Health Blog
Health Blog
Homemade cleaning products with baking soda & essential oils
Cleaning for shiny surfaces like chrome: – 5 dl water– 1/2 tsp Vermont Soaps Organics liquid Castile soap– 3 tbsp white vinegar Pour all ingredients into a spray bottle, shake well. Spray on the surface you want to clean, let sit for a few minutes, wipe off with a damp cloth. Natural degreaser: 5 dl water2 tbsp fresh lemon juice1/2 tsp Vermont Soaps Organics liquid Castile soap1 tbsp baking soda Pour all ingredients into a spray bottle, shake well. Spray on the surface you want to clean and wipe off with a damp cloth. For all surfaces except wood. Vinegar/Vodka disinfectant: 3 dl water1 dl white vinegar1 dl vodka10 drops lavender essential oil10 drops lemongrass essential oil Pour all ingredients into a spray bottle, shake well. Spray on the surface you want to clean, let sit for 10 minutes, wipe off with a damp cloth.
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Organic propolis and bee pollen from Ballot Flurin
We sell organic propolis and bee pollen from an amazing company called Ballot Flurin. You can find them at the picturesque honey farm in the heart of the Pyrenees, in southwestern France, located in beautiful nature full of life. A place where bees can be happy. The people behind Ballot Flurin have dedicated their lives to learning the language and customs of bees to better collaborate with the hive. Their fine, precious, and energy-rich products are delivered intact to you thanks to their artisanal manufacturing methods, based on manual, low-tech, and non-polluting procedures. They follow something called Gentle Beekeeping / Apiculture DOUCE®. This is a recognized quality label in both France and many other countries and is much more than just a simple label. **Apiculture DOUCE means: 1. That beekeepers respect and understand the language of bees. The language of bees is the very heart and soul of Apiculture DOUCE. All their beekeepers are trained in bee psychology and have an extensive set of techniques centered around relaxation, meditation, and observation that facilitate communication with the hive’s inhabitants. The methods also induce a specific mental state in the beekeeper that enhances the ability to listen to the bees. Beekeepers move quietly near the bees and breathe calmly. Bees have existed for 100 million years and are blessed with great collective intelligence and sophisticated communication skills. They are very sensitive to human contact. In this way, they respect the bees’ rhythm and active energies, making the final product more potent and alive. The bees are never treated with antibiotics but instead with herbs and homeopathy. 2. That beekeepers respect our natural environment. Ballot Flurin cultivates and harvests naturally (organically) without strong chemical agents. This means untouched vegetation, free from chemical products, vegetation that yields quality harvests and more disease-resistant, healthier colonies. Their raw materials and preparations are all organically certified. Ballot Flurin follows biodynamic harvesting. The beekeeping production also takes into account solar, lunar, and cosmic cycles when managing the hives and deciding exactly when the beekeeper should perform the harvest. This respects the natural laws of the world and the universe. Bees pollinate plants, which in return provide them with food. They play a crucial role in promoting and protecting biodiversity in all the regions they inhabit. That is why it is very important that we choose the locations for our hives with great care and protect the local ecosystem by cultivating plants beneficial for honey production such as heather, lavender, rosemary, sage, hawthorn, marjoram, etc. Ballot Flurin’s “Ferme d’abeilles” (Bee Farm) program promotes planting plants and installing hives on organic farmland. 3. That beekeepers respect everything and everyone around the production. This means preserving the natural environment and protecting the bees’ food resources as well as managing a responsible, human-scale economy. Their company is a family business, free from demands for external capital. Ballot Flurin contributes to preserving nature by choosing packaging, materials, and methods with minimal environmental impact. They also help make their rural areas more vibrant by creating ethical employment in the villages of Hautes-Pyrénées. Here in the film, Catherine – one of the founders and a beekeeper for 40 years – shows Mathilde, a young beekeeper, how to transfer a colony of bees. If they are too crowded in their hive, they install them in a new place. The bees agree. They follow their movements and the people follow their breathing. No stings, no need for smoke or masks. Smoke, often used in conventional beekeeping, is not good for bees who need 1000 times more oxygen than we do. Bee Happy!
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How to reduce plastic in your home for a healthier everyday life
Plastic banning means replacing the plastic in your home and daily life with more environmentally friendly and safer alternatives that are better for both your health and the environment. It means reducing the amount of plastic around you and also cutting down on your plastic consumption. Where do I start? Banning plastic in the home doesn’t happen overnight; it’s a process you need to take at your own pace. But most people start by banning plastic in the kitchen. This is because plastic and heat are a bad combination, as plastic releases the most toxins when heated. In the kitchen, you can replace plastic with better alternatives such as stainless steel, glass, bamboo, organic cotton, linen, and wood. Items that are good to replace in the kitchen We also give you examples of better alternatives, most of which you can buy from us at Glimja. Plastic kitchen utensils replaced with kitchen utensils made of wood, bamboo, and stainless steel. Plastic cutting boards replaced with cutting boards made of bamboo. Plastic bags and cling film replaced with Bee’s Wrap, Abeego, fabric bags, and mesh bags made of organic cotton. Plastic food containers replaced with food containers made of stainless steel or glass. Plastic mixing bowls replaced with mixing bowls made of stainless steel or glass. Plastic measuring cups replaced with stainless steel ones. Non-stick frying pans replaced with cast iron or stainless steel frying pans. Plastic storage jars and containers replaced with storage jars and containers made of stainless steel. Plastic drinking glasses, plates, and cutlery replaced with drinking glasses, plates, and cutlery made of glass, stainless steel, bamboo, and wood. Coffee filters replaced with fabric coffee filters made of organic cotton or compostable FSC-certified paper coffee filters. Plastic straws replaced with straws made of stainless steel, bamboo, or glass. Plastic dishwashing gloves replaced with dishwashing gloves made of natural rubber. Plastic dishcloths replaced with dishcloths made of linen or organic cotton. Plastic dish brushes replaced with wooden dish brushes with natural bristles. Plastic wash and scrub sponges replaced with