Author: Laura

Updated 09/25/2025

I swear, laundry is my frenemy. On one hand, nothing feels better than crawling into crisp sheets. On the other hand, the laundry pile in our bedroom looks like it’s multiplying faster than Max can roll his eyes at me for “forgetting” a load in the washer.

So let’s talk detergent. Most of the store-bought ones smell like they were cooked up in a chemistry lab. You know that fake lavender scent? It’s like being slapped in the face by a purple candle aisle. I decided a while back I wanted to keep my clothes clean without marinating them in chemicals that sound like a spelling bee challenge.

I tested a few clean brands, and I’ll be honest—some of them left my towels smelling… like wet dog. Not exactly the spa vibe I was going for. But after some trial and error (and Max pointing out that I may have ruined exactly one of his favorite shirts—oops), I found a few winners that don’t leave mystery residues or that “gym socks in denial” smell.

Here’s what’s worked for me: simple, non-toxic powders or liquids, unscented if you’re sensitive, or with light natural scents if you still want a little something. I throw in wool dryer balls with a drop of essential oil sometimes—orange is my happy laundry day smell. Bonus: no clingy dryer sheets floating around the house like ghost tissues.

And I can’t not mention my biggest mistake: buying some random “eco” detergent online because the packaging was cute. Big mistake. Huge. It left this weird film on our sheets, and Max literally asked if I’d washed them in glue. Lesson learned: cute fonts don’t equal clean clothes.

So here I am, a girl with a laundry mountain, trying to do it without the sketchy chemicals. And you know what? The clothes still get clean, I don’t feel like I’m breathing in a fragrance factory, and Max finally stopped calling our bed “Eau de science project.” Progress.

Updated 09/23/2025

If you’ve never heard of Sole, don’t worry you certainly are not alone. I didn’t know what Sole was until recently! I ran across it while I was researching Adrenal Fatigue remedies that were safe during pregnancy and realized that I had been doing the baby version of Sole for years. I made it right away and have been hooked since.

What is Sole?

Sole is water that has been completely saturated by high quality, unrefined salt. Think Ocean Water, minus the fish poop and pollution.

Therefore, drinking 1 tsp of salt dumped into a small amount of water is not the same as drinking 1 tsp. of Sole water. It takes A LOT of salt to completely saturate a small amount of water.

Before you freak out about salt being unhealthy, keep in mind that table salt is the bad guy here, not real salt. Table salt has been processed and refined, leaving only sodium and chloride behind. Real salt or high quality pink Himalayan Sea Salt (it HAS to be pink!) is chock full of minerals, like 80, because it has not been processed. The minerals are what make this remedy so magical.
What Are The Benefits?

1. Increases Hydration. You know how Gatorade and other sports drinks are super salty? That’s because salt supports water volume and increases hydration.
2. Supports Detoxification. Salt in itself is anti-bacterial, but isn’t a super powerful detoxifier. The minerals in the salt support the body’s natural detoxification processes. This will just enhance what your body already does, so don’t worry you won’t be taking anything too provocative.
3. Increases Energy. The minerals help to support the adrenal glands, which when supported well, can increase energy.
4. Stimulates Digestion. The salt helps to stimulate the digestive system to work more regularly and absorb nutrients better.
5. Relieves Muscle Cramps. The magnesium in the salt can relieve muscle tension and cramps.
6. Regulates Blood Pressure. All of the wonderful minerals in the Sole water can actually decrease high blood pressure!
7. Improves Sleep Quality. The mineral content will also make your body relaxed and encourage a more regular and deeper sleep.
8. Clears Skin. The zinc in the salt can prevent acne, and many of the other minerals can actually help with healing acne scarring.

How To Make Sole

To make Sole, you will need a glass container with a non-metal lid and high quality, unrefined sea salt. Popular high quality salts are this pink Himalayan Sea Salt and Real Salt. It is very important that metal never touch the Sole, as it could potentially ruin the mineral mixture.

Updated 09/12/2025

So, let’s talk about my kitchen. Oh, my sweet little kitchen remodel. You’d think as a chef I would have it all figured out—like some magical blueprint tucked in my apron pocket. Nope. I made mistakes. Big, small, laughable, expensive. The kind where Max just stood in the doorway, eyebrow raised, like “Laura… really?”

