Nontoxic Color: Ecos Paints

Paint seems to be something that is overlooked when considering toxicity in the home. I was completely dedicated to eliminate all chemical compounds in anything that I could control during our renovation this last year. Traditional paints, primers, stains, paint thinner, and varnishes are full of harmful chemicals, additives, and toxins.Here are some names to keep your eye on: formaldehyde, toluene, phthalates, APEOs, bisphenol, glycols, and solvents. And there are many more!The chemicals in paint fumes can cause both short- and long-term health effects. During the painting process, many experience symptoms such as watery eyes, headaches, nausea, dizziness and breathing problems. Vision problems, lung irritation, and throat irritation are in the line up too. Isn't that wild? If you are exposed to VOCs every day (which is present in paint) can also cause cancer as well as damage to the nervous system, liver, and kidneys.All of that to say, I did not want that easily avoidable risk in our home. My sweet friends from Branch Basics told me about Ecos Paints and I couldn't believe my eyes! For 35 years, they have helped people create healthier living environments with their premium quality, eco-friendly paints, stains and varnishes. They are completely non-toxic, contain no odor, zero VOCs, free of harsh chemicals + they are fully transparent about ingredients and have exceptional coverage. Not to mention, they are so helpful and lovely to work with!Their water-based products were uniquely formulated without the harsh chemicals found in conventional paints. Using a unique technology combining sustainable ingredients and a proprietary mixing process, their products deliver best-in-class appearance and enhanced durability - with no harsh fumes or odors. Yay!

Colors in Our Home

Child of Heaven is on our walls and the color of our kitchen cabinets is Desert Mirage. We could not be happier with the outcome and will be loyal customers for life!Excited to share with you another feature in our series Making A Home, where I've been able to share with you an update each week of the process of us renovating our home and all that we've included in it. For more on our home, check right here on the blog or follow along on my Instagram. xo

Cleaning Out Your Kitchen: Clean, Safe Kitchenware

It's been so fun to be able to share these past few weeks about Jase and I's process of renovating and filling our home. While this process has been much longer than expected, it really began, not when we decided to renovate our home, but when I made the switch to Clean Living. When I think of how much we've changed over time, from products we use in our home, to practices and more, we really have been on this journey for a while! If I've learned anything it's that Clean Living isn't just a one time switch, it's really a lifestyle you adopt and constantly adapt to.As we've renovated our home, we've been so fortunate to use materials that are toxic-free and to fill it with clean, modern products and brands that we've come to love. This has inspired the current series we're in on the blog that we're calling Making a Home. For the past few weeks, I've been able to share with you just a few of these products and brands, and in the next couple weeks, I'll continue to share with you more about specific areas of our home, as well as a few before and afters of our renovation!I also love that I've been able to share with you so many things that I'm constantly getting questions about whether here on the blog or over social media – from clean mattresses that I love, to everyday clean products that I use in my own home. One of the other topics that I am always getting questions about is our kitchen! And of course, the kitchen is such an important topic in all our homes. It's where we prepare our meals, share time with family, and partake in practices and routines that bring us so much joy. I'm excited to share with you this week a  few clean products and brands that I love to use every day in my own kitchen, and really have become a staple in our own home.I love these pots and pans from Food52. They are absolutely the best when it comes to using nonstick, cookware that doesn't contain any added chemicals or toxins that cook into the food we eat or the air we breathe. They're actually made from sand with diamond-infused ceramic coating, and they promise to never peel or tear like other traditional nonstick pans – which is such a win-win!No kitchen is truly set without a cast-iron skillet, and I love this one! It's right on Amazon and super affordable when compared to other brands and competitors. I use mine for a variety of different recipes and dishes in my home and it's simply the best.I just love this kitchenware set that is made from natural wood. The spoons and spatulas not only work perfectly when cooking or serving up different dishes, but they're cute enough to leave on your kitchen counter or to use when hosting. They're handmade, along with a variety of other cute items from this brand that you can use in and throughout your kitchen!Rikumo is a brand that I've come to love for their kitchenware especially with a few items from them that I use in my kitchen on a regular basis! Again, I love a good cast iron, and while their cast iron pan is a just little more expensive than the skillet I listed above, it's definitely worth the investment. Other items from them that are on-hand in my kitchen is their copper graiter as well as their stainless steel kitchen tool set – All of which work just as great as they look!This is something I use absolutely every day in my kitchen, my Vitamix blender! It can seem like a bit of an investment for a blender, but when it's something you use every day, it's worth having an item that's durable and gets the job done! Seriously the best and available amazon – Need I say more?Lastly – I love having these towels on hand, especially because it cuts down on our paper waste. They're a great neutral color that works well in my kitchen, but they also have a few other color varieties to choose from!I hope you're enjoying following along with our Making A Home process and learning more about all the clean, safe steps we've taken along the way! If you're interested in learning more or making the switch to Clean Living, take a look The Clean Sweep, my 90-day program where I walk through practices, products, and food that create a clean lifestyle. And for more on specific clean products I'm loving right now, follow along at The Clean Stuff Instagram. x

Self-Care Tip: Bath Must-Haves

While there are many things about this season that have been challenging and difficult to process, I’ve been taking extra time to be grateful for the things I do have, and find light in the little activities that bring joy, rest, and make me feel whole. I think now more than ever, it’s important to find ways to take care of yourself, and to allow yourself to find peace. One of my favorite ways to practice extra self-care is by taking a bath! Here are a few Self-Care Tips and my Bath Must-Haves that have quickly become a part of my everyday routine: I often talk about this brand because I absolutely love their products! These bath soaks are made with many great (and of course, clean) ingredients including essential oils that add such a calming and soothing aspect to my bath routine! (I’ve stocked up on their bath line and love to rotate through them as a part of my bath routine).Any time I take a bath, I’ll use this beforehand! Dry brushing has so many great benefits, but before baths, especially, it’s a great way to practice self-care by activating your body’s release of toxins before you soak. These bath salts are simply the best! I love this brand because the ingredients are pure and raw, and they also assist in fighting off toxic build up in the body while hydrating and nourishing my skin - a self-care must! This scrub is an item that takes my time for self-care to the next level. It’s made with brown sugar and hydrating sweet almond oil that not only smells amazing but also leaves my skin feeling so moisturized afterwards! This sponge I’ve talked about a few times before because I simply love it! Not only is it a bath must-have staple for me, but the amount of body wash it’s helped me save has been amazing. It has quickly become a self-care item I cannot do without.I’ll use this particular bath soak on nights when I’m extra tired and need help getting rest. It’s also a great aid to your body when you feel you might be getting sick or are already under the weather! When I’m feeling stressed and want to relax, I make sure to use these bath salts that help calm my mind and soothe my muscles! I love the way it smells and knowing that it’s helping my body while I cut out time for self-care is such a bonus. However you’re feeling in this season, I hope you find time to do something that adds extra care and relaxation into your routine! x[show_shopthepost_widget id="4014588"]