What's on Your Holiday Wish List?

Happy holidays ... This past year I’ve come across some wonderful products and wanted to share a few of them with you as holiday gift ideas. (Also check out Expo West blog from earlier this year.)

Kanberra Gel – Are you or your pets experiencing allergies from indoor pollutants and poor air quality? Did you know that Christmas Trees have mold? Time to put this product on your holiday (or anytime) wish list.

I was so impressed with the abilities of this product that I actually bought up a few cases to give my friends for the holidays. Billed as an all-natural odor remover, I quickly learned this product was so much more than just a natural remedy for odors. It was originally created for use on boats to attack and degrade mold, mildew, fungus, bacteria and other environmental pollutants (originally for air quality engineering for the U.S. Navy.)

Kanberra Gel is an all-natural proprietary blend of pharmaceutical-grade Australian Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) and Lemon-scented Tea Tree Oil (Leptospermum petersonii). When used Kanberra Gel allows the natural antiseptic properties of the oils to become airborne through a unique evaporative release process.

At the micro-biotic level, the air itself absorbs the pharmaceutical grade oils. As the air circulates and lands on the source (the mold, mildew, etc.), Kanberra Gel begins neutralizing and eliminating problems, and associated odors, on contact. It does so naturally, with no chemicals. Most importantly, the use of Kanberra Gel acts as a preventive program against these problems for up to 45 days after there is no longer Gel in the container. (One canister last up to approximately 90 days.)

Last year when I was replacing my 27-year-old bathroom tile, my handyman found damp wood around the toilet bowl. Apparently it had been there for quite a while and the smell was hideous. I borrowed an air purifier from a neighbor to help alleviate the toxic moldy smell and all of the wood was replaced. Unfortunately, the smell remained for months until I found Kanberra at Expo West. The smell was gone almost instantly, but even more importantly the product was working on the source of the problem rather than just covering up the smell ... I would call this a great find!

In speaking with one of the owners, I was also given quite an education about its abilities for overall home environments, pet environments (i.e. odors, improving the pets allergic responses to allergens, repelling insects, etc.), sport equipment (said to eliminate bacteria and fungus on items that can’t be washed) and car, boats and RV environments.

My daughter and I had to give up live Christmas trees years ago because we’d always get sick when we put up our holiday tree. I recently heard a news segment that explained that Christmas trees actually contain mold from storage practices. So I was happy to learn that a 1oz canister of Kanberra placed at the base of the tree will help neutralize tree mold. If you have any doubts about Kanbarra’s effective powers … this picture of a 30 day study with similar odor reducing products placed in a container with bagel pieces, clearly demonstrates Kanberra's true ability to inhibit the growth of mold (naturally).

While evaporation rates may vary, results are usually noticed within 4-5 days and a canister of Kanberra Gel should last up to 90 days. I found this chart to be a good resource in determining size. 1 oz = 100 sq feet, 2 oz = 250 sq feet, 4 oz = 600 sq feet, 8 oz = 1,500 sq feet, 16 oz = 3,000 sq feet. If you’re interested in covering your whole house, give them a call … they have a solution for you.

I know it seems like a strange gift, but for anyone who is battling toxic household elements, including mold, or has problems with indoor allergens this product could be the perfect gift. (I’m such a practical gift giver … even over the holidays.) For more information about the product visit: www.kanberragel.com

If cosmetics are on your wish list you should definitely check out Earth Lab Cosmetics 

Earth Lab Cosmetics was created by a mother daughter team – Diane Peterson and Jennifer Dillon. I met the whole family this year at Expo West where I got a mini education about their unique products. All of their cosmetics are made with minerals and raw pigments found in nature (that's it), and are all made in small batches by hand.

Earth Lab’s vegan eyeliner pencil is made from plant minerals with a base of jojoba and natural waxes that creates a creamy texture that easily glides on the lid. It offers more of a soft look and texture. The ladies claim it’s the only truly vegan eyeliner pencil handmade in North America.

Their botanically enriched "Raw" Mascara is one of my favorites. While I didn’t realize that most mascara products have clay in them, this one does not, which means it doesn't clump, flake or smudge. Its moisturizing formula actually nourishes my lashes rather than drying them out. Because of its unique formula, Jennifer explained that this product is applied differently than other mascara. You need to keep reapplying it to create that full fluffy look. It might take a minute or two longer to apply, but trust me it’s totally worth your time. This product actually won Alive magazine’s (Canadian) consumer’s choice bronze award in 2012.

Since their products are made in small batches, sometimes you’ll have to wait a few weeks for the product, but just imagine … fresh handmade products made with love just for you. All the more exciting as Earth Lab offers a full assortment of cosmetics. (So you better get your orders in now for the holidays.)

Because their products are so clean and unique, as I mentioned earlier they sometimes require a bit of education on their application, so Diane and Jennifer offer a great service, they are available for phone consultations Wednesday through Saturday 11a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 888-245-0024. For more info visit: www.earthlabcosmetics.ca

Earthlite Candles are beautiful coconut wax candles made from organic coconuts, with organic wild-crafted essential oils and lead-free and chemical free organic hemp and cotton wicks. All of the ingredients are fair trade and the candles are made in America. Jessica Waters (Multimedia Producer and Environmental Journalist) and her partner Justin Puda (Motion Graphics Artist and Creative Director) are the creative minds behind this well thought out product.

I found this duo at the Green Festival LA earlier this year, where I noticed they had tea lights that weren’t made in little foil cups like most, but rather in little recycled glass cups. I had never seen (or burned) coconut wax candles before and decided to try their unscented tea lights. (I like to add my own essential oils.) To my surprise, unlike most tea lights, they actually burned all the way down to the bottom of the cup with no waste. I was very impressed and love them!

Their coconut wax is a non-GMO, pesticide free raw material that according to the company is manufactured ecologically sound, socially just, and economically responsible according to international standards. Each candle comes in an unbleached muslin bag (stamped with soy ink) that is reusable and perfect for toting smaller vegetable items like snap peas and green beans.

These candles make a beautiful gift! For more info visit: www.earthlitecandles.com

BackJoy Posture+ - When I stopped by the BackJoy booth at Expo West, a lovely man named Mike quickly gave me his full attention, telling me all about the wonders of the BackJoy. Have a seat and tell me what you think. After a quick instruction on butt placement and positioning adjustment ... I was sitting pretty, comfortably that is.

Structurally speaking Mike was very knowledgeable and I was very impressed by all that he had to say. It turns out that he is also one of the geniuses behind the widely popular Crock shoes. The funny thing is once I knew that about Mike, I realized that the BackJoy seats actually share a resemblance to the Crock clogs in a strange sort of way.

I've been sitting on my BackJoy since March and love it. My hips and back feel great. Although I would like to share one tip about using the product in the summer time, I find it's best to put a thin cotton towel on it because the back of my legs kept sticking to it and every time I stood up, I would end up carrying BackJoy a few feet across the room with me ... lol.

Check out Bing Howenstein, president of BackJoy as he demonstrates how this ergonomic seat works … sit, snug, skootch. This is a great gift for all those who sit.  For more info visit: www.backjoy.com