Seventh Generation Healthy Home Starter Kit Review and Giveaway

As a mom with two active kids with allergies, a husband who spends a lot of time outdoors, and two shedding cats, I need to clean my house often. When the boys were younger, I worried about the harsh chemicals found in so many of the leading cleaning product brands. So, I mixed my own cleaning solutions. This was effective (at least I thought so), but it was also very time consuming. Even so, I continued to make my own cleaning solutions because of my concern for the kids' safety and our family's health,

Not too long ago, I came across a post on a blog that featured eco-friendly cleaning products made by Seventh Generation. Curious to learn more (and excited that perhaps I may not have to take the time to make my own products any longer!), I checked out their website and was impressed. I contacted them, and they offered to send me some products that I could try for myself.

{About the Company}

At Seventh Generation, we know your home is your world. For the past 20 years, it’s been our mission to help you protect your world with our naturally safe and effective household products.

I was sent the Healthy Home Starter Kit to try out. It came packed with lots of natural cleaning goodness!

As you can see from my photo, there are nine cleaners, one roll of natural paper towels, and a nifty Seventh Generation carrying tote in this kit. Breaking it down further, there are three disinfecting cleaners, each of which effectively kills 99.99% of germs naturally. They are also effective in protecting against Influenza A Virus.

All items in the kit fit nicely inside the carrying tote which makes it so much easier to store the products when I am not using them.

The kit arrived just in time for the cleaning of our house prior to the boys' birthday party. The first product I tried was the Natural All Purpose Cleaner. This product is from the Free and Clear line of products which means it is free of dyes and fragrances. This is fantastic for cleaning patio tables and chairs. We had some plastic chairs that we haven't used since last summer, and this cleaner worked very well at removing old dirt and grime on the chairs after being stored for a year in the garage. It even worked to get some grease off the grill! I also used this cleaner on the outside of my kitchen appliances, and it worked great! My husband has claimed the Natural All Purpose Cleaner for use on his golf clubs. (I'll let you know how that works out!)

The Disinfecting Multi-Surface Cleaner was the next product we tried, and currently, the product that is used most in our house. This is my go-to for kitchen cleaning. It works great on my countertops! In the bathrooms, this cleaner is fantastic for cleaning the outside of my tub. I have found it perfect for cleaning the pedestal sinks as well. Considering that I am a mom of boys, I find this cleaner to be PERFECT for quick cleaning of the outside of the toilet and the floor around it given that the boys are not always accurate and careful when they use the toilet. :)

The Disinfecting Wipes are perfect for use with sticky spills and messes that don't require breaking out a sponge and bottle of cleaner. I have used them when the boys spill sweet tea on the hardwoord floor, or juice on the kitchen tile, and they work great.

I absolutely love the Disinfecting Bathroom Cleaner! After I spray it, it foams up,so I know it is working to clean and kill germs. I use this cleaner in the sink and the outside of the toilet. I like to use this cleaner on the wall behind and beside the sink too because my boys always manage to get toothpaste there. I haven't had any problems using it on the painted wall.

The Free and Clear Natural Glass and Surface Cleaner is another product we use quite a bit. (I use it with the 100% Recycled Paper Towels which are heavy-duty and quite absorbent.) I am happy to report that this glass cleaner leaves my windows clean and streak free!

The Tub and Tile Cleaner- Emerald Cypress & Fir and the Shower Cleaner are two products that now that I have been using them for awhile, cannot imagine cleaning without! The Tub and Tile Cleaner is amazing at removing soap scum, and it smells so good too! The scent lingers for awhile, and I love that. :) I use the Shower Cleaner daily, as it helps prevent mold and mildew. This one smells heavenly too!

The Toilet Bowl Cleaner works effectively at cleaning the toilet and ridding it of any streaks and stains. This cleaner smells just like the Tub and Tile Cleaner. It is a great scent. It's almost relaxing. Imagine that! Relaxing while cleaning your bathroom. )

{Bottom Line}

I love the Seventh Generation products I received! I plan to use them for all my household cleaning needs from now on. How wonderful it is to be able to clean without all those overpowering, unnatural chemicals filling the air and making it difficult to breathe! These products are not only very effective, but they are safe for the whole family.

{Buy It}

Visit the Seventh Generation website to browse their full line of products, and then purchase directly from them or at a store near you.

{Win It}

Seventh Generation is generously offering one living life one day at a time reader a chance to WIN a Healthy Home Starter Kit.

