The Power of Less in a Nutshell

Leo Babauta writes the popular blog ZenHabits which promotes simplifying your life to concentrate your time and efforts on what you want. This 170-page book is based on six principles:

1. Set limitations

2. Choose the essential.

3. Simplify.

4. Focus.

5. Create habits.

6. Start small.

Sounds simple hey? Well surprisingly enough I think most of us could do with going back to basics and digesting the practical advice here. So many of us while away hours online (whether on Facebook or religiously checking email). I must admit I was a little skeptical about how useful the principles would be- but it actually made a lot of sense.

Advice to Take on Board

The most useful things that I found in the book include:

The biggest strength of The Power of Less is that it is straight to the point and could be read in one evening. Most of the advice requires no extra tools – just organisation and being more mindful of the choices you make.

I do need to learn to say “no” to things to ensure my time is used more effectively. It is difficult as I have been involved in many exciting projects due to my enthusiasm in trying new things. I guess now I would consider the opportunity first (whether it fits into what I want) and then deciding whether to go for it.

In fact I’ve been inspired to empty out cupboards and question every single item I own. I have bags of things to take to the charity shop and it is liberating to know that I only have items that I actually need or love in my life.

Green Potential of The Power of Less

While many people think they are green due to using the right products, appliances and transport; it is actually deeper than that. The Power of Less questions what you are buying and why. So many of us have gadgets that we want rather than need, unwanted clutter and clothes that we are never going to wear. I think as well as helping to focus on your goals, this book will offer a different (calmer and more green) mindset.

It is refreshing to know that there is more to life than gathering more possessions, aspiring for a bigger house, better car etc. Treasure the precious things in your life – time, family or whatever your passion is.

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Why Try Retro Lush Okra Conditioner?

The conditioner is made from Okra mucilage (an Indian vegetable called ladies finger that tastes really gross). The conditioner also contains nettles, grapes, vinegar and rosemary oil and is a Lush describe Okra as a “very strong conditioner; use it to care for cruelly mistreated hair”. It appears to be a Retro version of Retread and is advised to repair damaged hair.

Okra Conditioner by Lush Cosmetics

Opening the flip top bottle reveals a sweet smell with a hint of herbs and lavender. It isn’t overpowering yet it’s not something I’d wear as a scent unlike American Cream. The consistency is similar to conventional conditioners and not too runny or thick; making it easy to use in the shower. After using it a handful of times I discovered that my hair only requires a small amount – the size of a £1 coin.

Okra conditions my hair so well and works great with Antiphilitron shampoo leaving it soft, glossy and wonderfully nourished. The main advantage I find of using Okra is that it handles humidity incredibly well. While my hair could turn into frizz at the mere danger of drizzle in the past, now it is hardly affected. This saves me being laughed at by my neighbours when running a few steps from my car to the front door with my umbrella!

Value of Okra Hair Conditioner

I have coarse curly hair that used to be dry and frizzy without any products. I have played around with many different products and have found that Okra makes my hair sleek and silky. I have been asked more than once if I’ve had my hair done after using this conditioner. Okra is one of the best conditioners I have used for my hair. It costs £12.00 for a 500g bottle or £4.50 for 100g so it is rather expensive. However a little goes a long way and a 100g bottle will last me approximately six months.

I find that hair is far more manageable and less coarse after using this conditioner. It may be a bit too rich for those with normal hair but is perfect for dry locks that need extra moisture.

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Why try Antiphilitron?

I am loving Recon at the moment and it is so relaxing to rub into my scalp but a bit of a nightmare in the morning to wash out. I read about Antiphilitron in the Lush Times and thought it would be a good idea to try it as it is supposed to eliminate oil and silicone from hair. For those who don’t know Antiphilitron was discontinued in 2003 to make way for the tropical I Love Juicy Shampoo. I suppose some find this shampoo too lemony and so it was relegated to the Retro line (but at least it is available!). Antiphilitron is jam-packed with lemon is to deeply cleanse oily (or hair product coated) hair. Lemon’s antiseptic properties also resolve bacteria related scalp problems though anyone with dry hair must use this very sparingly as it may may hair puffy.

