Eco Showers & Shampoo Bars/ Duchas Eco y Barras de Shampoo

(This post is sponsored by Spring and Vine. All opinions are my 100% my own)

Did you know you can reduce your water and plastic waste, even while showering? YES! Here are four easy tips with Spring & Vine and I want to share with you today!

1)   Switch to bamboo reusables! Razors, brushes and even natural sponges.

2)   When waiting for the water to warm up, collect it in a bowl, bucket or pot and use it to water your plants at home.

3)   Limit your showers to 3-5 minutes and get out! Put your favorite song on loud speakers while showering and jump out as soon as it’s over.

4)   Ditch the ordinary plastic bottle shampoo for shampoo bars! A brand I recently discovered and have been loving is Spring & Vine. Their bars are made with clean and responsible ingredients such as essential oils instead of synthetic fragrances. They don’t contain any harmful chemicals such as sulfates, parabens, silicones, dyes, phthalates nor mineral oils. They are also vegan, cruelty-free and PETA certified, use 95% less plastic and 90% less water than traditional shampoos, and come in recyclable cardboard boxes. Another plus? You can find them online at Target ! My favorite scent is: Tea Tree & Mint! All I do is rub the bar on my wet hands, make it foam and apply it to my hair. I sometimes also simply rub the shampoo bar directly onto my hair. Easy, breezy. Up to you!

Give these a try and let us know your thoughts! Responsible and easy tips that will help you become a more conscious and sustainable human and consumer!

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(ESPAÑOL)

¿Sabías que puedes reducir el agua y los desechos plásticos, incluso mientras te duchas? ¡SI! ¡Aquí hay cuatro consejos fáciles que Spring & Vine y yo queremos compartirles hoy!

1) ¡Cambia a reusables de bambú! Rasuradoras, cepillos e incluso esponjas naturales.

2) Cuando esperes a que el agua se caliente, recógela en un bowl, balde o regadera y úsala para regar tus plantas en casa.

3) ¡Limita tus duchas a 3-5 minutos y sal! Pon tu canción favorita en parlantes mientras te duchas y sal de la ducha tan pronto como termine la canción.

4) ¡Olvídate del champú de botella de plástico tradicional y cambia a las barras de champú! Una marca que descubrí recientemente y me encanta es Spring & Vine. Sus barras están hechas con ingredientes limpios y responsables, como aceites esenciales en lugar de fragancias sintéticas. No contienen productos químicos dañinos como sulfatos, parabenos, siliconas, colorantes, ftalatos ni aceites minerales. También son veganos, libres de crueldad y son certificación por PETA, usan 95% menos plástico y 90% menos agua que los champús tradicionales, y vienen en cajas de cartón reciclables. Otra ventaja? ¡Puedes encontrarlos en Target! Mi aroma favorito es: Teatree y menta! Todo lo que hago es frotar la barra sobre mis manos mojadas, hacer espuma y aplicarla a mi cabello. A veces también simplemente froto la barra de champú directamente sobre mi pelo. Super fácil. ¡Todo depende de ti!

¡Pruébalos y dinos que piensas! ¡Consejos fáciles y responsables que te ayudarán a convertirte en un ser humano y consumidor más consciente y sostenible!

Sustainable toilet paper! / Papel higiénico ecológico!

Buying toilet paper is usually a nobrainer for us humans. We go to a store or browse online, find a brand we’ve heard of, pay, use, throw away, repeat. But what if I told you that even with the toilet paper you use at home, you could become a more sustainable and mindful consumer. Yes!! Aria has created toilet paper that is not only better quality and softer than recycled toilet paper, but also better for our environment! It is biodegradable and made from local and sustainably sourced trees that are within 100-mile radius from their mill using practices that are certified by Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®). Are you in love with the sound of this already? Wait, because there’s more! The energy they use is 100% renewable and generated by the bark and wood residues from pulping. This “biomass” helps Aria reduce their use of fossil fuels, and production of CO2 emissions. And the packaging, you may wonder? The packing is made with plantbased materials and is recyclable. Furthermore, they plant 3 trees for each one they use! How about that for a toilet paper with a mission?! You can order Aria on their site or on Amazon with discount code 15PROMOARIA.

Any of you use this planet-loving toilet paper already?

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(ESPAÑOL)

La compra de papel higiénico es generalmente una decisión sencilla para nosotros. Vamos a una tienda o navegamos online, encontramos una marca de la que hemos oído hablar, pagamos, la usamos, la botamos, repetimos el proceso. Pero qué pasa si les dijera que incluso con el papel higiénico que usamos en casa, podríamos convertirnos en consumidores más sostenibles y conscientes? Sí!! Aria ha creado papel higiénico que no es solamente de mejor calidad y más suave que el papel higiénico reciclado, sino que también es mejor para nuestro medio ambiente. Es biodegradable y está hecho de árboles locales que se encuentran dentro de un radio de 100 millas de la fábrica de Aria, y utilizando prácticas certificadas por Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®). Ya se enamoraron de como suena todo esto? Esperen, porque hay más! La energía que utilizan es 100% renovable y es generada por la corteza y los residuos de madera de la fabricación de la pulpa. Esta “biomasa” ayuda a Aria a reducir el uso de combustibles fósiles y su producción de CO2. Y el empaque, se preguntarán? Está hecho con materiales vegetales y es reciclable. Además, Aria siembra 3 árboles por cada uno que utilizan! Qué tal todo esto para un papel higiénico con una misión? Puede comprar Aria en su página web o en Amazon usando el código de descuento 15PROMOARIA.