First thing: cabinets. I wanted the low-VOC, eco-friendly ones, which sounds so noble and green until you realize the lead time is forever. I swear I aged three years just waiting for them to arrive. By the time the boxes showed up, I’d already been cooking on a camp stove for so long I started calling it my “indoor food truck.” Pro tip: order early, or you’ll be heating soup in the bathroom like a college student.

Then paint. Oh, the paint. I marched into the store like, “Give me the healthiest, cleanest option!” They handed me this zero-VOC formula that, to be honest, smelled like… wet cardboard? I had a mini meltdown thinking my walls were going to smell like an old basement forever. Max, ever the health inspector, assured me it was just “curing.” He was right, but it didn’t stop me from obsessively sniffing the walls for a week straight like a lunatic.

Countertops? Let’s just say I tried to save money with “eco-friendly laminate.” Don’t do it. One pasta pot later and I had a scorched corner that looked like a meteor had landed in my kitchen. Spend the money on quartz, or butcher block if you’re okay with a little character. The cheap route will haunt you every time you roll out pizza dough.

The good part: non-toxic finishes on everything. No chemical clouds hanging in the air. My pans aren’t sliding across plastic-coated counters, and I don’t feel like I’m slow-poisoning myself while chopping onions. Worth every frustrating decision.

If I could go back, I’d keep it simple. Fewer “Pinterest dreams,” more practical choices that make cooking fun instead of fussy. And maybe I’d let Max veto the weird experimental light fixture I ordered at 2 a.m. (which looked like a UFO and lasted two days before it got sent back).

Now? I have a kitchen that feels clean, safe, and me. A place where I can simmer broth, make messes, and yell “who left the almond flour open?!” without worrying about what’s off-gassing from the walls. Mistakes were made, but at least you can laugh at mine while you pick better cabinets and save your marriage from camp stove cooking.

Updated 09/08/2025

Oh em gee…. you already know how much I adore the Environmental Working Group and their efforts to make learning about healthier beauty products so stinking easy.

That’s why I’m thrilled to announce their new campaign – EWG Verified.

Basically, they’ve taken their Skin Deep Database one step further and are granting a special EWG Verified mark to products that meet their rigorous requirements.

Now, when you see this mark on a product while you’re shopping you will know that it is free of all ingredients that are of concern to the EWG, is transparent in ingredient labeling (including fragrance ingredients! Yippee!), and is manufactured using the best practices.

Updated 09/02/2025

If you have no idea what seed cycling is, don’t worry, you’re definitely not alone.

The first time I heard about seed cycling was when I was working in a holistic healthcare office and I had a hormonal saliva test done. The doctor at the lab who ran my test suggested seed cycling for me, rather than supplementation to balance my hormones.

Basically, seed cycling is the easiest way to balance your female hormones. It doesn’t involve taking supplements or using any hormonal creams. It’s just eating seeds! It’s really that easy.

Ok, there’s a bit more to it than that, but it is still one of the easiest (and most natural!) ways to balance hormones.
How Seed Cycling Can Help

Seed cycling can help with a any number of hormonal imbalance symptoms like acne, abnormally light bleeding, heavy bleeding, fatigue, infertility, sleep issues, PMS and irregular periods.

The key is to ingest certain seeds during the different phases of your cycle. These seeds are high in Essential Fatty Acids, which your hormones love, and also contain lignin to help bind and escort excessive estrogen from the body.

If you have a regular 28-day cycle you will want to consume one set of seeds during the follicular phase of your cycle (the first half), and a second set of seeds during the luteal phase (the second half.)

However, most of us don’t have a perfectly “regular” 28-day cycle – and that’s ok!

If you have a far from regular cycle – don’t worry! You can still use seed cycling to balance your hormones. Typically in this case you would want to start ingesting the first set of seeds when the next full moon occurs and 14 days later switch to the second set.

The first phase of the menstrual cycle is called the follicular phase. The phase starts on the first day of your period and ends with ovulation. During this phase of the cycle, the cycle is primarily running on estrogen, rather than progesterone. The estrogen builds up through ovulation. However, you need the progesterone to kick in in order to ovulate. For a textbook 28-day cycle, this would last from Day 1-Day 14.

Related: The Healthy Girl’s Guide To Periods.

Many women have hormonal imbalance, specifically an excess of estrogen and too little progesterone. This can be from toxin exposure like from cosmetics, plastic and more.
How to Seed Cycle

During this phase, you would want to ingest seeds that have properties to bind excessive estrogen and encourage progesterone to release after ovulation.