wash sponges made of more environmentally friendly materials and scrub sponges made of coconut fiber. Plastic oven and baking molds replaced with stainless steel or glass ones. Plastic water bottles and pitchers replaced with water bottles and pitchers made of stainless steel or glass. Plastic trays replaced with trays and serving platters made of bamboo. Once you’ve finished banning plastic in the kitchen, many continue with the children’s room, bathroom, and the rest of the household. How do I avoid single-use plastic products? It’s very easy to avoid single-use plastic products when traveling or in the city, for example when shopping and eating. Single-use plastic products are a major environmental problem, and most of the plastic never gets recycled but ends up in nature and our oceans, where it harms both animals and the environment. Bring a fabric bag or mesh bag when buying loose vegetables and fruit. Make it a habit to always carry your own water bottle or coffee mug made of stainless steel or glass, making it easy to drink water and coffee without plastic. It’s just as easy to bring your own bottle or mug if you know you’ll be buying a drink at a café or restaurant. Lunch or snacks can easily be brought in a food container or food thermos made of stainless steel or glass. There are many smart solutions for different meals, such as divided food containers, insulated ones that keep food warm or cold, leak-proof containers, sauce jars, large and small, tall and short. Everything so you can find one or more food containers that suit your needs. If you like to drink your beverages with a straw, it’s smart to bring your own straw in your bag. It may seem like a small detail, but many straws are thrown away every day worldwide. Instead of plastic cutlery, bring your own cutlery made of stainless steel or bamboo. Hidden plastic traps you don’t think about Conserves cans: The inside of most canned food cans is coated with a layer of bisphenol A. However, there are brands with cans without bisphenol A, such as Kung Markatta. Tetra Pak is also a good alternative if you want to avoid bisphenol-coated cans. Lids of jam jars and baby food jars Kettles are often made of plastic or have a plastic interior. Plastic and heat are not a good combination as plastic releases harmful substances at high temperatures. Shower curtains: Shower curtains are often made of the harmful plastic PVC. Soft PVC contains phthalates, which are a type of plasticizer; some phthalates are hormone-disrupting and hazardous to health (source: Kemi.se). PVC is made from vinyl chloride, which is carcinogenic (source: Swedish Society for Nature Conservation). Skincare: Skincare products can contain microplastics. Avoid products with ingredients such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polymethyl methacrylate, and nylon (source: Swedish Society for Nature Conservation). If you see these ingredients, you know your skincare product contains plastic. Wastewater treatment plants cannot handle these microplastics, and they end up in the oceans where they harm fish and other marine animals. None of the body care products we sell at Glimja contain plastic! Keep in mind! Do not heat plastic food containers in the microwave, as heated plastic releases more chemicals into the food than cold plastic. Do not serve hot or warm drinks in plastic cups. Original post written by Sara Mårtensson, founder of Lapland Eco Store, which has been part of Glimja since 2021.
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Avoid harmful chemicals in the kitchen - safe alternatives
It has been shown that more than 90% of all plastic releases additives when the plastic gets warm. There is no safe temperature, as substances from plastic can be released even with slight heating. Fat has also been shown to cause plastic to release substances more easily, which can be hormone-disrupting for us humans. Therefore, plastic should be avoided in the kitchen. Otherwise, we risk harmful chemicals ending up in the food we eat and the drinks we consume. If we ingest these substances, it can cause problems for us and lead to health issues later in life. But don’t despair. There are other materials that are known for not releasing particles and that you can safely use instead. Safe materials include stainless steel, glass, porcelain, untreated wood, and solid bamboo. Bamboo fiber is often said to be a good and non-toxic material, but it can contain additives such as plastic and melamine that may be released. (Sometimes bamboo can be okay, but many times there are additives that release substances. It is important to ensure that the bamboo products you use do not contain any harmful additives.) All bamboo sold here at Glimja is solid and good to use because it does not contain any harmful additives. Replace Examples of products you should replace if they are made of plastic: plates, mugs, pitchers, mixing bowls and bowls, cutting boards, utensils such as spatulas and ladles, lunch boxes, baby bottles, drinking bottles, and electric kettles. Teflon pans and casserole/dish pans with so-called non-stick coatings contain substances called perfluorinated compounds, which should be avoided. Instead, choose a frying pan made of cast iron or stainless steel. So when it’s time to replace the frying pan at home, choose one made of a safer material for your next purchase. Frying pans made of both cast iron and stainless steel last forever if you take care of them properly, and you will never need to buy a new one again. Food packaging Food stored in cans and metal tubes (e.g., caviar, soft cheese, tomato paste) has a plastic lining inside that contains the hormone-disrupting substance Bisphenol A (BPA). This substance leaches into the food stored in the container, and the fattier the food, the more it releases. Therefore, avoid food packaged in cans and metal tubes, and instead choose safer materials such as Tetra Pak or frozen food in cartons. Since 2015, some companies have also chosen to replace the BPA-containing plastic in their cans, so if the packaging states that it is Bisphenol-free, it is okay. Water tap It has been shown that many water taps release heavy metals such as lead and copper into the water we then use as drinking water and for cooking. To avoid ingesting these, it is a good idea to run the tap a little extra, especially in the morning, when the water has been standing still overnight. Run the tap for 30-45 seconds in the morning, and 10-15 seconds during the day, to get cleaner water and avoid ingesting these substances when you drink the water or use it for cooking. The food you eat Besides avoiding plastic in the kitchen, one of the most important things you can do to reduce exposure to harmful chemicals is to choose organic and additive-free when you shop for food. This is especially important for fruits and vegetables, as conventional produce is heavily sprayed. By choosing organic, you have taken a big and important step toward reducing harmful chemicals in your daily life. Original post written by Sara Mårtensson, founder of Lapland Eco Store, which has been part of Glimja since 2021.
