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Green living, playful parenting and the pursuit of happiness

“Wandraiser” – Donate Mascara Wands to Help Rescued Wildlife

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What the duck! Yes, that is a mascara wand being recycled to help clean off this little orphan🐣 #WandsforWildlife #SavingWildLives

A post shared by Appalachian Wildlife Refuge (@appalachianwild) on

“Wherever there are wild animals in the world,
there is always an opportunity for caring, compassion and kindness.”

―Paul Oxton

I maybe have a little bit of a… mascara problem. I don’t wear makeup normally; if I’m going out I’ll quickly brush on some blush and mascara. That said, I love mascara. Obsessively so. Since it’s pretty much all the makeup I wear I have high standards for it and I do tend to shop around and try new brands whenever possible.

As a result, I have a LOT of mascaras hanging out in my vanity, in travel bags, in my gym bag, on my bathroom counter. And now, I’m happy to report they can be put to good use.

The Appalachian Wildlife Rescue is a volunteer run wildlife rehab in North Carolina. They provide care for injured and orphaned wildlife, and your old mascara wands can help. The small bristles are close together, making the wands an ideal tool for combing fly eggs and larva out of animal fur.

All you have to do is fill out the donation form, give your mascara wands a good soapy wash and dry, then stick them in a mailer and address it to:

Appalachian Wildlife Rescue
P.O. Box 1211
Skyland, NC 28776

Even better, you could do one of these things:

  1. Hold a Wandraiser of your own and send all those wands in together. The Appalachian Wildlife Rescue has a poster you can print out for this.
  2. Check with your local wildlife rescue and see if they could use mascara wands at their facility, or any other easily donated items.
  3. Send a monetary donation, to this wildlife rescue or one near you. Don’t buy mascara just for the purpose if sending in the wands!
  4. Volunteer at your local rescue.

prAna: Sustainable Activewear to Wear Anywhere (and Everywhere)

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prAna collage

If I could wear my CrossFit sweats and yoga pants and tank tops with built-in bras every day, I would. But sometimes CrossFit casual is too casual for everyday.

If I could wear dresses and fancypants every day, I’d do that too. But I like to be comfortable and sometimes fancy is too fancy for everyday.

For those in-between days, when my sweats are too dressed down and one of my ball gowns is way too dressed up (which, admittedly, accounts for most days if I’m leaving the house), I tend to wear what has become my absolute favorite style of clothing: tailored activewear. By that I mean highly functional clothing made from fabrics that are suitable for hiking or yoga or camping or biking or even some running, but cut and styled in a way that totally disguises how deliciously laidback they really are.

And because I plan to wear them a lot, they need to be sturdy and capable of surviving tons of washes, too.

It’s that happy place where form meets function,  chic meets comfort, pretty meets practical.

prAna review cali dress

I received this product for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com), May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I agreed to use this product and post my honest opinion on my blog. Opinions posted are my own.

Let’s talk about prAna

I’ve written about prAna before, when I worked for FitFluential.

What’s better than fashionable fitness wear that is designed for comfortable, unrestricted movement? Fashionable fitness wear that supports social good and strives to achieve a low ecological impact.

Through Moms Meet, I was able to actually sport some prAna items for the first time, and I will be honest: I’ve been wearing them pretty much non-stop since they arrived. 

If you’re unfamiliar, prAna started out as mainly yoga and climbing gear, handsewn by Beaver and Pam Theodosakis in a garage in Carlsbad CA. The word prAna is an ancient Sanskrit term meaning breath, life, and vitality of the spirit: a term that evokes mindfulness and connection, both within and to the world around us.

They’ve evolved into a major active apparel company with an emphasis on adventure and the outdoors, and they’re awesome in a lot of ways:

  • Sustainable fabrics: Organic cotton. Recycled wool and polyester. Drought resistant hemp. Responsible down. Ethically sourced and manufactured, with the environment in mind.
  • Fair trade certified: Fair Trade standards ensure that garment workers have safe working conditions, a voice in the workplace, higher earnings, and that women are treated equally.
  • Fair labor: In February 2015, the Fair Labor Association accredited prAna’s social responsibility program, verifying their efforts are aligned with our commitment to human rights.
  • Environmental standards: prAna’s partnership with bluesign systems ensures fabrics meet the highest environmental and human safety standards.

(You can read more about prAna’s extensive commitment to sustainability and a small footprint here.)

The Cali dress

prAna’s Cali dress is a Veeda performance knit, which is 45% recycled polyester / 45% spun polyester / 10% spandex / 100% essential for your closet.

It’s got a built in padded shelf bra, and a high waist that’s very forgiving for those of us that forgot that bikini bodies are made in the winter. The skirt is a near perfect length— I have real issues with dresses being too short— and I love the racer back.

I dress it up, I dress it down, I wear it layered with sweaters, I wear it as-is with just a pair of sneakers to run errands and go on impromptu hikes. It’s become my go-to wardrobe staple.

The Annexi Pant

Fun story: I wore these pants to see Office Space (Movies on Tap: cult classics + local beer tastings) and was asked about them, and when I said they were prAna, she misheard and thought I said Prada. So, that’s the level of classic styling and careful tailoring and overall impression of quality we’re talking about here. 

The fabric is 53% hemp, 44% recycled polyester and 3% spandex. The color I have is black herringbone, which looks really snappy, and you guys look at the elastic waistband. 

I love these pants. They have give, but they don’t sag by the end of the day. They have pockets but aren’t bulky. They make one’s posterior look perky. 

