QUICK FACTS

Bio: Laura Ehlers is the creator of LaurasNaturalLife.com, including the Crave-Free Cleanse and Clean Beauty Academy. She is a Nutritionist and Holistic Health Educator, with a Master’s Degree in Nutrition and Health Education from Hawthorn University. Laura is passionate about living a toxin-free life from the inside out – including beauty products, home products, nutrient dense foods and detox methods. When she’s not creating exciting things for Laura’s Natural life she can be found devouring an acai bowl and having one-sided conversation with her dog, Tedford.
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Connect: Laura’s Blog, YouTube Channel, Instagram, and Pinterest

As a wellness warrior, holistic health educator, nutritionist and green beauty enthusiast, it’s safe to say that Laura is a wealth of clean living knowledge.  She is passionate about sharing her journey and creates incredible content through her YouTube Channel, blog and website, LaurasNaturalLife.com.

Laura has went above and beyond in providing resources to cover all your bases for living a greener lifestyle.  If you are looking to learn how to eat healthier, Laura has created her Crave-Free Cleanse; if you are looking for adorable healthy lifestyle apparel and accessories, she has created a custom collection of items that are sold through her Etsy store, Shop LNL, and lastly, for those of you looking to clean up your makeup routine and delve into the world of green beauty, she has created an educational course called Clean Beauty Academy where she will help to empower you to learn about ingredients to decide for yourself which products best suit your needs — so, when I say she has you covered, it is no exaggeration!  Laura has provided amazing resources to answer many common issues and questions people have when starting down the path to living a non-toxic lifestyle.

We are beyond excited to feature this clean living super woman on our blog today!  She is answering our questions about her own health journey, what you can expect from her courses, and she is offering her advice on how to stick to those New Year’s resolutions.  Read on below for our interview with Laura!

The Greenly Guide: Can you share why you decided to start using safer products in your home and cleaner health and beauty items? Was there one event in your life that made you question conventional products or was it a gradual change for you?
Laura: The answer to this all comes back to health. When my family moved to Georgia when I was in high school, my mom become ill with chemical sensitivity and Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (although, we didn’t know these diagnoses yet). She was very sensitive to chemicals as well as any strong scents and we started using more clean products in our home – at least in regards to cleaning and fragrance free products. She also started seeing a natural healthcare practitioner which led us on a path to better health. Later in life when I got married, I moved into a brand new home and the toxic chemicals from the building materials made me so sick almost instantly. At the same time, I began working at a holistic healthcare center and was working with air inspectors and building inspectors to help figure out how to combat these chemicals I was living in! During this time, I also learned that my bloodstream could absorb whatever I put on it. I assumed since I didn’t have a reaction to my products and they did not have a scent, they were safe. I was wrong! Since I was a beauty junkie, I knew I had to find alternatives, because going makeup free was not an option!

The Greenly Guide: Did your lifestyle change to using natural products spark your interest in holistic nutrition as well, or was seeking further education in holistic nutrition something that always interested you?
Laura: Absolutely! It was a snowball effect with everything happening at once. I was always into natural healthcare and really hated going to my western medical doctor, because growing up doctors told me my chronic issues were either “nothing” or “anxiety”. They were neither. I certainly didn’t know very much about holistic healthcare until I started working in a holistic healthcare office. I love learning about nutrients, supplements, dietary systems and seeing people’s lives literally changed for the better in front of my own eyes! It was there that I decided to pursue an education in holistic health.

The Greenly Guide: As a holistic nutritionist, you have shared your knowledge in the form of your program The Crave-Free Cleanse (formerly called the 10 Day Reset)–can you explain why you decided to create this and what benefits people will see from completing this program?
Laura: So many people are looking for a cleanse as a quick fix after the holidays or before a vacation. Most of these cleanses are crap! They leave you with very few nutrients and you feel horrible, not to mention they leave you craving ice cream, pizza and cake! 10 days is a perfect amount of time to clean out the junk in your diet, while teaching you how to eat healthfully. I have tons of information about healthy eating in there (not fad cleansing), as well as no restrictions on how much you can eat – as long as you follow the types of food allowed. Typically, someone experiences a realization that they really don’t crave a particular food they used to, or don’t even like it anymore. Some people experience less pain, better sleep, more energy and even some weight loss, but everyone’s body is different. The goal is to continue using what you’ve learned in the program and treat is as a building block to a healthy lifestyle change.

