Blogs I'm Loving Lately

I wanted to share two blogs I have been following and adoring recently. There's one for each of my favorite topics: clean beauty and clean eating.

Clean Beauty:
No More Dirty Looks
LOVE the writers shared passion for clean beauty and great products.  They are so into it (maybe even more than I am!), I know their recommendations are the real deal.  They haven't let me down yet and the community they have cultivated through their site is just as helpful as they are!

Clean Eating:
Kath Eats Real Food
I can't get enough of this blog! Kath Younger takes pictures of every meal she eats. I know, you're thinking, "won't that get old?" The answer: NOPE. Her pictures are so artful and her commentary entertaining. She eats whole, nutritious foods and displays how appealing, delicious and simple real food can be. I have been inspired by more than one of her meals and recipes. For example, I never thought to put peanut butter (or any other nut butter for that matter) on oatmeal before and now I don't know how I will ever eat oatmeal without it again! Seriously, you've got to try it and use her oatmeal recipe while you're at it. Thanks to her blog, I also have plenty of preparation options for all that okra building up in the freezer from our CSA!

DIY Adventure

The other day, I made my own chocolate syrup. I found a great recipe on Pinterest (and by found, I mean I stole repinned the recipe from my friend, Henna). The finished product tasted so much better than store bought syrup and it really could not have been easier. My husband LOVED it, I LOVED it. It was a win. Riding the wave of my DIY victory, I pushed forward to tackle another recipe idea from Pinterest: Honey Roasted Peanut Butter.

One of my favorite things to do at Whole Foods is hit up the peanut butter grinding machines for freshly ground honey roasted peanut butter. It seriously may be one of the most delicious things on this planet. My only problem is Whole Foods is not located all that close to our house, so I don't get there very often. This recipe I found seemed to solve my pesky little problem by bringing the delicious directly to our kitchen. I roasted the peanuts in the oven, threw them into my trusty food processor with some honey, pressed the "on" button and waited for the magic to happen as the recipe promised. In a few minutes, these little peanuts would transform into peanut butter.

It didn't matter that I had to wear ear plugs because my beloved Cuisinart is so loud and high pitched it could cause early hearing loss. My excitement could barely be contained! I was told to expect the process to take a few minutes and one thing I have is patience. Patience did no good. The magic did NOT happen. The peanuts grinded to a paste and remained a paste. Eventually I added some oil to the mix to help the texture and the paste did turn into a more liquid, edible version of itself. While it is pretty tasty, it does not reach my peanut butter standards. My DIY peanut butter was a failure. I will NOT be attempting this again. Lesson learned: purchasing my peanut butter is the way to go.

How fortunate for me that a few days later, a delivery arrived with THIS:

Heavenly!

THIS is giving my favorite freshly ground honey roasted peanut butter some serious competition! I heard about Wild Squirrel Nut Butter and I knew I had to try it. Wild Squirrel Nut Butter is an Oregon based company created by two creative young ladies. They started making peanut butter while they were roommates at the University of Oregon and they have turned their snack session into a successful business. I really enjoy that.  

I ordered a variety pack to sample four of their five flavors from OpenSky.* Honey Pretzel is the first to be opened. I love to dip pretzels in peanut butter as a snack. This peanut butter does all of the work for me. You don't even need to put it on anything, just eat it directly off of the spoon! Wild Squirrel Nut Butter is definitely a company to check out. They have a variety pack with all 5 of their flavors on their web site or you can check out the deal I got below. When you open the box, be prepared to feel like a kid in a candy shop!

*OpenSky is a shopping site that offers deals on a variety of products including food, clothing and beauty products.  Curators (some celebrity, some not) offer these deals after they have tried a product and and given it a positive review.  I have placed a few orders through the site because their gift sets were discounted from the full price of the products.  I like really like it and they have terrific customer service.  (Easy returns and when an order was going to be shipped later than expected, they automatically gave me a merchandise credit to apologize.)  If you would like to check it out, they give you free shipping and $10 toward your first purchase.  Pretty sweet deal.  Why not use that credit to get your own variety pack?  Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some peanut butter to eat!