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Chemical Guide: Create a toxin-free environment in the children's room
Older toys often contain much higher levels of harmful chemicals than today's newly produced ones. This is mainly because there was previously no knowledge of how many of the substances used in, for example, plastic affected and still affect us humans and the environment. Therefore, it is a good idea to start by removing the oldest plastic toys at home. Legislation is now much stricter, and today's toys are safer. However, knowledge is still lacking about more than 90% of all the chemicals used, for example, in plastic, so the best approach is to avoid plastic toys as much as possible and instead choose toys made from other safer materials, such as wood, rubberwood, wool, organic cotton, stainless steel, and natural rubber. Keep in mind that some soft toys that appear to be made of cotton may be made from textiles containing plastic. Smell Use your nose. If a toy smells plasticky or chemical – remove it immediately. This is a sign that it contains many hormone-disrupting plasticizers. If the plastic toy feels a bit sticky or greasy, that is also a sign that it should be discarded and is not suitable for children to play with. Choose toys of good quality Invest in fewer toys of good quality. A child in Sweden today has on average more than 500 toys. Much of what is sold is of poor quality and breaks after only a few hours of play. These types of toys are a huge waste of resources and contribute significantly to the burden on our planet. Avoid plastic toys as much as possible and instead choose toys made from natural materials. For example, choose a ball made of natural rubber instead of plastic, choose dolls and soft toys made from organic textiles, and choose small animals and figures made of wood rather than plastic. Toys made from natural materials are not indestructible and can break just like plastic toys. Often, you need to care for your organic toys differently than plastic ones. The advantage of organic and low-toxin toys is that they do not contain harmful chemicals that affect the child and the environment. Electronics & other gadgets Do not let children play with old electronics (worn-out mobile phones, old broken cameras, keyboards, phones, etc.). Electronics are not subject to the same strict legislation as toys and contain both flame retardants and heavy metals that can easily leach from the products. They are directly unsuitable for children to play with and are classified as hazardous waste and should be taken to a recycling station. A good rule to follow is: If it is not a toy, it should not be used as a toy! This applies, for example, to keys, jewelry, handbags, belts, plastic hoses, car tires, and remote controls. Avoid flame retardants Also, do not let electronic products remain in the room where your child sleeps. Flame retardants and heavy metals leach from the products especially when they get warm and end up in the dust in the room where they are located. If children sleep in the same room, they inhale these particles. Another option is to put away electronics and store them in closed boxes with lids or cabinets. The floors Perhaps the biggest and most comprehensive change to make at home to reduce harmful chemicals is to review the floors in your residence. Plastic floors (PVC floors) are a major source of hormone-disrupting substances leaking into the dust in the room where the floor is located. If these floors are present in your home, it is most important to replace them first in the children's bedrooms, as children are most sensitive to these substances and spend a large part of their time in their bedrooms while sleeping. If you replace floors, choose safer materials such as wooden floors or linoleum. Original post written by Sara Mårtensson, founder of Lapland Eco Store, which has been part of Glimja since 2021.
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5 important items to switch to organic
Do you, like many others, find it difficult to fill your entire shopping cart with organic products? Then start by swapping out a few key items that make a difference for the environment and people. Here are five items that are best when they are organic. Coffee Several toxic chemical pesticides are used on coffee plantations. They harm—and in the worst cases can kill—nature, animals, and people. Choose organic coffee; it makes a big difference for everyone involved. Bananas & grapes Two fruits that are heavily sprayed. Extremely environmentally hazardous pesticides are used on banana plantations, which can cause nerve damage to workers and their children. And grapes, with their thin skins, can contain residues of several chemical pesticides. In an EU random test of a package of grapes, for example, residues of 20 different pesticides were found. If you can’t find organic bananas, grapes, raisins, or wine, it might be a good idea to choose something else. Dairy products For a few extra kronor, you can get organic dairy products that make a big difference both in Sweden and other parts of the world. You contribute to cleaner water, fewer chemicals, and more birds and flowers thriving. And in countries like Brazil, no nature or people need to be poisoned. Why? Because organic cows mostly eat plants from their own farm instead of heavily sprayed feed from the other side of the globe. Meat Want meat from happier animals? Choose organic. Along with that, you get the same important environmental benefits as when you buy organic dairy products. If organic isn’t available, Swedish pasture-raised meat is also good. (Nope, not Brazilian—Swedish is the way to go.) But the most important thing of all is actually to eat less meat overall. Potatoes Did you know that pesticides are found in almost all Swedish water? Yes, even in the rain that falls on us. By choosing organic, fewer toxins spread in our nature. Potatoes are one of the crops most heavily sprayed in Sweden. A real villain is King Edward—a king who should be overthrown! Source: The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation
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Chemical Guide: Choose Non-Toxic Products for the Bathroom
In the bathroom, we often find large amounts of harmful chemicals. Mainly in all the products many use daily, such as shampoo, conditioner, skin creams, shower gels, soaps, styling products, fragrances, and deodorants. Skincare & Beauty Products Many people feel uncertain and perhaps a bit lost when trying to decipher the ingredients on the shampoo bottle or face cream. There are quite a few harmful chemicals hidden in conventional skincare and haircare. Here are some to watch out for and avoid: Parabens, silicones, PEG, SLS, phthalates (fragrance), and mineral oil (paraffin). Fragrance Many products are fragranced. Besides fragrance being highly allergenic, fragranced products often contain the same plasticizers found in plastics, called phthalates, which have been shown to affect our hormonal system. Other problematic substances commonly found in these types of products include parabens, surfactants/sulfates, microplastics (yes, plastic is used here too), antibacterial agents, and mineral oil. Feel free to check the ingredient list on the products you use, and you will quickly become aware of the enormous amounts of foreign substances you wash with, apply to your skin, and so on. What we apply to our skin is absorbed by the body and eventually enters our bloodstream. Foreign substances not made for our bodies can cause problems. A good rule of thumb for skincare is that what you use on your skin and body should be so pure that it could just as well be eaten. Choose primarily organic and fragrance-free products. The shorter the ingredient list, the better. Bathroom Items Prefer toothbrushes that are not made of plastic. The same goes for hairbrushes; choose one made of wood and natural rubber instead of a plastic hairbrush. Buy organic GOTS-certified towels or, as an alternative, second-hand to reduce all the harmful chemicals found in new textiles. Detergents & Fabric Softeners Avoid conventional detergents and fabric softeners as they are highly allergenic and contain large amounts of hormone-disrupting substances. Wash your laundry with an organic/environmentally friendly detergent, preferably fragrance-free, and use an organic/environmentally friendly fabric softener if needed. A tip is to use a few tablespoons of regular vinegar in the fabric softener compartment. It makes the laundry softer and less static. It also helps remove bad odors and keeps your washing machine sparkling clean. At Glimja, we offer good alternatives to the conventional products available on the market. We have done and continue to do our best to find the purest options so you can use safe and toxin-free products in your bathroom. Original post written by Sara Mårtensson, founder of Lapland Eco Store, which has been part of Glimja since 2021.