The Greenly Guide: With the New Year upon us and many people making New Year’s resolutions, what is your best advice for someone who is hoping to change their nutrition and how they can stay on course for the long term?
Laura: Treat your New year’s resolutions as lifestyle changes, not as a fad. If you are serious about changing something in your life, seek out real help that will keep you accountable. Also, be realistic about what you can do and how much effort it will take on your part.

The Greenly Guide: What are a few of your favorite healthy snacks for on the go?
Laura: Nuts, fruit, celery and carrots, Suja juices and Rx bars.

The Greenly Guide: In addition to your nutritional program, you have also created your Clean Beauty Academy – can you share what inspired you to create this course?
Laura: I often get asked “is _____ a clean product / brand?”. I realized that many green beauty users are relying on green bloggers or an app to tell them if a product is safe. I don’t think that’s right. I think every woman should know for herself how to read an ingredient label on her beauty products. The choice if something is safe or not should be hers alone! On a more global level, it’s one thing to say that you use green products, but if no one is trying to ban a particular ingredient, it will continue to be used. The marketing on beauty packages can also be very deceiving. I see so many woman buying products that are marketed as “natural” or “paraben-free” and are still full of carcinogens! Once you know how to read a label, you will never be duped by marketing again.

The Greenly Guide: If someone is new to green beauty and interested in enrolling in your Clean Beauty Academy to learn more about ingredients and products, can you briefly explain the format of the course and what they can expect to learn?
Laura: The course includes four video modules, consisting of 10 video lessons total. These lessons are broken down into beginner, advanced and purist, so that once you know all the big ingredients to watch out for, you can decided for yourself which ones you want to avoid. There are also printable ingredient lists so that you can take them shopping with you, a gigantic shopping guide of all the products I and my fellow beauty bloggers have used with details like price and skin type, as well as my Better Beauty Method workbook to systematically walk you through detoxing your own makeup bag and help you decide which products to upgrade to better beauty products. There are also fun bonus videos, too! It also can be done in as little as one weekend day!

The Greenly Guide: Along with connecting with your followers via YouTube and Instagram, you have also started a community through Facebook- this seems to be a great way to interact- what makes your group unique to other similarly formatted groups?
Laura: It is BUSY! Everyone is active and ready to answer your questions. We’re over 500 green beauties strong now and growing. In addition to help, you can also find encouragement.

The Greenly Guide: When you aren’t busy creating healthy living and green beauty content, what things do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Laura: I am obsessed with barre3 and practice several times a week. I also enjoy spending time with my family (especially my sweet dog, Tedford) and in the summer I really enjoy boating and golfing.

The Greenly Guide: What products would be included if you were short on time and only had 5 minute to do your makeup – specifically for Winter?
Laura: Gressa Minimalist Serum Foundation, Honest Beauty Brow Pencil, Lily Lolo Mascara, Nu Evolution Bronzer, Root Pressed Eyeshadow in Duke.

A huge thank you to Laura for taking the time to share more about herself and her health journey on The Greenly Guide blog today.  Be sure to head over to Laura’s website to learn more about her Cleanse and her Clean Beauty Academy.  We cannot wait to see all of the exciting new things that Laura will bring to the green community in 2017!

The post Greenly Connections: Laura of Laura’s Natural Life appeared first on The Greenly Guide.

After trying many conventional products to soothe and heal her dry, sensitive skin, and finding that nothing worked, she discovered the reason for this was that she had developed an extreme chemical sensitivity.  All of the ingredients used in mainstream personal care products were making her feel miserable and causing her watery eyes and headaches.  Upon making the switch to all natural products, these symptoms disappeared.

After this discovery, she began her journey into the world of herbal remedies, plant-based treatments and ancient practices.  Formulating products in her kitchen and sharing them with family and friends led to the business she has created today.  Lydia not only focuses on sourcing wonderful ingredients, she is also passionate about giving back to her community and is striving for a zero-waste manufacturing process.

Lydia is so kindly sharing her story on The Greenly Guide today.  In addition to sharing more about herself and her brand, she has also very generously provided a discount code that can be used on their website!  Now through April 5, 2017, enter the code ‘thegreenlyguide15‘ to receive 15% off your order!  Please read on below for the full interview with Lydia, founder of WEBA Naturals.

The Greenly Guide: After experiencing chemical sensitivities to the products you were using, you eventually turned to creating your own products. As a therapist by training, coming from a very different profession, can you share a little about your background with natural products, how you began formulating and any training you have?

