I call this my wizard pipe!! At the first sign of any immune response (a throat tickle etc.), I pop a couple of drops of essential oils (I use oils such as tea tree, rosemary, oregano, eucalyptus or frankincense) into my salt pipe inhaler and use it for 15 minutes a few times a day. In my experience, it helps immensely to aid my immune system and symptoms either can’t take hold or, if I don’t get to this soon enough, any symptoms disappear fast.

“Living Libations Salt Inhaler is a positively purifying device that cleanses and fortifies the breath and airways. It is a super-simple way to add some verve to your vents and some verdancy to your vibe.

Salt inhalers, also known as salt pipes, have been featured on the Dr. Oz show and named one of Alternative Wellbeing's 2010 Best New Products.”

When this first arrived, I must admit, I was a bit concerned I would look like a creepy rag doll with two round red dots on each cheek. I’m happy to report that I was pleasantly surprised. Not only does this balm nourish your skin, it’s filled with botanicals that encourage natural circulation to your cheeks, bringing a real rosy hue to light up your face.

It’s very easy to apply and blend. A little goes a long way.

Regular make-up can be filled with plastics, phthalates, petrochemicals and all manner of nasty ingredients.

I used to wear a full-face of make-up daily! I have since learned to revel in natural radiance most of the time but I do still love putting on some make-up from time to time.

With that said, it became important for me to seek out products that were clean if I was going to wear them on my skin.

I use this mascara in Dark Chocolate.

“Why bother with nasty synthetic preservatives or artificial colors when our healthy, pure and natural mascara is sure to satisfy your needs?

Our mascara helps lengthen and separate your lashes while coating them in healthy conditioners, for a result that will have everyone looking in your direction. If you’re after durability, then you can rest easy; our products ensure that you’re ready for anything life throws at you (while looking fabulous)!”

A roll-on applicator makes it easy to apply and re-apply. This beach balm is “made with a bevy of sun-loving botanicals and non-nanoparticle, uncoated zinc oxide.”

When we lived in the Middle East and Spain, I kept this on hand in my purse so we were ready to prolong our sun-soaked play time whenever and wherever!

I learned from reading Renegade Beauty that interacting with the sun “safely” is possible and necessary for wellness (Chapter 7 - Let the Sun Shine In).

This is a beautiful mix of sun-harmonizing botanicals that drench your skin. We use it as a daily body and face wash in the summer and it’s also great as an after-sun tonic.

“The action of sunshine in the outdoors on the body is of such a nature that sun-baths have a triple significance - as healing agent in the cure of disease, as a preventative to disease by building up body resistance, and as a sheer pleasure-giving tonic which increases the feeling of well-being” -Edgar Mayer, MD

I learned from reading Renegade Beauty that interacting with the sun “safely” is possible and necessary for wellness (Chapter 7 - Let the Sun Shine In).

When we want to extend our time in the sun, we use this sun cream with zinc oxide and sun-harmonizing botanicals.

“The action of sunshine in the outdoors on the body is of such a nature that sun-baths have a triple significance - as healing agent in the cure of disease, as a preventative to disease by building up body resistance, and as a sheer pleasure-giving tonic which increases the feeling of well-being” -Edgar Mayer, MD

When I first became more aware of health and wellness, most of the emphasis was on what I was putting IN my body. At a certain point, I woke up to the fact that what I put ON my body is also extremely important so little by little, as my old products ran out, I made the switches and never looked back.

In our house, we use this Shine On Seabuckthorn Shampoo & Conditioner from Living Libations. I used to wash my hair EVERY DAY but went through a weaning process a few years ago. These products brought my hair back into balance and now I only wash my hair once every 5-6 days.

The last thing I will mention about this product is that it lasts so long. A little goes a really long way and since I’ve been able to stretch out the time between washes, we buy two 240ml bottles of shampoo per year and I find I buy one bottle of conditioner per year.

No more six-step skincare regimes. This is all you need. Organic, wild-crafted, cruelty-free, raw, synthetic-free, gluten-free, food grade etc.

One step to Best Skin Ever.

I order two 110ml bottles in a year and use it daily so while visibly beneficial for the skin, Best Skin Ever is also great value.

Treat yourself to these organic hemp washcloths to complement your new routine!

This how-to guide will answer any questions you may have about usage. Suitable for the whole family and the whole body!

We each use these organic hemp wash cloths with our Best Skin Ever. They wash well - they exfoliate and cleanse our skin and are machine washable too!

Made of 100% organic, GOTS certified, breathable cotton change pad cover. Removable and machine washable. Fits 16” x 32” standard change pad.