The Antiphilitron Shampoo

On opening the bottle I am greeted by a smell not unlike lemonade. It is a fairly runny shampoo and is very similar to Slammer in consistency. Now as I usually use solid shampoos I found it lathers up less easily in comparison. What amazed me was that you instantly feel your hair go silky soft even when it is wet. In fact I actually got worried I hadn’t washed the Recon out and lathered up again (despite the label saying you should only lather once). Here is what Lush say about it:

“To appreciate how marvellous lemons are for the hair and skin, some of us still need a little re-education. Not only is lemon juice deeply cleansing, it also makes the hairs surface cells lie flat so that they reflect more light result: shiny hair! We make Antiphilitron with fresh organic lemons plus lemon essential oil to get rid of grease, oil, dirt, chlorine and general purpose muck and to give your hair a bright shine too. (Sorry, Grandma! You were right after all.)”

Value of Antiphilitron Shampoo

Antiphilitron costs £3.95 for 100g which is an excellent price for something that you may not use every time you wash your hair. It is ideal as a weekly detox for your hair. My hair feels noticeably lighter with a single use and is has less frizz and more shine. I would highly recommend this shampoo if you use silicone hair products, suffer from product build up, limp or greasy hair. It really does work and I adore the fresh zesty smell.

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Glorious Mud Bar

The texture is incredibly crumbly and it is likely to make a fair amount of mess when trying to break it into two for better value. In fact it is surprisingly boring looking for a Lush product, with no glitter or sweets to tempt the young. In fact it resembles a block of soil. A sniff reveals that it does indeed smell like Crème Anglaise (a pleasant vanilla orange scent).

The lush description of this product is: “Rub our dynamic, fizzy cube of rhassoul mud all over your body to cover and cleanse. The aloe vera extract is soothing, and the mix of sesame and vanilla will moisturise.” It does sound very soothing and appeared to be the perfect choice for skin attacked by mosquitoes.

How to Use Glorious Mud

It is advisable to turn off any shower jets, and only use an overhead showerhead at a slightly lower speed (if possible). This will minimise the mess as the mud will not end up everywhere. Using the product is pretty simple; just massage it all over using while it fizzes away while cleansing the skin. Let the bar immerse in water and be prepared for the oddest sensation as it fizzes and almost forms a paste. With a slight gritty feel it seems to provide a light exfoliating effect, and it doesn’t fizz away too quickly so there is time to spread the mud all over skin. It is strangely fun to apply it and look dirtier than when entering the shower, and swamp thing is a fairly accurate description!

It is best to let the mud absorb into skin for around ten minutes and then wash it off. The major plus point is that Glorious Mud dissolves to a fine powder easily and washes down the drain with little effort. It is nowhere near as messy as Cacas.

Results on Skin After Use

As this contains Rhassoul Mud (high in magnesium, iron, sodium, potassium,silica and calcium) and is anti-microbial it is ideal for detoxifying problem skin. The mud draws out impurities and toxins in the skin while also getting rid of dirt, oil and dead skin cells. This is all done while gently moisturising the skin and skin is left a lot smoother without dryness or flakes.

Sesame oil is highly rated in Ayurveda and hydrates the skin, leaving it nice and soft (and apparently balances Vata dosha). Aloe Vera is a fabulous moisturiser and soothes sore skin. After patting dry, skin is nice and soft. The vanilla scent is quite subtle and later had a hint of coconut, it did last for a couple of hours.

Value

For £3.95 this is a pampering treat rather than a daily staple product. It is far cheaper than going to a spa and surprisingly effective. However it didn’t make my skin feel as amazing as Sugar Babe (despite the muddy novelty factor). I would recommend Glorious Mud to anyone who likes the scent of Crème Anglaise, likes a softer approach to exfoliating and wants to gently detoxify skin. I just prefer a more hardcore approach to body scrubs!