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Material Guide: Plastic and Harmful Chemicals
If you have found your way to Glimja, you may already know that some plastics can release harmful chemicals. That is why we work to help you as a customer reduce your use of plastic as much as possible to minimize your exposure to potentially dangerous substances. However, some of the products we sell in our webshop do contain plastic, but these are plastics free from substances that are currently known or strongly suspected to cause environmental and health problems. Below you can read more about some different substances in plastics that we recommend you pay extra attention to. – Explore our range of plastic-free kitchen products – PVC PVC is found in many products, such as plastic flooring, electrical cables, printed T-shirts, plastic tablecloths, and soft plastic toys. PVC causes environmental problems during manufacturing, use, and disposal. The problems during use are mainly related to plasticizers used to make the plastic flexible. Plasticizers are continuously released from the plastic and can cause diseases. There are well-founded suspicions of reproductive disorders in both women and men. The EU has banned several plasticizers, but those still allowed are not free from suspicion. In healthcare, there is a general phasing out of PVC products in many places. When PVC plastic is burned, dangerous chemicals such as hydrochloric acid and dioxins are released. Many municipalities have introduced a total ban on PVC flooring in daycare centers and institutions. A tip is to avoid plastics and printed clothing that feel a bit "sticky," as they often may contain PVC. The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation advises avoiding PVC entirely – there are usually alternatives. All toys at Glimja are completely free from PVC. PVC plastic is marked with the number 03. Phthalates Phthalates can be found in various soft plastic products such as sandals, pencil cases, erasers, condoms, and plastic gloves. They are also present in vinyl, cables, PET bottles, medical materials, floor mats, building materials, plastic packaging, clothing, sticky printed T-shirts, and toys. Phthalates are suspected endocrine disruptors and are linked to the development of several chronic diseases such as allergies, obesity, neuropsychiatric disorders, genital damage, and reproductive disorders in both women and men. The phthalate and plasticizer DEHP is often used in perfume as a fragrance fixer. Glimja only sells low-toxicity toys without phthalates. Our skincare products are also completely free from phthalates and DEHP, which are among the phthalates banned in products for small children. Phthalates can be found in plastics marked with the number 03. BPA Bisphenol-A (BPA) was created in 1936 as a synthetic hormone and was introduced in the late 1980s as a strengthening component in polycarbonate products (PC). BPA is often used in plastics such as pacifiers and baby bottles to make the plastic transparent and shatterproof. Other products containing BPA include disposable plastic cutlery, canned food, receipts, plastic packaging, plastic food storage containers, sports water bottles, and sports equipment. Even aluminum bottles can have a BPA plastic lining on the inside. BPA is an endocrine disruptor, and Swedish experts believe BPA may be linked to obesity, diabetes, and a range of mental illnesses. Sweden has banned BPA in pacifiers and baby bottles, but even if the baby bottle is BPA-free, the plastic can still leach harmful chemicals that absolutely should not be in children's milk, formula, or porridge. BPA-free plastic bottles are also not a guarantee that the bottle is toxin-free, according to new research. Toxic substances are released to a greater extent when the plastic is exposed to heat, for example through hot liquids and food, in microwaves, and dishwashers. If you want to feel really safe that your bottle does not release BPA, you should choose a water bottle made of stainless steel or glass. If you are looking for a 100% plastic-free baby bottle or water bottle, Pura's stainless steel bottles are the right choice for you! Klean Kanteen and Lifefactory are examples of manufacturers of baby bottles and water bottles in stainless steel and/or glass, which you can order here at Glimja. All are a good choice for those who want to avoid BPA. In the webshop, you will also find water bottles and insulated bottles made of stainless steel and glass. BPA can be found in plastics marked with the number 07. Polystyrene Polystyrene or styrene plastic is used in packaging and disposable items such as disposable plastic cups, cutlery, plastic straws, toys, kitchen appliances, computers, yogurt containers, plastic model kits, insulation material, styrofoam, and in napalm. Styrene is used in expanded form in foam plastic, for example in meat trays at grocery stores. It is very cheap in its pure form and therefore very common. Styrene is a hard and stiff material with good electrical insulating properties. It is highly flammable and burns quickly. At Glimja, you will instead find non-toxic and environmentally friendly straws made of stainless steel or bamboo and cutlery made of bamboo. Polystyrene plastic is marked with the number 06. Flame Retardants Flame retardants can be found in car seats, furniture, clothing, computers, TVs, strollers, mattresses, and even stuffed animals. Flame retardants are used to prevent materials from catching fire easily and to reduce the spread of fire. Some flame retardants can be harmful to health and the environment. The substances classified as flame retardants vary in their environmental impact; some are banned in Sweden, while others are allowed. The main measure to prevent flame retardants from entering nature is to recycle products containing flame retardants properly. Brominated flame retardants accumulate both in the environment and in human bodies. They may cause birth defects, have hormone-disrupting effects, and cause cancer. Our comforters are completely free from flame retardants! Fluorinated Substances Highly fluorinated substances are used, for example, in the impregnation of paper and textiles, in cleaning products (e.g., floor polish), waxes, car care products, fast food cartons, baking paper, baking molds, and certain types of fire-fighting foam. They are also used in the workshop and electronics industries, for example as auxiliary chemicals in coating processes. Due to their surface-active properties and resistance to heat and chemicals, highly fluorinated organic substances have become widely used in chemical products and materials to create smooth, water-, grease-, and dirt-repellent surfaces.The substances' special surface-active properties also contribute to unusual behavior in biological systems. Instead of accumulating in fat tissue like many other environmental toxins (such as DDT and heavy metals), they bind to proteins and accumulate in the liver and blood. The two most studied fluorinated substances are perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). PFOS and PFOA are bioaccumulative, reproductive toxins, and toxic to aquatic organisms. The properties of PFOA are not fully understood, but the substance is likely reproductive toxic and possibly carcinogenic. PFOS has been detected in samples from a wide range of animal species, even far from industrialized areas. Very high levels have been found in top predators in various environments, such as Arctic polar bears, Arctic foxes, sea eagles, and mink in the USA, and seals in the Bothnian Bay. Both PFOS and PFOA have been found in the blood of the general population, both in Sweden and worldwide. Both are extremely persistent. Sources: Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, Kemi.se, Chemical Detective, REACH, Conscious Consumption, EU Information. Original post written by Sara Mårtensson, founder of Lapland Eco Store, which since 2021 is part of Glimja.
