You lug it everywhere you go. It sits patiently by your bedside while you slumber, charging up for the next day’s digital escapades. It keeps you occupied on long flights, and makes you giggle with elementary YouTube montages. It is the only thing you’d lie in front of a speeding car for.

It is your laptop. And the question is … What have you done for it lately?

Well, now … we can think of something.

The Steven is a new handmade line of thin laptop sleeves crafted by the Krochet Kids to empower women in Northern Uganda to rise above poverty. Each laptop case, made of organic cotton and locally-sourced yarn from Uganda and Kenya, is hand-knit, sewn, zippered and labeled by the Northern Uganda women. But the digital fortress doesn’t stop there – Half of the proceeds will also be donated to children’s education initiatives in the developing country.

Our only bicker? The cover is made from acrylic yarn, but using natural fibers would have actually made the design process more prohibitive and less green for the small initiative. Sometimes you just have to look at the big picture.

The Steven comes equipped in three styles and fits a 13” Macbook comfortably. Get your own for $49.95 at www.krochetkids.org.

Want to upcycle your own laptop bag? Click here for some cool ideas.

-Carly

You’re not invincible. That big, blinding light in the sky hurts to stare at for a reason. It’s a life-size tanning bed, honey, and you’re paying a lifetime unlimited membership. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S., with more than 3.5 million cases diagnosed annually. Take note: About 90-percent of non-melanoma skin cancers are associated with sun exposure.

Since your skin is the largest organ on your body, it’s probably smart to protect it. Bingo.

Here are a few of our favorite sunblocks that get the Environmental Working Group’s stamp of approval. Slather on, baby.

Keys Solar Rx Cosmetic Sunblock. With simple, 100-percent natural ingredients and no synthetics or chemicals, Keys Solar Rx continues to top Environmental Working Group’s list as one of the safest sunscreens on the market. Keys boasts a UVB (UV Burning) rating of SPF 30+ and great UVA (UV Aging) protection to shield your skin from the visible effects of aging. Uncoated zinc provides antibacterial and antimicrobial healing, and reduces rosacea, age spots and melasma. Reapply this baby on the face, neck and hands every two hours for the best coverage. The only downfall? The vegan and gluten-free formula isn’t waterproof. Stay out of that pool, beach bunny. 100 ml, $26.95.www.keys-soap.com.

Sun Putty. Another SPF 30 sunscreen that topped EWG’s coveted rundown of the safest sunscreens, Sun Putty is a 100-percent plant-based and biodegradable sunscreen. It protects your skin from the day’s rays with nourishing, active ingredients like avocado oil, andiroba oil, cupuacu oil, turmeric and mango butter. Sun Putty will soon cover all the bases with products like Sun Putty Woods, a DEET-free insect repellent-slash-sunscreen, Sun Putty Baby, Sun Putty Cold & Cloudy to protect your skin from drying and chapping and a soothing lip balm. Reapply every two to three hours for optimal protection. 1 ounce recyclable jar, $26; 2 ounce recyclable jar, $45;www.sunputty.com.  

DeVita Daily Solar Protective Moisturizer. Originally sent to market as a daily moisturizer, DeVita’s Daily Solar Protective Moisturizer with SPF30 is a gem for those prone to breakouts. It absorbs quickly and leaves your skin feeling smoother than a baby’s bum with UVA/UVB protection. DeVita contains no nano particles and uses all natural ingredients like organic aloe vera, grape seed extract and vitamin E. Apply generously in the morning and wear right under makeup. 1.7 ounce pump, $26.95. www.holisticbeauty.com.

Do-It-Yourself Sunscreen

Bestselling author and green lifestyle expert, Sophie Uliano, has whipped up a special recipe to protect your pretty face from the big, bad sun in her book, Do It Gorgeously.  Coconut and sesame oil ring a bell? It should. The dynamic duo have been used as natural sunscreens for ages.

Sesame Sunscreen

Makes: 2 ounces of butter
Application: Use half an hour before going in the sun
Storage: 2 ounces dark glass jar in the fridge
Shelf life: 6 months

What to Buy
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon shea butter
1/2 teaspoon aloe vera gel
2 teaspoons zinc oxide

How to Make It
Place the oils and shea butter in a small bowl set over a saucepan of boiling water. Heat until the shea butter has melted. Pour into a glass measuring cup and stir in the aloe vera gel and the zinc oxide. Pour into your jar.