The two types of seeds for the first half of your cycle are flax and pumpkin seeds. Flax seeds contain lignans, which help to bind excess estrogen so that it can be eliminated from the body. They are also known to protect against hormone- related cancers such as breast and prostate cancer. Pumpkin seeds are high in zinc, which support progesterone.

The second half of the menstrual cycle is called the luteal phase. This phase begins at ovulation and lasts through the end of your cycle.

During this phase, you would want to ingest sesame seeds to block excess estrogen – as they contain the special lignans to do so. The sunflower seeds are high in selenium, which is an essential nutrient for hormone balance.

For exact details on the best ways to consume seeds, how much you should consume to promote hormone balance, a chart to track your progress, and our favorite tips for making it simple, download the Seed Cycling Guide below.

Soaking seeds? If you suspect any type of digestive issues, consider soaking seeds before consuming them. This reduces the naturally occurring phytic acid, which can cause digestive stress and issues with absorption.

Keep in mind, seeds should be ground, not whole. Whole seeds often pass right through our digestive systems, which means we don’t absorb their nutrients. Grinding seeds allows for greater absorption. You can either buy seeds that are already ground, or grind your own if you have a coffee grinder.

Related: The Surprising Benefits of Seeds

To make it easy on yourself, prepare a mixture that you can easily use when you’re on the go! Just grind equal parts flax and pumpkin seeds for days 1-14 of your cycle and equal parts sesame and sunflower for days 15-28 of your cycle.

Lastly, seed cycling isn’t a quick fix. You will want to give seed cycling a try for a minimum of three menstrual cycles before expecting to see changes.

Don’t forget to download your free Seed Cycling Guide below!

Seed cycling is a fantastic method to balancing hormones naturally, without the side effects that come with conventional methods.

Updated 08/29/2025

Years ago, when I first transitioned to green beauty, the liquid foundations I tried were awful. I’m guessing you can relate. They were sticky, or thick and goopy. Sometimes they were like rubbing grease on my skin and other times they clung to dry patches.

I didn’t know about all the retailers and brands that I do now, but I also believe that liquid foundations have come a long way since I first started trying to find a non-toxic one.  

I’ve tried just about every green foundation and these are the three are the best of the best. All three of them are made with only natural ingredients and many of the ingredients are also organic. They perform so well, they feel amazing on the skin and the ingredients cannot be beat. 

Let’s compare. 

Juice Beauty Phyto-Pigments Flawless Serum Foundation

Formulated by Gwenyth Paltrow and Juice Beauty to provide a flawless coverage. It is vegan & Cruelty Free and there are 10 shades.

Consistency – Thin liquid that is dispensed via a pump.

Coverage – A generous medium with one thin layer, full coverage with two layers.

Finish- lumious and dewey.

Scent – None.

Price $42 / 1oz.

Ingredient Score: A+ (none of concern for me, plus organic!).

Cons: No sun protection, two layers (really, really full coverage) can look like you are wearing makeup.

Pros: The ingredients are fantastic, the coverage is fantastic. It is one of the only foundations that does not settle in my deep forehead lines. Can be conveniently found in many Ulta stores! No need for online shopping…unless you prefer it that way.

The Bottom Line: I think this foundation is a smash hit if you have normal to dry skin. If you have normal to oily skin, this may too luminious after a few hours. This works well for me in cold, dry winter months, but is too dewey for me in the summer.

Gressa Minimalist Serum Foundation

Organic serum foundation, skin care and makeup in one. Formulated for the product minimalist and the line contains 11 shades.

Consistency – Thin serum dispensed via a dropper.

Coverage – Sheer to nearly full.

Finish – Skin like (really, it melts into your skin!) to matte (not dewey).

Scent – Slight, slight slight clay-like scent that is hardly noticeable.

Price – $54 / 15ml.

Ingredient Score: A+ (none of concern, plus organic!).

Cons: No sun protection, the volume is fairly low for the price. The packaging isn’t foolproof. I have spilled mine several times as a result of the dropper bottle.

Pros: It literally makes you look like you have the most flawless, healthy skin imaginable. The foundation covers redness like no other product I’ve ever used. The broccoli seed oil gives it an almost silicone like texture. It only takes 3-6 drops of the liquid to cover the whole face.

The Bottom Line: This is my favorite foundation, but I use it sparingly on its own due to the price. I LOVE mixing one drop of this with any other foundation to enhance the texture and redness coverage.