Eco Store Product Review and Giveaway

A few weeks ago, I got a wonderful email from a lady named Megan asking me to do a review for Eco Store products. They're branching out to the United States after making products in New Zealand for 20 years. Eco Store makes plant based, non-toxic Household Cleaning,Baby and Personal Care products that have 'No Nasty* Chemicals'. The asterisk made me go, "Hmmm, wonder what the asterisk means." But that mystery flew out of my head as I headed over to both the Eco Store US website and the Eco Store NZ website to check them out and see if I'd be interested. I chose to sample some of the shampoo and conditioner, emailed Megan back and went back to my day-to-day existence.

So, this Monday morning as I'm doing dishes, I'm a little surprised to see FedEx roll into my driveway. Cause, ya know, with the weekend house-wreck along with Giselle once again melting my mind into a puddle, I had forgotten that Megan was sending products for me to try out.





The first thing I noticed when I opened the box was the glorious lemon smell that perked up my whole kitchen. I couldn't have made it smell better in there if I'd made homemade lemonade (which I totally don't do. ever.). I was a little disappointed that the soap that smelled so fantastic was not for me, but for the giveaway... So it goes without saying that I was absolutely chomping at the bit to try out the Aloe Shampoo and Conditioner that I'd be reviewing. And I wanted to give it a full workout/tryout so I finished my housework in double time to work up some serious need of a great shampoo...

The second thing I noticed; when I finished said housework and inspected the containers, was that there were expiration dates on the products! I've never had an expiration date on my shampoo and conditioner before ~ and I used to work in a beauty supply store, I've used manyManyMANY professional-expensive-up line products. That alone made me think, 'all natural'.

With my products in hand, I finally was able to find out what 'No Nasty* Chemicals' meant. The whole asterisk mystery had re-emerged in my mind, and the answer was all laid out for me on the back of the Eco Store products. * NO toxic petro chemicals. * NO animal fats or tallow. * NO synthetic dyes. * NO sodium lauryl sulphate. * NO propylene glycol. This is the answer for the Lemongrass Soap. But on the Aloe Vera Shampoo and Conditioner there are more No's... * NO DEA. * NO sodium or amonium sulfates. * NO parabens. * NO artificial perfumes. * NO cocamidecocomidopropyl betaine. And you know I took that off the bottles cause I have no idea what some of that stuff is, never mind how to spell it!

What was universal about the listings on the products were No Animal Testing and GE Free and 2002 Green Ribbon Award from the NZ Ministry for the Environment. So now I'm thinking that they should send Al Gore a box of this stuff, cause he'd love it. And I was about to find out if I did too.

So I hop into the shower and put my Asterisk NO, New Zealand made, expiration date having Eco Store products to the test. The shampoo smelled fantastic. Fresh and slightly sweet, but not like I'd been beaten about the face by a florist. Ladies, your man will not complain about smelling girly if he uses this shampoo (if you let him!). One lather and I was clean from scalp to ends despite my vigorous housecleaning. Normally after a housewife-workout like that, I'd need to double wash. So things were looking great for the shampoo.

Then I tried the conditioner. Again with the fresh natural, yet non-girly-frou-frou smell. And then I go to apply it, and it doesn't feel quite right. It didn't' seem to cover my hair like I was used to, so I used more, and covered my whole head. I need to explain this part, cause normally, I do NOT use conditioner on my bangs. If I do, I tend to look greasy within 24 hours, but this was a product review, and I wanted to try it out all the way. I left it on about two minutes (label says 1-3 mins) and rinsed. As I'm rinsing, my hair felt (to me) waxy, and I'm starting to get worried that I'm gonna have one hell of a comb-out and how am I going to write a bad review, cause this is my first one and I don't know the protocol for a bad review. I finish my shower and step out with a heavy heart.

Until the comb out ~ OMG it was the smoothest comb out EVER. People, again with the beauty supply house, I have spent over $40 for an 8 oz bottle of conditioner before, and I have NEVER had a comb-out this easy. And when my hair had dried, it was super soft and very shiny. Awesome! Next time around, I reduced my conditioner amount, and still got fantastic results. Turns out, what I thought was 'waxy' is actually what hair really feels like when it's not coated in chemical crap.

Then, Just For You, my dear readers, I went all scientific. I wanted to see just how long it would take for my hair to look like I needed to wash it. ~ A brief diversion here, God Bless Hubby for still letting me sleep in the bed and continuing to sit next to me during this testing! ~ Well, y'all I can't give you a full answer to my scientific question. After 62 hours, I could stand myself No More and HAD to end the experiment with a longLongLONG super-scrub shower. But, my hair still didn't look bad, (honestly, if I didn't reek, I could have gone grocery shopping without tripping on my hair looking unwashed-nasty) and it only took one lather to come completely clean yet again.

I am in love with Eco Store products! The US website is new, but the NZ website has been around for a while so check them both out... and seriously y'all I'm never going back to store-brand shampoo and conditioner again. This way, I know my hair will look fantastic even if the well pump goes out and I can't wash it for a couple of days.

And now, y'all, I have an absolutely amazing-smelling Lemongrass Soap from Eco Store to give away for one of you luckyLuckyLUCKY readers... It's sitting in front of the shampoo and conditioner in the picture above. You will also win a featured link on Aria'z Ink as either a button or text link (winner's choice) from Monday, March 2nd to Friday, March 13th 2009.

Contest rules and such are: ALL comments MUST contain contact email information in case it is chosen as the winner.

To enter:

1. Follow Aria'z Ink and leave a comment on this post telling me that you are following. If you already follow me, just leave a comment. Anonymous followers will not be eligible.

2. Tweet about this contest and come leave a comment with your twitter address or the URL to the tweet (worth one additional entry per tweet, so comment once for each tweet).

3. Add an Aria'z Ink button to your sidebar and leave TWO comments to tell me you have done so (worth two additional entries, so comment twice).

4. Blog about this contest including links to Eco Store USA, Eco Store NZ, and Aria'z Ink and leave me THREE comments with the link (one blog post is worth three entries, so comment three times).

Contest winners will be chosen at random from the received valid comments, by their comment number. Only valid comments will be entered. Contest entries will be accepted until 8 am Central Standard Time, Friday, February 27th. The winner will be emailed on Friday, February 27th, and must respond to notification email by 8 am CST Monday, March 2nd or an alternate winner will be chosen. Winner will be announced on Monday, March 2nd. Featured link will be posted from Monday, March 2nd through Friday, March 13, 2009.

Good Luck Y'all!