Unlike some of the other products reviewed on NPR, I got this product as a reward for accumulating so many points at Sephora - a consumer bonus, you could say.  I am still using the Bareminerals cleanser, recently reviewed on NPR, but I decided to grab this one just to see how it worked.  Honestly, I am not all that picky about cleansers. I have my favorites, but I will often mix it up. 

I especially like the idea of the Philosophy brand. The wordy packages always get my attention. For example, this Purity cleanser features a full definition/description of the vision that the makers had for this product. How cool is that? This product is intended to simplify your cleansing routine. It is a “one-step” product. I, like many of you, don't necessarily want my beautiful routine to be a multi-step process. I was optimistic about this product.

My Experience: I decided to use Purity to remove my makeup and I found that, while the product was effective, it wasn’t anything special. All of my makeup came off, but my face was a little drier than I like.  Purity Made Simple did not irritate my face, did not give off any offensive odors. All good things. This product would probably work well for someone with “normal skin”. And by that I mean skin that’s not too dry. If you have dry skin, you made want to avoid this product. As cleansers go, it's fine. I didn't love it and I didn't hate it. This cleanser comes in a few different sizes, so if you only want to commit a little, you can get 3oz. for about $10, and if you decide that you want to delve in, you can get a 32oz pump bottle for about $50.   The bottle I had was made in Canada, so I couldn't tell what kind of plastic it was made of. Sorry guys.

Ingredients: water (aqua), sodium lauroamphoacetate, sodium trideceth sulfate, limnanthes alba (meadowfoam) seed oil, coco-glucoside, cocos nucifera (coconut) alcohol, peg-120 methyl glucose dioleate, aniba rosaeodora (rosewood) wood oil, geranium maculatum oil, guaiac (guaiacum officinale) extract, cymbopogon martini oil, rosa damascena extract, amyris balsamifera bark oil, santalum album (sandalwood) oil, salvia officinalis (sage) oil, cinnamomum cassia leaf oil, anthemis nobilis flower oil, daucus carota sativa (carrot) seed oil, piper nigrum (pepper) seed extract, polysorbate 20, glycerin, carbomer, triethanolamine, methylparaben, propylparaben, citric acid, imidazolidinyl urea, yellow 5 (ci 19140).

I grew up using Comet and Ajax abrasive powders. We used them to clean the bathroom, the kitchen sink, and various counter surfaces. We preferred using Ajax to soapy products, because we somehow felt that that gritty grainy texture of the power was working a sanitary wonder in our house.  As I moved towards greener products, (which in my case involves a lot of non-toxic sprays), I still longed for the feel and the outcome of abrasive cleaners.  Method Le Scrub Natural Mild Abrasive Cleaner goes on smooth, but it ultimately provides a greener, effective alternative to conventional abrasive products.  This product has a pleasant Eucalyptus Mint scent that will not overpower or overwhelm you or the room.

I love Method Scrub Natural Mild Abrasive Cleaner because not only is the product effective, but the folks at Method do a pretty good job communicating to consumers what’s in their product and why. Even though many of the ingredients are not ones that we can easily associate with plant or fruit products, Method stands out for its work to explain to consumers  the function, purpose, and the green profile of its ingredients. The container is made of # 2 recyclable plastic. This cleaner is affordable, at just under $6 for a 24 oz. bottle, and it is available at a wide range of retailers.

Deciding to adopt a pet is a serious commitment. Pets need to be fed, entertained, rubbed, and nursed.  They need places to sleep, places to do their business, room to be on their own, places to play and places to relax.  And while it is true that high maintenance people probably have high maintenance pets, even those of us who try to be minimalist and conscientious consumers find that we too have to buy many products to keep our pets happy and clean. 

As a cat caretaker, I have tried over 3 kinds of beds, 4 kinds of wet food, 2 kinds of dry food and  have spent many hours assessing and selecting toys and other accessories that I thought might make my cat happy.  As I made these choices, I always preferred products that were biodegradable, made of natural or organic products, and of course, durable. I approached my choice about cat litter in the same way. While I had been initially drawn to the litter options like FreshStep because they are widely available, a product by Arm and Hammer caught my eye really early on. 

Arm and Hammer Essentials Natural Clumping Cat Litter is made of biodegradable corn fibers, has a pleasant smell, and does a good job of absorbing my cat’s liquid waste.  It’s not sandy like some litters can be, so if your cat has respiratory issues, Arm and Hammer Essentials Natural Clumping Cat litter may be less likely to irritate him. I generally change the entire litter pan once every week, but I remove waste daily.  To help to enhance the odor-suppressing qualities of the litter, I usually treat the clean  litter pan with baking soda or another naturally derived litter deodorizer. I have been using this litter for at least 7 months, and I am very pleased with it.  The litter is made of mostly corn, but it has some other stuff too. 

Ingredients: Corncob grit, 10yoxrp cob, Mineral oil, Guar Gum,  Sodium bicarbonate 

Arm and Hammer Essentials Natural Clumping Cat litter is sold in 7 lb. and 10.5 lb. packages. This litter is available at most retailers that offer natural pet care products.  The prices vary, but it seems like the best deals are available online.

I usually prefer to purchase facial cleansers that leave my face squeaky clean.  I don’t have acne prone or especially oily skin, but I generally avoid facial wash that is too rich.  This winter, I thought that I might try something different.  Because of the cold temperatures and dry heat at home, I have noticed that my skin has been looking rather dehydrated.  During a recent trip to the mall, I decided to replace my Bareminerals foundation, and was persuaded by the saleswoman to consider this product.   Bareminerals Deep Cleansing Foam is a creamy formula that effectively removes all the dirt, grime, and makeup at the end of a long day.  And to my great delight, the product leaves my skin REALLY clean, but not so clean that it feels tight or dry. A small amount of the product goes a very long way—you can work up a great lather with a pea-sized amount. A quick glance at the list of ingredients would suggest that this product has a more complex (and perhaps less natural) composition than some other cleansers on the market. And to be fair, Bareminerals does not attempt to boast about the natural composition of this product (as it does with its foundations for example). This product’s main claim to fame is something called a ActiveSoil Complex.  Underscore complex.

Take a look for yourself. 

Ingredients: Water/Aqua/Eau, Stearic Acid, PEG-8, Myristic Acid, Glycerin, Potassium Hydroxide, Lauric Acid, Alcohol Denat., Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Propanediol, Polyquaternium-7, Soil Minerals, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil (Glycine Soja), Trisodium EDTA, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil (Lavandula Angustifolia), Lavandula Hybrida Oil (Lavandula Hybrida), Linalool, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil (Vitis Vinifera), Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil (Persea Gratissima), Punica Granatum Seed Oil (Punica Granatum), Phytosteryl/octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Limonene, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil (Anthemis Nobilis), Averrhoa Carambola Leaf Extract (Averrhoa Carambola), Tocopherol.

Bareminerals Deep Cleansing Foam can be purchased for $20 (4.2 oz.) at any Bareminerals retailer.