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When You Neglect Sweaty Gym Clothes – Roux Maison To the Rescue (Review)

February 22, 2013 by Leave a Comment

As you know, I’ve been spinning and zumba-ing my butt off to get back into half marathon shape. (Notice I didn’t say I was running yet? Ha!) Spinning has been killing me – I think the amount of sweat that comes off me is the same amount I used to drip when doing bikram yoga. Thanks to all that sweat, my clothes are drenched when I peel them off. Sometimes I’m able to wash them right after the gym, and other times, I have to wait until I get home from work. (My classes are at 6am, I tend not to get home from work until about 7:30pm these days.)

Post-spinning. That is not my gym bag.

Post-spinning. I wish you could see the sweat.

The nice folks at Roux Maison introduced me to their sport detergent last month, and wow – I’m a convert. They got me on the scent. I’m a lover of all things citrus-smelling. Roux Maison sent me a bottle of their Sweet Tea sport detergent, and it smells amazing!

Roux Maison - Sweet Tea sport detergent

Roux Maison – Sweet Tea sport detergent

I was kind of skeptical with this fancy detergent. What could this do that my favorite Tide detergent couldn’t? Here’s the thing – I noticed that when I handwashed my gym clothes with Tide, the colors in my tops faded. My pink and blue dri-fit shirts didn’t look as bright anymore. This would be an interesting experiment with all of my technical workout clothes. Over the last three years, I picked up a bunch of half marathon racing shirts from races as well as compression sleeves, shorts, tights, you name it.

NOTE: I handwash my workout clothes most of the time. If I didn’t, they’d sit there for a WEEK in my hamper before being tossed in the washing machine. You can use Roux Maison in the machine or handwash.

So I created an unfair test (yes, unfair) to see if 1. the detergent would actually clean my clothes, and 2. make them smell like citrus:

I left my gym clothes (in a plastic bag) in my gym bag for 2 days. Accidentally, on purpose. It was kind of by accident because sometimes I forget I have gym clothes in my bag. It was kind of on purpose because I really didn’t want to be handwashing gym clothes at 10pm at night when just put in a 10-hour work day and cooked dinner. WTH – who wants to handwash when you’re zonked?

These gym clothes sat in stench for 48 hours.

These gym clothes sat in stench for 12-48 hours. Crusty!

I had the day’s gym clothes as well as the day before’s – 2 Lululemon bras, 1 Nike dri-fit top, and 1 race technical shirt from the Long Beach Half. I threw my clothes in the sink and turned on the hot-ish/warm water and tossed a capful of Roux Maison. (I was skeptical that that tiny capful was going to do anything but make bubbles. I mean, that cap is TINY.) The first thing I noticed was the strong citrus scent – I LIKEY! That tiny capful worked – I could see the water turning … not clear. Once my clothes were rinsed, I hung them to dry on a bar over our bathtub.

When they were dry the next day, I shoved my face in them to see if I could still smell any sweat or odor. No sweat smell. All I smelled was a light pleasant scent of CITRUS! Yeah! I tried this on my other sports bras – Champion brand from Target – they bleed like crazy. There’s still some color that bleeds but not as much as when I used a regular detergent.

The Wife has crazy sensitive skin, so I tested the detergent on his gym clothes as well. He noticed the sharp citrus scent as soon as I started washing his clothes, but once they dried, he found it to be subtle scent.

Bonus points for the folks at Roux Maison:

  • pH neutral – good to know when you’ve got sensitive skin
  • not tested on animals
  • essential oils in each bottle
  • no chemical residue on clothes (you know what I’m talking about)
  • hypoallergenic
  • does NOT contain sodium laurel sulfate (which most detergents, shampoos do)

If you go to their website, you can get a 1-ounce sample of their stain remover for free. I don’t think the local Target sells them but you can buy on Amazon.com if you’d like to try them out. They also have detergents for regular clothes, delicates, swimwear, and the stain remover.

Final verdict – YES, go get a bottle. This is a Buy for us. It took me over a month to write this review because I kept testing different clothes, sports bras and different temperatures with it. I cleaned my swimsuit with it (even though it’s not specifically made for swimsuits) and it turned out great. Did I tell you how much I love citrus?

The Wife and I are converts – and we’ll continue using Roux Maison’s sport detergent for our workout gear. This year will be a big test – I’m also doing the Color Run in May with my teenage cousins (they still think I’m cool – yeah! insert fistpump) and the Disneyland Half Marathon is in early September. Roux Maison has to keep my gear clean for the next 7 months.

Enjoy your citrus-scented workout gear! If you’re running at the Rose Bowl or Griffith Park, I’ll see ya there!

 

 

 

Disclosure: The folks at Roux Maison sent me a complimentary bottle of “Sweet Tea” sport detergent for review. This is an honest review because who the hell writes fake reviews? Duh. Don’t be stupid. (No, really, don’t be stupid.)

 

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WIRI: WeWood Watches – Made of Wood!

