A Review of Vaska Herbatergent

Vaska’s herbatergent ™ uses real herbs and potent botanical cleaning agents for high performance stain removal and extreme freshness.

Clothing stays brighter, lasts longer and feels softer without the chemical residues that cause skin irritation and fabric damage.

Vaska’s herbatergent ™ is gray water and septic tank safe.

Recommended for babies and people with sensitive skin.

herbatergent ™ is safe for use on all natural and synthetic washable fabrics.

INGREDIENTS: Plant based surfactants, vegetable conditioner, water-soluble degreasing agent, lavender extract (leaves no scent) and filtered water.

I had the chance to try Vaska's new Herbatergent and it works great. Just a small capful cleans a whole load for laundry. Wow. I used it on some pretty soiled clothes to and it still worked fabulously. I did have to wash some khakis twice though but that's only because I didn't catch the stains the first time, I didn't find them until I was putting clothes in the dryer.

But I used a little bit of Vaska Herbatergent directly on the stains, soaked the khakis for a few then washed them again and the stains came off. Even the ones that looked like Kool-Aid or marker or something pinkish red all down the leg. Never can tell with kids.

The only thing I did not like was the no-odor odor. Yeah, that chemical I ahve no smell odor that unscented products tend to have. Hate that. Always makes me think of hospitals and other institutions. Ach.

I wish I could have received the lavender scented herbatergent to try. I love lavender. And I love good scents. Not fake no scents.

But the herbatergent itself works great. If I got the scented formula I am sure I'd be 100% happy with it and not just 95 %.

A Review of Clear the Air Odor Eliminator

Earth Care Furniture Odor Remover
Adsorbs pet odors from carpets, leathers and upholstery without chemicals or fragrances.

Safe to use on all fabrics and surfaces.
Earth Care acts like a magnet attracting and neutralizing smells. It is made from an all natural mineral, is non toxic and biodegradable and safe for Planet Earth. It is also safe around children and pets even if eaten.

Will cover up to 100 square feet

Clear the Air Odor Remover is an interesting product because it is not a spray or cleaner. It is a granule based product. You sprinkle it on the problem area, in this case carpet or furniture, leave it on overnight then vaccum it off.

And the odor's gone.

Really.

At least for awhile. I used it and it made the odors pretty much go away for a couple weeks but then they came back or were new odors.

Hard to tell with three cats and three male humans in the house. They tend to be smelly creatures. The men, not the cats.

Anyway I like this product because it is easy to use and does not spread fumes or odors in the air it doesn't try to cover the odor up, it actually works to get rid of the odor. Plus I like that it is totally safe to use around kids and pets. Nothing toxic or dangerous to worry about.

It's only $10.99 and covers up to 100 square feet of an area

You can purchase it along with many other all natural odor removing products at http://www.cleartheair.com/shop/furniture-pet-odor-remover.html

Green Gift Guide: Eco-Friendly Candles

Green Candlelight

Many women (and some men) love candles but most traditional candles are made with petroleum by-products, toxic fragrances and lead laden wicks.

Yet you can give the gift of green candlelight this season by choosing eco-friendly candles for holiday stocking stuffers. There are now many eco-candles available so you light up the dark winter evenings with candles made from soy wax, beeswax or even vegetable based paraffins.

You can’t go wrong when giving an eco-candle to a candle lover.

Here are some of the best in green candles:

Suey’s Scents offers beautiful and yummy scented soy candles along with a variety of bath and body products (all which would make great stocking stuffers). The candles come in assorted size glass apothecary jars, metal tins and small tea lights. All containers can be reused or recycled and the soy wax burns cleans.

Candles range in price from $6 to $16 for the larger candles. Tealights are $5.50 for a package of 6.

Illume Candles offer several lines of natural, soy, and vegetable paraffin wax candles




The average Illume Candle retails for around $25 though they do have some that are cheaper and some that are more expensive.

Scandle has created eco-friendly candles that burn at ultra low temperatures so the warm wax can be poured on the body and used as a massage oil or moisturizing lotion. Talk about 2 in 1 luxury! Who wouldn’t want a Scandle candle?

