for both women and men and a number of very popular ones received the highest ranking possible for toxicity. Lucky for all of us, there are a number of very safely rated scents also listed because seriously, we shouldn’t have to make ourselves sick just so we can smell nice.

Find It Here: EWG Fragrance Safety Ratings for Women and Men

Moisturizing daily is important for skin health — or so says my very astute and trustworthy esthetician friend. However, I find it disconcerting that so many moisturizers have synthetic ingredients that are downright toxic. Ugh! Who wants to put chemicals on their face every day? If you’re looking for a safer facial moisturizer, then check out Grateful Body’s Daily Facial Therapy. Available for dry, oily and normal skin types, it’s my all-time favorite facial lotion. Produced locally in California, the moisturizer gets a very low hazard score (a good thing!) from the Environmental Workging Group’s Cosmetic Safety Database. They are also a signer of the Compact for Safe Cosmetics and they do not test their products on animals. All of their products are vegetarian or vegan and they use recycled packaging and soy based inks. Oh and? Their moisturizer is really effective. I should know, I’ve been using it for over a year and I love it. At the risk of sounding a little un-green, I guess you could say, I’m sold.

Find It Here: Grateful Body

Congratulations to Meghan B., winner of a bottle of Grateful Body’s Daily Facial Therapy!

Deal: Receive 20% off your purchase at Grateful Body with code greenmom20. Valid through July 31, 2008.

It seems as if every time I read the news, there is some new report about BPA in our plastics, oxybenzone in sunscreens and a whole bucketful of various chemicals in our mattresses, not to mention the beauty industry’s slack guidelines concerning what they put in personal care products and cosmetics. I’m fed up with all of it but I’m not ready to give up taking care of myself just yet, especially when I can make my own personal care products. Organic Body Care Recipes by Stephanie Tourles contains over 175 different homemade herbal formulas for glowing skin and a vibrant self. In fact, there’s a recipe for just about everything you could ever need: natural bug repellent, facial steams (yes, you need facial steams), makeup remover, body butters (great for stretchmark prevention!) In addition to the recipes, the book gives primers on essential oils and how to use them; harvesting herbs; basic information on hair and skin and nail care as well as a basic ingredient dictionary. In fact, it’s very likely you’ll already have most of the ingredients right in your cupboard. And no, you don’t have to use your chocolate stash unless you really, really want to — we know some things are sacred.

Find It Here: Organic Body Care Recipes

I want nothing but the best for my baby – and that includes the stuff I put on his little tush during diaper changes. By the way, aren’t baby buns the cutest!?! Sorry, I digress… Anyway, if you’re looking for a new diaper creme, then you might check out Bum Bum Balm. Made from natural ingredients, Bum Bum Balm gets a good safety rating from The Environmental Working Group’s (EWG’s) Cosmetic Safety Database. In fact, it’s one of EWG’s top picks for safer diaper cremes, which makes me feel great because when I’m slathering stuff all over my kid’s hiney, I want to know that it’s made of good stuff. Yep. That’s right - I demand only the best for my baby’s buns! Who’s with me?

Find It Here: Kai Kids

Congratulations to Heather, winner of a tin of this fabulous Bum Bum Balm, a set of bamboo nursing pads and a Ringley Natural Teething Toy, courtesy of Kai Kids!

After running after my kids all day, the only thing I usually feel like doing when I finally get to bed is sleeping! However, I can often be persuaded to stay up just a bit longer for a nice back rub, especially when accompanied by a little Midnight Oil, my favorite new body oil. Developed by GratefulBody, a family-owned, green skin care company out of Berkeley, California, this oil is great for men and women, especially for those who need a little help de-stressing at the end of a long day. You might also like to know that Midnight Oil is a vegan product and gets a great safety rating from the Cosmetic Safety Database. Try it out and I can almost guarantee you that your body will be grateful.

(P.S. It works wonderfully as a baby massage oil as well!)

Find It Here: GratefulBody

Deal: Save 20% off your order from Grateful Body with code “GREENMOM20″. Expires 5/31/08.

Congratulations Stacey M., winner of a bottle of Midnight Oil!

Finding a lotion for children, babies in particular, that is safe and effective is easier said than done, especially since so many lotions out there contain carcinogenic ingredients. But I’m happy to report that I’ve found a lotion that I feel great about using on my boys – Natural Baby and Kids Body Lotion by Aubrey Organics . Made without the use of any synthetics, this lotion smells great and has ingredients that you will actually recognize. The lotion also gets a good safety rating from the Environmental Working Group. Another good sign? The Aubrey Organics Baby and Kids Shampoo, which we also use, received a safe rating from The Organic Consumers Association’s recent study on 1,4-Dioxane in body care and household products. The bottom line? The Aubrey Organics lotion is a safe choice compared to many of the alternatives on the market and it leaves my children’s skin super soft; softer than any other lotion we’ve tried, and it makes my skin feel pretty darn good, too.

Find It Here: Aubrey Organics Natural Baby and Kids Body Lotion