Himalaya Botanique - Herbal Dental Care

I recently had the opportunity to try Himalaya Botanique's range of natural oral care products. These herbally-derived toothpastes have their origins in ancient Indian medicine and combine traditional naturopathic herbs with contemporary scientific knowledge to provide the brightest, healthiest smiles for your family. I received generous samples of Himalaya Botanique's oral care toothpastes to try, along with a sustainable bamboo toothbrush, a reusable shopping bag made from reclaimed silk saris, and a toiletry pouch hand-printed with antique wooden textile printing blocks.

 

The subtle natural flavors are a welcome change from the often bracing chemical flavorings found in mainstream toothpastes and I felt like they provided as much, if not more, fresh breath protection throughout the day. Himalaya's botanical formulas are free of fluoride, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), carrageenan and gluten, so these are toothpastes that parents can feel good about letting their children use. They also come in range of formulas, including whitening and complete care, that make them very competitive with major brand trends. And unlike other natural brands we have tried, the texture and flavor of Himalaya is not chalky or off-putting.

Along with the oral care range, Himalaya Botanique also offers body/skin care a wide range of traditional herbs and blended herbal supplements to target specific needs. I am especially curious to learn more about the neem oil-based body products and also the Ashwagandha herbal supplement, which is an adaptogenic herb that has been used for centuries to promote energy, relieve stress and support healthy thyroid function and metabolism.


I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms Meet program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I agree to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of this product.

Spring Cleaning Tips from Ology

I've written about Walgreen's exclusive Ology line of eco-friendly cleaning products recently but I just came across these tips for spring cleaning and thought I should share. It is, after all, that time of year. In fact, I just vacuumed the house and used Ology glass cleaner to clean all the mirrors. Woo-hoo!

For more info:
www.walgreens.com/ology
www.facebook.com/OlogyBrand
www.twitter.com/OlogyBrand

In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that no compensation was received in exchange for this post. I just thought it was pertinent.. As usual, all opinions are my own. 

Ology - Well.Being., Exclusively at Walgreens

I'm pretty picky about the cleaning products I bring into the house. I try to choose things that are effective but also safe for my family and our pets. I don't usually think about Walgreens as a destination for eco-friendly shopping but their new line of Ology household products might very well change my mind.

All the liquid products are chemical-free, with no dyes, phosphates, chlorine bleach, artificial fragrances or formaldehyde. The paper products are made from readily-renewed sugar cane and are biodegradable and whitened without bleach. All of the packaging is recycled and recyclable, too, along with being oddly pleasant to the touch. I decided to try the Glass Cleaner and Laundry Liquid- two things we use a lot of in our household.

The Glass Cleaner was great, with no streaky aftermath. It had a lightly vinegary smell that didn't linger once wiped up. It did away with sticky fingerprints well. The big test was the laundry liquid. My kids both have sensitive skin so I usually steer clear of scented laundry detergents but I was unable to resist the lavender scented Ology. It worked well in my high-efficiency washer and left a very faint lavender fragrance on the laundry, which is especially nice on sheets and towels, in my opinion. More importantly, it doesn't give my kids a rash AND it does a good job on stains.

I'm glad to see a big chain like Walgreens taking the initiative to provide healthier products at a very affordable price. I hope they continue to add products to the Ology line.

For more info:
www.walgreens.com/ology
www.facebook.com/OlogyBrand
www.twitter.com/OlogyBrand

In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I received a Walgreens gift card to purchase Ology products to facilitate this review . As usual, all opinions are my own. 

Go Further with Ford - Day Three

Day Three was all about driving. There were six events for us to experience on the Ford test track, each showcasing the 2013 vehicle line. While most of the other attendees were thrilled about this, I was apprehensive. After all, I didn't get my license until I was 23 and I still drive like a little old lady. I like a swanky ride as much as anyone but my need for speed is pretty close to nil. Still, I was pretty excited to see how the interiors looked with all the tech we'd been learning about and check out the, uh, safety features. Lame, I know! 

Me with Cathy Herard and Lori Cunningham from Well Connected Mom.

I basically followed these two around, since they're crazy speed demons. I mean, awesome drivers. 

Lori let me be her ride-along for the Police Interceptor. I must admit we dorked out, especially when we realized we chose the car without a working siren. Boo! We had to make our own siren sounds, naturally, and witty banter about catching the bad guys.

The new Mustangs are pretty. As if you didn't know that! 

The view from waiting in line for the F-150 SVT Raptor Offroad drive was a bit daunting. We don't have hills in Kansas! I'm always laughing about the incline features on 4WD vehicles here. 

Also daunting: having to wear a weird balaclava like thing and helmets. Oh, yikes.

Having survived the offroad test, I drove the totally-more-my-speed Focus Electric. Someday I'll have an electric vehicle. Someday…

I took way more photos but my computer seemed to eat them. The most hilarious event was the relay race on the Technology Midway where you had to parallel park hands-free using Park Assist and open the trunk with the hands-free liftgate, all while handing off a baton and running. I even came close to winning a speed test in the 2013 Escape but was beaten by Lori, of all people, by a split second. Rats! I've got to practice.

