Today you are again privileged to read a guest cruelty-free review written by another cruelty-free-blogger friend of mine, the Glamorous Grad Student!  Owner of an AMAZING blog devoted to being a fashionista (in a cruelty-free way!) on a grad student budget.  Seriously, it’s a blog you’ll want to check regularly!

The Body Shop Coconut Shimmer Body Butter (5/5 stars)

I was so thrilled when Emily asked me to do a product review for Living Cruelty Free. Her blog is such a great resource for anyone trying to go cruelty-free and I feel really grateful for the opportunity to contribute.

First off, my Body Shop position statement. I am a long-time Body Shop fan, so the L’Oreal connection is not something I’m enamoured with. But like Emily, I’d rather see L’Oreal stop their cruel ways than see the Body Shop go out of business, so I feel that buying from the Body Shop, which is still cruelty-free, and boycotting the other L’Oreal brands is the most constructive way of sending the message I wish to send as a consumer.

Now, on to the review! The Body Shop has recently added some new additions to its divine Coconut body range in the form of a new Coconut Shimmer lotion and body butter. I got a sample of the lotion recently when I bought some other products, and later bought the body butter for myself.

I really really like this product. As I’m a fair redhead, fake tan just looks strange on me. And besides, there’s something unnatural to me about dying my epidermis, you know? But with summer fast approaching, and bare legs and arms beckoning, I’ve been on the lookout for a product that would be amazingly moisturizing and make my skin look less pasty and more porcelain.

And this is it. This body butter is really thick but absorbs really well, and leaves a long-lasting, subtle sheen on the skin. It’s lasted throughout the day for me. It doesn’t leave gritty, glittery residue on the skin like some shimmer products do, it just glows.

And the fact that it’s coconut, my favourite summer scent, is an extra bonus. I am currently layering with the coconut scrub and perfume oil. My nose must think it’s in Tahiti.

The Body Shop’s Coconut Shimmer Body Butter is £12.20, though when I bought it the combination of a special offer and my store loyalty card knocked something like £5 off the price. That said, I would totally pay full price for this product. As I say, I view it as the paler gal’s fake tan alternative, and I know I’d have saved a fortune if instead of wasting sooo much money on disappointing bronzing products over the years I’d embraced my pallor with a product like this!

Ingredients:Aqua, Cyclomethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycerin, Theobroma Cacao Butter, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Lanolin Alcohol, Mica, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Xanthan Gum, Benzyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Benzyl Benzoate, Coumarin, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Sodium Hydroxide, CI 77891, Caramel.

Hi everybody,

Emily has asked me to share a cruelty-free product review with you, I’m very pleased!!! I like this blog so much, and Emily is lovely, so here it is one of my favorite products — one that you can easily find in the USA.

Dentaforce toothpaste  A.Vogel (3.5 fl oz -100gr) 5/5 stars

If you are looking for a natural and vegan toothpaste, give this a try!  I really think that anybody would like it, it tastes very nice, has a not-too-strong mint flavor that gives you a nice fresh and clean sensation. All the ingredients are good quality.  It does have some alcohol, but you won’t taste that at all.  It also comes in Echinacea, which has a few more ingredients, and tastes a little bit different, but is very good as well! Just one note — mint is not suitable if you are using homeopathic remedies.

A.Vogel (Bioforce Group) is a Swiss company, approved by the Australian Choose Cruelty Free . . . which has a great standard that we can trust (as Emily already told you), plus, the company cultivates its own organic plants – that’s a good thing!

   I thought I’d branch out from my usual Eco-Dent and try Dr. Ken’s floss singles, and am I ever glad I did!  They are the best thing ever!  If you’re a floss-junkie like me, you can slip a few of these in your pocket or your purse, and you NEED NEVER BE WITHOUT FLOSS AGAIN!  Plus they’re very nice — the floss is firmly attached to each end of its little paper container — you rip the paper packet, and you have this built in little holding device for your floss, so instead of wrapping the floss around your middle finger three times till it cuts off your circulation to maintain tension, you just . . hold on!  It’s quite ingenious.  Anyway, these won’t replace your normal box o’ floss on the counter of your bathroom sink, but they are a GREAT travel alternative.  They’re especially a nice alternative to Eco-Dent, because Eco-Dent has this recyclable paper packaging, which is great for the environment and all, but means if you put it in your travel bag you’ll smush it, and you’ll never be able to get floss out of it properly again and it will DRIVE YOU CRAZY.  Plus, the floss singles smush especially well if you’re trying to jam all your belongings into one travel bag, unlike a normal plastic box of dental floss, which takes up a lot more empty space and is more difficult to pack.  Also, Dr. Ken’s is available at Whole Foods.  (Yay!)  

The only slight problem I have with these is that the floss is flat and very glidey.  I realize this appeals to some people, but I’m not sure I don’t prefer thin more-frictiony floss (like Eco-Dent) more.  I think the thin floss scrapes the plaque off my teeth better, but the flat floss doesn’t seem to get stuck as often on my back molars.  I’ll have to think about it.