I’ve really put the Annexi pants to the test, wearing them everywhere and washing them constantly, and they still look new.

How does prAna fit?

It’s always sort of nerve-wracking to order stuff online, especially when you’re fitness minded and have to accommodate an athletic build. When I was running exclusively and at my slightest, I was able to squeeze into an XS, but stuff tended to be too short. At my CrossFittest, my waist was still pretty trim but I was a solid medium due to my shoulders, butt and thighs.

I’m not nearly so muscley as I was then, but I’m still bulky. (Like Mac on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, let’s say I’ve been busy cultivating mass.)

Both the Cali dress and Annexi pant are size medium, and they’re very forgiving. When I shed a few more pounds, they’ll hang even better, but I feel good in them now. So I’d say they are true to size with a little wiggle room.

Where to find prAna sustainable fitness apparel

Well, online at prana.com of course (OMG, make sure to check out their bathing suits), and when you use code MOMSSG you’ll receive 15% off your entire order, excluding sale items.

You can also find prAna stocked in outdoorsy retail shops like REI, Eastern Mountain Sports and Backcountry.com. Full list of locations here.

 

Get a FREE Mrs. Meyer’s Everyday Luxury Set from Grove Collective

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Keep reading to find out how you can get this Mrs. Meyer set for free.

As rosemary is to the Spirit, so lavender is to the Soul.

I’m a sucker for monthly subscriptions. One of my favorite sites is Grove Collaborative (formerly ePantry), which stocks natural cleaning and beauty products. Basically, you create your “pantry” of products and the schedule you’d like it shipped on; before the order is sent, you’re emailed a reminder and you can decide if you need to add or remove anything. Or, if you realize that you’re about to run out of something, you can go ahead and opt for “send now.”

Right now, I’m scheduled to get a delivery every two months of Mrs. Meyer’s laundry detergent, dish soap, hand soap and dryer sheets, along with a set of Grove Collaborative sponges, which works out just about perfectly in terms of our usage. I am OBSESSED with the basil and rosemary scents. I LOVE THEM. As I’ve mentioned a million times on this site, I’m really sensitive to scent. Mrs. Meyer’s scents are not at all overpowering, I don’t associate cleaning with the smell of chemicals and just in general the fragrance of herbs is something that makes me happy.

I’ve also ordered Mrs. Meyer’s toilet bowl cleaner and multi-surface cleaner, and I love those too. The concentrated refill of the multi-surface cleaner lasts a really long time. Everything I’ve tried from that brand has been effective and gentle and great smelling. Plus: the pretty vintage-esque packaging. (Dang, I hadn’t realized how strong my Mrs. Meyer’s love was until I wrote this.)

Of course, Grove Collaborative carries more than Mrs. Meyer’s. The usual suspects of green cleaning products are represented— Dr. Bronners, Seventh Generation, Method etc. They have a nice selection of lotions and body washes and facial cleansers. There’s shaving lotions and feminine products and dental care, along with household stuff like sponges and paper towels and sandwich bags. Everything I’ve purchased has been competitively priced, often the best price I’ve found online. AND! It ships really fast too.

…the Grove Standard:

Uncompromisingly healthy.
Beautifully effective.
Sustainably minded.
Amazingly affordable.

OK. HERE COMES THE PART WHERE I TELL YOU HOW YOU CAN GET A FREE MRS. MEYER’S EVERYDAY LUXURY SET.

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I’m not sure if it happens with every order or if it just seems like it, but Grove Collaborative often runs these offers where they’ll add a freebie to your delivery— so you get to try a bonus item for free. And until Sunday May 1st, if you’re a new customer you get an awesome freebie with your first order, the Mrs. Meyer’s Everyday Luxury Set. That includes:

  • a Mrs. Meyer’s candle: made from vegetable waxes, with a lead ­free cotton wick
  • a Mrs. Meyer’s hand soap
  • a Mrs. Meyer’s dish soap
  • Grove Collaborative walnut scrubber sponges, which are made from crushed walnuts: tough on messes, gentle on pots and pans
  • shipped for free.

To claim your free luxury set, click right here on my affiliate link.

(If you’re already a Grove Collaborative customer, you can still claim a Mrs. Meyer’s hand soap for free with your next order when you use this link.)

You do need to spend at least $20 on that first order to get your free luxury set. As I’ve said, I highly recommend just about everything in the Mrs. Meyer’s line. Here’s what Grove Collaborative suggests as a possible first order:

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That’s a lot of good stuff for 26 bucks.

Other products I’ve liked and will order again: Method body wash in White Tea, Seventh Generation dishwasher soap and glass cleaner, Acure Organics Facial Cleansing Gel Superfruit + Chlorella Growth Factor, the Yes To line in general but especially the face cleaning towelettes, the Grove Collaborative hand sanitizer, and of course Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds.

There are a limited number of sets available and this offer ends Sunday May 1, so grab yours now. Here’s the official walkthrough:

  1. Sign up for Grove Collaborative here. You’ll receive the Mrs. Meyer’s Everyday Luxury Set for free when you sign up.
  2. Answer 4 quick questions about your home. Grove Collaborative will use this to customize your first basket (this takes under 30 seconds!).
  3. Once you’ve answered the questions, you can finalize your basket of products to suit your household needs by adding or removing items.
  4. To receive this offer, your order needs to total at least $20. Choose the combination of products and scents you love and receive in your first box (this is the hardest part— I agonize over this every time).
  5. Click “Finish & Pay” and place your order.

Let me know what you order and if you love it!