January 20, 2013 by

I’m a watch person. I love watches. My mom’s gifted me a number of Superman watches, which I collect for fun. I look for sturdy watches that can take a lot of punishment. I save my money to buy a watch every few years. My favorite watch has been my Skagen from 9 years ago, which has been abused by my clumsiness. I wear a watch almost every day. I don’t know why people think smartphones will make watches obsolete. It’s way easier to glance at your wrist than to pull out a phone from your bag or pocket. Plus they’re a great accessory.

During the holidays, Gilt ran a flash sale for WeWood watches. I was curious – I’d never heard of a wooden watch before and wondered how they’d actually hold up.  For every watch sold, they plant a tree. Sold! I bought a watch for myself and one for The Wife.

WeWood Date - Black

WeWood Date – Black

This is mine and I love it. I’ve worn it almost every day and it has already taken some bangs and slams from me. So far, it’s still alive. It’s very lightweight. You’d think wood would be heavy but it’s not. Hardly. This fact sold The Wife. Most men’s watches are heavy and that’s the main reason he doesn’t wear a watch. His WeWood Watch is so light, he’s been wearing it often.

WeWood Jupiter - Black

WeWood Jupiter – Black
source: wewood.com

WeWood Date - Black - close-up of the clasp

WeWood Date – Black – close-up of the clasp

The clasp is my least favorite part of the watch. It takes a little bit of practice to get it on, but it’s fine.

If the watch is too big when it comes in (as it was for me), it’s easy to take the links off. It also helps to have another person there to help you push the screws out.

WeWood Date - Black - watch face close-up

WeWood Date – Black – watch face close-up

The model I have is called the Date Watch in Black. As you can see, it’s not quite black, but more of a very dark brown. This is dependent on the wood being used, so if you decide to order one for yourself, know that the colors are probably going to be a little lighter than listed.

So far, I’ve already slammed my hand (and wrist) into a file cabinet, bathroom door, and car door, and the watch, my wedding ring, and my fingers have all made it!

I don’t know about you but the older I get, the more picky I am with my pricey purchases. This – it’s a reco and two thumbs up for me!

If you have questions about the watch, you can contact the company directly. They’ve got an office in Hollywood. Yeah!

If you have a WeWood watch or have other watch recos, let me know in the comments! Enjoy!

WeWood - another angle

WeWood – another angle

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Where Natural Meets Awesome: Natural Products Expo West 2012

March 30, 2012 by

A few weeks ago, I drove down to Anaheim to experience the Natural Products Expo for the first time. Press passes were closed by the time I registered. Fortunately, my friend Tracey who runs the Marketing team for SoftCup offered me a chance to attend as her guest.

Welcome to the Thunderdome!!!

SoftCup.com

Do you know about SoftCup? If you’re a LA-DY, you might. There are two products – disposable or reusable. It’s a ‘cup’ that you insert when you’re menstruating. Instead of having to change out tampons or maxi pads every few hours, you can leave a SoftCup in for up to 12 hours. (Yes, really!) I’m a customer. Tired of having to “time” when you change out maxipads or tampons? This is for you. SoftCup is very useful if you’re on a heavy-flow day and you’re planning to attend the Marvel Movie Butt-numbathon at AMC. I wouldn’t have tried out this product a couple years ago if it wasn’t for Tracey. See, vendors? Samples do work! (And no, I don’t get free product because I know Tracey. I buy my SoftCup products at CVS.)

Tracey and me

As I left Tracey and her team, I strolled through each aisle. The expo took up the entire Anaheim Convention Center, including the lower level floors! I am so glad I wore sneakers. Who do I run into immediately? Ed Begley, Jr!! The man doesn’t age. (Apparently green living also makes you look great.) I swear he looks the same as he did when I was a kid. He has his own line of environmentally-friendly cleaning products called Begley’s Best, available at Gelsons and ACE Hardware stores.

Ed Begley, Jr and me. He's quite tall.

I’m addicted to ginger chews, almost as much as chocolate. (I said almost.) Something happened in my old age. In the past several years, I’ve begun to crave ginger products. Familiar companies like Chimes, The Ginger People and Reed’s were out there with their ginger products (including skincare!), as well as smaller (new to me) companies like Bruce Cost, Bhakti Chai, Buderim Ginger and Fentimans.

There were a ton of pet products out there as well. When they asked if I had a pet, I proudly announced I had a dognephew and a dogniece. The nice people at Doggy Delirious handed me a sample of thier treats, and the incredibly nice woman at Now! Grain Free Dog Food handed me a hefty bag of their small breed formula. (Walter and Lucy, you’ve got some new products to try out!) I also ran into The Bear and the Rat ice cream for dogs, which I think is smart. At least now, your dog won’t get sick eating human ice cream; you can feed him/her ice cream that’s made for them.