Simplification

It's no secret that I attempting to rid my life of toxins. And it's no surprise that toxins come in all forms such as the pesticides or preservatives we ingest with our food in the name of nourishment and the chemicals we apply to our skin in the name of beauty. It's just that some forms are more surprising than others.  What about the stuff we keep in our lives beyond its value?  I believe these qualify as toxins in their own way and yet we don't always allow ourselves the freedom to let it go.  I'm the worst with letting go.  However, I've said goodbye to processed foods and icky beauty products with relative ease.  I'm having fun finding products that work better than the gross ones I used for years.  So what's the problem?

Here I am, a girl on a journey to simplify her life by making healthy, sustainable choices and telling toxins to "kiss off."  Yet, I still have toxic stuff standing in the way of my simple life in the form of CLUTTER.  Did I mention I'm the worst at letting go?  There's no need to call "Hoarders," put the phone down.  I do get rid of things, but it takes me a little longer than the average bear.  I feel guilty getting rid of gifts I have received because someone spent put their time and thought into choosing it for me. Or I feel guilty because I think I'm being wasteful and should just find a use for the item. Well, I think enough is enough.  It's time to let go of things that no longer have a use or purpose and things that are no longer precious or loved.  It's time to clear this clutter to make space for the things that matter to me - like updating this blog more than twice a year (!) or playing piano or maintaining a regular yoga practice.   Hmm, when I look at the things I love, they aren't things at all.   I'm calling this The Summer Simplification Project a.k.a. getting rid of the toxins cluttering my personal space and creativity.

I think this project really began last summer albeit unbeknownst to me.  You see, I went on a DIY tear. I had already had some success with simple DIY beauty products and I decided to venture into the realm of food.  If there was something that I loved from my "processed past," (like, say, Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing), I thought "I think I can make it myself."  And by Google, I could!  If I tried something at a restaurant that I loved, I aspired to make it myself.  Pretty soon, "I think I can" became "I totally can" and I learned it's pretty rad to make it yourself.  I didn't stop at food.  I went back to beauty products and tried more complex recipes.  As a result, I haven't bought lip balm (HUGE!) or whole wheat bread in a year.  I find a lot of satisfaction from making things myself and controlling the ingredients.   As my confidence builds, I have branched out to such things as butter, barbecue sauce, and face wash (although not together, that would be gross).  My personal care routine is slowly becoming populated with homemade products instead of bringing home more "stuff."  Making more from scratch has been fun and simple enough.  I think it has prepared me for the next step.

This summer, I continue my journey to simplification with Part II: a massive decluttering project in our house!  I'm ready to let go of the stuff and the guilt that goes with it.  This blog post appropriately titled "Permission to Let Go" was very helpful and motivating.  While I can't justify simply throwing out items I no longer want or need, I am ready to donate them to a good cause.  Goodwill, here I come!

In Part II, I will also add more items to my "I can totally make it myself" list, reduce the waste I produce by improving my composting skills and being mindful of packaging on products I purchase, and determine if an item really has purpose BEFORE I buy it so I avoid the whole need to purge things in the first place!

Do you have any "hidden" toxins lurking your home and cluttering up your space?  Maybe we should all try to be more like this incredible family from the UK.  I don't think clutter is really an issue for them.

Magnificent multitaskers

I bought this oil over a year ago.  It is only recently, however, that I have truly fallen in love with it.  I'm a big multi-tasker, so when I discover a product that can multi-task as well as I can, it's a big win.  Argan oil is light and makes a terrific facial moisturizer in the winter because it moisturizes deeply while absorbing quickly. Your skin will not feel greasy and the oil mimics your skin's oil production which means no clogged pores either.  That is happy news. You can also use it as a quick hand moisturizer or cuticle oil. It is EXCELLENT at removing waterproof mascara. Simply apply a drop or two to your ring finger and wipe it across your lashes before you wash your face.  You can also follow up with a little baby shampoo - my every day eye makeup remover. (More on that later.)

