Category Archives: product reviews

Glu6 Eco Friendly Glue {Eco-Product Review}

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When Glu6 contacted me about the possibility of doing a product review for their eco friendly glue, I was really excited. I’ve been searching for a glue alternative for a while without much luck. I was able to test 2 different Glu6 products, the paste and the gel.

This review actually took me a lot longer than one of my normal eco product reviews. I wanted to really give Glu6 a good round of testing on a variety of different surfaces and see how it held up over time. Since I don’t normally go through my week happily glueing things, it took some time to find things that I needed to fix or create using glue.

Eco Friendly Glue…Made From 100% Recycled Styrofoam

In case you’re wondering (I was!), the “6” in their product name comes from the recycling number for styrofoam…6. The founders of Glu6 left corporate America to pursue their dream of pursuing a business that would make a positive impact on the environment and thus, Glu6 was born. Glu6 is made from 100% recycled styrofoam sourced from businesses in the San Francisco Bay area.

Glu6 does not add unsustainable or toxic ingredients to make their products. They are 3rd party certified as a non-toxic glue.

DID YOU KNOW?

Each year Americans throw away 25 billion (yes, BILLION) styrofoam cups…the equivalent to 15 Empire State Buildings! And each one of those styrofoam cups will still be in the landfill 500 years from now.

Eco Friendly Glue Paste

I tested the paste out quite a lot. To give a comparison, I would say it’s probably similar in texture to something like rubber cement. Although I’m fairly certain that it won’t roll up into a ball if you paste it on your hands…(like we all did as kids), so don’t try that at home! 😉

  • The eco friendly paste is meant to be used on porous or semi-porous materials. It worked great on an old canvas wrapped frame that I needed to repair. It didn’t work as well on some bows I made for my kids. Those held ok, but needed to be re-glued occasionally. In short, I wouldn’t use the paste for anything fabric related again. I think this is partially b/c I was using the porous glue, but my bows needed to be glued onto non-porous clips. So that was the part that came undone after a period of time. Also, on the super thin fabric bows, the glue was just too much for it and seeped through. I don’t think this is the fault of the glue though, I think I just needed fabric glue or hot glue for that project…but I wanted to test it out anyway. In short…I’m not sure what to do for projects where you want a non-toxic adhesive and need to glue a porous object to a non-porous object. Maybe Glu6 has a plan for this scenario in the works? Hope so!
  • There’s a cure time of 24 hours for any project. I found this to be essential. The times that I tried to use something I had glued earlier than the recommended cure time, were not as successful. I noticed a big difference when I actually left my repairs/crafts alone for the full 24 hours before using. So read the directions and follow them! I tried it both ways for testing purposes.
  • Smells awesome! Not that you’d want to be a glue-sniffer, but if you did you’d probably pick Glu6 as your glue of choice. Seriously though, it’s got a nice orange citrus smell that doesn’t stink up your house. Nice change from the toxic glue smells we are used to!
  • One small wooden spreader was included with my jar of the paste. Rather than buy more, I repurposed some old chopsticks that I wasn’t using as alternate spreaders and it was especially useful for glue small areas. Glu6 has now added a brush applicator as an update to the jar that I tested.

Eco Friendly Glue Gel

I also had the chance to review the Glu6 Gel. The product line has since expanded into more specific gels for specific projects. The multi-purpose one that I reviewed is no longer for sale on the website and I noticed that they now have 3 different eco friendly glue gel options, one for tile and ceramics, one for gem and rhinestones and a third one for glass and ceramics. They’ve also recently added a recycled school glue to their product line.

I tested the gel on rhinestones for a craft project and it worked great on those. I also used it to make a snow globe project with my kids. For our snow globe, we needed to glue plastic legos to a glass jar, which we then filled with glitter and water and then glued the lid shut. The glue dried clear (which was nice for the bits I messed up on), and it worked great for our snow globe. It lasted for months with lots of shaking and the water never leaked.

I was also able to test the gel on several other non-porous small repair items and experienced no issues or problems with the integrity of this non-toxic glue.

The Verdict on Glu6 Eco Friendly Adhesive?

After a few months of testing Glu6, I am pleased with the results. When my current bottles run out, I‘ll definitely be purchasing more to keep on hand. This will be my new go-to and I’m really happy to have an eco friendly adhesive alternative.

My other take away is this…As with any glue, you know that you can’t use one glue for everything. Don’t expect a single bottle of Glu6 to be your one stop shop for adhesives. Use it for what it’s meant to be used for and it makes a solid replacement for your conventional toxic glues.