We used cloth diapers for our baby. The process was a bit complicated given that our babe needed open heart surgery in his first year of life. So our cycle of using and washing cloth diapers was somewhat interrupted by hospital stays. We re-established use and then we traveled. We re-established use and then we moved house to a place where we had an ancient washing machine for the first while! Can you see how the process wasn’t smooth sailing for us?

However, I will say that when we did get to use them, I loved them. I felt good about keeping diapers out of landfill and about using natural fibres next to our babe’s skin.

I love this organic cotton adjustable cover with booster insert from Disana. Recommended to pair with merino wool diaper cover.

Nothing but the purest of the pure ingredients. Soothe and protect baby’s skin with this beautiful balm brimming with benevolent ingredients.

I think it’s quite widely known that Johnson & Johnson products contain cancer-causing ingredients. Whyyyyy?! The reality is that most (I’ll go as far as to say all) of the mainstream personal care products sold on store shelves are just a toxic cocktail of harmful chemicals.

The good news is that there are companies like Living Libations that offer clean, organic, raw, wildcrafted alternatives. Hurray for companies that actually care about the humans they serve and the planet we call home!

I gave this yummy Jai Baby Joy serum as a gift recently (along with the gorgeous Jai Baby Balm) and I felt good knowing that the new babe (and the family) would be nurtured with the purest of the pure. After all, there is nothing more delicious than a sweet smelling baby.

The organic cotton absorbs excess milk and helps to avoid visible leaks.

I liked to use one of the silk/merino wool pads closest to the breast and then layer a cotton one on top for extra leakage protection. That way, I was able to reap the benefits of having the healing properties of the silk next to my skin, the natural absorbency of the merino wool and then the extra protection from the cotton. This was especially helpful in the early days when everything was calibrating and my leakage was heaviest.

Another must for health-conscious post-partum mothers. With the natural healing properties of silk and the breathability and absorbency of merino wool, these nursing pads help the healing process, protect the nipples and aid in absorption of leakage. If you have heavy leakage, you can double up (wear two pads each side at a time). If you have minor leakage, you could likely make do with only buying two pairs total.

According to Disana,“Wool absorbs excess breast milk into its inner fibres ensuring that the skin remains dry between feeds. Untreated raw silk cools and soothes the irritation from breast feeding. The high content of silks anti-inflammatory properties offer natural healing of any redness.”

What are silver nursing cups??

“SILVERETTE ® are small cups crafted out of 925 sterling silver that fit over and help to protect nipples while breastfeeding. Silver is a natural antimicrobial, antifungal, and antibacterial metal that also contains anti-inflammatory agents. It heals and prevents cuts, wounds, cracks, soreness, and infections.

Since 2002, SILVERETTE ® cups have enjoyed a resounding and growing success with mothers, doctors, and obstetricians. They are the only and original nursing cups made in Italy by fully licensed silversmiths.

These cups are essential for anyone who wants to prevent or who is experiencing issues with sore, cracked nursing nipples. SILVERETTE ® cups are easy and comfortable to use – and no additional creams or lotions are necessary.”

Short answer: a nursing mother’s God-send. Gift them to yourself, your friends, your sisters. Their nipples will thank you.

Yoni is the Sanskrit word for female genitalia. I believe it literally translates as “sacred space”, which I love.

Living Libations makes some absolutely amazing yoni serums. One for priming the tissues for the passage of birth, one for soothing the tissues after birth and one I call the love lube…their Petal Passion Serum. While they are named for passion, priming and soothing, they can be used daily to tone and soothe the delicate tissues of the vulva.

Since learning more about the yoni in Renegade Beauty (why do we know so little about our own bodies?!), I am VERY discerning about what I use on my own. These libations are so clean. They are full to the brim with raw, organic, wildcrafted ingredients that actually work for us instead of against us. Yes!

I have both the passion serum and the soother serum and love them. If I was to be approaching birth again, I would definitely use the primer serum for perineal preparation. I did daily perineal massage to tone the tissues from 32 weeks onward before I gave birth before and I did not experience any tearing so I would definitely do it again and use the serum to prime and prep.

I menstruate. Period.

See what I did there?!

Never a fan of conventional pads or tampons (check out the dangers of tampons in this post), I tentatively made the switch to The Diva Cup over 12 years ago and NEVER. LOOKED. BACK.

It was SO NICE not to feel like I was wearing a diaper to bed. I have also saved so much money over the years.

Then, a few years ago, I read Renegade Beauty and the author, Nadine Artemis, mentioned Thinx. Period underwear! The only downside (at the time of writing/printing the book) was that they did not have options in organic cotton (yet). Happily, when I checked out their site, they had introduced some organic options. Hurray!

I ordered the Bikini and Brief styles in black and I’m happy to report that I love them. I use them on their own (these particular styles can handle moderate flow though they do have other options that can work on heavy days). I also use them as back-up on heavy flow days when I also use The Diva Cup.