Lydia: After realizing that I could no longer use certain products, I began researching this phenomenon. I learned that I was not alone. I found terms like “Extreme chemical sensitivity” and “Toxicant-induced loss of tolerance (TILT), which has been misunderstood among many professionals. I also realized that I did not experience the same reactions to naturally-produced, plant-based ingredients. I began spending years researching formularies, consulting with cosmetic chemists, attending webinars, and reading anything that I could get my hands on. Everything from aromatherapy and herbal medicine to ayurveda and wild edibles were fair game. I am always learning, and continue to do so to this day. The rest is history.

The Greenly Guide: WEBA stands for ‘whole earth body actives’ which you have stated guides your decision to provide the highest quality ingredients that are good for us and our planet. Can you talk a little about your ingredients and how you source them?

Lydia: The first rule of thumb is to make certain that wild-harvested essential oils are not endangered or “rare.” I try to ask the right questions when expanding our supply chain so that I can feel good about adding that ingredient to our products. I try hard to source products that are made locally or in the U.S.A., but it isn’t always possible. Most of the oils and butters that we use are sourced in Europe, Africa, and Asia, for example. These products provide real wages to many poor communities in these countries and are a major source of income. Many of our botanicals, however, are grown in the U.S. organically and sustainably, so we buy from them.

The Greenly Guide: On the topic of ingredients, do you have a favorite ingredient that you work with and include in your products? What about any difficult to work with ingredients you have used?

Lydia: It can be difficult to choose one favorite; I have so many. My favorite essential oil is lavender for its healing properties and its relaxing scent. A favorite emollient is shea butter. The only ingredients that I find challenging is the sodium hydroxide that I use to create the bar soaps. Care must be taken with it, as it is a very strong base.

The Greenly Guide: You have mentioned the importance of simplicity and minimalism within your line, and using multi-purpose products to reduce the number of items a person needs in their collection. Can you share some of the different ways your products can be utilized?

Lydia: All of the bar soaps are “3-in-1” soaps – that is, they are suitable for cleansing, shaving, and shampooing. The secret is in the rich, creamy lather they produce. In fact, ounce for ounce, bar soaps cost less than shower gels. My husband, Marvin, uses nothing else. We like to use the tea tree/oatmeal soap on our dog, Millie. Our balms have as many as ten uses –beard balm, cuticle oil, lip balm, anti-itch salve and everything in between. The lavender balm is also effective against mosquitoes. The Dry Oil is not only effective against frizzy hair and flyaways, but it’s a great massage oil and after-shower oil.

The Greenly Guide: I loved reading about your avoidance of the controversial ingredient palm oil. For those who may not be aware, can you briefly explain why you omit this ingredient and why that was important to you?

Lydia: I first read about the problems with palm oil on the Rainforest Action Network website. “Conflict” palm oil is grown primarily in Indonesia and Malasia, where rainforests are being clear-cut to accommodate this product. It is found in everything from food to feed to cosmetics and skincare. As a result, many native species like the Orangutan, which is now near extinction, are displaced. This is also responsible for many human rights abuses, including child labor practices. I decided early on that my business would not be a contributor to this problem. The butters that I use to substitute it are more expensive, but I feel that it is worth it.  While many big players in the palm oil industry have committed to buying certified sustainable palm oil, we have a long way to go before a total commitment to rainforest-free palm oil can be achieved. I hope that it happens.

The Greenly Guide: For someone who may be viewing your brand for the first time, what are your more popular items that you would suggest someone try to get a taste of what WEBA Naturals has to offer?

Lydia: The first bar soap that I made – “Relax” – is still my most popular item. If you pair that with the Lavender/Tea Tree Body Balm, you have a complete skincare system. Pairing the sugar scrub with the dry oil is also a good combination for normal to dry skin.

The Greenly Guide: In your manufacturing, you strive for a zero-waste process to reduce your impact on the environment. Can you explain a little about the practices you use to achieve this in your production?

Lydia: “Zero-waste” embodies two principles; using what you have and using less than you need to. I engage in both. For example, instead of buying packaging for my shipments I utilize re-used and recycled cardboard boxes and used/recycled paper. I never use bubble wrap or peanuts that don’t degrade. I re-batch our soap ends and mold them into bars that we donate to a local food bank. I re-use and recycle all glass and plastic bottles. My paper towels are recycled unbleached paper or I use cotton towels. Every ingredient is biodegradable. As a result, there is very little that ends up in the trash. While I can’t always control what suppliers send me, I can certainly control what goes out.

The Greenly Guide: In addition to your efforts to reduce your footprint on our planet, you are also passionate about giving back. Can you talk about how you are using WEBA Naturals to support your community?