My favorite use it as an under eye moisturizer.  While I'm not obsessed with avoiding wrinkles, the skin under my eyes can become uncomfortably dry especially in the winter.  Most eye creams are so heavy that they never absorb into my skin and I'm left with an oil slick in the morning.  This is not the case with argan oil.  I dab a drop between my ring fingers, pat it on and my eyelids are refreshed in the morning.  I swear the lines are smoother as well.  It helps me look like I've had enough rest even when that isn't the case.  You use only a few drops at a time (3 for the face, 1 for the eyelids), so the product lasts a very long time.  I use the Josie Maran Argan Oil travel size and it lasts nearly a year (unless you spill it all over the counter - ALWAYS be sure to screw the cap back on when you are done.  Otherwise, you may lean forward and knock over the bottle, spilling the oil all over the counter and into the vanity drawers.  It WILL be a hassle to clean up.  Oops!).  I usually purchase this product from Sephora through Ebates, a nifty little web site that reimburses you for shopping through their links like a rebate.*  For its low price, long life, and multiple uses, it truly is a toxin free bargain.


Here's another multi-tasking all star.  My eye doctor recommended using baby shampoo to wash eye makeup off because it avoids tugging the eyelids like using standard eye makeup removers with a cotton ball.  I gave it a try thinking that baby shampoo must be the gentlest, most toxin free product there is.  I took for granted that the baby shampoo would have very few to no toxins.  I mean, it's shampoo for BABIES, after all.  Sadly, this is not the case.  I looked into it and baby shampoos had the same toxins as regular shampoos including artificial fragrance.  Some "no tears" formulas even use numbing agents to mask the stinging in the eyes.  What?!

Enter California Baby Super Sensitive Shampoo & Body Wash, No Fragrance.  It does not sting, it washes off eye makeup and I recognize each of the ingredients on the label.  It is now my daily eye makeup remover of choice - suds a bit up on your fingers, lightly rub across your lids, rinse, and voila!  No more eye makeup or raccoon eyes when you wake up in the morning.  Its awesome powers do not end there.  Its title already alludes to its multi-tasking prowess as it is a shampoo and body wash.  I've used it for both.  It makes my hair and skin really soft.  It is gentle enough to be used as a face wash without stripping your skin of necessary moisture and you can add a few drops of an essential oil of your choice to make an excellent hand soap.  It clearly makes a great travel companion since you can fit 4 products in the space of 1 on the go.  I imagine it would also be terrific for babies since it was made with them in mind!

The small bottle costs about $12 for 8.5 oz.  A little goes a long way, so it is still a great deal.  You can also purchase 19 oz bottle for around $22.  I have only purchased the 8.5 oz. bottle because it lasted about 10 months. So far, I have been nothing but impressed with any California Baby products that I have tried (Again, for myself - I have not had any babies testing the products.)  Their products are made in the USA, are toxin free and are created through sustainable practices.  It is definitely a company to keep an eye on for yourself and your children.

You can purchase California Baby Shampoos & Body Washes at:

Drugstore.com (also on Ebates)

California Baby

Whole Foods

Bed Bath & Beyond

Target

*If you do a lot of online shopping, Ebates is totally worth it because it gives you money back on purchases you are making anyway.  I've used it for years and it couldn't be easier.  If you are interested in trying it, you can use my referral link here and get $5 back with your first purchase. :)

Summertime And The Living is Delicious!

Yum! There is nothing better than fresh produce.

Summer is in full swing and that means we are all enjoying more fresh fruit and vegetables in our lives (most likely).  It also means CSA season has started. CSA stands for "community supported agriculture" and it has recently become one of my favorite things.  To participate, one pays for a share of the harvest from a local farm. My husband and I joined a CSA three summers ago at an organic farm about half an hour from our home. It was truly a life changing experience for us. It has really made us more mindful of what we eat and how our food is grown.  We love to see the new vegetables that Phil (our farmer) has prepared for us each week. (Yes, we ARE on a first name basis with our farmer, are you?)  