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7 simple tips for a plastic-free everyday life
Living a plastic-reduced life is easy and fun. Here we share 7 smart tips that are simple to use in your everyday life. 1. Bring your own water bottle If you want to avoid buying drinking water in single-use plastic bottles when you're on the go, bring your own reusable water bottle. They are easy to refill throughout the day, and most stores and gas stations are accommodating and allow you to refill your water bottle there. 2. Use a cloth bag when shopping Bring one or more cloth bags when you go grocery shopping or if you're just heading out into town for a bit. A cloth bag or mesh bag is always handy and they are usually convenient and fit easily in a jacket pocket, handbag, backpack, or car. By bringing your own cloth bag, you save both money and reduce unnecessary plastic use. 3. Switch your plastic toothbrush to a bamboo toothbrush Every year, over 4.7 billion plastic toothbrushes end up in landfills and oceans worldwide. These will never break down, so it’s an easy choice to buy a toothbrush made of bamboo or wood. A bamboo toothbrush has a handle made from moso bamboo, and the bristles are usually bio-based or made of nylon. The bristles can be easily removed with pliers for recycling, and the toothbrush handle can then be composted in your regular household compost. 4. Bring your own thin cloth bags for fruits & vegetables when grocery shopping Have you also noticed how many single-use plastic bags we pick up when shopping for fruits and vegetables? These single-use plastic bags usually only last one use before being thrown away, which feels like a huge waste of resources when there are other options. Bring reusable small cloth bags and put your vegetables and fruits in them. The cloth bags can be washed and reused again and again. These smart and practical cloth bags can be used for much more than just groceries. They are perfect for travel to keep small items from getting lost or to organize your packing. 5. Use Bee’s Wrap or Abeego instead of plastic wrap It’s easy to avoid plastic wrap by using beeswax wraps from, for example, Bee’s Wrap (there are now also plant-based wraps) or Abeego. Beeswax wraps can be used to wrap bread, cheese, fruit, and vegetables. They can also be used to cover a bowl, dish, or container. Beeswax wraps are coated with beeswax, jojoba oil, and resin, which have antibacterial properties that help keep food fresh longer. 6. Bring your lunch in a stainless steel or glass container Hot food and plastic are never a good idea. That’s why you should use a container made of glass or stainless steel. There are many different models and sizes, so it’s not hard to find one that suits your needs. Lunch can easily be packed in a food container, and if you have sides like salad or sauces, they usually stay freshest in their own small jar. If you’re ordering takeout, you can ask your restaurant if it’s possible to bring your own food container for them to fill. This way, you avoid styrofoam plastic, which most takeout containers are made of. 7. Bring your own coffee cup Skip single-use plastic cups by bringing your Klean Kanteen to your coffee spot and ask them to pour your coffee into your reusable cup. At many gas stations, you serve yourself coffee, so it’s just as easy to fill your own reusable cup as it is to take a single-use plastic cup. Usually, it’s no problem to ask for your coffee to be served in your own cup if you’re being served. On our website, you’ll find a selection of plastic-free kitchen items and products for a more sustainable kitchen. Original post written by Sara Mårtensson, founder of Lapland Eco Store, which since 2021 is part of Glimja.
