Buying less and making do with what we have are great things to aim for but what do we do with all the stuff we no longer need?

Mineral oil is an ingredient that's derived from crude oil and has gone through different levels of processing and refining depending on its end use.

Exercise is thought to increase blood flow to your scalp, strengthening the roots of your hair, which can help reduce hair fall and breakage.

We love to support other Kiwi companies that are making a difference and Zee Zee merino is doing just that.

Do you suffer from sneezing and itchy skin? Are there some things you can't eat? If so, you're not alone - more and more New Zealanders are finding themselves living with allergies and with related conditions like asthma and eczema.

We tend to use our feet a lot. In fact during a typical day, we can spend up to four hours on our feet and take up to 10,000 steps, yet they are often one of the most neglected areas of the body.

Microbeads are tiny little plastic beads that are added to products like body washes, cleansers and facial scrubs, to help exfoliate your skin. The problem is that after they're rinsed off, they go down the drain and into our waste water systems or septic tanks and eventually into our rivers and seas where they can be ingested by fish and other marine life.

That silky, slippery feeling in your hair after conditioning it in the shower, probably comes from an ingredient called Dimethicone but is it really necessary for beautiful, healthy hair?

Benzalkonium chloride is an antibacterial chemical that's added to household cleaners and cosmetic products because it kills germs, but that's not all it does. It also has the potential to cause skin and eye irritation and is highly toxic to aquatic organisms, which is a problem as it's often washed down drains

Re-using greywater can extend the service and life of your septic system as well as easing pressure on local water treatment facilities and is a great way to conserve water and save costs, but it can also vary a lot in quality and toxicity so it's important to take some sensible precautions.