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Category: Conscious Consumerism: Shopping & Reviews

NUX USA Activewear

I wear my sort of clothes

to save me the trouble of deciding which clothes to wear.

—Katherine Hepburn

As I’ve mentioned once or twice or a dozen times before, I’m super picky about clothes. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE CLOTHES and I’ll happily try stuff on (I was in a charity fashion show yesterday and playing dress up with all the different, extravagant styles in her trunk was the most fun I’ve had in a long time).

But if I’m buying clothes, I really need them to be versatile. I need them to work with other stuff I already own (and 85% of that is grey or black). I need them to be quality so I don’t have to replace them in a season— I’m not into disposable fashion, at all.

I also like my clothes to be somewhat edgy and distinct, but not so “on trend” that I can’t wear it five years from now.

I am somewhat of a pain in the rear. I’m totally capable of spending a day in the mall trying stuff on and walking out with one thing. Probably a black tank top. I own like 20 of those.

I have particular issues with athletic clothing. I’m leggy, so shorts tend to look too short and pants… are also often too short. I’ve got nothing going on in the chestal region, so I usually have the choice of either buying small enough that I’m not flashing people (and looking sausage-esque around the midsection), or big enough to accommodate my middle and risking showing nip when in downward dog.

NUX sent me an outfit to try out, and I’ve pretty much been wearing it nonstop.

I wore it to NYC for an event with Fitness Magazine (more on that later). Here I am with Mia Hamm. Yes. MIA HAMM.

The top (Dash Balance Racer Cami, pictured at top) is badass. Tight enough where I need it to be, loose in the waist and long enough to cover my bum. Plus, super comfy and sweat wicking with a touch of cheeky tough.

The V-Fitness Pants are beyond comfy; I am barely even aware of them. They are made with microfiber nylon and spandex giving them a sheen which is super flattering. They’re nice and long and I love the flared leg. I received the pants in black and pink; I’ve been wearing the pink to yoga but the black…

The black I wear everywhere along with the top. (And my new Oakleys, which are pretty much surgically attached to my head.)

I’ve probably washed these pants a dozen times since I received them a little less than a month ago, and they still look like new, no compromise in the shape or sheen. And wearing them all day doesn’t stretch them all weird in the knees, either (this is a pet peeve of mine).

Sizewise, I usually wear a medium to accommodate my shoulders and leg length. I gambled on smalls with my NUX gear and it fits perfectly.

BONUS: NUX is made in the USA.

According to their website, 95% of the clothing Americans wear is imported. That’s freaking insane.

Buy local, everyone. Please. Keep money in the community, keep quality standards high, keep shipping emissions to a minimum. That’s just common sense.

By now you’ve heard my spiel about “you get what you pay for” a million times. Here it is again: there’s no such thing as cheap. Disposable fashion hurts the earth, hurts workers who don’t get paid what they should, and hurts quality standards. NUX isn’t “cheap” and it isn’t cheaply made. That said, I think it’s on par with or even a little less expensive than comparable quality activewear.

I love, love, love their mission statement.

NUXOLOGY
To be pro peace and anti nothing.
To lead with my heart and follow with my mind.
To honor humility and be humbled by honorable people.
To choose to dance through life with all of my imperfections.
To cultivate compassion for the world by having compassion for myself.

More NUX offerings (aka my birthday wishlist):

NUX Activewear by robinelton on polyvore.com

Love! Wear. Recommend. Get some.

Disclosure: I received an outfit from NUX to try out for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

May 21, 2012
Natural Non-Toxic Sunscreen: Beyond Coastal Review and Giveaway
I’m gonna soak up the sun
Gonna tell everyone
To lighten up

I’m gonna tell ’em that

I’ve got no one to blame
For every time I feel lame
I’m looking up

I’m gonna soak up the sun

-Sheryl Crow

These are my very favorite days of the year, when the air is still somewhat cool but the sun is deliciously warm on my bared shoulders. It feels new and luxurious, and the promise of an entire summer basking in the sunshine unfurls ahead of me.

Of course, we’re past the days where we could just bask. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the US, affecting one in five (one in three Caucasians). More than 90% of all skin cancers occur due to sun exposure.

Just five lifetime sunburns or one blistering burn doubles your chance of melanoma, and kids, with their tender skin and tendency to seek out the sunshine, are especially at risk.

Complicating things is the recent revelation that some sunscreens may actually CONTRIBUTE to your cancer risk, as they chemically change your skin, break down in sunlight and throw off free radicals.

It’s really important to make sure you and the kids are fully protected whenever you are outdoors for an extended period of time (which you should do a lot! Getting outside in the sunlight and MOVING is healthy in so many ways!).

Our favorite ways to get outside and soak up the sun:
- Soccer! Football! We’re on the fields 3 afternoons a week (sometimes 4) and alllllll day Saturday.
- Basketball. I love me some hoopin’.
- Playtime at the park. Cass and Mav hit the playground while Jake skateboards and I run, 3 times a week.
- Hiking to the creek and skipping stones.
- Break out the bikes!
- Backyard picnics
- The pool and the beach
- Frisbee (you know how I love my Frisbee baseball)
- Hanging out at the farmer’s market
- Outdoor concerts
- Just lying in the grass. And nothing-doing.
I’m veddy veddy picky about the sunscreens we use. It’s an ongoing struggle to find something that Cass can wear without burning, that won’t cause my hands to break out in hives or anger Jake’s eczema, is relatively sweatproof (we are sweaty people), doesn’t cost a small fortune and isn’t a huge pain in the arse to apply.

Not asking much, right?