I have learned through practice that organic produce really does make a difference.  Organic produce is better for us not because it contains more nutrients, but because it does NOT contain the added chemicals of pesticides and it is kinder to the soil.  If you are able, buying local, organic produce is preferable. It supports local agriculture and business and the produce gets to your table faster.  The nutrients in produce are diminishing from the moment they are harvested, so a quick trip to your home means more nutrients in your meals.

Now, I know that going all organic can be extremely expensive and quite frankly, changing the way you eat isn't a change that happens all at once.  It is a process that occurs by making one or two small changes at a time.  If you are interested in buying more organic foods, but you also don't want to break the bank, here are some foods to start you out.  The following 12 fruits or vegetables are items that we should all buy organic as they absorb the highest amounts of pesticide when conventionally grown.  These results were collected by the EWG, an advocacy nonprofit organization.

"The Dirty Dozen"
1. Apples
2. Celery
3. Strawberries  (this one in particular kills me because organic strawberries are hard to come by)
4. Peaches
5. Spinach
6. Grapes (imported)
7. Sweet Bell Peppers
8. Potatoes
9. Blueberries (domestic)*
10. Nectarines (imported)
11. Lettuce
12. Kale/collard greens

Fear not, there is some good news if I just listed many of your favorites and you are seeing your entire food budget disappear before your eyes.  If you make the commitment to spend the extra money on the organic items listed above, you can save money by buying THESE conventionally grown items.  This produce is more resistant to absorbing pesticides than their thin skinned counterparts above.  Happy days!

"The Clean Fifteen"
1. Onions
2. Pineapples
3. Sweet corn
4. Avocado
5. Asparagus
6. Sweet peas
7. Mangoes
8. Eggplant
9. Cantaloupe (domestic)
10. Kiwi
11. Cabbage
12. Watermelon
13. Sweet potatoes
14. Grapefruit
15. Mushrooms

If you're in the grocery store and you can't remember these lists, don't panic.  I certainly don't have them memorized!  Shopping in a more mindful manner, is as easy as 1, 2, 3.

1. Thin skin or berries = ALWAYS buy organic
2. Thick skin or eggplant = OK to buy conventional
3. Shop at a local farmer's market WHENEVER possible

If you have the opportunity to join a CSA this season or in the future, I highly recommend that you join.  It is really special to be part of the process and to see where your veggies are grown.  It can also spice up your culinary skills as you learn new ways to prepare all of that fresh produce! Go enjoy some organic summer produce!

Quick Tip for Peanut Butter Lovers

Happy Memorial Day!  A quick tip for all you lovers of organic peanut butter.  LOVE the flavor, but hate the mess?  Me too!  The natural separation of the peanut oil makes it nearly impossible to keep all of the oil IN the jar while stirring it well to blend.  If you are anything like me, more than a little peanut oil has dripped down the sides of the jar and possibly all over the counter every time...yikes!

Well, now you can save yourself the hassle (and clean up) by changing how you store the peanut butter.  A friend recommended I store the peanut butter jar UPSIDE DOWN after I stir it up.  I'm willing to try anything to prevent the peanut oil mess.  The fridge didn't work for me, so I tried storing it upside down.

Believe it or not, it works.  Stir your peanut butter really well the first time you open it, then store it upside down to enjoy creamy (or crunchy) blended peanut butter every time without any additives.  Amazing!

Clean and Green Laundry Time

I'm dedicating this particular post to my good friend, Victoria, because she asked me about it a few weeks ago.  The laundry room is one of the first places I started my green up act well over a year ago.  It is an easy place to start if you are new to using green and non toxic practices in your home and it makes a big difference.  By using non toxic laundry detergent you can rest easy knowing that you are not adding chemicals to your ground water or your personal life!

My favorite laundry detergent is made by Seventh Generation. I am currently using their Free & Clear variety which is fragrance free.  However, I have also tried the Blue Eucalyptus & Lavender and I am a fan.  Seventh Generation uses only essential oils to scent their products.  It is concentrated, so a little goes a long way.  Try it out and give yourself a big pat on the back for taking a major step to be clean and green!