{How to Enter}To enter, simply visit the Seventh Generation website, browse through all of the wonderful products they offer for sale, and then come back here and leave a comment telling me which product you would use the most in your home. This is a MANDATORY entry!

{How to Score Bonus Entries}After you have completed the first required entry, you are eligible for bonus entries. Make sure you leave a separate comment for EACH entry. Each counts as one extra entry (unless noted otherwise).

1. For five extra entries, blog about this giveaway with a link back to living life one day at a time (http://colleenstearns.blogspot.com/) and Seventh Generation (be sure to post the url to your post here in a comment so I know where to find it).

2. Subscribe to my blog via email.

3. Click on the FOLLOW THIS BLOG link on my left sidebar and become a public follower of my blog via Google Friend Connect.

4. Leave me a comment on a non-giveaway post and then let me know where you commented.

5. For two extra entries, add my button to your blog- leave me a message with your blog address so I can check it out. :)

6. Follow living life one day at a time and Seventh Generation on Twitter AND Tweet about the giveaway. Leave the URL to the Tweet in your comment. You can tweet once a day, but remember to leave the URL to each tweet. You can tweet "I entered to win a Healthy Home Cleaning Kit from @SeventhGen & @livelifereviews. You can too! http://tinyurl.com/2a95vlu #giveaway " Make sure to leave a link to your twitter message in your comment. You can do this once a day. Please make sure to come back each day and leave another comment with your new twitter message link.

7. Join the Seventh Generation Nation and then come back here and provide a link for your profile. (3 extra entries)

8. Add this giveaway to a Mr. Linky, Blog Carnival, Sweepstakes site, forum etc. Be sure to leave the url in a comment. (1 entry per submission)

{IMPORTANT}

Be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry. If you earned two or more entries for a specific item (such as #1, #5 and #6 above), be sure to leave me a comment for each of the entries you've earned.

*Enter by 11 pm (EST) on Monday, July 19, 2010.

One lucky commenter will be chosen at random and notified via email, so make sure you leave a valid email address in your comment. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the email. If she or he does not respond within 48 hours, a new random winner will be chosen.

This giveaway is open only to US entries.

Disclosure:

The product(s) provided for the review were sent to me free of charge from the company or the PR agency. The product(s) offered for the giveaway are free of charge, no purchase necessary. My opinions are my own and not by any means influenced by any other part.

Review: ecoTOOLS

Well, it's no secret that I love a good pampering. :) Is there a woman who doesn't? If I could find the time, (that's the REAL problem!), I would lock myself away in my room every week for hours with facial masks, body scrubs, bubble baths, manicures and pedicures, and well, you get the point. Unfortunately, I do not have the luxury of hours to spend on myself. Even so, I do still enjoy sneaking in pampering moments whenever I can. :)

A little while ago, ecoTOOLS contacted me to see if I was interested in trying a body scrub that would help make my skin summer-ready. Ummm...a pampering product that would make my dry, dull winter skin luscious? Heck, yes! Trying a product that is earth-friendly? Double YES!! A product that would allow me some much-needed pampering with minimal time? Triple YES!!!

Here's a little something that ecoTOOLS shared with me that I would like to share with YOU about how to help your skin become summer-ready:

A study by Procter & Gamble shows that the evenness and glow of a woman’s skin may dictate appeal and allure, making a smooth transition from winter hibernation to spring rejuvenation even more essential. With new bath + body care and beauty products for Spring 2010, ecoTOOLS is here to lend a soothing hand by washing away dullness and igniting your inner allure! Coupled with a few lifestyle changes, small alterations to the beauty routine can make all the difference in skin’s liveliness. Follow this easy checklist to get glowing-both inside and out!

1. Make dry, dull skin luscious and luminous with the ecoTOOLS Polished and Protected Body Scrub ($5.99). Packed with crushed walnut shells to exfoliate dead skin, the invigorating scent is designed to activate and energize both body and soul. After shedding some skin, restore it to its beautiful glowing state with the brand-new “Replenish Your Natural Resources” Body Butter ($5.99). Enhanced with mango butter, it refreshes and quenches to leave skin with that oh-so summery sheen.

2. Invigorate sluggish circulation by making some moves! Simple stretches each morning get blood flowing and can prevent skin from bloating and looking puffy.