Stop worshipping the sun, and bow down to your sunscreen.

For more information, visit www.ewg.org.

- Carly

It’s 5pm, the sun is setting and your skin is redder than the Bloody Mary in your hand. You’re wishing the handprints on your back were from the pool boy and not from sloppy sunscreen application.  Tomorrow is going to hurt like a bitch.

Sunburns are painful, itchy and no more attractive than Lindsay Lohan after Day Four at Cannes.  So, how does one turn into a hot, burning mess?  It’s simple.  Redness and soreness occurs when the capillaries in the epidermis are damaged and dilated from UV exposure, while the external layer of the skin gets thinner.  Repeat sunburns can lead to allergies, wrinkles and even skin cancer.  Ouch.

Put the Lotion in the Basket.  After a nasty sunburn, it’s mission-critical to avoid applying greasy or oily lotions, salves, ointments or butter because they will obstruct skin pores, block heat and pain within the epidermis.  Soaps that contain chemical compounds are also a big no-no.

At-Home Natural Remedies

Apply Aloe Vera.  Aloe vera, in its true form, is the most common home remedy against sunburns.  Apply the gel to the damaged area of the skin to help the epidermis recover faster.  The sterols in Aloe vera are anti-inflammatory and will prevent skin from swelling, while the mineral zinc will get your tissue regenerating faster.

Take a Bath.  Try taking a lukewarm bath with one cup of baking soda or apple vinegar to cool down your skin. Chamomile, lavender, eucalyptus, rose hip and buckthorn essential oils are also beneficial for inflamed skin and can be added to the bath.

Cut Some Veggies. Slice some raw vegetables and apply to the burned area to help soothe your skin: potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers and cold juice from lettuce leaves will help do the trick.

Comfort with Comfrey.  Juice or lotion extracted from the comfrey leaves can be applied right to the skin.  Comfrey is a natural compound that is an anti-inflammatory and aids in anti-aging and skin cell regeneration.

Looking for a ready-make product? Healing Tree All Natural Healing Cream’s all-natural formula blends the anti-microbial properties of tea tree oil with natural anti-inflammatories such as arnica, calendula and myrrh to provide fast, soothing and gentle healing relief that won’t sting or irritate sensitive skin. Helps reduce and prevent scarring.  $12.95,www.healingtreenaturals.com.


– Julie C.

Once upon a time, there lived two strapping young men named Blake and Scott.

Blake, a future serial entrepreneur, would start his journey with a track record that included launching a college laundry service and winning the $1 million pot on The Amazing Race. Meanwhile, Scott, a top nightclub and events promoter in the Big Apple, would drop his lavish lifestyle in pursuit of a spiritual awakening giving back to some of the world’s poorest nations.

With their hearts on their sleeves (ahem, shoes), both gents would grow up to do something much, much bigger.  Something that some say might make mama proud. Something that would change a generation.

Today, Blake Mycoskie – more commonly known as the founder and chief shoe giver of TOMS Shoes – lives the simple life on a sailboat as the brainchild of a do-gooder organization that donates one pair of shoes to an underprivileged child in a third-world country for every pair purchased. Scott Harrison has a new cause to live for as the founder and face of Charity:Water - a non-profit that gives 100-percent of donations to building cleaner water in developing countries.

In only a few years, TOMS has donated 600,000 pairs of shoes to children in 28 countries, some of which are owning a pair of shoes for the first time in their lives. Not to be outdone, Charity:Water has made clean water possible for more than 2,500 communities.

It was only a matter of time before the two masterminds made some shit happen as one.

TOMS Shoes and Charity:Water are making waves with two limited-edition TOMS shoes designs created for both the femme and her better half. Five dollars from each sale goes toward building a well in Sekura Village in northern Ethiopia that will provide clean water to its village for at least 20 years. In addition, TOMS is keeping its “One to One” word by donating a pair for every pair sold to a child in the village. 

The vegan friendly shoe is made from recycled materials and features a line map of Africa on ash canvas. It will cost you $58 with a percentage of the proceeds going to the completion of the well in Sekura, and a complimentary pair of shoes on the feet of a child who needs them. That’s if you can still get your hands on it – Word on the streets is the shoe has sold out. But, if you ask us here at Healthy Bitch Daily, that means a village has clean water. Amen.

Shoes and water may feel like basic needs to you, but for some, it’s a world of difference.

Put your foot down already.