Why the heck doesn’t my dentist’s office stock these?  I’m always forgetting to bring my travel toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss with me when I go to the dentist, invariably right after I’ve gone out to lunch (have you noticed how old friends come into town on a day’s notice and can only meet you for lunch right before a dental appointment?  this happens to me all the time) and have huge wads of spinach stuck in my teeth.  And the dentist’s office is always telling me they have absolutely no floss (or toothbrushes, or toothpaste).  It drives me batty.  It’s a DENTIST’S OFFICE, for heaven’s sake.  Wouldn’t it be nicer for the dental professionals who will soon be closely examining my mouth if I’d perhaps brushed and flossed first?  It seems like a common courtesy.  The floss singles also seem like they would solve all those germ issues of using normal dental floss in a place where lots of people might need to use floss.  

Anyway, I don’t think Dr. Ken’s makes boxes of floss, but it does make three styles of floss singles — unflavored (vegan!) “gliding” with candelilla wax and green tea, mint with beeswax and green tea, and unflavored with beeswax green tea and tea tree oil.  

(Dr. Ken’s products are all 100%-cruelty-free, and most of their products appear to be “bee vegan” or all-out-vegan.  However, overall, Dr. Ken’s does not claim to be bee-vegan or vegan.  Dr. Ken’s products are not organic.)  

Dr. Ken’s Floss Singles are available from Veganessentials for $3.95.  (They are also available at Whole Foods.)

Ingredients: green tea extract, beeswax (mint and tea tree floss), tea tree oil (tea tree floss), nylon filaments (mint and tea tree floss), oil of peppermint leaves (mint floss), candelilla wax (100% vegan plant wax) (gliding wax), monofilament fiber (gliding floss.

 This is SUCH a great cookbook!  I have had a few dishes that didn’t turn out well from it, but all in all, most of these recipes are wonderful. 

The interesting thing about this cookbook is that it really celebrates vegan cooking.  None of the recipes are trying to fool meat/dairy/egg eaters.  None of these recipes will appeal to people who want fried chicken.  None of these recipes are “substituted” recipes by any means.  There is no soy, no tofu, no egg replacers, no faux-butter, no nothing (not that those are bad — sometimes you really crave some faux-fried chicken!).  Every recipe in here is an actual traditional recipe from France, Italy, Spain, or Greece that has been cooked for centuries in those countries, and has NEVER involved animal products. 

Apparently Mediterranean cooking lends itself very well to vegan cooking.  Ms. Klein states that for centuries, the Mediterranean was too hot a climate for many dairy products to keep, and dairy products were also fairly expensive in those regions, and vegetables and grains were abundant, so people made many dishes with relatively small portions of animal products, and relatively large portions of vegetables, fruits, and grains.  One of the recipes in the book is called a “poor man’s pesto” — it involves just 2 ingredients — pine nuts and basil, instead of 3 ingredients — pine nuts, basil, and cheese.  Because cheese was so expensive, some Mediterranean cuisines just used pine nuts instead.  (It’s a great pesto, by the way.  It doesn’t taste like a cheese-based pesto, but it has no faux-cheese ingredients, and it isn’t supposed to.)

If you’re looking for something to mimic American cooking, you won’t find it here.  There are some French recipes, but very few, and they are very Provencal-oriented — lots of roasted or baked tomatoes and other vegetables in lemon and olive oil with garlic/thyme/rosemary sauces.  No rich sauces.  There are some Italian recipes — lots of pasta with roasted tomatoes, etc.  But mostly there are a lot of Greek/Middle Eastern recipes.   I had NO IDEA Greek food was so vegan-friendly, but now I do!  (I’ve also been very lucky to find this out because it expands my dining options — now if I’m going out to eat I try to go to Greek places — if you ask for things without yogurt, feta, or meat, most Greek food is vegan.  Felafel, Greek salads, vegetarian dolma, vegetable briami, that garlicky-potato dipping sauce — those are all (usually) vegan, and the flavors balance each other well even without the yogurt, meat, or feta, which a lot of cuisines, that just doesn’t hold for.  Luckily I’ve always really liked Greek food, so I’ve been enjoying this a lot.

I haven’t tried any of the desserts, but they all look really good to me.  They all appear to be kind of baklava-like, to my eye — lots of phyllo dough, but they all look kind of simple and delicious, which is what I look for in recipes.  Unfortunately no chocolate cake recipes or anything like that, but that would definitely not be in the spirit of the book.

This book has really helped me with my quest to incorporate more vegan meals into my diet over the past year as I was trying to move away from dairy/egg intensive dishes.  I don’t cook often but when I do, I like to go all out and cook amazing dishes that have simple but good flavor combinations, and take about an hour or two to make.  I highly recommend this book if you’re a decent cook who appreciates interesting flavors and wants to incorporate more vegan meals into your diet. 