Scandle Candles range in price from $12.95 to $21.95.


Butterfly Effects offer pure soy wax candles made from soybeans grown right here in the USA. Pure, natural essential oils are used to scent these delightful candles and no dyes are used to color the wax. You end up with pure white candles in reusable and recyclable glass tumblers or curvy glass jars with lids.

Butterfly Effects Candles retail for $25 and less depending on the style and size of candle

EcoSumo has some nice candles including the Paddywax Pomegranate & Currant Tea Candle, a hand-poured candle with the tangy aroma of pomegranate that adds zing to the dark, rich sweetness of currant. The candle comes in a chlorine free paper pulp box that is biodegradable and it is wrapped with a 100% post-industrial recycled paper label.

The candles retail for $18

Green Gift Guide: Interesting Eco Gifts Under $30 for Anyone on Your List

Here are some interesting green gifts for the hard to shop for person on your list.

Motherboard Gifts is a company that utilizes old motherboards and computer parts to make fun and useful reclaimed gifts: business card cases, money clips, picture frames, clocks, coasters, jewelry, bookmarks, binders, and even Christmas ornaments.

These are eco-friendly gifts even the most tech savvy, computer geek may love and most are under $30 like the business card cases, CD clock, money clip, clip boards, picture frames and many other fun, recycled gifts.

Eco-Artware is “your one stop gift shop for all things beautiful, well made and environmentally friendly.” They offer a huge selection of handcrafted, green, and recycled artwork. You are sure to find something for anyone on your list at Eco-Artware. Some of the gift items to choose from include: jewelry made from old pennies, typewriter keys, and watch faces; bowls made from old records and signs; coasters made from old unplayable vinyl records; and baskets made from chopsticks in addition to many other fun recycled and Upcycled gifts.

Many eco-gifts are under $30

Aromapods are a new simplified way to experience aromatherapy. Aromapods deliver essential oils directly to the nose with an inhaler that's smaller than a credit card and will fit conveniently in a pocket or purse. All you have to do is slide it open, inhale deeply 3 to 5 times, and close. They are available in 24 different blends including Calm, Energize, Focus, Diet Aide, Lavender, and Peppermint, and in relief formulas for Headache, Sinus, Cold & Flu, Insomnia and PMS.

Aromapods are healthy, eco-friendly, and priced under $6



Kokokahn also offers aromatherapy inhalers in little tubes (remember the little Vicks inhalers we used to always carried around when stuffed u, that’s how these are made). These aroma packed tubes put the scent right where it needs to be-directly to your nose. These highly scented tubes come in three powerful formulas: Stress Relief, Immune Support and Emotional balance.

Each inhaler is only $6

Kokokahn also has a fabulous selection of bath and body products for under $30 including body scrubs and body balms.

EcoSumo has a wide variety of eco products-clothing, household products, cleaning products, even furniture and pet products. Some of their items are under $30 including the Reusable Bag and Bottle Combo sets which feature an EnvioSax reusable bag and a matching stainless steel 20 ounce Skinny bottle. The fun and funky prints are sure to please someone on your list. I really love La Boheme Combo 1 which is a black and white print with lacy, black almost paisley like designs on an off-white background.

The bag/bottle combo sets retail for $23.00

For the writer or sketcher on your holiday list consider ecojot notebooks and sketchbooks made from 100% post consumer waste with chlorine free and acid free cover boards. They also use vegetable based inks and glues for a truly eco product. With fun designs and funky colors these little books are sure to inspire.

Ecojot products may be found in a store near you or at one of these online stores.

Most of their products are well under $30

EcoBags are the original reusable bag and have been in business since 1989. I love, love, love their classic string bags. I walk around throwing everything in them, even though they were designed to be used for fresh produce. I just adore them. They can hold up to 40 pounds and are made from 100% organic cotton.

A set of 5 classic string bags is $29.99, a single classic string bag depending on style and size starts at just $3.49 and goes to $7.99






Bring it in a Bag is another company that offers stylish reusable and eco-friendly bags. Check out their round totes made from natural jute. They are stylish and can be used for anything. I rarely leave home without my black with natural trim large round tote.

