You’ve just chosen your polish, picked out your favorite magazine, and put your foot in the pedi-tub filled with warm soaking water. Now it’s time to paint your toes in formaldehyde, parabens, and other toxic carcinogens. If this sounds wrong, then it’s time to take a closer look at your nail polish choices. You see, many mainstream polishes contain toxic chemicals like these. At milk + honey, our nail treatments are toxin-free and safe. See what makes us different.
To keep or not to keep, that is the question. You’ve already swapped out your jeans for shorts, Winter coats for breezy tanks, and boots in favor of open-toed sandals. But what about your everyday beauty products? With Summer almost here, it’s time to give the ol’ heave-ho to some of your traditional staples in favor of some new, all-natural ones.
milk + honey is pleased to announce we’re now carrying a fantastic new line of sandals called OKA b.
OKA b. sandals are antimicrobial, machine washable, recyclable, therapeutic, and made right here in the USA! We haven’t even mentioned the price, they’re only $20. Plus, when you are tired of your old pair, you can send it in to OKA b. and exchange them for a new one.
Style: Chloe sandals from OKA b.
Sizes: S (5.5-6.5), M (7-8), ML (8.5-9.5), L (10-11)
Colors: Salt (white), Pearl (champagne), Licorice (black), and Twilight (grey/slate)
2nd Street District and Arboretum Market locations have the sandals right now, with Hill Country Galleria getting their selection by the end of this week.
Here are additional details about OKA b. sandals:
Reflexology-Inspired Design
The therapeutic principles of reflexology guide the design of OKA b. products. All of our shoes feature an ergonomic footbed enhanced with massage beads to pamper feet with every step.
Antimicrobial & Odor Resistant
OKA b.’s non–absorbent material resists the growth of mildew, fungus and bacteria. A great feature for spas and resorts!
Non-Slip & Non-Marking
OKA b. shoes are slip-resistant, providing stability on wet or dry terrain. Our colorful shoes won’t leave marks on the floor.
Microplast® Technology
Proprietary Microplast® technology provides a lightweight, flexible shoe that remains comfortable and durable. Microplast’s chemical make up is Poly Vinyl Chloride which is actually made from salt and fossil fuel.
Machine Washable & Colorfast
OKA b.’s non-absorbent material makes our shoes machine washable and easy to sanitize. Keep your feet clean and healthy – your OKA b.s will resist fading even through repeated washings.
One-Piece Construction
All OKA b. shoes, including thongs, feature one–piece construction for superior durability and comfort.
Endless Color Combinations
OKA b. offers a diverse color palette and style selection that allows you to create the perfect fit for your retail environment.
Made in the U.S.A.
The OKA b. design team and factory are located north of metro Atlanta in Buford, Georgia. On–site manufacturing allows for unmatched quality control and attention to detail.
Environmentally Conscious
OKA b. shoes are recyclable according to International Universal Recycling Code Number 3. Customers can now send their well–loved shoes to our corporate headquarters, where they will be ground and mixed with virgin material to create new product.
Now when you do your shopping at milk + honey downtown, SALON by milk + honey or at milk + honey Galleria, you can save money with our bag!
Here’s the deal. If you bring the milk + honey eco bag in, you will get a $1 discount for a $20 purchase.
The milk + honey eco bag cost $7.50, but we will give it to you FREE with a $125 purchase. Purchase online. The size of the bag is 19″W x 15.5″H – 5″ bottom gusset and 22″ handles. It is made from 100% natural cotton canvas.
All seams and stress points are double stitched for durability. Unlike bulkier totes, this bag folds neatly and easily to fit in a small space. The cotton web handles allow you to comfortably carry the bag either over the shoulder or as a tote, without straining.
The milk + honey eco bag is perfect for a farmer’s market, Barton Springs, and especially for saving some cash at milk + honey!
milk + honey recently offset its energy use by purchasing Renewable Energy Certificates from Austin-based Green Mountain Energy. (Apparently we have that in common with the Empire State Building — pretty cool!) So, the next time you’re enjoying a massage or facial at the spa, you can relax knowing that clean wind power is being used to power and heat and cool the spa.