If you're ready for more, try out a green fabric softener.  I spent some time trying to find an alternative to conventional fabric softener.  Once again, Seventh Generation comes to the rescue!  They make disposable, paper fabric softener sheets.  I really liked them, but I wanted to find an alternative that was re-useable, so I kept searching.  Enter, Nellie's Dryer Balls.  These dryer balls work like those you see advertised on TV without the use of PVC.  They bounce around in your dryer with your clothes to make them fluffy.  They are terrific and they double as a cat toy when you shake them out of your clothes when you are completing the arduous task of  folding.  Another alternative to use is my old pal, vinegar.  I read that adding a bit to your laundry works wonders.  I haven't tested that one out just yet.  The dryer balls last 2 years, so I will test it out when that time is up.



While I love Nelllie's Dryer Balls for making our clothes fluffy and soft, they don't do much to prevent static cling.  Ouch, literally.  I had to find something to prevent static cling!  I decided to try these Static Eliminator sheets and I must report that I am pleased.  Static reduction without chemicals and they are reuseable.  Since the sheets do not contain any chemicals, they are safe for sensitive skin and allergy sufferers.  For my mommy friends, they are even safe to use with cloth diapers.  The Static Eliminator sheets are good for 500 uses, score!  Be sure to use two at a time.  They are meant to work together.

Where to purchase:
Seventh Generation detergent and fabric softener
Seventh Generation
drugstore.com (Shop through Ebates and you get 6% cash back.)
Target
Bed Bath & Beyond (Don't forget to use your 20% off coupon.)* 

Nellie's Dryer Balls
Nellie's All Natural
drugstore.com

Static Eliminator sheets
Static Eliminator
Gaiam
drugstore.com

If you use my savings tips above, these laundry helpers are definitely DEALS!

*If you don't get them in the mail, hurry up and join BBB's mailing list.  Their coupons are awesome and they never expire!

Delicious yogurt!

AH, yogurt!  It's so tasty.  Easy to grab on the go, it gets along well with others and it's a healthy choice.  I love mixing it up with granola for a filling breakfast or making dips with it.  It also does a killer job of thickening soups without the fat and calories of cream.  Clearly, I'm a big fan. 

My absolute favorite store brand is Stonyfield Farms Low Fat French Vanilla.  It is important to me to choose organic yogurt to avoid antibiotics and growth hormones and Stonyfield Farms is a great little organic company based out of Vermont.  I always buy the 32 oz. container because it uses less packaging and it is better for the environment. 

 As I said, that yogurt is my favorite store brand, but my ABSOLUTE favorite is the yogurt I make at home.  I was so happy to discover that yogurt is not that difficult to make.  I'm happy to share the recipe with you here. 






When you're done, you can use a bit of your homemade yogurt as a relaxing face mask.  Apply a thin layer, lay down and let it sink in for 20 minutes.  Rinse and enjoy your softened and renewed skin.  Yogurt, the good little multi-tasker!

Homemade Organic Yogurt
 
Ingredients:
4 cups organic milk (whole or low fat)
1/4 cup of yogurt with live active cultures - this will be your 'base"(I used Stonyfield Farm, obviously)
Equipment:
You will need a candy thermometer, pot and glass jars/containers (I use the Small Batter Bowl from The Pampered Chef because it is the perfect size.)

Directions:
Attach the candy thermometer to the pot. Over medium heat, bring the milk to a simmer. Stirring frequently to prevent scalding.  Now, adjust the heat accordingly to keep the milk foamy and steaming at 185 degrees for 30 minutes. DO NOT let the milk boil.

After 30 minutes, remove the pot of milk from the heat and allow it to cool to lukewarm (112 degrees). This takes about 30 minutes. If you have an electric stove, boil some water while you wait.  If you have a gas stove, you can skip that part.

When the milk has reached lukewarm status, either turn the oven on warm (electric) or turn the pilot light on (gas). Whisk the yogurt into the milk until well incorporated. Pour the milk mixture into a glass container(s) and cover. You can use plastic wrap.

