The Dirty Truth: Why Your Laundry Deserves a Natural Makeover

Let’s talk about laundry.
Not exactly sexy. Not usually inspiring. But absolutely essential—especially if you're living in a house filled with kids, pets, and the occasional mystery stain (same here).

Now, if you're anything like me, you’ve probably stood in the laundry aisle more than once, staring at a wall of plastic jugs wondering:
“What even is in this stuff?”
Spoiler alert: a whole lot of things you don’t want near your skin, your kids, or your planet.

🚫 Traditional Laundry Detergent: The Sneaky Villain

Most conventional laundry products are loaded with synthetic fragrances, phthalates, SLS, and all sorts of unpronounceable chemicals that can irritate skin, disrupt hormones, and linger in your clothes long after wash day.
Fun fact (read: terrifying): many of them aren’t even required to list all their ingredients. Yikes.

Enter: Natura Soylights Natural Laundry Powder

This little gem is everything we’ve been dreaming of in a laundry product:
✔️ Made in Canada
✔️ Vegan & cruelty-free
✔️ Gentle on sensitive skin
✔️ Safe for septic systems
✔️ Packaged with the planet in mind

Plus, the scents? Subtle, fresh, and non-toxic. It smells like clean, not like a fake mountain breeze or an aggressive floral funeral. One tbsp (or less!) per load and you’ve got fresh, fluffy, toxin-free laundry that actually feels good on your body.

Why It Matters

Our skin is our largest organ—and what we wash our clothes, sheets, and towels in matters. Choosing natural laundry products is one more way to live intentionally, support Canadian makers, and reduce your household’s toxic load.

Also? The fewer mystery rashes, the better.
(Says every perimenopausal, overscheduled, under-caffeinated human ever.)

So here’s to clean laundry, clean ingredients, and clean living.
Your skin, your planet, and your inner laundry goddess will thank you.

Available at Wren—because mindful living starts with the little things. Even the lint-covered ones.

No Shade, Just SPF: A Love Letter to Natural Sun Protection

The Good Stuff:Why Natural SPF Just Hits Different

Ah, summer. The season of freckles, flip flops, and the eternal search for a sunscreen that doesn’t make you look like a ghost in family photos.

If you’ve ever slathered on a chalky white sunscreen and thought, “Surely, there’s a better way to live,”—you’re not wrong. And we’re here to talk about it.

Natural vs. Traditional Sunscreen: What’s the Difference?

Let’s break it down:

Traditional sunscreens often contain chemical UV filters like oxybenzone, octinoxate, and avobenzone—ingredients that, frankly, sound more like Marvel villains than skincare. These filters absorb UV rays but can also irritate sensitive skin, disrupt hormones, and harm coral reefs. So… not great.

Natural (or mineral) sunscreens, on the other hand, use physical blockers like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to sit on top of your skin and reflect UV rays—think tiny disco balls for your face, but in a good way. They're gentler, reef-safe, and much more eco-conscious.

But not all mineral sunscreens are created equal. Enter…

Tanit: The SPF Hero You Deserve

Made with love (and science) in Canada, Tanit is a game-changer in the world of natural sun protection. It’s lightweight, reef-safe, non-toxic, and—cue angels singing—leaves ZERO white cast.

We’re talking smooth, blendable, and beautifully invisible on all skin tones.
And guess what? It was just featured in Jillian Harris’ Spring Jilly Box, so you know it’s the real deal. (Jilly-approved = gold star status.)

Bonus Tip: Tanit’s After-Sun Cooling Aloe Mist = Chef’s Kiss

Spent a little too long chasing beach vibes or forgetting to reapply? We’ve got you.
Pair your Tanit SPF with their After-Sun Cooling Aloe Mist—a soothing, plant-powered mist that smells like a spa and feels like a cold drink for your skin.

Why It Matters

Every time you choose clean, conscious sun care, you’re protecting more than your skin. You’re:

• Keeping harsh chemicals out of waterways

• Supporting small, Canadian makers

• Reducing your environmental footprint

• And honestly, looking fantastic while doing it

So go ahead—glow naturally this summer. Your skin, the planet, and Jillian Harris all approve.

Available now at Wren.
Because sun protection should be as thoughtful as the rest of your life.

Let’s Talk Dirty (Skincare Edition): What’s Really in That Bottle?

Spoiler alert: My journey into natural skincare started with a rash. Not a metaphorical one—an actual, itchy, very unsightly situation caused by a “gentle” face cream that, as it turns out, had the gentleness of sandpaper and a PhD in false promises.

I did what any self-respecting human would do. I flipped the bottle, squinted at the ingredients list, and Googled every word I couldn’t pronounce (so... most of them). The results? Mild panic. And then a full-on skincare cleanse.