*Disclaimer: As with all of my reviews where I’m asked by another company to review a product, I only agree to do reviews if the company in question is amenable to my completely candid and honest review of their product. I will also only do product reviews that are in alignment with what this blog is all about. If I don’t think a review will help my readers, I won’t do it. The opinions in this post are my own and I was not paid by Glu6 for this post, although I was provided the two samples of eco friendly glue to review.

 

SPOONK Organic Hemp Acupressure Mat {Eco-Product Review}

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My own husband thought I was plain crazy when I bought this organic hemp acupressure mat. He thought my green/eco-friendly/non-GMO/organic loving self had finally gone off the deep end. The Spoonk organic acupressure mat is one of my all time favorite things. It took me several months to convince my husband to try it out, but after watching how much I loved using it every day and how relaxed I felt, he finally gave in. Now we both enjoy unwinding together at the end of the day by laying on the acupressure mat.

Why I Love My Organic Hemp Acupressure Mat?

So many reasons! For starters, it’s made with “clean materials”, such as 100% organic hemp and cotton and an eco-friendly plant-based foam. I don’t worry about relaxing on a sea of toxic chemicals while I try my best to unwind and de-stress.

The Spoonk organic hemp acupressure mat is supposed to relieve tension and stress, help you sleep better, improve circulation and boost your energy, among other things. Although I have a hard time measuring my increased circulation, I have definitely seen an improvement of the other benefits by using my organic acupressure mat.

Probably the biggest benefit I’ve seen is in the area of decreasing muscle tension and pain relief. I’m prone to carrying all my tension in my neck and shoulders and I often get painful tension headaches. My organic hemp acupressure mat is my go-to solution whenever possible as a first line of defense. After about 30 minutes of lying on my mat, my headache is usually gone and I’m in a much higher state of relaxation.

I’ve also notices that I sleep much better on the nights that I use my mat before bed. Plus, it’s just peaceful and relaxing to use!


It’s a rare day that I leave my organic hemp acupressure mat at home when leaving town. I recommend it to everyone I meet. We actually own, not one, but two Spoonk organic hemp acupressure mats if that tells you anything. My husband just had to have his own after falling in love with mine.

The Spoonk organic hemp acupressure mats come in a variety of colors and you can find them with a carrying case for ease of portability. A must for traveling!

The Downsides to the Spoonk Organic Hemp Acupressure Mat 

No review is complete without discussing the negative aspects of a product. As you can probably tell by most of this review, I don’t have many to report.

The price is a little steep, especially if you’ve never tried it and don’t see this as a “must have” item. They occasionally go on sale on random websites, but generally the price on Amazon is the lowest I see. I wish the cost was cheaper, but for the benefits that it gives you – pretty much the same benefits of getting a massage – I think the price is worth it. It’s hard to find a great massage for under $60, so I look at it as the poor mans massager…I can use this everyday and enjoy many of the same important health benefits as an expensive Swedish massage, which unfortunately I can NOT do every day.

I also will say that there is a bit of an adjustment required to use this mat. You have to get used to a bunch of little tiny poky things sticking into you. It’s a little weird the first time…and the second…but you soon get used to it. I started with a few minutes the first day and kept increasing my time on the mat once I got used to the new sensation. It really is very relaxing…promise!

Eco Product Review: GoBites Healthy Snacks

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One of the things I love doing is reviewing products. Since I’m always trying new things anyway and I love learning about the latest and greatest, most efficient, most effective, and especially the most healthy and green options out there, I decided that I’m going to start posting “Eco-product reviews” more frequently to help others make better choices. We all have limited finances and want to use them wisely, so hopefully these will help another sister (or brother) out.

First up…GoBites healthy snacks! I found this FANTASTIC company through a deal on PlumDistrict and it was one of those deals that was a no-brainer to try out. Basically, GoBites is a company that offers healthy, mostly organic snacks in 1-portion sized containers on a monthly subscription program.

It’s pretty cool. You can customize the healthy snacks you receive based on your preferences and dietary and allergy restrictions. They give you a quick survey and then pick the snacks they think you’ll like best to start with, but you have the freedom to mix and match and change things up however you like. I was impressed though…they picked exactly what I would have picked and I chose not to change anything. 

My thoughts? Well, the snacks are REALLY delicious! They are healthy, nutritious, balanced, and mostly organic, so they are snacks I can really get behind and feel good about feeding my family. I love it!