For more info on status of the well and shoe availability, visithttp://www.charitywater.org/TOMS/. Visitwww.toms.com for a whole closet of slip-on options that will help get a child off on the right foot.

You really want to make a difference? Opt to give up birthday presents in lieu of asking family and friends to bring clean water to people in Ethiopia. More than 800 people have done so, with more than $1 million raised.

Our skin has a really hard time saying goodbye. Though it knows it’s worn its welcome, it likes to stick around just to piss off the new, vibrant skin. Solution? Exfoliate, woman!

As we age, it is vital that we exfoliate at least twice a week. Our newest contributor Sophie Uliano, author of New York Times Bestseller, Gorgeously Green and The Gorgeously Green Diet is up to plenty of good once again with Do It Gorgeously: Homemade and Organic Solutions for Every Woman’s Life. This time, Sophie has a few exfoliating scrubs up her sleeve … and they require just a few ingredients from the kitchen.

Scrub-a-dub dub, honey. You’re not getting any younger.

Gentle Facial Exfoliating Scrub

This is a very inexpensive scrub made from basic kitchen ingredients and a touch of lavender.

Yields: 16 ounces of scrub
Application: Use three times a week
Storage: Plastic or glass container; Store in a dark, cool place for best results
Shelf life: 6 months

What to Buy:
1 cup ground oatmeal
1/2 cup dry lavender flowers, stripped of stalks (optional)
1/2 cup powdered soy milk
2 teaspoons cornmeal
Filtered water

How to Use It:
When you are ready to use, combine 1 tablespoon of your scrub with enough filtered water to form a thick paste. Gently massage in circular motions over your face and neck. Rinse with warm water and pat your skin dry.

Look at that. You found your own little scrub of youth.

Click here to get Sophie’s newest book or visit her Web site at www.gorgeouslygreen.com. Check out HBD’s Beauty section every week for tips and recipes from Sophie’s collection of au naturel beauty regimens. 

Once upon the 80s, Kelly Kapowski was the coolest chick on the planet. Like, so totally cool. She had the hottest boyfriend in school, dance moves that could make Usher cry home to his mama, to-die-for neon scrunchies and the perfect coif. Which leads us to her Aqua Net obsession … definitely not her best work. Good thing clouding our lungs with fumes and toxic chemicals stayed in the decade. 

Now that we are big girls and so highly sophisticated, hard and sticky is no longer the best feeling in the world – Organic and alcohol-free is the way to spray.

While there are a few good water-based, alcohol-free hair sprays on the shelves that are healthier for the environment – like Honeybee Gardens Wheat Therapy Hair Spray - the downside is they can still contain nasty additives like parabens and dimethicone. The alternative? Make your own and avoid a hairy situation.  

Make-Your-Own Hairspray
If you’re looking for something truly natural with light hold, the Light Lemon and Orange Hairspray will do the trick. It’s easier to make than bread and butter and will last you for about a week. Pump it and tame that mane all day long, girl.

What You Will Need:

A spray bottle
2 lemons
2 oranges

Directions:

Cut the lemons and oranges into slices, and combine in a small pan. Add three cups of water. Boil on low heat for about 30 minutes, adding more water if necessary. Strain water and cool for 15 minutes. Place the liquid in the spray bottle and keep in the refrigerator.

Since there are no preservatives, spray will last for about a week. Keep some lemons and oranges on hand and you got yourself a refill.

If only Zach Morris could see you now.

 - Nicole L.

Global Hair Expert, Philanthropist and Eco-Blogger, Nicole Leal has enriched the careers of hairstylists all over the world. You can find her working at Celebrity hotspot salon Nine Zero One in West Hollywood or blogging away on Greenmeetsgirl.blogspot.com. Nicole’s biggest goal is making the world a beautiful place from the inside out and she has a Certificate of Recognition from California Senator Fran Pavley to prove it.

Those lips look like they need some sweet lovin’. A little lip service, per say. And every time you slather on that lip balm, you think you’re giving it to them. How cute are you?

Instead, every time you pucker up, you’re paying homage to the big bad manufacturers that pack their lip balms with ingredients that are meant to dry out your lips and create an addiction to reapplying.Why, you ask? Because the more you apply, the faster you run out, and the sooner you need to buy another balm. Bitches gotta make a living, right?Puuhlease.