So... What’s Lurking in Traditional Beauty Products?

Think of some conventional products as the charming bad boys of skincare: they smell great, look sleek, and leave you with long-term damage. Many are loaded with:

• Parabens (linked to hormone disruption),

• Phthalates (hello, reproductive toxicity),

• Formaldehyde (yes, the same stuff used to preserve frogs in biology class), and

• That mysterious umbrella term: “fragrance” (which could mean literally anything—and often does).

In short? Not cute.

The Natural Switch: Where Skin and Sanity Meet

Enter my skincare lineup of dreams:
✨ Three Ships
✨ Roma & Lou
✨ Bath Poetry

These Canadian brands are doing things differently—and better.

Three Ships

Clean, science-backed, and seriously effective. Their Dew Drops serum? Basically hydration in liquid joy form.

Roma & Lou

Think: small-batch elegance with heart. Their balms and creams are so lush, I kind of want to frame them. (But I use them, don’t worry.)

Bath Poetry

Artful, poetic, and deeply nourishing. Using their body butter feels like getting a warm hug from someone who composts and drinks herbal tea.

Final Thoughts From My Moisturized Soapbox

Switching to natural skincare isn't about fear—it's about freedom. Freedom from weird chemicals, from mystery rashes, and from the idea that beauty requires compromise.

So the next time you're shopping for skincare, remember:
Flip the bottle. Read the label. And if you can’t pronounce it, maybe don’t smear it on your face.

Your skin deserves ingredients as lovely as you are.

Love clean beauty? So do we.
You can find all these natural brands (and more) at Wren—your cozy corner for beautiful things that love you back.

Not Selfish, Just Glowing: Find the Joy In Making Time For You

Let’s get one thing straight right off the top:
Self-care is not selfish.
It’s survival. It’s sanity. It’s choosing to actually enjoy being in your own skin.

And listen, I get it—we’re all busy. Between owning a small business, SIX children, 4 dogs, 2 cats, laundry mountains, endless notifications, and trying to drink enough water to feel like a hydrated woodland fairy, the idea of carving out “me time” can feel laughable. But here’s the truth:

Sometimes, the smallest rituals are the ones that hold us together.

The Magic of That One Product

You know the moment. You try something new—something you picked up on a whim, or were gifted, or finally ordered after reading 11 reviews—and then BAM. Cue soft music and dramatic lighting.

It actually works.
Your skin glows, your shoulders drop, your mood lifts.
And suddenly, you’re texting your friends with “OKAY THIS IS NOT AN AD BUT YOU NEED THIS.”

Because as dramatic as it sounds, the right product really can change your life. Even a little bit. And in the world of relentless to-do lists and overstimulation, a little bit of joy is a big deal.

Nature Knows Best (And Canada Has It All)

Even better? When that magical product turns out to be made in Canada—with real, nourishing, often-foraged ingredients pulled from wild places like the forests of Tofino or the prairies of Saskatchewan. There's something deeply grounding about knowing what you’re putting on your skin comes from here. From the land, from people who care, from creators who blend science with soul.

Here are some of my current obsessions:

🌿 The Tofino Hobbyist

Small-batch and born by the sea, this brand captures the magic of coastal B.C. with every earthy, elegant formula. It smells like a mossy hike and a deep breath.

🛁 Bathorium

Luxury bath soaks and elixirs that make you feel like you’re on vacation in your own tub. Their mineral-rich blends don’t just soften your skin—they kind of melt your stress, too.

🍯 Barefoot Venus

Quirky, cozy, and indulgent in the best way. Their mustard seed bath soak is iconic, and their packaging? Full-on vintage glam.

✨ Bath Poetry (Special shout-out!)

Locally made in Lumsden, Saskatchewan (just a stone’s throw from us), this line is poetry in a bottle—literally. Founder Nicolle collaborates with Canadian singer-songwriters to put original lyrics on each product. How freaking cool is that?? It’s skincare with soul, and it makes every use feel like a love letter.

Carving Out Time for You

So no, taking 30-90 minutes to soak, scrub, or smooth on a body oil isn’t selfish. It’s sacred. It’s a quiet act of rebellion in a culture that constantly tells us to rush, push, produce.

Your peace matters. Your joy matters. And if that joy comes in the form of a eucalyptus-scented bath or a whipped body butter that smells like wildflowers, well—that matters too.

So this is your permission slip:
Light the candle. Take the long bath. Use the good stuff.
Because you deserve rituals that remind you who you are underneath the busy.

Looking to discover your new can't-live-without-it self-care favourite?
You’ll find these dreamy Canadian brands and more at Wren—our cozy corner for intentional living, wild beauty, and little moments that make a big difference.