I’ve been trying to be more proactive and conscientious about greening my life: watching the products I use on myself, on the Mr., on the furry child – that will be the cat, and at home. I’ve slowly incorporated some better-for-you makeup in my life: BareMinerals, Tarte… However, there are areas where the green element was still missing, and I hadn’t been sure what to look for or what to buy. Enter Ecostore USA.
Under the slogan “No Nasty Chemicals”, Ecostore USA offers a wide and growing array of personal care, pet care and household cleaning products that are good for you and the environment. This means they use natural plant- and mineral-based ingredients in their product offerings, and no toxic petrochemicals, or parabens, or ammonia or a whole bunch of other, well- nasty stuff!
I had the pleasure to try several of Ecostore USA body and hand soaps and washes, as well as a set of shampoo and conditioner and a dishwashing liquid soap. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised. The products are gentle – no dryness or irritation on my skin, and the scents are subtle. I am happy to know I am not washing down bad chemicals down my drain!
First off, the Goat’s Milk Lavender and Wheatgerm Oil baby soap. You certainly don’t need to be a baby to use this. It left my skin squeaky clean without stripping out moisture. Normally with my regular store-bought body wash, I was left with a filmy feeling on my skin, which I thought was normal. Using this soap made me notice the difference between being truly clean and being left with scum on my skin – ew. The scents are relaxing, yet subtle – no worries about scents clashing when you apply your favorite body lotion after showering. This soap is so gentle, it is certainly a must for babies and for people with sensitive skin.
I experienced the same feeling with the Orange and Patchouli body wash and hand soap - clean without feeling stripped of moisture. However, the scent was not a personal favorite of mine – I am not a fan of patchouli. However, this is just a matter of personal preference. I must say, the scents of these products do not linger on your skin, so I was able to go on about my day without feeling like I had been teletransported from Woodstock. One interesting thing I noted with all these soaps (and the dishwashing liquid) was the lather. It was a smooth, uniform lather with very little suds or bubbles. As you may know, very sudsy, lathery soaps and handwashes are usually an indicative of a high content of surfactants which can cause skin dryness and irritation.
The soap that rocked my world was the Manuka Honey and Kelp soap! This exfoliating soap contains tiny pieces of bran which buff your skin in a natural way, without robbing it from any nourishment or moisture. This soap is a must have for the winter season; dead skin cells and dry flakes are gawn!
Finally, I took the Manuka Sandalwood anti-dandruff shampoo and conditioner for a drive. While I can’t attest to the efficacy of the product (I don’t have dandruff), I enjoyed the tingly feeling on the scalp from using them. My hair and scalp felt clean, and my hair was quite smooth – I liked that! While this shampoo was certainly not for me, I am eyeing the Vanilla Shampoo and Conditioner for dry, damaged hair. I can use something like that this winter!
Ecostore USA recently launched it products in March 2009. You can find them at all 196 Meiers Grocery Stores in the Midwest. The company also debuted a 15-product line-up at the newly-opened Duane Reade Flagship store in Herald Square in Manhattan this past October. Ecostore USA will continue to grow with Duane Reade as they prepare to launch in all 256 stores this coming February 2010.
I like not having to pay an arm, a leg and a major organ for eco-friendly products, don’t you? The entire line of Ecostore USA products is quite affordable, ranging from $4-$13. More importantly, the company continues to expand their product lineup. As a matter of fact, as I am typing this, Ecostore USA is shipping their first order of US-made baby products all in eco-friendly, biodegradable, recycle-friendly packaging. All the hot mommas rejoice! Bottomline, for its ingredients, variety (no patchouli or anti-dandruff for me!), affordability, and eco-friendly packaging, Ecostore USA gets a A+ from me!
To learn more about Ecostore USA – their ingredients, company background and products, visit their website. While you’re there, take advantage of the 40% off (yes, you read it right), that the company is offering until the end of the year. On my list:
- The Vanilla Shampoo and Conditioner – my hair will love that!
- The Wool Wash – my clothes will love that!
- The Hypoallergenic Pet Shampoo – my cat will NOT love that, but guess what? I have opposable thumbs, he doesn’t – ergo, I RULE! Plus, he smells like feet, poor thing…
Have you tried any Ecostore Products? What did you think?
Disclaimer: The company provided samples for this review. Such samples didn’t influence the opinions expressed by the author – that would be me!