 This is, without a doubt, the best eye cream on the planet — it has titanium dioxide as its active spf ingredient, so it will protect the area around your eyes from fatal melanomas ALL DAY LONG (unlike those chemical-based sunscreens that need to be reapplied every 2 hours — for more information on what makes a good and a bad sunscreen, click here), it keeps the skin around your eyes gently moisturized without being too greasy, and it’s cruelty-free!  (Unfortunately it is not vegan or organic.)

But the absolute best thing about it is that it does NOT streak.  Despite having a mineral spf ingredient.  Isn’t that amazing?  I really don’t know how Dermalogica does this — all other titanium-dioxide-containing sunscreens I’ve tried have streaked like crazy on me.  But this one — nary a streak in sight!  It’s pale pinky-orange in the tube, but it goes on clear, and it DRIES CLEAR (even better!).  I should send the people at  Dermalogica a thank you card, really.   I am planning to buy more of Dermalogica’s other spf-containing products as soon as I become super wealthy, because Dermalogica obviously really understands what works in a sunscreen. (I’m not entirely sure it wouldn’t streak on someone with a very dark skintone — I’d be sure to try it out in the store first.  Though if you’re incredibly pale, it really won’t streak on you, I promise — I’ve tested it on my inner elbow which is white,white,white — and my face, which is “fair” — and there have been no streaks whatsoever.)

I originally got this eye cream because my Alba Botanica sunscreen, if applied close to my eyes, tends to run in them and Ow!  This stuff only gets in my eyes if am really sweating buckets, and it doesn’t burn my eyes when that does happen — it just feels a little uncomfortable.  (The whole not-making-the-area-around-my-eyes-look-oily was an excellent bonus.)  One slight issue I have had with it is that it doesn’t mix well with Juice Organics tinted moisturizer — I would get these weird demarcations where the eye cream met up with the moisturizer.

There is one problem with this eyecream — it’s very expensive.  However, despite that, I still think it’s a good value — I use a tiny, tiny amount every morning, and I foresee the tube lasting me at least five years.  So on a cost per year basis, it’s relatively inexpensive.  (Dermalogica’s face and body sunscreens on the other hand — $45 for a small tube of sunscreen?  Are they on crack?  I’d go through that in a few months.  Also a bunch of those appear to have bad sunscreens ingredients — or rather, not UVA-shielding — I’m definitely not paying $45 for those, thank you VERY much.   Dear Dermalogica — please make a face/body sunscreen with titanium dioxide as the active ingredient and your amazing non-streakiness, and charge a lot less for it.  And while you’re at it, if you could please put your ingredient list on your website so I wouldn’t have to go to Pure Beauty to see if you have good SPF ingredients.  Your consideration of this matter would be greatly appreciated!)

Dermalogica Total Eye Care with SPF 15 (0.5 oz) is available for $31.95 from WhatGreatSkin.com.

 Recommended for all skin conditions.  A technologically-advanced eye treatment cream.  Gentle alpha hydroxy acids smooth while firming plant extracts retexturize the skin, helping to reduce the appearance of puffiness and fine lines.  Optical light diffusers help dminish dark circles.  A chemical-free sunscreen helps to shield against further damage.  Contains no artificial fragrance or color.  

 Directions: Gently pat underneath eye area, blending inward from outer corner.  Use daily under makeup or alone.  

 Active ingredient: Titanium Dioxide (4.5%).

Warnings: For external use only, not to be swallowed.  Avoid contact with eyes.  If contact occurs, flush thoroughly with water.  If irritation develops, discontinue use.   Do not use on infants under 6 months old.  

I’ve been using Earth Friendly Products Auto Dishwasher Wave Jet Rinse Aid for the past two month or so — since my last bottle of cruel rinse aid ran out — and I’ve been very happy with it. I originally went to the health food store hoping against hope that I’d find a cruelty-free rinse aid and not have to order one on line since I’d just run out and was desperate, and was pleasantly surprised to find a bottle of rinse aid with the leaping bunny logo right on the shelf (!). (It just goes to show you how useful the CCIC leaping bunny logo is — seriously, if you’re a consumer, just go to the store and look at the backs of bottles. If you’re a producer, consider licensing the logo).

My experiences with Earth Friendly Products Wave Jet Rinse Aid have been good so far, other than, as you can see if you squint at the picture in this post, the words “rinse aid” aren’t actually on the product, which I find really annoying. I am confused as to why this is the case — I mean, are the words “rinse aid” copyrighted by some other company? Luckily you’ll find it in the dishwasher section, and is in a bottle about the right size and shape for a rinse aid bottle, and if you read the fine print on the bottle it says something about how it makes dishes sparkle, so it’s pretty clear it’s a rinse aid in all but name. But still.

The good news is that, in practice, Earth Friendly Products rinse aid does just as good a job as the neon-blue colored chemical-filled rinse aid all of us have used — though I have to say the fact that it’s clear-colored and not violently blue makes me feel better about putting it on things I eat off of. Maybe I’m turning into an environmentalist I live in an area with very hard water, so rinse aid is a necessity. No rinse aid = yucky dishes.