All in all, seeing Ford's new product line and getting to drive the cars is awesome but what I really love about this event is learning about the thought process and innovation that runs through the company. Seriously, every Ford employee I spoke to was excited about the direction the company was headed in, and not in an obsequious way at all. They seem genuinely vested in making Ford a company that continues to be ahead of the curve, not just in earnings, but intellectually. Impressive.

See more about Go Further with Ford: Day One, Day Two and Day Two (TechShop Detroit).

In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that Ford paid for my travel and lodging.. No other compensation was provided. All opinions are, as usual, entirely my own.

Go Further with Ford - TechShop Detroit

After a very brief respite in the hotel, we were hustled over to TechShop Detroit, a membership-based DIY workshop featuring state of the art equipment to create almost anything you can dream up. Ford has partnered with TechShop in the hopes of giving innovators at any stage of life the platform and tools to create the technology of the future. Our bus driver couldn't find the place so we missed the introductory remarks but I wriggled my way into the auditorium just in time to see Ford CEO Alan Mulally speak.

He wants Ford to lead the way in innovative thought and mentorship, as well as being at the top of the American automaker continuum. I didn't realize Mulally was a Kansan but his down to earth quality and tendency to use "neat" as a modifier was kind of a tip-off. He seemed genuinely enthusiastic about the company's global position and his confidence was infectious. Also, he was rocking kind of a Bing Crosby look that was totally endearing.

I loved the variety of food stations and cocktails that represented different Detroit cuisine. I chowed down with the lovely Lori of Well Connected Mom and of course we had to photograph our food. 

In the three times I've been to Ford, I've never managed to get a photo with Scott Monty, so I grabbed the chance! Even without a tie, the guy shows everyone up…

TechShop was nothing if not inspiring. They had everything from laser cutters to industrial sewing machines, including a huge and super clean wood shop, screen printing stations, sandblasting, 3D printers… I took a zillion photos to show its amazingness to my husband, who would actually do wonders with a maker space. In fact, Wichita would be a great community to have a satellite TechShop due to our predominantly aircraft engineering/manufacturing industry. 

Outside, we were treated to gourmet ice cream floats (I spiked mine with rum from the more traditional bar!) and a performance from Portland-based band Blind Pilot, courtesy of Ford SYNC, Microsoft, Gracenote, HD Radio and Pandora. A good time.

See more about Go Further with Ford: Day One, Day Two and Day Three.




In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that Ford paid for my travel and lodging.. No other compensation was provided. All opinions are, as usual, entirely my own.

Go Further with Ford - Day Two

The second day at Go Further with Ford started with a big breakfast and a warm welcome from two phenomenal women: Sheryl Connelly, Manager of Global Trends and Futuring, and Marisa Bradley, Consumer Media Communications Manager. We all tweeted about their fabulous shoes, naturally. 

The day's agenda was packed: trend sessions revolving around four topic areas- Streamline and Simplify, Accessible Design, Eco-Psychology and Urbanization. Each session included panel discussions with pertinent guest speakers and Ford experts, as well as breakout sessions with hands-on demos.

The first stop on my list was Streamline and Simplify, where we learned more about the constancy of technology and how companies work together to improve the "conversation" you have with your vehicle. This conversation is often literal, with many apps using voice recognition and the cloud to keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel but it can extend to biometric data being collected while you drive to enhance safety. 

(l-r): John Hendricks, Director of User Experiences for the Windows Embedded Division at Microsoft, Gary Clayton, Chief Creative Officer at Nuance, and Parrish Hanna, Ford's Global Director of Human Machine Interface.

This black monolith is called a Technical Discovery Kit (TDK) and it is like a car in a box that developers can use to test functionality without bringing a huge car into the lab. There were several of them set up to give us an idea of how they work. We saw how SYNC can use Google translators to allow you to have an almost real-time interaction in a foreign language and how I could pull up the New Pornographers on Pandora just by asking. So cool!

The second session was Age of Accessible Design. I enjoyed hearing the panelists talk about the need to bring good design to the masses at an affordable price. Predictably, they all had snazzy shoes.

(l-r): Ari Goldberg, CEO of StyleCaster, Gretchen Gscheidle, Director of the Insight and Exploration Group at Herman Miller, design wunderkind Christian Siriano, artist/architect Adam Kalkin and J Mays, Ford Group President of Design and Chief Creative Officer.

I wanted to geek out on Christian Siriano but we were whisked off to a special secret (no photos allowed!) design studio to see how they sculpt new models out of clay in life size. Pretty impressive stuff, especially when you consider how far in advance they are designing. It's almost like living in the  future…

My third session was Eco-Psychology, which I was really excited about. The public perception of environmentalism and how you can shift towards a greener thought process is something I truly believe in. The speakers had a lot to say about the importance of companies of Ford's magnitude taking an environmentalist stance because it changes mass opinion, especially over time. Baby steps to green is a powerful motivator.