The Sell

Ice Blue has been around quite a while I believe, but I took a long time getting round to testing it as it didn’t entice me until the hot summer began. Lush describe Ice Blue as “the intense and tingly peppermint soap.” They also claim “Peppermint has this amazing quality of making you feel cool when you’re hot and warm when you’re cold.” Now this sounds rather refreshing so I am keen to test it to see if it is true.

The Soap

Those of you who have been to Lush will know that all the store’s soap are huge round slabs which you can have cut down to the size and weight you desire or you can chose one of the pre cut slices on top of the slab which are covered in paper with a label stating the weight and price. Ice Blue always appeared to be more of a male product and it often pops up in the male Lush gift sets.

It will not shock you when I say the soap is blue in colour- and what a pretty vibrant blue with a purplish tinge! My piece must have been cut from the edge of the block because it has a white almost marbled pattern (which gives it a cool icy appearance). I’m not sure if this is intentional but it looks nice. The soap is solid for a Lush soap, and not as melty as Honey I Washed the Kids.

The Results
The fragrance is definitely unisex, with no floral scents to put off men. The soap contains coarse sea salt, sweet wild orange oil, bergamot oil and peppermint oil. I mostly smell the peppermint and oddly a hint of menthol but now I realise it must be the citrus hint that tricked my nose. I do find the scent pleasant despite the fact I would never choose it as a fragrance. Like many Lush products it isn’t so much about how it smells but about how well it works.

The interesting thing about the soap is that it hardly lathers up at all. This doesn’t bother me but it may be an issue with others who like plenty of suds. I particularly recommend Ice Blue for pampering your feet when they are feeling hot, sweaty and swollen- the peppermint is extremely revitalising.

Value

Ice Blue soap is available for £2.65 per 100g. I think it is worth every penny as it has helped to deal with the heat. I really look forward to discovering whether the soap works in the cold weather to warm the skin as Lush claim. Overall I would recommend it as a summer staple and I will be taking it with me when I go on my travels to warmer pastures…

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The Heavanilli Massage Bar

Lush describe the bar as a “deliciously fragrant bar” that easily melts onto the skin and is a “sweetly sensual, tactile experience”. The scent is of jasmine, vanilla and tonka – Lush’s new Vanillary scent and yet I have found all products in the range smell slightly different. Heavanilli is arguably the most sickly sweet smelling one out of the range, with the lotion having a citrus edge and the bath ballistic has more of a toffee scent.

The massage bar is a pale cream colour and has a pink coloured Lush banner on it that can stain clothes and may also put off male users. I would cut the pink part off if this is an issue, but it is easy to be mindful of what you’re doing to avoid any staining.The bar is vegan and contains cocoa butter, shea butter and extra virgin coconut oil to provide a deep moisturising treatment. The resulting scent of these combined oils is rather sweet and will be a favourite among women who favour “pink” scents.

One issue I had was that my massage bar had been packed with the lovely but rather strong smelling Sexy Peel soap. This resulted in a bar that smelt almost exactly like Sexy Peel- a citrus scent with a slight undertone of vanilla!

How to Use

Heavanilli is possibly the most easily melted bar I have ever used. It is a dream to use when short on time as it is quickly absorbed by my skin.  The best way to use it is to hold it in your hands for a few seconds and then rub the  bar directly onto skin. Once it feels like enough of the skin is coated, massage and smooth into skin with your hands. Skin isn’t left greasy like with some of the other massage bars that Lush do.

Results

I am impressed with the results of this massage bar- it works very fast and I love that skin is left moisturised without feeling greasy. It is a good buy in the summer and particularly good on knees and elbows. I find using the pink part as a lip balm is a good way of using it up (and avoiding staining my favoured white summer clothes). The scent of Heavanilli is actually too sweet for me sometimes and I am unsure if it is me. If this bar had the scent of Sugar Babe I would have stock piled it already!