That’s why Hurraw lip balm is saying pucker up, baby.  Offering a dozen flavors that make our mouths water, Hurraw lip balms rock our world because (1) They are made with all-natural, organic, raw and vegan fair trade ingredients (2) They come in an über cool design and sleek tube that makes them stand out in that Bermuda Triangle you like to call a purse, and (3) Every time you buy a balm, you support legal fair trade, organic farmers and suppliers around the world.

Hurraw tickles the everyday girl with nostalgic signature flavors that bring us right back to our love affair with Lip Smacker, including: coconut, grapefruit, mint, tinted cinnamon, vanilla bean, almond, licorice, lime, root beer, chocolate and lemon.

Not too sticky and not too glossy; not too smelly and not too sweet; not too draggy and not too grainy, Hurraw fits just right.

Take that, Goldilocks.

$3.79, Hurraw Lip Balm. Slather it on atwww.hurrawbalm.com

- Carly

Call us pansies, but we here at HBD can’t wait for the temperatures to rise. We’re not sure if we’re just tired of being mistaken for Casper the Ghost or we’re running out of clean pairs of leggings, but something’s got to give.

The one downside of warmer weather? Shaving. True, you still have to shave in the winter. But, everyday? No, sister, we have bigger concerns (like sleeping in for an extra 15 minutes).

But since shorts season is right around the corner, HBD has put together a few nifty tips on shaving in warmer temperatures so you can kiss that hairy situation goodbye. Who knows? Maybe you’ll finally figure out why your lesser-half hasn’t shagged you in three months. As if.

1. Do Not Shave Right When You Get In the Shower. Give your hair follicles some time to dilate under the warm water. Wait about three minutes so the blade cuts the hairs farther than the shaft. Smooth operator.

2. Exfoliate, Exfoliate, Exfoliate! Give your legs a quick rubdown with a loofah or exfoliating scrub. Dead skin cells can build up around your hair follicles, leaving your razor to work double-time shaving away skin rather than hair. Yuck. Give your razor the chance to go to town on the hairs and not your epidermis. (Yeah that’s your skin, honey)

3.Give ‘Em A Double Swipe. Some say that if you shave in the direction your hair grows you can prevent ingrown hairs. But, does that really give you a good shave? Nah. Shave your legs “with the grain” and then go over the area again in the opposite direction for a super clean shave.

4. Save Some Money, Use Conditioner.Unless your conditioner costs an arm and a leg, squeeze a dollop of conditioner in your palm and use on your legs. Let it sit for a few minutes, like you would in your hair, before you begin shaving to give your stems a mini spa treatment. If you have sensitive skin or use a conditioner that is specifically for color care, you might want to test on a patch of skin first.

BONUS: Make Your Own Shaving Cream

Lower your carbon footprint and quit buying chemical-infused shaving creams or those nasty aluminum bottles. Our friends at Planet Greenshow us how to make our own shaving cream.

What You Need:

1/2 teaspoon sunflower oil

1/4 cup unscented glycerin soap

Double broiler

A cup or mug

Directions: In your double boiler, melt chunks of the glycerin soap. Stir in the sunflower oil. Move the mixture into a mug as soon as all of the glycerin chunks are melted. The “cream” will set quickly. When you’re ready to shave, simply work water against the soap until a lather builds and apply.

The symptoms begin subtly. First, you snap. The salad you ordered came pre-dressed when you clearly asked for dressing on the side. You suddenly have the itch to pull every strand of blonde hair out of your waitress’ pretty little head. Then comes the groan. The groan of your belly saying, Man, is it that time of the month again already?

Nobody likes a visit from Auntie Flow. All you can think about is popping some Midol, throwing on your ‘painting’ sweatpants and concentrating on getting through your week without slapping your boyfriend for saying your best friend has beautiful eyes.

But before you jam just any applicator up your va-jay-jay, consider this:

What’s In Your Tampons? To our utter dismay, there are no federal regulations concerning listing ingredients in tampons. So, for those approximately 11,000 tampons you’ll use in your lifetime, you are actually slipping chlorine-bleached rayon or rayon-cotton blends into your body. And rayon, sweetheart, produces dioxins. Yep, that stuff is a toxic carcinogen. Not too pretty when you consider the vaginal area is one of the most absorptive parts of a woman’s body.

In fact, the USDA reports that US cotton farmers dump approximately 55 million pounds of pesticides into the cotton fields. Insert cancer, endometriosis, nerve system damage and immune system suppression here. This doesn’t mean you have to revert to cloth diapers, honey. But you should be careful next time you go to snag the first box of tampons at the grocery store.