They also have mini round totes to match the large bags, they would make such adorable little handbags.

Large round totes are $20.99 mini round totes are just $10.99


For the coffee lover on your list check out Green Mountain Coffee’s assortment of ethical, fair trade and organic coffee selections. They have an organic sampler pack perfect for holiday giving that contains: Organic Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, Organic French Roast and Organic Sumatran Reserve.

The organic sampler is just $24.95



Another fabulous coffee gift is the Rain Forest Rescue Gift Set from the Arbor Day Foundation. This is one of those wonderful gifts that gives back by supporting the Arbor day Foundation.

The gift set contains a bag of Arbor Day Blend Coffee and Rain Forest Mug for $19.95, a set with two mugs is $24.95



Got a tea lover on your list? How about specialty teas from Teatulia? They have whole leaf tea pyramids bags in lovely eco-friendly canisters.

A set of three of Teatulia’s Signature Organic Blends which contains white, black and green teas is $25.00

For a huge variety of flavored teas check out The Republic of Tea, they have the largest selection of flavors I have ever seem. Pomegranate Vanilla, Holiday Spice, Cinnamon Vanilla…I’m already hooked on these delicious teas. They have their everyday selections along with some nice samplers and gift sets for the holidays.

Many of their tea gifts and samplers are under $30

Looking for something a little stronger than coffee or tea? How about a bottle of wine?

Persimmon Creek Vineyards offers quality wine made in the mountains of Northeastern Georgia. Everything is still done by hand: planting, pruning, harvesting, and bottling- all the old fashioned way for high quality Riesling, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Seyval Franc, and Icewines.

Most bottles are under $30

For the chocolate lover on your list consider Divine Chocolate. These delightful fair trade chocolates are truly divine. They have a variety of chocolates and gifts for the chocoholic on your holiday list.

The lovely Alpine Sky Gift Basket is $27.00

For the chocolate lover who enjoys something a little different check out Original Beans. They have a few chocolate bars in unusual flavors- dark chocolate mixed with mulberry, or cognac, honey, even sea salt. This is truly exotic cocoa.

A single bar of this exotic chocolate is $11.95

For the kiddies on your list who may like something sweet but aren’t really into the exotic chocolates consider Glee Gum. Glee Gum is all natural chewing gum with no artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners. A perfect gift for kids is the make your own chewing gum kit. Kids can learn while having fun.

Make your chewing gum kits are $13, other Glee Gum products and gift packs are almost all under $30

Books Make Great Gifts

Green Christmas: How to Have a Joyous, Eco-Friendly Holiday Season by Jennifer Basye Sander, Peter Sander, and Anne Basye is the eco-Christmas guide book to help you get through the holidays in green without seeing red. From decorating to shopping for gifts, to throwing holiday parties and even cleaning up afterward- this wonderful little book will help any eco-minded person streamline the holidays. Make this season more meaningful with the help of Green Christmas, and if you want to help others have a more eco-holiday season this book will also make a great gift.

Cover price for this book is $7.95

Celebrate Green: Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family by Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson is another fabulous book that can help you make all of your holidays and celebrations green. Not only will it help you get through the winter holiday season it will help you green all of your celebrations throughout the year. And it makes a fabulous gift.

Cover price $24.95

I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas: Gifts, Decorations, and Recipes That Use Less and Mean More by Anna Getty is a really great green Christmas book full of crafts, how tos and fabulous advice. This is one of the best green Christmas books I’ve come across, it can help make your Christmas meaningful again.

Cover price $24.95

Don't Forget the Batteries

If you are purchasing gifts that need batteries make sure to go green in that department as well by getting rechargeable batteries or the new Fuji Enviro Max batteries which are mercury free, cadmium free, PVC free and packaged in recycled materials.

If you like recharagable batteries check out PowerGenix PGX1HRCH-4AAZiNc-1.6v 4-Position Charger with 4 AA High Voltage 1.6v 2500 mWh ZiNc Rechargeable Batteries
it delivers an efficient & fast charge at a great value. You can charge two AA or AAA NiZn batteries in 1 to 1.5 hours, or charge 4 AA batteries in about 3 hours. The PowerGenix Quick Charger is intended for use with eco-friendly NiZn batteries only.