Value

Heavanilli is £5.10 for a 55g bar and is pretty expensive for something that will be used up pretty swiftly. I suspect my The Soft Touch hand butter will last longer. I would recommend it to anyone who likes sweet scents but personally I think I am still on the hunt for a bar that has a scent that has a fragrance that I adore. The scent of this is too much for me.

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Faith in Nature

Faith in Nature was launched more than thirty years ago by Rivka with an aim to produce products from natural sources which are kind to the environment and the user too. Faith in Nature do not conduct animal testing and are on the BUAV list (Leaping Bunny Standard).

As a brand Faith in Nature put a lot of emphasis on the fact that all their products are vegetarian and most are vegan. They do not use genetically modified ingredients, synthetic colouring, SLES, SLS and parabens. They claim to have honesty at the heart of their brand and list all their ingredients (though this requires clicking on a further tab which not everyone will do).

The Deodorant

It is understandable why a consumer would trust this brand and buy a deodorant without worrying about safety issues- especially when it is clearly labelled as a “pure natural rock crystal” and that it contains no aluminium chlorohydrates. Faith in Nature describe their solid crystal deodorant as eliminating odour-causing bacteria and “allows perspiration without body odour”. The deodorant is vegan and has the Vegan Society logo, and controversially (in my opinion) doesn’t say on the website that it is made from pure ammonium alum. Interestingly it is marketed as a natural product free from toxins.

The unscented deodorant on first sight looks just like a normal roll on deodorant, though on closer inspection through the clear lid you see the crystal rather than more plastic. This is often the point that you discover the deodorant contains 100% ammonium alum if you purchased online as it isn’t mentioned at many of the popular sites that sell it. I myself didn’t wasn’t aware I was buying a product containing ammonium alum as I just read pure natural crystal and bought the deodorant in good faith (oh the irony!).

Using the deodorant is simple and easiest after a shower or bath. Dampen the crystal and apply it under arms to wet skin. Rinse the crystal after use and do not use on broken or damaged skin as it is likely to cause irritation. It may be an idea to wait a couple of minutes before wearing dark clothing to avoid staining. I don’t really sweat much at all, and don’t get any noticeable odour so I may not be the best person to test this deodorant. I found that applying the alum in the morning left my underarms free of sweat even after wearing a polyester shirt all day (the things I do to test products!). A good sniff revealed no odour either, so it does work!

What is Ammonium Alum?

I was not aware until recently but ammonium alum has had a lot of controversy. Ammonium alum stands for “ammonium aluminium sulfate” and is a white crystalline double sulfate (formula (NH4)Al(SO4)2·12H2O for any geeks in the know). The dodecahydrate occurs naturally as the mineral tschermigite and I suspect that is why some brands claim alum is natural. There is no real record of the potential toxic effects of the substance though it has been claimed that the Egyptians used the coagulant alum as early as 1500 B.C. to reduce the visible cloudiness in the water. It has been used in India to purify the water though personally that says nothing in terms of safety. If you’ve ever had the tap water in India then you will know what I mean!

Faith in Nature’s Stand on Ammonium Alum

After contacting Faith in Nature about their reasons for using alum I was delighted to get a reply, yet I was concerned at the quality of response:

“Our ammonium alum is a nature identical form of the natural mineral rock, We understand that it has a very good safety performance. Whilst it is not natural as such, but is a man made product. There is no waste material that goes into the crystal and all .the ingredients are of top quality, made under Good manufacturing practise.”

Eeek well spelling and grammar aside not only have they sidestepped my concern in relation to safety by claiming it “has a very good safety performance” but they also admit that it is NOT a natural product! This makes me question their personal ethics in claiming that they provide products that are both natural and completely safe for consumers.

Deodorants vs Antiperspirants

Antiperspirants are supposed to work by both constricting and blocking your sweat glands. The aluminum used in antiperspirants (not deodorants) are absorbed into your body and broken down, releasing the aluminum. The aluminum in deodorants (usually potassium or ammonium alum) lies on the skin in a thin layer and makes it alkaline stopping bacteria from growing and creating bad odours. It is likely that limited exposure to alum will not cause harm yet I wonder is it really worth the risk?