3. Rejuvenate and restore radiance with yet another green innovation from ecoTOOLS for spring 2010. The ecoTOOLS EcoPouf ($1.99) is the world’s first recycled plastic bath sponge, making it effortlessly easy to lather up while loving the earth. The EcoPouf takes scrubbing to a new level, washing away grime and worries to unveil a refreshed glowing slate! It gently cleanses and removes impurities as it revitalizes your skin’s appearance and your typical shower routine.



4. Hydrate your body to keep skin looking healthy. Spruce up regular H2O with yummy lemon or cucumber slices!

5. Replenish your skin with a rich supply of antioxidants found in colorful fruits and vegetables such as sweet potatoes, cantaloupe and tomatoes. These power foods also contribute to prevent wrinkles, dryness and skins overall appearance.

ecoTOOLS sent me the Polished and Protected Body Scrub and the EcoPouf to review. Oh. My. Goodness! The scrub is heavenly! My skin feels and looks so much smoother and healthier since I have started using it. I wouldn't say it's glowing, but it's pretty darn close to glowing! :) The ecoPouf is gentle, yet very effective at exfoliating my skin. I did find, however, that the best time for me to use the scrub is in the morning or after a workout because of how refreshing the scrub is! I don't like to use it right before bed because it seems as if I am wasting that great sensation. That's just my opinion, though.

I intend to stock up on some more ecoTOOLS products. I love the way they make my skin look and feel, and knowing that they are eco-friendly is even more of a reason to spend my money there.
There was no monetary compensation received for this review. I received products from ecoTOOLS for the purpose of completing this review. Receipt of this did not sway my opinion.

REVIEW: Barbar Ceramic Eco-8000 Blow Dryer

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I am trying to take steps to live a "greener" lifestyle. I admit, my family and I are still learning about eco-friendly products and how using them benefits our family and our environment. Even so, we are committed to doing our part.

I had no idea that a hair dryer could be eco-friendly. I guess I just thought that if I plugged it in and it used energy, it wasn't eco-friendly. (I told you I still have a lot to learn!) When I first read about the energy-efficient Barbar Ceramic Eco-8000 Blow Dryer, I was intrigued.

Upon visiting the Barbar website, I found that this is indeed an eco-friendly product. Very cool indeed.

Details from website:
The Barbar ECO 8000 Blow Dryer uses the latest in technology by having an eco-friendly ceramic heating element, as opposed to all standard dryers that have a coil heating element. The difference is use of electricity & output of radiation. The ECO 8000 has 5.0 mG (milligauss) output radiation. A standard 1,800 WATT dryer has over 200.0 mG! This amount of mG is comparable to the radiation output of a microwave. The ceramic heating element lasts 5x longer than a coil heating element. The ceramic heating element uses 90% electricity, turning it into heat. No energy is wasted, but saved. The coil heating element wastes electricity because it doesn't use it, thus turning it into radiation. Unused electricity turns into radiation! The BARBAR ECO 8000 is truly eco-friendly; everything a blow dryer should be and much more.
What did I think of the blow dryer:
The Barbar Eco-8000 is an impressive blow dryer! Even after reading about it, I honestly didn't think that it could dry my mass of thick hair quickly. With only 1,800 watts, surely it would take a long time to completely dry my hair. I was wrong! Not only does this dryer finish the task of drying my hair in under three minutes, it leaves my hair feeling thicker and softer. With the cool shot button, I also end up with a healthy shine to my hair as well. I love that!

Some other great features of the Eco-8000 are the long cord (11 feet!) and the several settings which allow me to adjust the amount of air and the air temperature. This dryer is also quiet, unlike other dryers I have used. In fact, I was able to dry my hair this morning while my kids slept in the room next door without waking them. Aside from those great features, what I love most about this hair dryer is that it saves electricity! That is an important feature for this mama!

Though the Barbar Eco-8000 is attractively designed, the only drawback I found with it is that is a little heavier than other dyers I have used. Fortunately, my drying time has been cut in half, so the weight of the dryer does not bother me.

Bottom line:
Overall, I am more than impressed with the Barbar Eco-8000 Blow Dryer. It performed great and the fact that it is earth friendly makes it even more attractive to me. With a price tag of $150, this dryer is a great option for those wanting an eco-friendly, quality product.

Buy it:
You can purchase the Barbar Eco-8000 Blow Dryer HERE. Barbar is offering living life one day at a time readers a great deal! Use the code Blog4fun at checkout for a 50% discount off any purchase from barbarhairtools.com. Valid until the end of July.

There was no monetary compensation received for this review. I received a blow dryer from Barbar for the purpose of completing this review. Receipt of this did not sway my opinion.