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Natural & Organic Hair Care: A Guide to Sustainable Hair Care
For me, natural and organic hair care means making an active choice for improved health and a cleaner environment. By carefully choosing the products you use for hair and body, you can contribute to this. For me, it’s about the whole mindset of reducing product consumption to use fewer but better products that are naturally good for me and the environment. By reducing the number of unnecessary chemicals in the bathroom, you help prevent them from being washed down the drains where they would eventually end up in the oceans. The whole chain is connected, which is why the choice of shampoo and soap is so important. How do you start easiest with natural & organic hair care? The easiest way to start with natural and organic hair care is to just take action and simply begin. Many make it complicated and think it should be difficult, which it isn’t. Pick a good hair soap and start washing your hair; it doesn’t have to be more complicated than that at first. To quickly and easily find the right soap for your hair, the soap guide is here to help you below. The soap guide Should you consider anything special at the beginning? At first, you should keep it as simple as possible so you don’t find it difficult or troublesome and then give up. The first thing you try should therefore not be an advanced rye flour wash, but start simply with a good hair soap. There are both smaller trial soaps and the soap guide you can find above to help you find the right one. Keep this in mind to succeed with your natural hair care: Find the right soap: As I mentioned before, the soap guide is a fantastic help, but I want to highlight the soaps Nettle & Birch and Rasul & Calendula a bit extra because they are perfect for those who are about to start or have recently started with No-Poo. The reason is that they have a deep cleansing effect, suit oily hair, and are gentle on the scalp at the same time. This is exactly what hair that has just transitioned from strong surfactant shampoos needs. Mechanical cleansing: Unlike conventional shampoo, it can also be good to note that you may need a more mechanical cleansing with solid hair soap. This doesn’t have to be complicated or difficult; all you need to do is massage the scalp thoroughly and really work the soap in with your hands. Now I’m curious, what does no-poo mean? For many, thoughts about no-poo are a lifesaver for hair and skin problems. The mindset is also helpful for those striving for fewer chemicals in everyday life. No ’poo is a shortening of the English no shampoo, but it’s also a play on words – being without “crap” (poo). Can you have problems? Some may have problems when switching from conventional shampoo to natural hair soap. The scalp has gotten used to the shampoo’s strong surfactants, and our natural sebum production has been disrupted. This means some may experience issues during a transition period before the scalp resets to natural oil production. For many, natural hair care works immediately. Especially children and people with short or untreated hair rarely have problems. Transition Period/Weaning A scalp accustomed to conventional shampoo produces a large excess of sebum, the scalp’s own oil. This happens because the scalp compensates for our regular washes with strong surfactants that remove the natural sebum and dry out your scalp. As a result of this overproduction of sebum, your hair also feels greasy after a very short time. Therefore, people wash their hair with strong surfactants again to remove the grease, which leads to a vicious cycle with conventional shampoo. When switching to organic and natural hair soaps without strong surfactants, sebum/oil production decreases to a normal level and your scalp becomes more balanced. The transition period some experience at first occurs when the scalp adjusts from conventional shampoo with an overproduction of sebum to a balanced level with organic and natural hair care. During this time, the hair can feel greasy and oily because the scalp hasn’t yet adapted and still overproduces sebum, even though you no longer use the strong surfactants that remove the excess. The transition period varies between individuals and can last from about 2 weeks up to six months, while many don’t notice it at all. If you enter a transition period and feel that your hair is too oily/sebaceous, you can use Rasul hair detox. When did you start using natural hair care yourself and why? I myself started using solid soap for hair some time after I began making my own soaps. At first, I used my soaps only for the body and hands, then also for the hair. The reason was that my husband's scalp problems disappeared when he switched from "stronger shampoos" to my solid soaps, and when I saw how much of a difference natural hair care could make, I switched too. I started selling soaps about 14 years ago, and back then the soaps were richer and intended for the skin. Since the company's inception, I have developed my soaps to suit all kinds of people and needs. Everyone should have the opportunity to find a good soap for both hair and body, whether they have sensitive, dry, or oily skin and scalp. How often should you wash your hair? I believe you should extend the time between washes as much as possible because it’s good for your hair, scalp, and the environment. Sometimes just rinsing your hair with water or acid rinse is enough. A good start is to reduce washing to twice a week, eventually every 4th or 5th day. It may sound scary to go so long between washes, but once you switch to natural hair washing, the oil production in your scalp will become more balanced. This means you won’t need to wash your hair as often as when using strong surfactants. Until your hair has adjusted, there are different ways to hide greasy hair. For example, you can put your hair up, wear a hat or scarf, use dry shampoo made from arrowroot or potato starch, or simply accept a "bad hair day" on some days. Thinking about making your own dry shampoo? Don’t miss the blog post with the DIY recipe, for both light and dark hair! Organic dry shampoo What is your product "Rasul – hair detox" good for? Rasul clay (Rhassoul) is a washing clay and hair detox that works excellently to clear out residues of previous hair products when you want to switch to no-poo. Feel free to do a treatment with rasul clay before you start using solid hair soap to cleanse and prepare your hair for more natural hair care. This reduces the risk and/or length of the transition period that can otherwise occur at the beginning. Rasul hair detox also works well to alternate with your regular hair soap if your hair starts to feel lifeless or extra oily. This is because the washing clay makes the hair soft and shiny and adds volume. Do you need to use conditioner with natural hair care? Many manage well with just hair soap and therefore don’t need anything else in their hair washing routine. However, if you feel your hair needs extra care, you can use hibiscus acid rinse to get a conditioner effect. What is hibiscus acid rinse and why should you use it? An infusion (tea) of organic hibiscus leaves with a low pH (acidic) that works excellently as a very fragrant acid rinse after washing your hair. Rinse cooled tea over your hair; if you have long hair, let it soak in a bowl with the acid rinse before pouring it over your hair. Whether you need to acid rinse your hair after washing with soap mainly depends on if you have hard water where you live and how damaged your hair is from sun, blow-drying, coloring, perming, rough brushing, etc. See the Acid Rinse Guide below. The hair’s negative charge attracts the positive ions