Progress #5. Go greener

I've been working with some more green products to reduce plastic waste and chemicals, but they definitely haven't been without their own issues, so here's a brief where-I'm-at trials and troubleshooting:

1. DEODORANT

I really thought I'd never be able to find a natural, vegan + cruelty-free deodorant that works. Thus far, though I've been otherwise exclusively on cruelty-free and natural products for years, this was the one sacrifice I was willing to make. Deodorant products like Kiss My Face, Tom's of Maine, and Jason just ended up making me smell like B.O. + flowers. No thanks.

Recently, I've been a part of some Toronto Vegan / Zero Waste Facebook groups in Toronto, and have been receiving some good product tips.

Multiple people who were in the same boat as me recommended Routine Deodorant Cream in one of their vegan formations. Apparently people who were excessively sweaty in general said - although not an "antiperspirant" - found Routine helped for this purpose, too. It also comes in a tiny screw-top glass container and is a Canadian product from Alberta.

I bought it in the scent Lucy in the Sky from well.ca. I find it smells good, but more characteristically "masculine" to me. I don't care much about this; I just want it to work. It did. Immediately. No need for re-application. At the end of even long days, I smelled fresh. This was new. 

I thought it was THE ONE. I bought another vegan formation in the gentler scent Cat Lady, so I'd have it on hand when the other ran out.

A few weeks ago, I suddenly developed what seemed to be an allergy to - what research tells me is - the baking soda. My armpits ended up red, itchy, and swollen.

Unfortunately, Routine does not have vegan formations in low/no baking soda, so I did some research on effectiveness blogs and ordered a pack of sample sizes of no baking soda (called "sensitive skin") line of Schmidt's. Unfortunately, they come in regular plastic roll-on packaging and were delivered in a lot of cardboard.

While I waited for them to ship online from Schmidt's (unfortunately an American company), I looked up troubleshooting for baking soda deodorant allergies, and someone from the Toronto Vegan group suggested applying coconut oil first. (Some people even use this as a deodorant in and of itself). This worked like a charm. I've been using Routine again without issues.

I did try the Schmidt's (in lilac scent) after arrival, for two days. It's also really effective.


2. SHAMPOO + CONDITIONER BARS

I'm still troubleshooting this one. I ordered Soap Works from well.ca, to try and eliminate plastics. I already use natural hair products and I don't wash my hair often (2-3 days), so I didn't think this would be a difficult transition.

I was wrong -- it leaves my hair feeling gummy and coated, and my scalp psoriasis has been acting up again.

I read a blog saying that coffee grounds are good exfoliants in this case -- the acid strips the product and the grounds massage the scalp skin.

Last wash, I gave this a go before shampooing with the bar. It's a terrible mess, but I'm used to that from my coffee scrubs. It left my scalp feeling much better and not at all psoriatic, but my hair still felt gummy.

I'm reading more troubleshooting -- which says 1. Rinse way longer than with regular shampoo, and 2. On long hair, don't coat the ends. Let the long rinse be enough to coat the rest.

I'll keep trying -- if not now, then in the summer. I think it would be so convenient to travel with this bar.

For now, I'm going to mix it up with sample packets I have on hand. (One good zero waste tip I was given was not to immediately throw out anything that doesn't suit that lifestyle. That defeats the purpose. Use what you have on hand until it is gone.)


3. FOUNDATION

The Ordinary coverage foundation, natural + pink undertones, ordered from well.ca has been a godsend for my combination oily + dry skin, which periodically suffers from both eczema and cystic acne. I'm relatively confident about my appearance, save for this one lifelong battle. I don't know if it is yoga or vitamins or this, but it has been so clear since the day I slathered it in this foundation, even in stressful periods of time.
I don't like a cakey or thick foundation, and this one is nice and light and my skin feels like it breathes. My skin now almost feels clear enough to go without these days. That's a novelty to me. Someday.


Original goal list posted here

Progress: #27. Do yoga for 30 days straight

22/30: Today was by far - by far - my favourite. This takes place in an actual Ashram, with birdsong, and I opened my windows to have fresh air on our first warm spring day.

I learned via this routine that there is one inversion that I can already do quite easily: shoulder stand.

I've also just spent the last hour geeking out about Sivananda yoga: adding more routines of this variety to my playlist, learning about Swami Sivananda (who, of all days in a year, died on my birthday, guys), researching retreats and classes, learning about links to vegetarianism and Sivananda yoga.

There are beginner weekend retreats in Barrie. There is one upcoming in May/June. Would anyone want to join me? (I'll tag potential people when I share this to Facebook - HI.)

Douglas Coupland says in Life After God that we are deeply spiritual creatures, but we have severed our large scale connections to spirituality and replaced them with worldly things. He says if we paid attention to patterns and symbols in our life, noting them on a daily basis, we would all realize that we are living another life altogether beneath the life we know and accept to be real.

I woke up this morning, in a half-sleep, thinking about how amber (the object) is permanence and preservation -- and how I remember everything. Then a cat named Leo repeatedly stepped on my face and needed food.

I don't know what I'm on about, but I feel kind of radiant, though it could just be the coffee.

Original goal list posted here

Progress: #27. Do yoga for 30 days straight

21/30: A colleague said it takes 21 days to form a habit. I'm tired today. I just wanted to wake up. I think it worked.

Original goal list posted here

Progress: #27. Do yoga for 30 days straight

20/30: Two thirds! My mind and body both needed another gentle one today.

Now: Shower, coffee, all day on-site PD session. This location is only about 35 minutes away, which would be a nightmare for some, but is a dream for me. If nothing else, this makes my day.

Original goal list posted here

Progress: #27. Do yoga for 30 days straight

19/30: This is all I wanted of my yoga practice today: Something slow, calming, and meditative because 1. I feel no-reason anxious, 2. I'm sore.

I liked everything about this besides the nostril-breathing exercises, which I've yet to learn how to take seriously.

Original goal list posted here

Progress #27. Do yoga for 30 days straight

18/30: This has gotten to the point where it is no longer just a checklist goal for the day. I was excited to get up this morning and try something more challenging than yesterday.

I love this one. Granted, I still can't do every move perfectly, but it was a fast and challenging routine with a long-enough cool-down to appreciate the work. At the end, she talked about liking movement-heavy routines on days where her mind is frantic, in order to temporarily suspend those thoughts in ways that slow routines cannot.

I like this concept because my only escapism from frantic thoughts - for years and years - is to sleep. I sleep a lot: Not regular people a lot, either. Something like 11-18 hours daily, and I hate it. I do think it is more psychological than physiological, as I'm much better on extended breaks from work.

I'll try to remember this idea as an alternative.


PS: I'm up early enough now to hear the spring birds chirping and once I read a quote that said birds must know something of faith or trust, because they sing in anticipation of a sunrise, even when it is still dark outside. I think about that quote a lot.

Original goal list posted here

Progress: #27. Do yoga for 30 days straight

17/30: This was definitely very oriented at beginners, and - for the first time - I felt like I would have been capable of doing something much more challenging this morning, so I just extended all the dolphin planks and added in additional ones.

However, 1. She's still my fav.
2. It was a good break after yesterday.

Now, coffee and shower.

Original goal list posted here