Would I continue my GoBite subscription each month? That’s a tough one…with unlimited finances, yes, for sure. The price is a little higher than I would like on a limited budget, but it is reasonable. Each snack box ends up being $1.99. So when I compare that to what I’d pay for say an energy bar, then it seems pretty good. Total cost is $27.86 for 14 boxes and that’s the shipped price…you don’t pay extra for shipping.

So I feel like it’s an overall good value for the money, especially given that healthy snack options are few and far in between…especially ones that taste delicious and require limited time on your part. So GoBites fits the bill in all these areas for people on the go who want better options.

My overall thoughts: I feel like the value of the product is pretty decent for what you get….not to mention the convenience is really up there. You get pre-portioned out healthy snacks that you can feel great about eating and they come with built in variety so you don’t get bored. I love it!

  • Value is pretty good for a really awesome product and shipping is included…very nice.
  • Convenience is through the roof! Quick shipping (mine shipped out the next day) and handy pre-packaged individual portions in cute little boxes.
  • You can customize your subscription however you like, cancel it, resume it again or have a one-time delivery with the click of a button.
  • Healthy snack options, organic, tasty…win, win, win!

And yes, I would consider keeping up my subscription each month. Right now, I’ll probably stick with the occasional one-time delivery that you can do. This would be perfect for summer snacks…to throw in a bag when you’re heading to the beach or the pool, or also perfect for a road trip. So next time we’re heading on a road trip, I’ll definitely make sure to order a box. They are pretty handy to have on hand for those snack time emergencies.

My favorites so far are: Mayan Treasure, Path to Tibet, Chocolate Monkey, Apricot Gluten Free Granola and Jack of All Fruits. (I love the names!)

Negatives? I’m still looking for them. I’ve gone through half of my box and so far I’ve loved every GoBite variety that I’ve tried, but if that changes, I’ll be sure to update it here. So far, everything I’ve experienced is positive. (UPDATE: I’ve now finished the entire box and I daily miss having a GoBites snack to grab when I’m getting the hungries. I’m pretty seriously considering keeping my subscription up each month. Especially now that I’ve been pricing healthy snacks at WholeFoods…this is not a bad deal at all!)

Want to check it out for yourself? Here is the website: www.GoBites.com and keep an eye on PlumDistrict…you never know when they’ll repeat a sale and you can try them at a discount.

What Happened to EcoMom.com?

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Update on 3/18/13: I just checked EcoMom again, as I do every few days in hopes that maybe…just maybe…they might come back, and the notice on their website has changed. There is an option for people interested in acquiring the company. If you know anyone…

It is with a sad heart that I share the news that my very favorite company to purchase green, non-toxic and organic baby/kid/parenting products has shut its doors….EcoMom.com.

For those of you who have ever shopped on EcoMom, you know what I mean. EcoMom had a strong commitment to bringing families the best product out there and they did all the research for us, so we knew we could trust the items they hand-picked for their store. They had parent reviews, a ratings system for how products “made the cut” and why they were considered non-toxic.

If you’ve never shopped on EcoMom, you missed out on a truly fantastic site and one that will be SORELY missed in the parenting sector. Every couple days I hopefully check the site that maybe it was all in my head…but no, EcoMom has shut its doors.

For those of you who want to read more, here’s an article with some in-depth information on what happened to EcoMom and why. I can only hope another company will catch the vision that EcoMom started. What an inroads they made for green parents everywhere…and what a resource they were…EcoMom…I miss you already!

I just got some CRAZY new shoes…Pluggz grounding shoes!

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I just got a new pair of shoes…and not just any shoes…they are GROUNDING shoes by Pluggz! I’m really excited about them. Partly because I really want grounding shoes to work…like really. But I am a bit skeptical too. After all, they are just shoes, right?

I’ve been learning more about “Earthing” (also known as “grounding”) lately. I’m in the middle of the book, “Earthing: The Most Important Health Discovery Ever?” When I finish the book, I’ll review my findings here, but so far it is a fascinating read and it makes a whole lot of sense…which brings me back to why I wanted to get some grounding shoes, like Pluggz.

Actually, I didn’t even know about Pluggz grounding shoes until I happened to see them for sale on one of my favorite websites (Zulily). But I did want to try to ground more. (Grounding or earthing is the practice of connecting your body to the earth so that the earth’s natural energy can flow through your body, which is really good for you and has all kinds of great benefits). I don’t know if I would have bought the Pluggz at full price, but as they happened to be on sale, I needed new shoes AND (this is a huge plus for me) they happened to be REALLY cute, I was sold. I ended up getting two pairs for me and one for a gift, the Pluggz ballet flats and the Pluggz flip flops.