In the United States the FDA has required a new label on antiperspirants saying that people with impaired renal function (who have trouble shedding environmental toxins) and children should not use these products. Many in the industry are complaining due to lack of scientific evidence, but someone at the FDA seems to believe in “prudent avoidance”!

Is Ammonium Alum Safe?

Ammonium alum is still a form of aluminium though some claim the molecule is too large to be absorbed by the skin. A 1998 study found the use of aluminium-based antiperspirants has been linked with the accumulation of aluminium in the body which increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Later research has linked breast cancer with aluminium-based antiperspirants though a 2008 study claims that no scientific evidence supports the theory that deodorants or antiperspirants increase the incidence of breast cancer. In a nut shell the whole issue is in dispute among the medical and scientific fields.

“Although these are sold as deodorants rather than anti-perspirants – the ammonium alum is supposed to control the growth of bacteria rather than block the pores – “aluminium found in breast tissue is as likely to come from these aluminium-based natural products as it is from conventional anti-perspirants.”

Well I think that is the proverbial nail on the coffin, I’ll not be using this product again!

Value

The Faith in Nature deodorant gives twenty four hour protection and a little goes a long way. Costing £3.45 from the website directly (not including postage) it is a little expensive given that it has a twelve month shelf life. Compared with an aluminium free solid deodorant from Lush that lasts for a lot longer this offers mediocre value at best. Due to the potential risks of using ammonium alum I would not recommend this product and would urge anyone to take a good look at what ingredients are in their deodorant to avoid aluminium altogether. Some of the alum information here is discussed in Is Ammonium Alum Dangerous?

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Grass- The Shower Gel

Lush describe Grass as being ”made with our new Ninja fragrance, antioxidant wheatgrass juice, and citrus oils to bring sunshine to your days again. Lather up and inhale the deep scent of freshly mown lawns.“  Hmmmm well I don’t particularly have a love or hate for the scent of Grass but I am rather intrigued.

Grass is a beautiful bright green colour (though the translucency lends it a somewhat slime appearance). It comes in a clear bottle with a flip top lid and standard black Lush label. My first sniff detects a smell exactly like grass, no lovely essential oils – just pure grass.

Product in Action

In the shower I put a rather large blob onto my shower puff and was delighted to see a decent lather and was pleased with a satisfying amount of lather making it much better value than you would think looking at the bottle.  Even in the shower the gel smells exactly like freshly cut grass. I could vaguely detect the bergamot but I was pleasantly surprised at the neroli that brightened my mood quickly.

Grass cleansed my skin well and left it soft, and the overall smell is invigorating and rather uplifting. I left my shower feeling like I’d spent the day lying on grass watching the clouds go by. My cynical side wonders if I would actually use this once the novelty wears off. My preference for morning showers are citrus based scents, and after a hard day something soothing and calming like The Olive Branch. And there is no way I would use to revitalise myself after a sticky day of gardening.

Value for Money

Grass comes in three sizes, 100g (£4.45), 250g (£8.75) and 500g (£15.95) and is one of the pricier shower gels in the Lush range. Although Lush shower gels do last a long time I am too in love with Sugar Babe to get this in the future. One bonus of Grass is that the scent is unisex so the bottle could be shared with your partner/family.

Sugar Babe – The Scrub

Sugar babe is an exfoliant and rather easy to overlook in the store as it is just a dome shaped mound of sugar- no colour or sparkles. Lush promote the solid benefit of this product- solid as in not liquid and therefore they can be sold without packaging or naked in Lush speak. Sugar Babe contains sodium bicarbonate, cream of tartar, coconut oil and a delightful ylang ylang and mimosa fragrance.

On opening the trademark yellow Lush bag the first thing that hits you is the lovely subtle floral scent of mimosa blossom. I can’t explain to you how fantastically sophisticated and beautiful this fragrance is to me. The scrub is surprising hard and it appears to be impossible to simply break it in half to take in the shower.