Tampons That Are Kind To Your Body. Go for organic cotton tampons instead. Rayon-free tampons reduce the risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS), and the organic versions will decrease the risk of direct exposure from chemical pesticides and fertilizers used on traditional cotton.

HBD Recommendations

Seventh Generation Chlorine-Free Organic Tampons. Offering the same support, protection and comfort of traditional tampons, the leader in healthy home and lifestyle has earned their tampons the certified-organic stamp by Quality Assurance International (QAI). They are whitened without chemicals, contain no rayon, and easily fit into your purse unnoticed. 20 tampons, $5.99-$6.99.www.seventhgeneration.com

Natracare Certified Organic All-Cotton Tampons. Natracare covers the gamut with chemical, dioxin, and additive-free products for women and new mothers. Their organic and all-natural line of tampons are biodegradable, and come in an applicator or non-applicator option.20 tampons, $3.99-$7.49. www.natracare.com

Organic Essentials Organic 100-Percent Cotton Tampons. Yes, you can even support the local organic farmers when you’re surfing the crimson tide. Made from cotton grown on a small farm in the high plains of Texas, Organic Essentials’ tampons are 100-percent organic, non-GMO, with no synthetic chemicals, perfumes, pesticides, fungicides, herbicides or harmful bleaches. The box may look a bit outdated (think 70s hippie) but the goods inside are as new millennium as you can get. 16 tampons, $7.50.www.dwellsmart.com

You will have to trek to a nearby specialty drugstore, natural food store or upscale supermarket, but your special flower will thank you later.

Available at Whole Foods, Wild Oats Market and select Targets and CVS Pharmacies.

– Carly

You can’t help yourself. First it started happening at the drugstore, and now you’re sneaking away to friend’s bathrooms. Picking up beauty products like you have a PhD in chemical engineering, all in hopes of busting a loved one for paraben abuse. Well, if you weren’t already annoying, we have another bone for you to pick: phenoxyethanol.

Before you start overhauling your medicine cabinet for the eighth time, educate yourself on what phenoxyethanol is and why it deserves your undivided attention.

Define It. Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that is commonly taking the place of the beauty world’s antagonist, parabens. Phenoxyethanol is an aromatic ether alcohol. This ingredient starts out as phenol, a toxic white crystalline powder that is created from benzene (a known carcinogen), and is then treated with ethylene oxide (another known carcinogen) and an alkalai. Sounds dreamy, right?

Phenoxyethanol Nicknames

• Dowanol
• Arosol
• Emery 6705
• Phenoxetol
• Rose ether
• Phenoxyethyl alcohol
• Glycol monophenyl ether
• Beta-hydroxyethyl phenyl ether

Where It’s Used. Phenoxyethanol is used in many all-natural touting beauty products as “derived from grapefruits,” and has started replacing mercury/thimerosal in almost all vaccines.

Why We Need It. As soon as water is used in a product such as foundation or a facial cream, a preservative is needed to kill bacteria or prevent mold. Some companies rave about natural preservatives, which are questionable in the industry as to whether they actually “preserve” a product. Natural substances that show antimicrobial activity are either not adequate for broad spectrum protection or are not active against the most threatening microbes. Others, such as essential oils, require very high concentrations to be effective, while some boast nasty odors or colors that would be unacceptable in beauty products.

So, this is where phenoxyethanol steps in – a sometimes hidden ingredient and preservative. On the plus side, it’s non-irritating and formaldehyde-free. Experts and chemists alike claim it’s necessary to have these ingredients in our cosmetics to kill bacteria or else nothing could stay on the shelf. Others say it’s another bad ingredient that you should run from. Why?

Banned in Japan. Japan has restricted phenoxyethanol as an ingredient in all cosmetics. Most countries ban its use to only 1-percent concentration.

Bodily Harm. Several studies have shown toxicity of phenoxyethanol to cause damaging effects on the brain and nervous system, even at moderate concentration. Again, while it is thought to be from natural sources, some folks in the beauty biz buy the cheap, synthetic phenoxyethanol from China. All the danger signs refer to concentrated phenoxyethanol when swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through the skin.

The Lower the Better. Conventional chemists insist that phenoxyethanol is safe at lower doses. Keep in mind most “all-natural” products that contain phenoxyethanol, contain it in smaller doses. It’s typically one-half to 1-percent in our beauty products.

But hey, what’s a little here, a little there, and a little everyday? It’s up to you.

– Julie C.