If you’re interested in what the company that makes this rinse aid is like, it turns out that Earth Friendly Products seems like a very nice company — it is very “green” — it is even green star certified. It has also won numerous other awards — a PETA proggy award, an American Culinary Institute gold performance award, and a Natural Home Magazine award. The Earth Friendly Products website states that the goal of the company is to create formulas with replenishable ingredients, without petrochemicals, nonionic ingredients, or unsustainable ingredients. Earth Friendly Products even has a manifesto about that you can read. So while this is a great product for those of us who want to be cruelty-free, it’s also a great product for people who want to be vegan, and eco-friendly.

Earth Friendly Products Auto Dishwasher Wave Jet Rinse Aid (8oz) is available for $4.99 from the Earth Friendly Products online store, or your local health food store.

(Earth Friendly Products are not organic, but they do appear to be “earth friendly,” contain no petrochemicals, and are vegan — or at least this bottle of rinse aid says it contains no animal ingredients on the back.)

Ingredients: Water, natural earth salts, coconut oil derived surfactants (does not contain SLS).

I feel like this is one of the few things I’m extremely qualified to judge — I have bought not one, not two, but THREE poor excuses for microfiber mopping devices. Though technically one was the swiffer, which really isn’t a microfiber mop thing, it’s more a huge waste of trees and money bad for the environment kind of paper mop/sweepy thing, which I gave up a few years ago because I hated paying for the (expensive) disposable mopping things, of which it usually took four to clean my (tiny) apartment at the time. But I thought the swiffer itself was perfectly fine — just overpriced with all the disposable mop heads, so I gave it away and bought a Bona Kemi mop.

The Bona Kemi microfiber mop was awful. It didn’t maneuver very well, and usually managed to unscrew parts of itself while mopping — it was just a very poorly designed mop. The handle is made of four parts, and they all screw together, so if you apply the slightest pressure counterclockwise, one of them will come unscrewed. If not the part where the handle screws into the base, which is also prone to becoming unscrewed. It’s just a nightmare. I really didn’t care for it (though the Bona Kemi floor cleaning solutions were excellent, and I think the Bona Kemi people were totally ahead of their time — the first microfiber mops I ever saw were Bona Kemi, and the microfiber parts were very high quality. I think I might have a few of them left around and I’m hoping they will work with the O Mop so I can keep using them — they seem pretty similar.)

So, after the Bona Kemi fiasco, I moved on to the Real Simple microfiber mop. This one was definitely better constructionwise than the Bona Kemi mop — the handle was one solid piece of metal! It only had the part where the handle screws into the base that would become unscrewed if pressure was applied in a clockwise direction! So it was less prone to self-destructing, but it was still a little difficult to maneuver — not only could you not apply much counterclockwise pressure, but it also was very inflexible so it wouldn’t go very far under edges of tables, and the base was kind of curved upwards instead of lying flush to the floor, so it has to have constant pressure applied downwards or it would not actually pick anything up. So you can see — these features made it not as maneuverable as it could be. So I ended up promenading around my house pulling a microfiber mop in a pattern of parallel lines to get the floor clean — I always felt like I was mowing a lawn or something. It was just insane. So I ended up not really using it that much. Though I’ve had it for the past two years and used it weekly (ha! more like monthly) because I wanted to get some use out of it before ditching it.

However, a few days ago I was at Target and I could not resist buying the O Mop. It was in the Method section, and I needed to buy more wood floor cleaner (my Bona Kemi wood floor cleaner finally ran out!), and I’ve never been very happy with the Real Simple microfiber mop, so the O Mop magically found its way into my cart.

My first impression of the O Mop was good. I took it home, and put it together, and it seems much more sturdily made than the Real Simple or Bona Kemi mops, and much more aerodynamic and cool-looking. The parts chink together and just looking at them you know they’re not going to fall apart if you accidentally maneuver the mop counterclockwise.

Then . . . I swept my ENTIRE HOUSE in about FIVE minutes with the microfiber attachment (1500 sq feet? something like that). Usually it takes me 20 minutes with the highly annoying Real Simple mop that has the maneuverability of a lawn mower. This Method one though it’s like I stand in the center of the room, swish the mop around me in a giant circle, and the mop uses its own weight to glide over the floor and pick up all the dog hair (you have no idea how much dog hair my dog produces — it’s frightening) and dirt that coat the floor in a few seconds, and the room is clean! I managed to clean the area behind the toilet while standing two feet away from it, with one hand! The Real Simple mop required my standing with one knee on the toilet, and two hands trying to maneuver the wretched base of the Real Simple mop behind the base of the toilet, and then having the base of the mop fall off at some point because you have to twist the mop counterclockwise to get it out from behind there. It was aggravating.

So I’m a complete convert. I really didn’t think the O Mop would be that much better than the Real Simple mop — I figured anything HAD to be slightly better because that thing doesn’t even seem to have a mop surface that is parallel to the ground. But the O Mop is a lot better.