Lydia: Since I began the business 3 years ago, I’ve given back by donating soap to a local food pantry. I also donate 3-4 gift baskets/year to local charities for their fundraisers. I try to stick to local small businesses when I need professional business services like graphic design and photography. I hire local crafters to make our accessories (sachets and washcloths). I also buy from local businesses. I feel that it’s important for small businesses to support each other given the current retail climate.

The Greenly Guide: What are your goals for WEBA Naturals in 2017, and what new things can we expect from you in the future?

Lydia: I’m always looking for opportunities to partner with businesses that are doing good. I’m hoping to collaborate with a local animal shelter to create a balm that can be used to soothe paw and skin problems. I’m hoping to roll out an ayurvedic deodorant, an oil cleanser, and a few serums. It’s an ambitious undertaking, but I like to aim high.  I will also be doing tabling events later this year, including one at a NYC college for Earth Day. I’d also like to hold a few workshops. I’m excited to see what the future brings for WEBA in 2017 and beyond.

Connect with WEBA Naturals on their website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest

The post Brand Profile and Interview with Lydia Diaz of WEBA Naturals appeared first on The Greenly Guide.

As a mother myself, this is where my journey began.  I became concerned with every single thing I put into my body and onto it as well, knowing that for the first time, my actions were impacting a life other than my own.  My concern for product and ingredient safety became a part of my lifestyle, and it has led me to find incredible brands with these same motivations and goals in mind.

Today, I am so thrilled to introduce you to one such brand, Pleni Naturals.  I had the great pleasure of speaking with founder, and fellow Mom, Allyson Owens, and am excited to share with you the full interview below.  If you are not yet familiar with her products, they are filled with fruit and vegetable ingredients, pure organic essential oils and skin loving ingredients that will help to nourish and soothe your children’s sensitive skin. On top of amazing ingredient quality, Pleni Naturals has taken their commitment one step further to become certified by MADE SAFE. (Read more HERE).  Read on below for our interview with Allyson.

Allyson has very generously offered a wonderful giveaway for readers of The Greenly Guide, so make sure you don’t miss the information on how to enter at the bottom of this post.

The Greenly Guide: Can you talk a little about how you first become interested in natural and non-toxic products and how this lead to the start of Pleni Naturals?

Allyson: Like a lot of women, my journey into the natural and nontoxic world began while I was pregnant with my first child in 2009. It was a journey for me; I didn’t completely go “nontoxic” while pregnant because I was still somewhat unaware of toxic chemicals in the home, but my first detox was definitely my skincare routine! It was also important to me that my babies used safe, nontoxic skincare as well. Before I started Pleni Naturals I was an aesthetician and then I became a consultant and helped skin care brands develop their skin care products. I knew that eventually I would create my own skin care line and I wanted to do something different than what was currently being offered in the natural baby category. Don’t get me wrong; I love flowers but every baby skin care product at the time had flowers in it! I chose to focus on fruit and vegetable ingredients because they are wholesome, just like our babies. Plus, fruit and vegetable oils offer amazing nutritional benefits for the skin. For example; red raspberry seed oil and cranberry seed oil contain omega 3 and 6 essential fatty acids, which our bodies don’t produce and it is necessary to obtain through diet or topically on the skin. These two ingredients help to keep sensitive skin happy and is great for babies and kids suffering from eczema. You can find these two ingredients in our Cucumber + Grape Baby Oil and Berry + Olive Baby Balm. Two other stand out ingredients from the Pleni Naturals skincare line are broccoli seed oil and cucumber seed oil. Broccoli seed oil has a silky finish and works like a natural silicone alternative that leaves the skin smooth and the hair soft and shiny and cucumber seed oil is fantastic for soothing and replenishing the skin’s moisture balance. Both broccoli seed oil and cucumber seed oil can be found in our Apple + Broccoli Hair and Body Wash and the cucumber seed oil can be found in our Cucumber + Grape Baby Oil.

The Greenly Guide: You mention that you created your line of wholesome and organic skincare products for babies and kids to help them develop a lifelong love for veggies, and you also partner with the organization, Life Lab, to help change the way kids think about fruits and veggies. Can you share a little about your partnership and why it is important to your company’s mission?

Allyson: In addition to the answer in question #1 the idea for Pleni Naturals to focus on fruits and veggies was because of my own struggles as a parent inspiring my own kids to love their fruits and veggies! It can be a lot of work! I know other parents struggle with this as well. The fruit and veggie characters on the packaging are fun and silly and it is our mission to deepen that connection with kids and the healthy foods they eat. Plus, the skin is our largest organ and at Pleni Naturals, it makes sense to us to “feed” the skin with the same nutritious fruits and vegetables we put in our bodies. We decided to partner with Life Lab because their values are in alignment with ours — to deepen the connection with kids and the healthy foods they eat. Life Lab is a nonprofit that provides garden education curriculum for schools and I 100% believe that every school should have access to a school garden so they can experience an “edible education”.