Eco-Friendly Bath, Body and Beauty Gifts Under $30

Eco-Bath, Body and Beauty Products

The women (and some men) in your life will love finding bath and body products in their stockings…if you choose wisely.

Whether it is sweet smelling perfumes, relaxing bath salts or uplifting shower gels make sure to go for the green…as in eco-friendly green.

If you have a young woman on your list be sure to check out Glory for Girls, all natural skin care for younger girls to help “inspire each and every girl to believe in her unique self and take pride and responsibility for how she looks, how she feels, and how she acts.” These fun and unique products are 100% natural, no artificial colors, fragrances, no parabens or phthalates…just natural ingredients for healthy skincare.

Most products are under $30, a full size gift set is only $42 and while a little over budget well worth the price to get 3 full size Glory for Girls basics



Bebe Dulce Aspen has amazing handmade, all natural bath and body products that are aromomatic spa quality products that smell amazing and leave your skin soft and smooth. I highly recommend the All Natural Lotion in Clementine- a delightful fresh citrus aroma that isn’t overpowering, it will leave your skin so wonderfully smooth even in the middle of winter. At just $16.00 it is a worthy stocking stuffer.

All of their mom gifts are under $30

SkinnySkinny has some fabulous organic bath and body products (along with many other great green goods). They are one of the greenest companies you’ll find since they are 100% carbon neutral and they offer certified organic ingredients in all of their products.

Their soaps are one of the best and their lip balms and bath salts are so awesome.

A 4.3 ounce bar of soap is only $8.00 and a 3 pack is $20.50, skinnyskinny lip balms are $6 each

Another great soap that is much more than your average soap bar is the Pomega5 Oil of Life cleansing bar. This little aromatic bar is filed with omega rich olive oil along with pomegranate oil and a rich blend of essential oils. It purifies as it cleanses and can be used on both face and body.


A bar of this rich lathering soap is $18.00




Indigo Wild offers some of the greatest bath and body products. I love the goat’s milk soap Zum Bars. Their catch phrase is “any more natural and you’d be naked.” Gotta love that.

Indigo Wild offers a full line of bath and body products including soap, lotion, lip balms, massage oils, and a fun selection of holiday inspired products.

The 3 ounce bars of soap are only $5.50, most other products are well under $30 including some of their gift sets


Garden Girl Skin Care Products are completely natural bath, body and beauty products that are completely free of phthalates, parabens, sulfates, petroleum products and mineral oil. These are products that even the picky lady on your list is sure to enjoy- Pucker Up Coconut Body Scrub, Liven Up All Natural Energizing bath Salts, Smooches Body Butter Chill Out Body Lotion- these are just some of the fun products you can find for under $30, most are well under $30. This is one of the most reasonably priced all natural bath and body companies I’ve come across. They offer high quality products at affordable prices. Perfect for a tight budget this holiday season.

Gift kits are almost all under $30, some as low as $14.00 for a kit that contains three or more products

Green Tea Goods are handcrafted with ancient Chinese herbs and all natural ingredients. Green Tea Goods Pulse Point Elixers are so awesome, you have got to try them for yourself or get them for someone on your list. They come in two formulas: Energize & Focus which has a minty aroma and my favorite: Calm & Relax which has a lavender, rosemary, tangerine aroma which is delightful.

Green Tea Goods also offers lip balm, cuticle cream, body balm, and natural hand refresher.

Everything in their online store is under $10



Coco Zen is the place to shop for the any woman on your list. Why? Because Coco Zen offers women what they really want…chocolate! Coco Zen offers delightful organic bath and body products made with organic and fair trade chocolate, yes real chocolate.

Not sure what to get her from Coco Zen?

