Eco-Friendly Fashion

Oh dear - The Clorox Company recently purchased Burt's Bees. Hmmm...one makes bleach, the other makes natural bath & beauty products. Seems like an unholy alliance, but according to a message on the Burt's Bees web site, customers can count on them to continue making natural, earth-friendly and budget-friendly products.

We love Burt's Bees for their wholesome goodness and hope they don't change any ingredients - but just in case they do, we thought we'd review some of the Burt's Bees products currently in our medicine cabinet...

[1] Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Creme - Insanely moisturizing. The tiniest dab goes a looong way. So rich, we typically only use this during the winter months and to massage onto cuticles. Great for toes, too. Smells tasty. $7.99 at Drugstore.com
[2] Rosemary Mint Shampoo Bar - Boyfriend just started using these, and loves them - use it as shampoo and body wash! What man wouldn't love that? Smells divine, but then again, we're partial to mint (and our boyfriend's scent...mmm) $5.99 at Drugstore.com
[3] Hair Repair Shea & Grapefruit Deep Conditioner - This was a let down. Our hair can get rather dry and brittle between trims and this conditioner just didn't give it the thirst-quenching moisture it needed. Didn't last very long either as we'd need to use huge dollops of the stuff just to achieve mild conditioning. Smells good though. $7.99 at Drugstore.com
[4] Burt's Bees Coconut Foot Creme - Another uber moisturizing and nourishing creme - but apply sparingly because boy, does this stuff last! Perfect for dry heels and cuticles. We used this throughout the summer to help extend the length of our at-home pedis. $8.99 at Drugstore.com
[5] Burt's Bees Citrus & Ginger Root Body Wash - This body wash is peculiar in that it doesn't get a great lather, but we don't think tons of bubbles are necessary for a good clean, anyways. Smells different in a good way. Love the colors and packaging, which serves as an important pick-me-up during our morning shower. $7.99 at Drugstore.com

Do you have a sweet spot for Burt's Bees? Talk about it in the comments!

Dry cleaning is expensive, and let's face it, pretty inconvenient. Two good reasons why we, The Budget Babe, never utilized this service on more than one occasion (took a white dress to be cleaned, and it came back with yellow spots! Another reason why we were turned off to dry cleaning forever.)

Also, roughly a decade ago or so, we started hearing about how bad dry cleaning was for the environment. If you don't know how dry cleaning works, well, it's not dry and there's nothing clean about the process. Just watch the following video on How Dry Cleaning Works:


Phew, we thought. We're not just cheap and lazy for avoiding the dry cleaners. We're actually doing something good for Mother Nature!

As if the toxic chemical bath wasn't enough to dissuade people from getting their clothes dry cleaned, get this: On a recent episode of The Oprah Show, heart surgeon and health expert Dr. Mehmet Oz advised viewers to not only dispose of their dry cleaning bags before entering their home—he also recommended airing out the clothes for at least a day before wearing them again to ensure any remaining toxic residue could dissipate. Gross!

Now that's one angle we hadn't fully considered, but to think that there are toxins left on your clothes after they're dry cleaned is, in our opinion, yet another reason why washing your clothes at home is not only the BUDGET thing to do, it's the BEST thing to do.

Still can't live without dry cleaning? Why not? Got great tips and techniques for at-home cleaning? Share them in the comments!!

PlantLove Botanical Lipsticks by Cargo are a new collection of super-cool, eco-friendly lipsticks: They're free from petroleum-based ingredients, they come in tubes made entirely from corn, and you can grow beautiful wildflowers by planting the packaging that they're wrapped in! How can you not love a lipstick that does all that?

Click the pic for more details on PlantLove lipsticks >>
What's more, five celebs gave the green thumbs-up and collaborated with Cargo to create their own shade: Evangeline Lily, Lindsay Lohan, Maria Menounos, Mariska Hargitay, and Sarah Chalke.

Find a shade that's right for you, and pucker up for the planet!

Available for $20 each at Sephora.com or Amazon.com. Yeah, it's a little steep for a lipstick, however, they're easy on the environment and Cargo is donating two dollars from the sale of every shade to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Get a head-start on ski season...



...during Sierra Trading Post's massive warehouse clearance sale.

Save big on coats and boots, as well as end-of-season summer clearance items.

And that's not all: My bf scored the three pairs of Tsubos pictured below for just $120! You will easily pay that much for just one pair at a fancy boutique like City Soles (Don't believe me? Click the link!).

Other great bargains we spotted included an Anne Klein Luxury Pashmina Wrap for $49.95, Timbuk2 Metro Mini Messenger Bag for $29.95, and Born Maritime Shearling Boots for $99.95.

Shop the sale >>

Everything's coming up green these days, and what better way to show you care about the big ball o' dirt that we're spinning through space on than by sporting these eco-friendly tees from JCPenney?

We'd opt for the "Green is the New Black" slogan tee (shown on right) cuz it's the most fashion-minded, of course. Wear with a spiffy blazer, tight jeans and heels. Best part: $1 from each purchase will be contributed to the World Wildlife Fund. Yay for pandas 'n stuff!

On sale for $11.99 thru August 7th.

Dear Budget Babe,
The release of designer Anya Hindmarch's "I'm Not a Plastic Bag" bag has created quite a stir and all the cool kids are carrying them. Unfortunately, they've completely sold out in the states. Can you suggest some stylish alternatives? And is paper really better for the environment than plastic?

TBB: The answer to the "paper or plastic?" dilemma is: Neither. Both gobble up natural resources and cause significant pollution.

So while the message "I'm Not a Plastic Bag" may be somewhat misleading, it's still a reusable bag—and at the end of the day, reusable bags are best.

For the lucky few who scooped one up for $15 at Whole Foods, make sure you actually use it and don't toss it when the next fad comes along. And if you didn't snag one, do not distress (and please, do not buy one off eBay for $200): There are plenty of other affordable and fashionable eco-friendly shopping bags...scroll down for some wholesome options!



















[1] Fiesta Colors String Bags, $10 for one at Ecobags.com
[2] Basura Totes are made from recycled juice packs by a women's co-op in the Philippines. $23.95 at Reusablebags.com.
[3] World Shoppers Bag, $13.99 at Target.com
[4] grOceries Tote, $9.50 at boutique.oprah.com

We recently discovered that one of our favorite thrift stores has an online auction site: Shop Goodwill.

It's like a low-tech, low-budget version of Ebay that's clunkier and rougher around the edges—which is totally the experience you'd expect from Goodwill, so it works.

Their fashion offerings are worth checking out, especially for vintage, trendy and one-of-a-kind items. On any given day, you'll find about 2,000 listings in clothing, and more than 1,000 in jewelry & gemstones.

While most items have fewer photos than you'd find on Ebay, we noticed the prices were lower, which kinda balances it all out.

Revenue from auction sales go to support Goodwill's programs and services. Plus, buying second-hand is good for the planet—and that's always in style.