So I HIGHLY recommend this mop. If you’re still using one of those wretched bucket contraptions, seriously, you need to buy one of these. (Microfiber mops are so much less trouble than bucket mops — and they’re much better for wooden floors than bucket mops because those leave huge puddles of water on your (expensive) hardwood floor, and that’s bad for it. You can prolong the life of your floor finish by using a microfiber mop, the floor dries a lot faster, and if you use it dry it makes an excellent broom. Though you should still keep your bucket mop for the really heavy jobs — microfiber isn’t good for soaking/scrubbing caked on filth.)

(Method products are cruelty-free and vegan — but not organic.)

The Method O Mop is available for $30 at the Method Online Store, your local Target, or Orchard Supply and Hardware. It comes in two starter kits — one is for hardwood floors, the other is for nonwood floors. The “wood for good” starter kit contains 1 wet/dry microfiber mop pad that velcroes on to the mop base, 3 compostable sweeping cloths (I think these are pointless — just use the wet/dry microfiber pad and buy a few more — you’ll save a lot of money in the long run), and a 14 oz container of Method wood floor cleaner. The “all floor starter kit” contains 1 wet/dry all floor microfiber mop pad, 3 compostable sweeping cloths and a 14 oz container of Method all floor cleaner.

Do you love those Gillette three-bladed razors yet wince at the thought of supporting a cruel company like Gillette, which is owned by Procter and Gamble (hiss! hiss!)? (Actually, even if you do own a Gillette Mach3 razor I won’t hold it against you — I don’t think razors are tested on animals. I hope not anyway.)

Well, you need have no fear — Hoke2 has come out with a few models of CCIC-approved-100%-animal-testing-free razors, one of which is three-bladed.

I picked up Hoke2’s “Wally” razor at the store the other day. The Wally razor suctions to the wall, has three blades (and you can buy replacement cartridges for it), comes in translucent green or clear, has a curved shape, has a “nonslip wetgrip handle that is molded out of solid rubber,” and is included in the Smithsonian’s Permanent Design Collection and is the recipient of Germany’s “Design Plus Award.” (Really. I am not kidding. It’s an award-winning design.)

So, not only is the Wally razor kinder to animals than any other three-bladed razor, but it’s also much, much prettier!

The Wally razor is suctioned to my shower wall right now, and I’ve used it a few times, and I just love it. I highly recommend it. It looks beautiful in my shower (very mod!), and it’s just as nice as any other three-bladed razor — only psychologically much easier for me to buy. I usually switch off between waxing and shaving my legs, and I’ve already started shaving more often than waxing now that I’ve got this razor. It’s just so easy to use, and it doesn’t give me razor burn — I’m very happy about it.

Hoke2 looks like a great company — cruelty-free, with a great design sense. I do plan to try their other razors in the future — probably not the Spike razor, which only has 2 blades but also looks cute, but definitely the Squeeze’n Shave Travel razor, which is very clever — it has a tube of shaving gel as the handle of the razor, so it’s very convenient for travel:

Apparently the Squeeze’n Shave Travel razor won the “Most Innovative Tube of the Year” award by the American Tube Council. (I’m very surprised there is an American Tube Council — who knew?) Hoke2 also carries some shaving creams, which I shall probably also try out some time in the future.

I did a quick price comparison, and the Wally razor appears to be similarly priced to the Mach3. The Gillette Mach3 is $8.99 for one razor plus two cartridges whereas the Hoke2 is $6.00 but comes with no spare cartridges, but the Gillette cartridges appear to be $24 for a pack of 12, whereas the Hoke2 cartridges are $8.00 for a pack of 5, so they sort of even out — the Hoke2 actually ends up being less expensive if you never replace the handle and just keep buying new replacement cartridges). However, if you usually buy three-bladed non-brandname razors, I assume the Wally razor cartridges might be more of an expense to you.

Hoke2’s Wally Razor is available for $6.00 from Ebubbles through Amazon. (It’s replacement cartridges are available for $8.00 for a pack of five.)

ETA: 04/30/08 I just saw the Hoke2 razor at Whole Foods.  So now you don’t have to buy it online!

Tags : hoke2, razor, wally

I picked up a container of Biokleen dishwasher detergent the last time I was at the store. So far, it’s been a pretty good dishwasher detergent — things get clean anyway (disclaimer: I have a fairly new high-tech dishwasher so this may not work as well for you if you have a crummy dishwasher. But then, as I know too well, if you have a crummy dishwasher the best dishwasher detergent may not be good enough).

So far, I like the fact that the Biokleen detergent is concentrated, so it comes in a fairly small bottle that’s easy to lift. I kind of wish it had a pouring spout thing — I always have to hunt around for a spoon or try to pour some out into the dishwasher, which is difficult to do without getting dishwashing powder all over the place. I also wish it came in a snazzier container — it’s a perfectly functional container, but it isn’t cool the way Method packaging is cool.