(l-r): Cher Fischer, Peter Glatzer and Adrian Grenier of SHFT.com, John Viera, Ford's Global Director of Sustainability and Vehicle Environmental Matters, Liz Heller, Strategic Partnerships and Initiatives at TOMS, and Tim Sexton of E2.

The breakouts for this session were really interesting. We got to see samples of naturally-derived plastics in development. We also got to visit the wind tunnel for a demonstration of aerodynamics and how it affects fuel efficiency.

Steve Parks, Senior Aerodynamics Engineer with Vehicle Energy Management Engineering for Ford and Lincoln, demonstrates aerodynamics with smoke in the wind tunnel.

I also got this blurry photo of me with Adrian Grenier, who has really remarkable hair. He's also pretty passionate about the environment and filmmaking, which only serves to make him cuter. 

The final session for the day was Urbanization. I'll admit that I didn't think it would be very pertinent to me since Wichita is hardly a bustling metropolis. Carol Coletta is a dynamic speaker, though, and had plenty to say about why communities need to court creative innovators. Amen! She was funny and smart and had a fantastic dress and shoes, too.

I was also really impressed to discover that Ford has a Manager of Social Sustainability, David Berdish (shown between Ford's Kristin Schondorf and Carol Coletta below), who is charged with ensuring their brand promise is the same for employees worldwide. Berdish was lead designer of the Ford Human Rights Code of Working Conditions, which was adopted in 2003 and continues to evolve under his supervision. These guidelines articulate Ford’s commitment to social sustainability and human rights throughout its global operations and $90 billion supply chain. Color me impressed.

See more about Go Further with Ford: Day One, Day Two (TechShop Detroit) and Day Three.

In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that Ford paid for my travel and lodging.. No other compensation was provided. All opinions are, as usual, entirely my own.

Go Further with Ford - Day One

Last month, I was in Michigan for Ford's annual trend conference. This year's was called Go Further with Ford, echoing their global brand promise, and it was inspiring, as usual. Not just from a gearhead persective, though. While it's true that attendees learn about Ford vehicles and the technology that goes into them, the event is less of a sales pitch than a peek into the think tank in Dearborn. Ford wants to be more than just another American automaker– they'd rather be known as a global innovation factory based in the US.

The opening cocktail reception and dinner was held at Ford Field, home of the Detroit Lions. We were treated to impeccable service, a tour of the stadium (including the swanky locker rooms and a chance to kick a field goal!), a moving keynote discussion by Bill Ford and David Kirkpatrick and a huge dessert buffet featuring the most adorable teeny tiny bottles of milk, as modeled below by the always dapper Scott Monty.

Back at the hotel, there was a hospitality suite with a DJ, arcade games and booze so you could mingle with new friends and old. I especially enjoyed watching the editors of PC Mag and Gadget Review face off in buck shooting:

See more about Go Further with Ford: Day Two, Day Two (TechShop Detroit) and Day Three.

In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that Ford paid for my travel and lodging.. No other compensation was provided. All opinions are, as usual, entirely my own.

Live A Little - Baby Steps to Green with EkoBrew

I'd love to say I was a green and crunchy earth mama but that would be a pretty massive exaggeration. I do try, whenever possible, to recycle and compost and buy local. I think that being mindful of your actions and how they impact the world around us is important but I also know how nice convenience is to busy families. That's why this week's Live a Little post is about starting small.

I love my Keurig coffeemaker but I hate the wastefulness of throwing away a non-recyclable plastic filter pack filled with coffee grounds. I've actually dissected them before to compost the coffee, at least, and assuage my latent inner hippie. It is a major pain in the butt. I've tried some after-market filter doohickeys but they've been a massive hassle to clean and reuse since they have an inner filter and outer cup- you need to take them apart and clean all the pieces. Especially since I like iced coffee in warm weather, which requires a couple of shots of strong brewed coffee. Washing the filter and drying it and refilling it usually ends up with more coffee grounds going down the garbage disposal than into the compost pail.

I was thrilled to learn about a new design by Ekobrew that fits into the Keurig brewer's filter holder without an extra cup unit. It's BPA-free, features an integrated lid so it's just one piece to deal with, it's dishwasher safe and, most impressively, can be rinsed and reused immediately. All the grounds simply tap out into the compost pail, or you can rinse them out. Love that.

If you're even lazier than I am (which is hard to imagine but I won't judge you!), you might want to order a multi-pack so you can enjoy your coffee without waiting to rinse and reuse. There's an Ekobrew 4-pack on Amazon for $30, a good value for being able to use your own favorite fair trade coffee.

What baby steps are you taking towards a greener lifestyle?

Share your Live a Little suggestions with the Skimbaco every Monday by adding the link to your Live a Little blog post in the InLinkz widget below. Rules: Link either to Skimbacolifestyle.com OR grab the InLinkz code for your blog post – or do both! If you post the widget in your blog post, please add the rules as well.








In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I received a complimentary sample Ekobrew filter to facilitate this review. No compensation has been received and, as usual, all opinions are my own.