Our NEW Hand + Surface Spray is now live on our site for preorder! This is not your average hand sanitizer. We sourced premium, certified organic, USP pharmaceutical grade, non-GMO verified, gluten free, 190 proof (95%) neutral wheat alcohol and paired it with some of our favorite essential oils. Our ingredients are simple, effective and as pure as you will find.
Continue readingAre you new to natural? Perhaps you are struggling to swap out some of your favorite conventional products because you're unsure of whether the natural alternatives will perform the same or you are concerned you'll achieve inferior results. We get it! When you find something that works, why change it?
What if your products are compromising your health and wellbeing? Did you know that a percentage of what you put on your skin gets absorbed into your bloodstream or lymphatic system? Even small amounts of chemicals considered "safe" by the FDA may increase your risk of cancer when combined. And toxins in a pregnant woman's body do pass through umbilical chord blood to a developing fetus. Particularly vulnerable are children with thinner, more permeable skin and developing brains and bodies.
Fortunately, going natural is only getting easier. The natural products industry is growing exponentially as consumers demand better, safer options. Hooray! But it is easy to feel overwhelmed. So whether you are just getting your feet wet or are ready to jump in, we applaud your curiosity and we are here for you. Take a look at the tips below for making the transition to natural skincare products:
1. Understand your Total Toxic Load. This refers to the total amount of toxins that accumulate in your body from a variety of sources; pollutants we breathe, eat and drink or absorb through personal care and household products. Focusing on both eliminating exposure to toxins and supporting your body in eliminating toxins through your skin, kidneys colon and liver can decrease your toxic load and chances of disease.
2. Start slowly and don't overwhelm yourself. Baby steps lead to major changes in time. Just start with one thing and build on to that. Have fun discovering new ingredients and educating yourself. Remember why you are making the changes.
3. Make the easiest swaps first. No need to tackle the most difficult products right away. Start with something easy. All change is positive change!
4. Focus on the products that make the most impact. We like to start with body care because it covers the most surface area of the body. Find a clean soap bar or foaming bath wash and a yummy aromatherapy body oil that lifts your spirits.
5. Expect yourself to go through a detox period - especially with products like deodorant. You might find that some products aren't working the way you thought they would. However, if you give your body time to adjust, you can expect most natural products to work just as well, if not even better!
6. Expect trial and error until you find what works for your unique body chemistry. What works for your best friend, just may not work for you. The gentle cream formulation may give your baby a rash. Similar to food, our bodies respond differently to ingredients - even seemingly beneficial ones. Read ingredients lists and begin to learn what works for you and what to avoid. This is another reason for starting out slowly. It is easier to pinpoint what is working and what isn't when you haven't suddenly switched up your entire regimen.
7. There are products for any budget. Natural products are for everyone. Just like conventional beauty, prices range from budget friendly drug-store brands, to premium priced luxury brands. Big box stores like Wal-Mart and Target have jumped on the natural bandwagon and carry great reasonably priced options for children and adults.
8. Focus on quality, not quantity or volume. I know it looks suspicious when your 8oz bottle of lotion costs less than the 2oz jar of natural goodness. But don't be fooled! Natural products that are concentrated can last just as long as their watered-down conventional alternatives. Understanding how to correctly use and apply them is important to making them effective and extend the life of the product. Concentrated formulas only require a very small amount to be effective!
9. Find brands you can trust. Try to support small brands who work closely with their suppliers and offer valuable education to their communities. Not everyone in the natural products space is in it for the right reasons. Stick with brands who practice transparency and trust your gut.
10. Join a community! One of the best ways to learn is to join a community of others who are on a similar journey and want to share and encourage one another. It takes a village; whether that is a natural parenting group, a Facebook group or community center. Some of the best recommendations come from those who are only a step ahead in their journey and are happy to pay it forward.
Have more questions or curious about Zoe Organics products? We'd love to help! Contact us here.
Continue readingMore than 120 billion units of packaging are produced every year by the global cosmetics industry. Let that sink in for a minute.
National Geographic claims there is more than 5 trillion pieces of plastic in the oceans and the Ellen Macarthur Foundation estimates by 2050 there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish.
We need to see this planetary crisis for what it is and take action! Think about your bathroom for a minute. How many individual containers can you count in your shower, cabinets and drawers, or on your counter? How many of these are plastic or single use? If you are honest, how many go straight to the trash rather than being reused or recycled when empty?
At Zoe Organics it has always been a priority to avoid extra waste, but we aren't perfect! We have always used glass when possible and safe. We have chosen aluminum containers and all of our boxes are made from 80-100% post consumer paper, rather than virgin materials. But we want (we need!) to do more and we are committed to eliminating even more plastic and waste in the coming months and years.
One of the things we are excited to launch is more refills! We currently offer refills of our Bath Wash and Baby Bath Tea, but now you can get 3 more products in refill sizes; Baby Oil, Belly Oil and Body Oil.
Here's why we are so excited about these refills:
1. Refills are environmentally conscious. We chose aluminum for the bottles because it is lightweight and preserves the products well. Aluminum is also reusable and recyclable. In fact, aluminum, like glass, can be recycled endlessly. Instead of a sticker label, we used a 100% post-consumer paper wrap label that can easily be removed so you can use the beautiful bottle for other purposes when it is empty!
Another benefit is the ability to reuse your bottles and pumps. Don't toss another bottle when it's empty, just refill it and keep using it! The more life you can get out of something the better.
Our Baby Bath Tea is available in a large aluminum tin with 10 bags or a small aluminum tin with 2 bags. The refill size also has 10 bags, but it is offered in a zip-lock pouch. Keep them in the pouch or refill your tin.
Our Bath Wash comes in our Regular (5 fl oz) size and a travel (1.7 fl oz) size with foamer pumps. The refill size is a 32 fl oz, so save your bottles with foamer pumps and just refill them when necessary!
Our Belly Oil, Baby Oil and Body Oil all come in 2 fl oz glass bottles. When you purchase our new refill size, you get 9 fl oz! Whoo-hoo! Do you go through these bottles faster than you'd like? Now you can order your favorite oil + and refill. Are you pregnancy and love our Belly Oil? Order the refill and it should take you into postpartum.
2. Refills are convenient. When purchasing our refill sizes, you get enough product to refill your regular bottles 4-6 times. You don't have to run to the store or have it shipped as often because you get more at one time.
Another bonus? We now offer a subscription service, which means you can have your favorite products (including refills) arrive at your doorstep each month (or on your schedule) and you don't even have to think about it! Busy grown-ups, are you rejoicing?!
3. Refills save you money. Who doesn't love to hear that? When you purchase our refill sizes you receive a significant cost savings compared to purchasing the same number of ounces in small containers. We want to make buying organic more affordable and accessible to all.
So are you ready to refill? This is just one of many steps you will see us roll out in our commitment to reducing packaging waste in the coming months. Are you with us? Tell us in the comments below!
From now until September 30, 2019 at 11:59 pm PST, purchase any refill size product and get a full size product free! Use code ZOEREFILLS. **Must add both products to your cart and then add the discount code!
Continue reading