I feel like I’m not giving a very positive review of this, but really, I use it and it works, and that’s good enough for me. I’ve almost used up an entire container, and am not unhappy. It’s just hard for me to write a really glowing review of something as boring as dishwasher detergent. If environmental-friendliness sways you, this detergent contains no phosphates, chlorine, ammonia, petroleum solvents, alcohol, butyl, glycol ether, SLS or SLES, EDTA, DEA, SARA Title III, CA 65, or EPA priority pollutants, and no materials listed by the ACGIH as hazardous. It also has grapefruit seed and orange peel extract, comes in a recyclable container, has no negative effects on rivers, streams, plants or wildlife, is kind to those with chemical sensitivities and allergies, has no artificial fragrance, colors or preservatives, is biodegradable and ozone safe. (I’m not sure who would win in a pro-environment contest between Biokleen and Seventh Generation — they both seem very environmentally friendly.)

I will say though that Biokleen looks like a great company — they just won an award for pollution prevention and sustainable practices, and they make a ton of cleaning products: laundry detergents, chlorine-free bleach, dishwashing soap, produce wash, dishwasher powder, dishwasher gel, all purpose cleaner and degreaser, stain and odor eliminator, glass cleaner, soy cream cleaner, soy toilet scrub, citrus soy solvent for removing gum/wax/adhesives/tar, soy lube (really), and a variety of products for professional cleaners — carpet cleaner, fiber glow powder, traffic lane cleaner, bonnet cleaner and rug shampoo, paint oil gum remover, laundry powders, kitchen cleaners, etc. If you’re wondering if you can buy Biokleen products at a store near you, they have a store locator — click here.

Biokleen Automatic Dish Powder (32 oz — 64 loads) is available for $8.50 from Goodhumans.com.

Ingredients: Natural oxygen bleach (sodium percarbonate), vegetable fiber, natural anti-corrosive agents, grapefruit seed and orange peel extracts, soda ash, sodium citrate and readily biodegradable nonionic surfactants.

Biokleen FAQ:

Why Biokleen?

Our everyday cleaning choices affect our health, the health of our families, and the health of our planet. Biokleen products are concentrated in order to leave the smallest footprint on the environment.

Do any of the Biokleen products contain chlorine bleach, optical brighteners, phosphates, or Sodium Laurel/Laureth Sulfates (SLS/SLES’s)?
All Biokleen products are free of chlorine, optical brighteners, phosphates and SLS/SLES ingredients.

What is a Surfactant?
Surfactants are conditioners that reduce the surface tension of water, allowing a surface to wet quickly so soil can be loosened and removed. The surfactants used in Biokleen products are vegetable-based—we do NOT use Sodium Laurel or Sodium Laureth Sulfate surfactants (SLS/SLES).

What is Linear Sulfonate?
Linear Sulfonate is a propriety blend of vegetable based surfactants.

Are Biokleen products safe for people with allergies and chemical sensitivities?
Yes, Biokleen products are highly recommended because we use the safest, highest quality ingredients without using common allergens, asthmagens, synthetic fragrances, and artificial dies. The Free & Clear Products are recommended for those who prefer unscented products to products with even natural fragrances.

Do any Biokleen products contain gluten, dairy or nut ingredients?
All Biokleen products are gluten-free, dairy-free and, aside from coconut-based surfactants, do not contain any nut-based ingredients.

Does Biokleen test any of the products on animals or contain any animal-based ingredients?
No. As a matter of fact, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) include Biokleen in their approved products listing!

Is Biokleen safe to use in septic systems?
Yes! Biokleen products do not contain any Chlorine Bleach, or Phosphates or other harmful elements that would damage septic systems.

Is Biokleen’s packaging recyclable?
Yes! Biokleen products also use recycled content wherever possible. Check with your local recycling agency to see what they currently accept. If they need to expand their recycling capabilities, by all means start a community effort to initiate needed changes!

LAUNDRY

Can Biokleen laundry products be used in High Efficiency or “front loading” machines?

Absolutely! Both our Laundry Powders and Laundry Liquids are recommended for HE/front loaders. When using our Powders and liquids follow the HE instructions listed. If your product does not have the new label, be sure to use only HALF, if not less, of the recommended amount for a normal load of laundry.

What is the active ingredient in the Oxygen Bleach Plus and how is it safer than traditional chlorine bleach?
The primary active ingredient in Biokleen’s Oxygen Bleach Plus is sodium per carbonate. It dissolves into water rapidly and provides powerful stain removal, cleaning, bleaching and deodorizing functions. It helps soften water and reduces the need for fabric softeners and works in cold and hot water. When it breaks down, it turns into oxygen, water and natural soda ash, making it environmentally friendly. Traditional chlorine bleach is not only caustic and poisonous, it is not biodegradable and its use releases harmful contaminants into our environment.