Alguno de ustedes ya usa este papel higiénico en casa?

Sponsored by Aria.

My Story with Western Union. Live More. Share More.

Now, this is a video and project I'm very excited to share with you. It shows my story, day-to-day and thoughts on taking a risk and trusting the universe. I hope you guys enjoy it as much as we did while shooting it. The first episode will be on WU website on August 20, 2018! Stay tuned!

Love you!

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ESPAÑOL

Aquí les dejo el video y proyecto que hice con Western Union compartiendo mi historia, vida diaria y mis pensamientos sobre tomar riesgos y confiar en el universo. Este proyecto con WU me llena de amor y es mi linea directa a compartir todo con ustedes! El primer episodio estará en el website de WU Agosto 20, 2018! No se lo pierdan!

Los quiero!

Sponsored by Western Union.

Happy Earth Day! #GoGreen 101 Tips!

“What can I do?”. “Que puedo hacer yo?”. These are questions I get asked every day! "What can I do to fix, save and protect our planet?" "How can I, as a single individual, make a difference if millions of others are not doing it?" Well, I’m here to tell you (and show you) how easy, important, fun and beautiful it is to incorporate consciousness into your lifestyle. Four years ago, these words never crossed my mind! I used to order 3 to-go coffees per day to stay awake in the corporate world without thinking about the waste I was creating on a daily basis. Over 1000 cups per year to be exact! (Do the math). And don’t even get me started on my plastic bottle consumption! I lost count. I was one more human caught in my own world, not paying attention to anything going on outside of it, until the day I woke up and began looking at life with a different lens. I started reading more about sustainability, watched many films, and understood that every action I take can either continue to exploit our home or can help heal it. Easy steps and little shifts in routines and mindsets that CAN have a positive and healing impact on our planet. Think about these facts for a second:

  • We, globally, use and discard 1 million plastic bottles PER MINUTE. 91% of this is NOT recycled.
  • In the US only, we use and discard half a BILLION plastic straws per day! This is plastic that takes over 400 years to decompose. Plastic that always finds its way into our oceans; killing and poisoning sacred animals needed for our survival and to keep our oceans healthy. Why are our oceans so important? Simple. They absorb 93% of the CO2 emissions we produce, making our oceans our main protector against global warming.

Now, what can YOU do to protect your home? Our mother. Here are some simple steps  I apply on a daily basis, and so can you:

1) Carry a reusable water bottle and coffee mug and say no to plastic ones. The ones I use are in this photo. You can buy your entire "Go Green 101" kit here

2) Carry reusable utensils and a straw, and a cotton tote in your bag. 

3) Support sustainable fashion, and fabrics that are organic and biodegradable. Some brands you see here which I love are: 

  • Monkey Sunglasses: Biodegradable sunnies made of cotton fibers and recycled materials, supporting a non-profit that protects orangutans. The sunnies in this photo are by MonkeyGlasses.
  • Bohempia: They make comfy t-shirts and shoes from hemp. Hemp is a biodegradable, sustainable, and antibacterial natural material. The tees in this photo are by Bohempia. 
  • Miakoda NY: an ethical and fair-trade fashion brand using bamboo, soy and organic cotton fabrics. The bodysuit I'm wearing in this photo is by Miakoda.
  • To find more sustainable brands, click here.

4) Reuse and get creative! The jean jacket you see here, I’ve owned for over 7 years. Styled it and painted it myself instead of throwing it away. The skirt I’m wearing, is a tablecloth transformed into a skirt! I had unused tablecloths from Bali and India in my closet for over two years, so...I took them to my seamstress and asked her to give life to a skirt and a pair of pants from those unused fabrics! 

5) Suport zero-waste brands. One I adore is Hungry Harvest. They recover fruits and veggies that were rejected by big grocery stores based on their aesthetics, and deliver them to your door for a small fee. Reducing waste, creating jobs, helping farmers, and feeding people worldwide! Organic options available! Use code "waterthruskin" for discount.

6) Support eco-friendly hotels when you travel and offset your CO2 emissions by donating to Climate Care. This is what I do every time. They calculate your CO2 emissions per trip and tell you how much you need to donate to projects that are protecting and healing nature. 

7) Go vegan! I know. So hard! I used to love meat too! It's in my culture. I'm a latina who was raised eating meat and chicken on a daily basis. 7+ years ago I went pescatarian, later vegetarian and then vegan and never looked back. I've been vegan for 3+ years now and love it! As long as you make sure you are getting your daily dose of nutrients and vitamins from superfoods, alongside a healthy diet, you will thrive as a vegan while saving 1,100 gallons of water, 45 pounds of gran, 30 ft2 of forested land, 20 pounds of CO2 equivalent, and 1 animal's life EVERY SINGLE DAY!

8) Inspire others by example! Never forcing. Never criticizing. Never judging. Let your pure light and uplifting energy draw those around you to want to learn more about what you are doing differently. ;) 

Ready to make a difference? It's easier than you think! A non-profit I've partnered with is Sachamama. You can find a lot of information about sustainability on their website. They educate students and families about the importance of protecting mother nature and the devastating effects of global warming. Their site is both in Spanish AND English. Just hit the button on the top right corner to change the language.