The Head to Toe Chocolate Body Gift Set is a great choice containing one of each of these bath and body products:

Chocolate Edible Lip Scrub (in Chocolate Brown Sugar) - .5oz recyclable metal screw-top tin
Chocolate Lip Balm (in Chocolate Mint Bliss) - .25oz recyclable metal slide tin
Chocolate Salt Scrub (in Chocolate Brownies) - 4oz amber glass jar
Chocolate Soap (in Chocolate Mint Bliss) - individually wrapped bar
Chocolate Lotion (in Chocolate Milkshake) - 4oz amber glass jar with pump

Gift sets are around $40 but individual products cost under $30

Shea Terra Organics is another wonderful company that offers a great selection of luxury organic bath and body products. Shea Terra Organics has a variety of creams, lotions and bath products made with pure, organic shea butter that will leave skin soft and smooth.

Many Shea Terra products are around or under $30

Brittanie’s Thyme offers a variety of delightful organic herbal products for skin and hair care: facial cleansers, organic oatmeal and yogurt facial scrubs, natural green clay, sea salt scrubs- all wonderful little eco-luxuries that a lady might love to find in her stocking.


Brittanie’s Thyme offers many products for under $30

The Joy of Soap creates “natural handmade soap from scratch using the finest-quality ingredients resulting in a luxurious and soothing soap that is gentle on your skin.” All of their vegetable based soaps contain certified organic oils, sustainable and therapeutic grade essential oils, and organic or sustainably wild crafted botanicals. The result is a “wonderfully moisturizing and creamy bar of soap with soft, fluffy bubbles that leave your skin clean and smooth.”

These fabulous soaps have fun names like Feeling Frisky, Ginger Snap, Lay Me Down Lavender and Manly Man. 2 ounce bars are only $3.50 and full size 5 ounce bath bars are $7.50

Trillium Organics has created a couple new lines of products that are made especially for pregnant women and new babies. OGmama and OGbaby are natural and truly 100% organic bath and body products.

If you know someone who is expecting or has a new baby, these products will make a great gift. They are even perfect for moms who aren’t expecting but just want to use the safest and most natural products that they can on themselves and their little ones.

When purchasing from Trillium Organics you won’t break the bank either, all of their wonderful products are less than $30 a piece. A sample OGBaby set is $9.98 for the congestion clearing set or $12.98 for the bath and body set. An OGMama sample set is $19.98

The Elemental Seaweed Body Scrub from Donah’s Passions is wonderful. You will not believe how good you’ll feel after using it. Not only will it make your skin look and feel glorious on the outside it will make you feel better inside as well. I can’t get enough of this stuff.

A 4 oz.jar of the seaweed scrub is only $17.50, Donah’s Passions also offers several other natural, eco-body products for under $30

Dr Dobbs Old Fashioned Remedies may have the perfect gift for someone on your list who really loves to reminisce about the good old days. These products can take you back to the days of general stores, peddlers with their carts, and small family owned drugstores. Dr Dobbs products combine old fashioned, time tested formulas with modern know how and natural ingredients.

With all products of Dr Dobbs products coming in at under $30 you are sure to find something to stick in a stocking

If you have someone on your list into natural hair products and old fashioned style pomades then check out Product, yes that’s the name Product and they offer all natural, pure ingredients for gorgeous hair.

One 1.5 ounce jar is just $14.00 while Lil Product for children is $8.00 for a .75 ounce jar

Ely Organics has a huge variety of Miessence organic beauty, bath, and body products for under $30 for the whole family. Make sure to drop by the website to see what they have to offer.

New Zealand’s ecostore has found its way to the US. Ecostore was founded on the principle of “No Nasty Chemicals”. The popularity of ecostore’s natural products now has their USA team working to bring the best of their products to stores in the US. Ecostore USA now has fabulous shampoos, conditioners, soaps, baby products, cleaning products, even pet products available on the web and ins several stores including Michigan based Meijer stores.

Most ecostore products are all under $30

Haileys Dragonfly Garden offers luxurious, all natural and organic body products for the whole family, including fairy items and all natural perfume sprays. I am eyeing Remember- which is a blend of Vanilla and Coconut fragrances-mine and my husband’s favorite scents.