Many reusable bottle and container companies were also out in force including SIGG, Sugoi Group, Lunchbots, Kleen Kanteen, Camelbak, Pura Kiki and One Vessel. One Vessel caught my eye because of the mustache tumbler. While offering customizable printing on your drinkware isn’t a new thing or rocket science, they were helpful in explaining print times, costs, and schedules. (Future project? Maybe.)

Being a non-mom, I’m not familiar with reusable baby bottles, and baby products were also a giant piece of the Natural Products Expo. They ranged from baby bottles, food, skincare, clothing, and so on.

About the food at the Expo – this takes veg-friendly food to the next level. I didn’t take many photos of the food, but much of the floor was dedicated to gluten-free, natural, vegan, vegetarian, or new food products. I was surprised and happy to see at the hundreds of food exhibitors who made a veg-friendly or gluten-free friendly product for those with allergies or healthier-processed food. Daiya had a nice big kitchen, offering folks grilled cheese sammies, quesadillas, … delicious! Amy’s was there, and I love their cheese enchiladas. I could eat those all day long.

Bhakti Chai gave out samples of their iced coffee-blend chai. It’s really good with that spicy kick to it. Kate’s Tram Bar was also a winner in my book. The Wife’s favorite ice cream, McConnell’s, was also there to scoop out frozen deliciousness. I also had the opportunity to try out Kim & Scott’s Pretzels. Divine Chocolate is fair-trade, made from chocolate harvested by farmers in Ghana, manufactured in Germany.

Nothing was terrible-tasting. Everything was delicious. Period.

There was also a large space dedicated to nutritional supplements and vitamins, which I did not visit. Sorry, guys.

As a first-time attendee and relatively health-conscious consumer, the Natural Products Expo was an eye-opening event for me. Here in Southern California, we’re pretty lucky to have stores like Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Gelson’s, Henry’s (or Sprouts) that carry these products. It’s amazing how many products are out there for people with food allergies or diet restrictions, and the products taste good. I think there’s a market for lower-priced products as well.  Not everyone can afford to shop at Whole Foods. (Does Whole Foods accept food stamps?) I’d like to see that next at the next show!

If you are interested in attending or learning more about the Natural Products Expo, go here. Their next expo is Expo East in Baltimore, MD in September.

Big thank you to Tracey and SoftCup for providing me a ticket to attend Expo West. For more info on SoftCup, go here.

 

The fine print: My ticket was comp’d by SoftCup.

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Giveaway: December/Holiday Conscious Box!

December 15, 2011 by
Conscious Box logo

Have you seen the many monthly box subscriptions for make-up and beauty (and food!) products? I ran across an eco-friendly service called Conscious Box that sends a box of trial size eco products for consumers to try. It sounded intriguing so I did a search to see what other bloggers were saying and what the boxes contained. I also wanted to see what the heck kind of company this was.

I’ve pulled some info from their website and FAQ:

Conscious Box is a monthly service that seeks to introduce subscribers to the best businesses in the world. Each month we curate our boxes with products that support healthy living, sustainability, social responsibility, and more conscious living.

We strategically use products that fit in a smaller box, and we even work out the position and weight of each product every month. This helps us maximize the use of space, keeping our shipping as efficient as possible. Based on relative size, Conscious Box is able to bulk-ship about twice as many boxes as less mindful subscription services. This makes a major difference in the pursuit of our own sustainable business practices.

Here is what a sample box looks like:
(NOTE: This is NOT the December box.)

Conscious Box 1

Conscious Box - sample box

Conscious Box 2

Conscious Box - sample box - view 2

Is this tempting you yet? 

Green LA Girl and other bloggers have received their boxes, and they posted what was in their boxes.

This is a great idea to introduce folks to new products as well as “old” products already in stores. I see that the December box has a bag of Chimes ginger chews. (I am addicted to ginger chews!)

I sent a gift subscription out to a friend of mine for the holidays. She’s the ultimate recycler. In fact, she’s a Master Recycler. I’m looking forward to hear her thoughts about this business and the box! (And I’m pretty sure she doesn’t read this blog so she won’t know it’s coming to her! Yeah!)

If you want your own box, it’s $12/month plus $7 shipping. You can do a monthly, 3-month or 6-month subscription. You can gift a subscription – perfect for you procrastinating holiday shoppers (read: me).

The good people of Conscious Box have offered a COMPLIMENTARY December box for my blog readers! That’s right – you can have your own box of goodies to try! One winner is going to get a December Conscious Box shipped directly out to you.

How to enter: Please leave a comment with your name/Twitter handle, valid email address and tell me your favorite eco-friendly product you currently use or are a fan of!

Deadline to get your entry in: Tuesday, December 20, 11:59PM PST

Restrictions: US residents only – I’m sorry, international readers!
Selection: Winner selected by random number generator.
Opt in: I have to send the Winner’s shipping address to the sponsor for shipment. (How else will you get your box?) All other comments/entries are NOT forwarded or passed to anyone. I don’t sell that info either – that’s lame.

Good luck!

 

The fine print: December holiday box provided by Conscious Box, the sponsor. Views expressed here are my own honest opinion.

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