in tap water (especially hard water). The soap’s negative charge wants to bind to the positive ions, and the acidity ensures that the positive ions are rinsed away along with the soap. If the water, on the other hand, is soft and your hair is neither treated nor particularly damaged, you might not need to do a vinegar rinse at all. Vinegar rinse guide There are many different hair oils and masks. What do you recommend for dry, winter-weary hair? First and foremost, I recommend using a richer soap in winter than you used during the summer. During the cold and dry winter period, you can, for example, use the extra nourishing soaps Shea & Avocado or Lavender, both of which contain shea butter. Besides using a richer soap, you can care for your hair by brushing it. When you use a brush, the hair’s natural oils are distributed through the hair and out to the lengths. Brushing also cleans the hair from dust and dirt while stimulating the scalp so that sebum production increases. So feel free to brush several times a day during the winter months. To give your winter-weary hair some extra care, you can do various hair masks. Usually, you already have everything you need for a mask at home in the pantry, so there’s no need to spend unnecessary money on expensive chemical masks. For example, make a nourishing egg and avocado mask or a lovely mixture of honey and oil. You can easily create your own home spa! If you have very dry hair ends, you can use argan oil or tea seed oil. Avoid heavy oils in the hair as they can easily weigh it down. Apply the oils to damp hair after showering or in the evening before going to bed. The oils can also be used on other dry areas of the hair and even on the scalp as a nourishing treatment, but be prepared for slightly greasier hair for a while. Wooden hairbrush A plastic hairbrush often has small bristles that wear on the hair. A hairbrush with wooden bristles detangles well and is gentle on a sensitive scalp. A wide-toothed comb is good for detangling knots; preferably do this while showering and rinsing with a vinegar rinse. A brush distributes the sebum / your own oil from the scalp out to the lengths and provides good care for the hair. It also removes dirt and dust, giving shinier and healthier hair. Remember to dry brush your hair often. Is it possible to mix natural and non-natural hair care products? Yes, I think you can do that, but you should avoid the worst offenders like silicones and strong surfactants (SLS, SLES). For example, if you feel you really need a conditioner, go ahead, but choose one that is completely silicone-free because otherwise, they are really hard to wash out. What does your own hair care routine look like? I tend to get oily hair easily and use the Rasul & Calendula soap when I shower. I try to stretch out my hair washes, and if my hair gets oily in between, I use my own dry shampoo made from cocoa and potato starch, but cocoa and arrowroot work just as well. I put the dry shampoo in a powder container and use a powder brush to apply it. See the recipe in the info box. When I "panic use" the dry shampoo, I quickly part my hair into sections and apply it where the hair is oiliest. Otherwise, I use it in the evening before going to bed so the hair and scalp can absorb the dry shampoo properly. Sometimes I also do a Rasul hair detox if my hair is extra oily, about once a quarter. Then I use a hibiscus acid rinse about once a month. You can also consider washing your pillowcase more often if you have oily hair because when you sleep at night, the pillowcase gets oily and then transfers that oil to your freshly washed hair the next night. Another tip from me is to tie up your hair at night to get more volume during the day. That way, your oil stain ends up on the pillow under your hair, and the oil doesn’t get into the lengths. I do this because I have slightly oilier hair. My daughters, on the other hand, who have dry hair, apply water and argan oil to the ends and braid their hair at night so it wears less while they sleep. Which is your favorite among your soaps and why? There I choose my fragrance-free options. Those are my favorites because I think "clean without added fragrance" smells good! Perfumes and scents often cause problems for many, and from an environmental perspective, fragrance-free products are the best. We don’t need to walk around smelling like different scents all the time; instead, you can pick a few skincare or haircare products that have fragrance if you want. For example, you can choose a pleasantly scented soap for hair and body and then keep the rest of your skin and hair care neutral. Finally, what makes your soaps unique and why should someone choose them? The soaps are genuine – they are handmade on a small scale in Sweden using organic and natural raw materials, and the creation process involves great craftsmanship. They help your skin and scalp feel good, and you make a conscious choice for the environment. Original post written by Sara Mårtensson, founder of Lapland Eco Store, which has been part of Glimja since 2021.
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Make your own organic dry shampoo for all hair colors
It's easy to mix your own dry shampoo, and the best dry shampoo you can actually make yourself. You probably already have most of the ingredients at home, such as cocoa or essential oil. The basic idea of dry shampoo is that it should absorb oil and soak up the excess scalp oil (sebum) from the hair. You can also use dry shampoo to style your hair if it needs more volume, for example. The dry shampoo recipe we’re sharing today is easy to make and gives you an effective dry shampoo that works whether you have light or dark hair. Choose the recipe that best suits your hair color. DIY Recipe: Organic Dry Shampoo For light hair: 4 tablespoons arrowroot 5 drops essential oil (preferably lavender) Skip the essential oil if you want a fragrance-free option For dark hair: 2 tablespoons arrowroot 2 tablespoons raw cocoa powder 5 drops essential oil (preferably lavender) Skip the essential oil if you want a fragrance-free option How to do it: Drop about 5 drops of essential oil into a bowl with the arrowroot/cocoa powder mixture and stir with a spoon. Store your dry shampoo in a jar or shaker. How do I use dry shampoo? Using dry shampoo is just as easy as making it. Pour your homemade dry shampoo powder into a stainless steel or glass “shaker.” A shaker has holes in the lid, making it easy to sprinkle the dry shampoo directly onto your hair. Part your hair and dust the dry shampoo onto the areas where your hair is oily (avoid the scalp). Continue part by part until you’ve applied dry shampoo where needed. You can also apply the powder with a powder brush and a bowl, which gives you better control. Many people leave the dry shampoo in their hair, but you should brush it out with a wooden hairbrush or wooden comb. This prevents the dry shampoo from staying on the scalp and clogging the sebaceous glands. Brush out the dry shampoo over the sink, a trash bin, or outside. We recommend using dry shampoo only when your hair is extra oily, not every day. The oils in your hair are necessary and meant to care for your hair and scalp. Regularly removing the oil (sebum) is not good for your hair. So see your dry shampoo as an emergency solution for days when your hair is extra oily and you don’t have time to wash it. Common conventional dry shampoos can be expensive and often contain chemicals you don’t want in your hair. With a homemade dry shampoo, you save money while also protecting the environment and avoiding chemicals in your hair. Original post written by Sara Mårtensson, founder of Lapland Eco Store, which has been part of Glimja since 2021.