I have a very short list of sunscreens that make the cut that maybe I’ll make into its own blog post, but today I’m talking about the latest one that made the grade: Beyond Coastal.

Beyond Coastal Sunscreens are:
- gluten free
- cruelty free
- fragrance free
- oxybenzone free
- nanoparticle free
- paraben free
- oil free
- reef safe and biodegradable
- full of moisturizers and antioxidants
- made with the outdoor athlete in mind
- manufactured in the USA with renewable energy
- top rated by the Environmental Working Guide and rated well for health on the Good Guide
And effective. Cass wore the Kids Natural sunscreen on the (shadeless and hot as hades on a cloudless day) athletic fields all day, through playing a sweaty 8:30am soccer game and watching her brother’s game in the midday sun, then running around with her toddler cousin in the yard, without a hint of pink on her fair skin.

With my sensitivity to fragrance and tendency to break out in hives, I was most concerned with those factors, and the Active sunscreen suited just fine. The scent is light and I kinda like it. No irritation, no hives, none of that really heavy sticky feel— I wore it running and I didn’t feel totally disgusting afterwards (well, no more so than usual).

Best feature from a mom standpoint, aside from the skin safety? Cass didn’t mind putting it on her face (usually a bitter battle). The deoderant-stick-tube made it easy for her to put it on herself, and she actually commented on how it didn’t hurt when she put it on her eyelids (good girl! I tend to forget eyelids, but she remembered because it’s her least favorite part).

Giveaway!

We’ve got a Beyond Coastal prize pack to give to one reader, to help keep their family sun safe as they get outside. Just follow the directions in the Rafflecopter widget to enter: there are up to 12 possible entries, use as many as you like 🙂

Be sure to check out the Beyond Coastal website; they’re offering 25% off your order when you sign up for their newsletter, and free shipping for the month of May (it’s Skin Cancer Awareness Month). Keep up with future deals by “liking” the Beyond Coastal page on Facebook.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received Beyond Coastal sunscreen products through Global Influence to try out for review purposes, and the company is providing another set for giveaway. I received no other compensation and as always, all opinions are entirely my own ramblings, based on thorough and repeated use.
May 13, 2012
Conservation without Compromise: Waterpik EcoFlow Review & Giveaway

We never know the worth of water till the well is dry.

-Thomas Fuller, Gnomologia

I have another confession to make.

I used to boast about my Army showers. I’m in, I’m out, no nonsense, no water waste. Cool water to preserve my hair color because I’m just too lazy to keep applying dye (it’s vegetable based, which is gentle and earth-friendly but not known for longevity).

Since I’ve started running? Oh, how I love a long hot shower. It’s my reward for slogging it out on the track or the treadmill, washing away the sweat, unknotting my bones and muscles. Quite honestly, the one thing I most luxuriate in, especially now that the kids are old enough to not remember a hundred pressing needs once the water is running (although I’d say I do have to deal with someone maybe one out of every three showers. Still, a vast improvement).

I don’t shower every day, but a long shower can still waste a lot of water, using up to seven gallons a minute (for a really really vintage model shower head; standard shower heads manufactured after 1992 use 2.5 gallons).

So it follows that one of the easiest ways we (and you) can conserve water is by replacing your current shower head with a water-saving low-flow one.

EcoFlow shower heads by Waterpik can reduce your water use up to 1 full gallon of water per minute, depending on the model. That’s slashing your use— and your water bill— by nearly half, meaning this is a purchase that can pay for itself quite quickly.

We were sent one to try, Jeff had it up and running in minutes. Easy peasy.

The shower head has several settings (Full Body- Circular Massage- PowerSpray- Circular Massage + Mist- Misting Spray) and a 5-ft hose, which I absolutely require, to make my life easier washing Cassie’s hair and hosing down dogs. But my favorite feature has to be a water-conserving “switch” that lessens the spray for when you’re shaving or lathering up or whatever and don’t need the full blast. Super clever, and better than the usual recommendation of turning the water off during those moments (does anyone actually do that?)

I’m ohsovery pleased to tell you that my showers are still luxurious. They don’t have that crazy hard water pressure that you get in some hotels, but we’ve never had that anyway (and means hotels are still a super luxury in my eyes). So in this case making the eco-switch was in no way a hardship: I didn’t have to “get used to” anything or give anything up. My showers are still my favorite treat.

Pledge to conserve water, save energy and reduce pollution

The National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation is a friendly competition between cities across the nation to see who’s got the eco-warriest of eco-warriors. It’s a great way to round out Earth Month, especially if you have kids: pledge to do those small things that add up to big changes, especially when those pledges add up across cities. Will you use refillable water bottles, plant with climate-appropriate plants, not use the sprinkler in the heat of the day? Take the pledge here and see just how much of an impact these changes can make. Oh, and pledgees will win prizes: sprinkler systems, water-saving toilets, Waterpik Eco-Flow Showerheads, 1000 (!) Lowe’s gift cards, and AHEM a Toyota Prius c Hybrid. Yeah. Go pledge, I’ll wait.

Giveaway

And, to round out Earth Month here, Waterpik is offering one lucky reader an EcoFlow showerhead of their very own, to have and to hold and take victory showers under. You can enter once or accumulate up to 12 entries, depending on how you roll. Just follow the directions in the Rafflecopter widget.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

P.S. Keep up with EcoFlow news, including new pledges and giveaways, by following EcoFlow by Waterpik on Facebook.

Disclosure: I was sent a Waterpik EcoFlow shower head as part of a promotional program with MomSelect. No other compensation was received. All opinions and eco-confessions are my own.

April 30, 2012