The Greenly Guide: How do you keep your own children interested in healthy foods?

Allyson: In many ways! By being an example and making healthy foods choices every day for myself; always stocking plenty of fruits and veggies they have easy access to as a snack; I juice with my son and make smoothies for my daughter regularly (which is how they prefer to get those extra nutrients in, respectively); we go to farmer’s markets; we visit Life Lab on the weekends and enjoy running around the farm (it’s in Santa Cruz, CA which is fairly close to us); we provide a lot of color on the plate especially at dinner time so the food is visually appealing; I tell the kids why the healthy foods they are eating are good for them (i.e. good for your eyesight, makes your bones strong). I also get a lot of healthy recipe inspiration from food bloggers.

The Greenly Guide: As a mother and business owner, how do you find balance between your work and home life?

Allyson: It’s a juggle! But I am so grateful I am able to do this kind of work. I work very efficiently between school drop-off and pickup and I don’t look at my computer again until after the kids are in bed (unless it’s urgent–sometimes things come up!). I often stay up late to get any unfinished work completed and I’m a little more tired than I like, but I honestly wouldn’t change a thing about my current work/home life situation. I love it!

The Greenly Guide: Pleni Naturals has been certified as a brand with MADE SAFE – can you share why it was important to you to pursue this certification and what it means for your brand?

Allyson: I knew while developing the Pleni Naturals line I wanted it to be nontoxic and I spent a lot of time in R&D making sure every product was clean. People may not realize how much work this is; especially when your ingredient “NO” list is as long as ours! Plus, there is a lot of greenwashing in the skincare industry and no regulatory body that prevents companies from calling their products “nontoxic”. How is the consumer supposed to trust skincare brands with all of this greenwashing going on? What products are truly safe to purchase/use? I like MADE SAFE because they screen products for us – the consumer – and only certify products that do not contain harmful toxins that affect our bodies and our environment. And when I learned about MADE SAFE and their mission to eliminate toxins from all products we use in our home, I knew this was the certification I had to have for our brand. Currently, all three Pleni Naturals products are MADE SAFE certified and I plan on all future products we develop to be MADE SAFE certified as well.

The Greenly Guide: What has been your greatest challenge in developing your line of products?

Allyson: By far, the biggest challenge in developing the Pleni Naturals products is preservation! If a product has water in it, it needs to be preserved. Period. The challenge is that it is truly difficult to find preservatives that work and are also natural. There needs to be more options in this area and I am sure every single green skin care company feels the same way! We were lucky to find a 100% natural lactobacillus preservative that works great for our Apple + Broccoli Hair and Body Wash but it doesn’t work for our yet to be released lotion, which we won’t launch until we find a safe preservative blend that works and is in alignment with our values. Also, the problem with the few natural preservatives that are available is that some contain salicylates (think salicylic acid) and these are not appropriate for babies and kids or pregnant women, who also use our products.

The Greenly Guide: Can you share what brings you the most joy about Pleni Naturals?

Allyson: The product development process is a huge joy for me. I absolutely love it! It’s exciting every time. Also, the biggest thrill is when I hear from customers on how the baby oil treated their baby’s cradle cap or how the hair and body wash left their kiddo’s skin so soft and hydrated. This is what it is all about!

The Greenly Guide: What can we expect from your brand in 2017? Any exciting plans you can share?

Allyson: YES! I’m so excited! We are in development with some new products that will launch later this year. Hint: it will be a treat for moms and all ladies alike that care about effective, clean beauty!

Win a Pleni Naturals product bundle!

I am very excited to give you an opportunity to try some of these wonderful organic and non-toxic kids products! The Greenly Guide has partnered with Allyson and Pleni Naturals to offer one of you the opportunity to win all three of their current products: the Cucumber + Grape Baby Oil, the Apple + Broccoli Hair and Body Wash and the Berry + Olive Baby Balm!  Not only are these great for your kiddos, but for the adults in your family too!

Make sure to head over to our Instagram page HERE for all of the giveaway details!

[Giveaway is only open to residents of the United States who are 18 years or older]

*All photos in this post are courtesy of and belong to Pleni Naturals.

Connect with Pleni Naturals on their website, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

The post Brand Profile and Interview with Allyson Owens of Pleni Naturals appeared first on The Greenly Guide.