If you can’t float away to a pacific island, you can bring the vacation to you with the coconut body scrub, body butter, lotions, bath soaks and body oils from Pure Fiji. With these decadent body products your skin will be rejuvenated and you will feel like you just spent a day lounging beachside in a cabana (minus cute cabana boys or drinks with umbrellas). Pure Fiji will exfoliate and deeply moisturize dry winter skin for the burgeoning season of bikinis and mini skirts.
Made with wild-harvested nut oils from a company who goes to great lengths to preserve and sustain it’s local environment, you will feel good using Pure Fiji both inside and out. In addition creating a high quality product, this company supports it’s community by employing local craftspeople and helping women develop their small businesses. Pure Fiji is all about minimizing it’s carbon footprint by using PET packaging which uses about a quarter less energy to produce and reduces the solid waste almost half as much as that from glass bottles. milk + honey is honored to offer these beautifully sustainable, well-crafted products from a company that takes care of it’s people as well as the earth we live in.
Pure Fiji products are available in both spa locations.
Shopping for cosmetics can be daunting. Dozens of pretty bottles, tubes, vials and compacts all vie for your attention. Sometimes its easy to make the eco-conscious choice: Not tested on animals, good. All natural, good. Organic, even better. Paraben-free, um, okay?
Should I care about Parabens and Paraben-free products?
Parabens are a preservatives which are synthetically produced and used in everything from processed foods to personal care products such as skin cleansers, shampoo, and toothpaste. They are highly effective in their purpose of inhibiting the growth of bacteria and fungus but some studies suggest that parabens are responsible for some types of cancer — specifically breast cancer. Parabens mimic estrogen and having too much estrogen is thought to contribute breast cancer. In some cases large amounts of parabens have been found in cancerous tumors.
Studies citing parabens as dangerous are inconclusive and controversial. The FDA claims that parabens are safe, particularly in the very small amounts in which they are used in cosmetics. The fact is, however, that we use countless chemicals on a regular basis without ever knowing the long-term cumulative effect. Using several products with parabens, on a daily basis, all over the body, inside and out, over a long period of time, simply adds up. The best way to avoid a health risk is to eliminate parabens wherever possible and a great place to start is with cosmetics.
The best bet is to look for products that are certified organic. From salon products like John Master’s Organics to our newest skincare line, Eco Inventive Organics, all products at milk + honey are free from parabens. We are happy to take the stress out of finding products superior in quality and made from ingredients that won’t make you sick.
Image credit Chego101
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is an advocacy organization that is attempting to eliminate harmful chemicals from cosmetics and skin care products. Their mission is close to our heart. Why is it that so many skin care products contain chemicals that cause cancer, interfere with estrogen production, or simply cause irritation when they should soothe?
From the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics:
Researchers have found triclosan in the majority of Americans, including pregnant women. The chemical can have adverse effects on fetal growth and development,(2) may lead to bacterial resistance to antibiotics and harms aquatic life.(3) It’s in more than 75 percent of liquid hand soaps in the U.S.,(4) yet triclosan is no more effective than regular soap and water.
If you care about this as much as we do, click here to sign a petition to the EPA asking them to ban triclosan.
At milk + honey we take extra efforts to minimize our impact on the environment. Below are a few ideas from our eco-wise team of Spa Partisans how to be a lean, green, waste not machine:
•Reuse or recycle packing materials – Online purchases are on the rise which means lots of bubble wrap, packing peanuts and styrofoam. Bubble wrap can be stored for reuse (if you can resist the insatiable urge to pop it), or it can be recycled. Foam packing chips are not as easily recycled. If you don’t want to store this material for future use, take it to a shipping center such as the UPS stores that will gladly use it. While its easy to recycle cardboard, its even better to reuse boxes. Before you break down those boxes and put them out to the curb, spend just a few minutes to find someone in need of a box or two. You can save the landfill while helping a friend.
•Recycle old electronics – New flat-screen computer monitors, laptops, cameras, cell phones are common holiday gifts. Older models which are being replaced are usually still in working order and should not be discarded to a landfill. Click here for information to help recycle these items.
•Christmas trees can be recycled too – Cut trees are useful material for composting. Composting requires a carbon source and Christmas trees are just right for municipal operations which use chippers to shred the material. http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/sws/xmastree.htmArtificial trees which are up for replacement may also be recycled. These trees are usually made from metal which is accepted by most recycling centers.