What is the difference between the All Temperature Laundry Powder and the Premium Laundry Powder?
Although the All Temperature Laundry Powder is a very effective and a popular choice, the Premium Laundry Powder contains enzymes cultures, extra oxygen bleach and is a bit more concentrated for heavily soiled clothing. Premium Laundry Powder is highly recommended for cloth diapers and our fellow gardeners!

Which Biokleen Laundry product is recommended for homes with hard water?
All of the Biokleen liquid and powder laundry products perform well in many different water conditions, including hard water. Supplement with Biokleen Oxygen Bleach Plus as needed.

How do I clean my heavily soiled cloth diapers?
Remove excess waste; apply Bac-Out Stain & Odor Eliminator full strength to stained area and let sit for 10 minutes or more. Launder in hot water with Premium Plus Laundry Powder.

BAC-OUT STAIN & ODOR ELIMINATOR

Do I need to dilute the Bac-Out Stain & Odor Eliminator before using this product?
Whether or not the Bac-Out needs to be diluted really depends on what it’s being used for. It is concentrated; meaning a small amount of product can be very effective. In most cases, it is used full-strength; this includes treating organic stains on laundry and carpet, cleaning sink/bathtub drains and garbage disposals, and treating other targeted cleaning issues. For projects where diluting might be more appropriate (such as general deodorizing, supplemental cleaning in the bathroom or kitchen, diaper soak pails, etc.) add ¼ cup of Bac-Out to each gallon of water.

Is Bac-Out Stain & Odor Eliminator safe to use on wool rugs?
Yes! However, as with any fabric, check for colorfastness.

KITCHEN

Can the Hand Dish Soap be used in an Automatic Dishwasher?
No, the Automatic Dish Powders and Automatic Dish Gel are specifically manufactured to work in Automatic Dishwashers, and the Hand Dish Soap is formulated for hand-washing dishes.

After running my dishwasher, I sometimes notice a white, powdery residue on my dishes. What is causing this?
There’s a good chance too much product is being used. Run the rinse cycle to remove excess product and simply reduce the amount used next time. If the issue is hard water, try using 2 tablespoons of white vinegar as a rinse aid.

Which Automatic Dish product is recommended for homes with hard water?
Sometimes minerals in hard water can interfere with how powders dissolve, so we offer a couple of suggestions. If your dishwasher has two soap cups, distribute your Automatic Dish Powder between them and use a rinse aid (1-2 tablespoons of white vinegar can be substituted for a commercial rinse aid). Or you can use our NEW Automatic Dish Gel!

Can I dilute Biokleen’s Produce Wash?
It depends on what’s being cleaned. For produce with “nooks and crannies” like broccoli and lettuce, or that is small like grapes and berries, it’s recommended to use a soak method. Add 1 tablespoon of produce wash to each 16 oz. of water and let soak for two minutes before rinsing. A direct method works well for larger, single items with “smooth” surfaces such as apples, oranges, melons, potatoes, etc. Apply Produce Wash full strength, scrub with a vegetable brush or rub with your hands, and let sit for a minute before rinsing. This method also works great for cleaning cutting boards, hands, food containers, poultry, eggs and more!

GENERAL CLEANING & SOY BLENDS

What is the difference between the All Purpose Cleaner Concentrate and the All Purpose Spray & Wipe?
While the All Purpose Cleaner Concentrate can be diluted accordingly to suit your cleaning needs, the All Purpose Spray & Wipe is already diluted and ready-to-use and is packaged in a 32oz spray bottle. The Spray & Wipe’s formula has been adjusted to provide you with an effective cleaner that wipes clean and requires no rinsing.

What is the difference between the Soy Cream Cleaner and the All Purpose Cleaner Concentrate?
While both products are versatile and can be used for many cleaning projects, the Soy Cream Cleaner is more appropriate for situations where a scrubbing texture is needed, such as removing build-up in bathtubs and sinks. The Soy Cream Cleaner has a creamy texture with volcanic perlite micro-scrubbers in it. It’s ready-to-use and does not require dilution.

What is the difference between the Soy Cream Cleaner and the Soy Toilet Scrub?
Both products contain Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE), are ready-to-use and have a creamy texture with volcanic perlite micro-scrubbers in them. The Soy Cream Cleaner contains lime peel extract which is great for an added cleaning boost and the Soy Toilet Scrub contains essential mint oil which is a terrific natural deodorizer.

Can the Soy Cream Cleaner be used on a ceramic stovetop?
Yes, gently rub the product on and do not scrub vigorously. We also recommend that a soft sponge or rag be used.

Which Biokleen product should be used on my countertops?
The All Purpose Spray & Wipe and All Purpose Cleaner and Degreaser diluted per instructions are generally safe for all water-safe surfaces, like laminate (Formica), Corian (Solid Surface), Natural Stone (Granite, marble), and cultured marble.

Can I use the All Purpose Cleaner to wash a car?
Yes, dilute the product 2 tablespoons to one gallon of water.