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26 natural uses for baking soda in the home
Did you know that baking soda can be used for everything from dental, hair, and body care to silver polishing and drain clearing? Did you also know that it is cheap, 100% biodegradable, and harmless to both people and the environment? Here we have gathered 26 different ways to use baking soda that make both ourselves and our homes cleaner and more fragrant – completely without harmful chemicals! What is baking soda? Baking soda is actually a short form of sodium bicarbonate, also called sodium hydrogen carbonate, with the chemical formula NaHCO3. INCI name: Sodium Bicarbonate. E number: E 500. Baking soda is a natural substance and breaks down quickly in nature without unwanted effects. Baking soda’s four superpowers It has the ability to absorb and neutralize odors. It can be used (together with acids) to clean all sorts of things. It has a mild disinfecting effect. It is natural and completely non-toxic for both people and nature. In short, baking soda can be used for non-toxic and eco-friendly cleaning, in various types of organic body care, as well as for odor neutralization and disinfecting all kinds of surfaces and spaces. In fact, baking soda is probably an ingredient in products you already use. Going straight to the source is an effective way to achieve similar effects at a much lower cost! NOTE: We are talking here about natural and pure baking soda. There are a couple of other types of baking soda sometimes confused with pure baking soda. For example, baking powder, which is a mixture of baking soda, some type of acid, and usually corn or potato starch. 26 ways to use baking soda! Here is our list of ways to use baking soda, divided into three categories. Body care Non-toxic cleaning Other tips We hope you find inspiration to use more baking soda in your daily life, saving money, the environment, and space at home! Baking soda in body care 1. Mouthwash Simple mouthwash that neutralizes odor and balances the mouth's pH. Mix 1 tsp baking soda, plus optionally a drop of peppermint oil, in a small glass of water. Rinse for a short while and then spit out. 2. Deodorant Baking soda absorbs and neutralizes unpleasant acids very effectively and works excellently as a deodorant. Mix, for example, with a little coconut oil and, if desired, an essential oil you like (and know your skin tolerates) to create a perfect deodorant cream. 3. Body Scrub Mix 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water. Gently scrub in a circular motion and then rinse clean. 4. Therapeutic Bath Dissolve 1-2 dl baking soda in bathwater for a neutralizing and healing bath. Preferably combined with magnesium salt for a complete relaxing spa experience. 5. Insect Bites Make a paste of water and baking soda and apply as an ointment to itchy areas. Incredibly effective against irritating insect bites. 6. Pamper Your Feet Soaking feet in a baking soda solution helps calm and soften tired feet. Mix 3 tablespoons baking soda in a warm foot bath and enjoy! 7. Baby Care Add two tablespoons of baking soda to your child’s bathwater to help soothe diaper rash. Baking Soda in Cleaning 8. Keep Brushes and Combs Clean Excellent for naturally removing oils and buildup on combs and hairbrushes. Just wash them in a solution of water and baking soda (about 1 tsp baking soda to 2 dl water). Rinse and let dry. 9. Cheap and Effective Bathroom and Kitchen Cleaner Sprinkle some baking soda in the bathtub, on sinks, or tiles, then wipe with a clean damp cloth. Rinse and dry. You can also make a paste by mixing water and baking soda and use with a brush or cloth. 10. Simple Floor Cleaner Mix 1 dl baking soda in a bucket of warm water to scrub floors clean. It doesn’t get any easier! 11. Natural Oven Cleaner Sprinkle baking soda over tough-to-clean surfaces in the oven or microwave. Spray with water over the powder. Let it sit overnight and scrub clean the next day. Rinse thoroughly and dry well. 12. Polish Silver Make a paste of 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water and use as a highly effective, eco-friendly silver polish. 13. Boost Your Detergent Adding 0.5 dl baking soda to your laundry helps soften the water, making clothes cleaner, fresher, and softer. Put it in the compartment with your detergent and enjoy the results! Also removes unwanted odors. 14. Remove Grease Stains Sprinkle baking soda on oil and grease stains – on clothes, furniture, and walls/floors. Let it sit for a while, then scrub with a wet brush. 15. Drain Cleaner Forget toxic chemicals. Use baking soda and vinegar to clear your drain. Sprinkle plenty of baking soda down the drain, pour in a few tablespoons of vinegar and some boiling water. Let it work for 15 minutes, then rinse away. Use a plunger if needed. 16. Toilet Cleaning Add a cup of baking soda to the toilet and leave it for an hour before flushing. It will clean the toilet and absorb odors. 17. Deodorize Cutting Boards You really want to make sure your cutting board is clean to avoid bacteria buildup and unwanted odors. Just sprinkle with baking soda, scrub, rinse. 18. Neutralize Odors in the Refrigerator Place an open container (cup, carton, or plastic jar) at the back of the fridge for an excellent way to absorb odors. Be sure to replace the baking soda at least every two months. Works the same way to keep the air fresh in your closet! 19. Neutralize Odors in Household Trash Just sprinkle a little baking soda at the bottom of the trash bin to keep bad odors away. 20. Remove Odors from Your Old Carpet Sprinkle baking soda on your carpet and let it sit overnight. Then vacuum it up and voilà, it smells like new again! Other Uses 21. Keep Flowers Fresh Longer Keep cut flowers fresh longer by adding a teaspoon of baking soda to the water in the vase. 22. Avoid Stomach Gas Dissolve a teaspoon of baking soda in the water when soaking beans to prevent gas and improve digestion. 23. Wash Vegetables and Fruit Mix a couple of tablespoons of baking soda with water in the sink. Wash your fruits and vegetables in the solution, then rinse with clean water. Much more effective against dirt, bacteria, and any pesticides than just water. 24. Keep Ants Away Mix equal parts baking soda and salt. Then sprinkle the mixture where you see ants entering the house. 25. Clean Your Gym Bag and Workout Shoes Just sprinkle a little baking soda in your shoes or bag to absorb unwanted odors. Just shake out (outside!) when you’re ready to use them again. 26. Clean the Windshield Wipers If your windshield wipers leave streaks, it might be time to clean them. Use baking soda and a damp cloth to scrub them clean and remove everything stuck on them. Baking soda for cleaning is a useful household product. Baking soda for cooking. Food-grade – approved food additive. Read more about tips related to baking soda: Housewife Tips for Summer Ailments Detox Your Home Guide to Non-Toxic Cleaning
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