Here are the Pluggz ballet flats in black
(they come in several colors)

pluggz ballet flats - black

I waited and waited for my Pluggz earthing shoes to come in and as soon as they did I started wearing them non-stop. It’s too soon to tell (not been quite a week), but here’s what I’ve noticed so far after wearing my grounding shoes for several days in a row.

First of all, the ballet flats are really cute and look like a lot like other trendy ballet shoes on the market. They are also SUPER comfy…more so than I would have thought. I wore the flats for 9 HOURS the first day…standing the whole time! No problems at all. Then I wore them the next day as well. By the second day I did have a couple small rub marks on the tops of my feet. They didn’t really hurt and they didn’t blister, but I did switch to the Pluggz flip flops the next day to give the tops of my feet a little break. I think I had this problem because my shoes are a little big. I need to put one of those padded heel things in the back and then I think I won’t have this problem.

As for the “plug” in the bottom of the shoe, I was very surprised at how little you even notice it. If anything, it feels like you’re always having a little massage party on the bottom of your feet. It’s kind of wonderful! Maybe it might bother some people, but it has not bothered me at all.

So what does the “plug” do? The plug is the circular thing you see on the bottom of the shoe. It’s made of carbon and rubber and it acts as a conduit allowing your feet to “connect” with the free electrons in the earth. The earths’s free electrons, when in contact with our bodies, neutralize harmful free radicals in our bodies that cause inflammation and wreak havoc. Thus wearing grounding shoes (or earthing shoes), like Pluggz, helps to reduce inflammation in your body.

My sister also tried the Pluggz ballet flats on and they didn’t bother her at all either and after walking around in mine for a bit, she wants some for herself. (She doesn’t care about the grounding bit, she just thinks they are really cute and comfy.)

As for the Pluggz flip flops? They have a nice arch support and I’d say they are close to on par comfort wise with Reefs.

Here are the flip flops

pluggz flip flops - womens, black

Ok, so here’s the strange part. After 3 full days of wearing my Pluggz (2 days wearing the grounding shoes and 1 day wearing the Pluggz flip flops), I remarked to my husband that I had been feeling extraordinarily calm…and I mean REALLY extraordinarily calm. Over the course of a weekend, I counted about 15 different occasions (15!) where I may have been prone to feeling frustrated about something (like someone cutting me off on the road when I had the right of way, etc) and I was COMPLETELY unruffled…as in didn’t care one teeny little bit! We’ve been in a really stressful season of life, so lately things have been getting to me a little more than they probably should. But over and over again, nothing bothered me. It was a GREAT feeling. Is it related to the shoes or did I just have a really good weekend? Honestly, I don’t know…but I do think it’s an unusual coincidence and one I’m going to continue to monitor.

I’ve also had a mild ongoing cold/allergies for a while and I think my breathing was slightly more open after the first night of wearing my new earthing shoes. I say “think” because it could all be in my head. But I did happen to notice this multiple times randomly when I wasn’t thinking about it at all and was not looking for this to happen. So those are a couple other “unusual” observations I noticed after wearing my grounding shoes.

Price-wise? Well, it depends on your perspective. Since I got mine on sale so I feel pretty good about what I paid. If these were regular shoes, I would say that they are overpriced, although the quality is really good. However, since Pluggz grounding shoes are NOT regular shoes and IF these earthing shoes truly live up to their claim and really positively affect your health and well being then they are worth every penny even at full price.

Overall thoughts? So far, I really (and I mean REALLY) love these Pluggz grounding shoes! It has only been a week, but if in a few weeks I still love them as much, I will definitely be getting a couple more pairs so I have some more color choices and can wear my Pluggz more. I have no complaints at all at this point…not one that I can think of at all…and I’m not shy about voicing the good, the bad and the ugly. I’m really glad I saw these. I had been wanting to try some grounding shoes for a while, but I had only found one other brand and it didn’t get great reviews and also they were not cute at all.

I also just found out that Pluggz has a mens grounding flip flop so those may be under the Christmas tree for my husband this year. He keeps joking with me that I’m “grounded”…maybe I’ll “ground him” too. 🙂 (Shhh, don’t tell!)  I’ll keep you posted, but so far I think these earthing shoes are legit. I’ll be continuing to wear both my pairs and will post again in several weeks to see if I continue to see unusual things after wearing my grounded shoes.

NOTE: If you’re interested, you can read more on the Pluggz website about how Pluggz work or more about earthing/grounding in the earthing book, which is sold on Amazon.)