Can the Soy Lube SL-100 or Citrus Soy Solvent be used on a greasy clothing stain?
No, Soy Lube is a household lubricant and Citrus Soy Solvent is a product used for removing things such as gum, tar, ink, etc. Both of these products could leave an oily residue on clothing. The best way to remove an oily stain is to apply a very small amount of the All-Purpose Cleaner to stain, blot with a rag, rinse and launder as usual.

Can the Soy Lube SL-100 be used for heavy duty/industrial lubrication needs?
Yes, the Soy Lube’s bio-based formula not only lubricates longer and penetrates better than most petroleum based lubricants; it is a much more environmentally responsible product, as it is non-toxic and made from renewable resources.

CARPET CLEANING & INDUSTRIAL USE

Can Biokleen products be used in a personal carpet cleaner?
For personal carpet cleaners, Biokleen has a NEW Carpet & Rug Shampoo available in some markets. First, pre-treat heavily-soiled areas. For organic stains (food, beverage, pet) use Biokleen’s Bac-Out Stain & Odor Eliminator. To pre-treat other soiled spots such as high-traffic areas, we recommend our All Purpose Spray & Wipe. After pre-treating the areas, let the product sit for 15 minutes before shampooing/extracting. For help locating the Carpet & Rug Shampoo, contact us at (800) 477-0188 or sales@biokleenhome.com.

How can I have my carpets professionally cleaned using Biokleen’s carpet cleaning line?
Biokleen offers an incredibly effective, non-toxic line of professional-strength carpet cleaning products. More and more carpet cleaning services are “going green” and Biokleen’s line is definitely the front-runner. We are currently compiling a nation-wide list of carpet cleaners who use Biokleen products and it should be available soon on our website. In the interim, call us at (800) 477-0188 and we can help you locate someone near you. If there isn’t a carpet cleaner near you who uses Biokleen, by all means refer them to us!

I am a professional carpet cleaner and would like to use Biokleen’s professional product line. Where can I get it?
We are currently compiling a nation-wide list of industrial distributors who carry Biokleen products and it should be posted shortly. In the interim, please contact us directly at (800) 477-0188 or sales@biokleenhome.com for assistance.

Where can I find Biokleen products for my janitorial/general cleaning service?
We are currently compiling a nation-wide list of industrial distributors who carry Biokleen products and it should be posted shortly. In the interim, please contact us directly at (800) 477-0188 or sales@biokleenhome.com for assistance.

In addition to carpet cleaners and janitorial/cleaning services, what other professionals use Biokleen products?
Word is spreading fast about Biokleen: not only are they “green” cleaning products, but they work incredibly well—good enough for countless industrial and professional uses. Just to name a few: restaurants, hotels, national parks, universities and schools, cloth diaper and laundering services, medical and research laboratories, car detailing services, massage and aesthetician professionals, yoga studios and more. Would you like to learn more about incorporating Biokleen into your own business? Contact us at (800) 477-0188 or sales@biokleenhome.com and we’ll help you!

I really like this stuff — I was thinking, wouldn’t it be nice if there were a cruelty-free nonpetroleum vaseline? And I found one! This stuff is perfect for dry elbows. It only has one tiny problem — despite the fact that it’s touted as being made from coconut oil, let me tell you, it’s made from hydrogenated castor oil. It has the sticky castor oil texture, and the castor oil smell. I don’t mind it too much, but I’d really prefer something that smelled less . . . medicinal? Or less like a diaper rash cream? Anyway, if you’re a vaseline-junkie, but you don’t want to support (evil) Unilever, or put petroleum-based products on your skin, this stuff is great. Just don’t wear it to formal events because it will really clash with your perfume (just like normal vaseline!).

Alba Botanica claims that their Unpetroleum Multi-Purpose Jelly is “rich in fatty acids, coconut oil, is anti-microbial, deeply moisturizing, and soothing to the skin.” It has “beeswax, moisture rich coconut oil and soothing, protective vitamin E,” is “natural, non-petroleum jelly” that is “perfect as an all-over body moisturizer for soothing, softening skin rejuvenation.” (The Alba Botanica people must be crazy — if you used this as an all-over body moisturizer you’d seriously over-moisturize yourself, this stuff is really heavy, and you’d have to stand around for three hours waiting for it to sink in — it takes forever. Just like vaseline.) “The original, multi-purpose skin moisturizer and protectant is made from only pure plant oils and all natural waxes. Use it daily to moisturize and soothe dry skin, prevent chafing and windburn, gently remove eye-makeup, help protect baby from diaper rash. It’s good for all skin types. Perfect for dry, flaky, or chapped skin.” It’s made “without petrolatum, paraffin, or mineral oil, and it has no synthetic fragrances or colors, no parabens, it’s hypo-allergenic, and is 100% vegetarian (but not organic).

Alba Botanica Un-petroleum Multi-Purpose Jelly (3.5 oz) is available for $7.34 with free super saver/prime shipping from Amazon.

Ingredients: Ricinus communis (castor) seed oil, cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, beeswax, hydrogenated castor oil, tocopheryl acetate and tocopherol (Vitamin E).