And it is only $9.95 for a 1 ounce bottle. Many of their products are well under our $30 budget

Cactus and Ivy has a great variety of all natural, organic and vegan bath and body products. Body scrubs, balms, lotions, soap, lip balms and so much more and all eco friendly.

Most Cactus and Ivy products are well under $30

The Dazzle Dry Nail Polish System is made for the “on the go lifestyle” with polish that goes from wet to dry in less than five minutes. The quick drying Dazzle Dry Nail System contains no harmful chemicals, it is free of formaldehyde, toluene, phthalates, and camphor and is also nitrocellulose free (this is the stuff that turns your nails yellow). The Dazzle Dry formula is also Vegan and Non-Toxic.

The whole Dazzle Dry kit, which comes with nail prep, base coat, top coat and three colors, is $54 but each individual polish is only $9

Neroli Rose all natural body products are made with hydrating shea butter from Southern Sudan. Sudanese Shea Butter is thought to be the finest natural moisturizer in the world. Neroli Rose product ingredients are organic, wild-crafted or ethically produced, with no synthetic ingredients, chemicals or petroleum derivatives in any of their products. They use the best therapeutic-grade essential oils in the world and create proprietary blends with aromas that can enhance physical and emotional well-being.

Many Neroli Rose products cost less than $30

If you have a woman on your list who loves things a little exotic then check out Auric Blends Egyptian Goddess Perfumes. These exotic aromas are sure to bring out the goddess in your lover of all things exotic. The perfume products are 100% natural, made with pure essential oils.

Perfume roll ons are $11.95 and $15.95 depending on scent chosen

If you have someone on your list that isn’t really into “green” products or that really loves a certain brand then consider holiday gift sets from Paul Mitchell. A portion of all proceeds from the Paul Mitchell Holiday Gift Sets will be donated to Amnesty International while a portion of Paul Mitchell’s Tea Tree Gift Sets will be donated to benefit American Forests. So these are traditional gifts that give back.

Paul Mitchell Gift Set Trios retail for $19.95, Duos for $14.95, and the Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Gift Sets retail for $21.95 and $24.95 and can all be purchased in professional salons

For gifts that really give back consider shopping with Peacekeeper Cause-Metics they are the first company to donate all of their after tax distributable profits to Women’s Health Advocacy and Human Rights issues.

Peacekeeper Cause-Metics offers lip balms, lipsticks, lip glosses, and nail paints that are some of the cleanest in the business. No parabens, no artificial coloring or artificial fragrance, no toluene, no formaldehyde, no acetone, no phthalates, no mineral oils…just clean, natural cosmetics that will help you look and feel good while doing good.

Peacekeeper natural lip glosses are $9.98, nail paints are $7.98, lip sticks are $11.98 and a diplomat gift set featuring a nail polish, lip stick and lip gloss in lighter shades is $30 a visionary gift set includes a lipstick, lip gloss and nail polish in darker, bolder shades also for $30

For the little ones who need safe, eco-friendly bath and body products consider eco.kid products. They have a full line of products that are kid and eco-friendly. My personal favorite is the Call Me Bubbles Hypo-Allergenic Bubble Bath. Many natural bath products don’t bubble and let’s face it kids like bubbles. This product gives you the best of both worlds.

A bottle of eco.kid bubble bath is $26.95

For the guys on your list try Pacific Shaving Company for some all natural sahving products that can save guys from getting nicks and cuts while offering a smooth shave...naturally.

They have natural shaving cream, oil, and blade oil along with nick sticks for when you do get a razor nick.

Everything is well under our $30 budget

Here’s something fun to stick in someone’s stocking that’s been naughty- a lump of Santa’s coal soap. Made by Sweet Soaps, the Santa’s coal soap is a natural glycerin soap scented with peppermint essential oils. It’s great for good or bad kids (but could really make a statement to the bad ones). The soap even comes packaged in an eco friendly muslin drawstring bag. Sweet Soaps also offers a fun Snowman Poop soap that is coconut scented. Perfect for a fun holiday gift that will get a laugh out of everyone.

Sweet Soaps also offers custom soaps for businesses, weddings, and other events.

Both soaps are $5 a piece for a three ounce bar