How to Use Sugar Babe

Using the scrub is tricky – ensure that you keep it away from water as it will quickly disintegrate. Instead get in the shower and wet the scrub in your hand and rub everywhere making sure you massage it into skin everywhere It helps if you move away slightly from the water while doing this. The scrub quickly melts away so make sure it scrubs your skin before the grains disappear in the water.

The first time I used Sugar Babe I pretty much used it like a soap rubbing the rounded side into skin. When I saw it was quickly melting in the shower I lobbed half of it into the sink. This worked out pretty good and I will continue to use this technique.

Results on Skin After Use

My skin was left feeling absolutely amazing after using half of this scrub, the combination of oils and sugar is perfect and I doubt I could mix up a concoction in my kitchen that does what Sugar Babe does. My skin felt soft, not at all sticky or dry like it can do after using strong exfoliators, and the smell stayed on my skin for hours (which delighted me).

Value

A Sugar Babe scrub will set you back £2.60, which is a tad pricey if you only get one or two uses out of it. I think it is totally worth it, and would love to be able to use half everyday but that is a ridiculous luxury. It is more special as a weekly treat. I have heard that people break the scrub up for more uses but I would prefer two amazing showers than four okay ones. The fact that you can skip moisturing after uses this makes it even more appealing to me. In short I would highly recommend this scrub and would love it if Lush created a fragrance range in this scent (like Vanillary or Karma).

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The Facial Scrub

Ocean Salt comes in the signature recycled plastic black tubs and contains moisturising avocado, organic coconut butters and calming violet leaf absolute. Use it daily on oily skin and drier skins can use it once a week. With British weather going from one extreme to another my skin needs a scrub that can both balance out extra oil and gently treat any dryness.

On opening the tub you are treated to a lovely zingy fragrance from the grapefruit, lime and coconut, and it is not unlike a fresh tropical cocktail. The scrub looks like a random mixture of white rock salt and blue colour sprinkled over the top.

The texture of the scrub looks pretty chunky with noticeable large sea salt crystals on the top of the scrub. It is advisable to stir the scrub so that the salt is not too scratchy on the face.

How to Use

To use the facial scrub: dampen your face with warm water and then take a small blob (about the size of three peas) of Ocean Salt and rub gently into fingertips then massage your face using a circular motion. Go gently with the scrub as the sea salt chunks can hurt if you are to heavy handed. Finally rinse face thoroughly with warm, clean water. Gently blot skin dry with a towel. The prime benefit of using Ocean Salt over Dark Angels is that it is far less messier, and I confess I do sometimes lick my lips to taste this yummy concoction and it is as good as it smells!

The Results

After the first time using Ocean Salt the skin around my mouth (where I have dry patches) burned a little. Close inspection of my skin showed no redness or flakiness. The good thing about this facial scrub is that it gently unblocks pores, removes dead skin cells and doesn’t leave skin feeling greasy or overly dry. 
Ocean Salt is one of my favourite summer products, it smells divine, and leaves skin soft and fresh.

It does surprise me that the citrus doesn’t aggravate skin and as long as the scrub is used carefully according to skin type it is unlikely to irritate skin. Even people with mild eczema and acne have positive experiences with Ocean Salt. Ocean Salt is suitable for the whole body and the larger crystals are more suited for this so I tend to save them for scrubbing my legs, knees and elbows. A lovely rich treat for the body is a mixture of Ocean Salt and Lemony Flutter that forumites lovingly refer to as Oceany Flutter.

Value

Lush Ocean Salt comes in two different sizes- 120g for £6.10 or 250g for £11.20 which may on first sight appear rather pricey for what it is and I suspect some will say it is easy to make a similar concoction for a lot less. I get the 120g tub in spring so it lasts me until the next summer. Which isn’t really too bad as a little of the scrub goes a long way and it usually lasts right until the expiry date. In terms of results this is the best scrub I’ve used whether judging results, scent, longevity or versatility. Definitely a summer must have!

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