Place a lasagna pan on the bottom rack of the oven and pour the boiling water into the pan if you have an electric stove. (Skip this step if you have a gas stove)  Put the covered milk mixture in the oven. Turn the oven off and leave it there for 8 hours. Voila, yogurt! Transfer to the fridge and enjoy. For a milder flavor, shorten the oven time up to 2 hours. Makes about 32 oz.

Be sure to put some of your yogurt aside to be the base for your next batch.  And if you start to experiment with flavors, be sure to add them when you are heating the milk on the stove.  

Look, there's a superstar cleaner in your pantry!

There is nothing better than a sparkling, freshly cleaned shower.  The only downside is how quickly said shower gets dirty again!  We also get this odd orange film on the grout after a few days from minerals in the water.  It can feel like fighting a losing battle against that orange film and soap scum.  Imagine how thrilled I was to find  a product made specifically to spray after a shower to diminish the buildup of soap scum, etc.  Sadly, that spray had to go when we went green because non toxic it wasn't.

Then, Method appeared on the scene.  I'm a big fan of their products and their company.  If you haven't tried any of their products, definitely check them out.  They created a post-shower spray and I was all over it.  It was $2.99 a bottle and it kept soap scum at bay.  It wasn't as strong a match for the orange film, but we weren't loading up on toxic chemicals every time we sprayed it.  What could be better than that?

It turns out there was something better hanging out in my pantry all along.  I recently read that plain, old vinegar could be used as a spray to kill mildew and mold.  I figured, what the hell?  If it can kill 82% of mold, maybe it can do some damage to soap buildup and mineral deposits.  I filled a bottle with white vinegar and sprayed away.  I was AMAZED.  The vinegar definitely breaks down the soap.  Oh, and my nemesis, the orange film?  It hasn't reared its ugly head since my new friend, vinegar came to town.  I swear that our shower sparkles.  At $2.99/GALLON, I'm in love.   I get to clean the shower a little less often because vinegar is doing all the work for me!

As you can imagine, your bathroom will smell slightly like salad dressing for a while, but the aroma fades quickly.  The trick is to spray the shower right before you leave the bathroom.  If you really don't like the smell, take a deep breath BEFORE you spray and close the door behind you.  Trust me, it is well worth it!

Here are a few links to Real Simple magazine.  They have a list of other interesting uses for this fantastic little workhorse.  Who knew?

10 New Uses for Vinegar
Cleaning with Vinegar

This one seems particularly well-timed with all of this snow!
Clean Salt-Stained Shoes

Pomega5 Lemongrass Clarifying Cleansing Bar

Oh, Pomega5 Lemongrass Clarifying Cleansing Bar, how do I love thee?  Let me count the ways:

1. You manage to blend some of my favorite foods (pomegranate and olive oil) to nourish my skin.
2. You smell delicious! (Thanks to eucalyptus and lemongrass essential oils.)
3. You adhere to the (stricter than the FDA)  regulations of the European Union.
4. You were created using organic and biodynamic ingredients exclusively.
5. You make my fair, acne-prone, super sensitive, extremely difficult and dare I say, "problematic" skin happy.
6. You're a multi-tasker! (The herbs along the side the bar can be used to exfoliate my skin.)
7. Your company participates in sustainable practices.
8. You last for a ridiculously LONG time. (5-6 months)
9. You travel well.
10. At $19.95/bar, I spend $4-$5 on facewash.  That's the least amount of money I've spent on a facewash ever!

Get your own bar at:
Isabella Catalog - One of my favorite web sites/catalogs. I wish I would have thought of it! 
Pomega5

Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2011, a year in which I am hopeful I will update my blog more frequently (for all 3 of my readers). :)

If you are anything like me, you may have spent the last 2 weeks or so eating more delicious treats than you are apt to do the rest of the year.  I have a MAJOR sweet tooth and so many heavenly desserts abound during the holiday season that I go a little buck wild.  One can't feel beautiful while hopped up on sugar all the time, so after the New Year, I really need to hit the reset button and get back to my usual, reasonable eating habits.

If you could also use a little "reset" action, check out this detox eating plan I discovered last spring in Yoga Journal.  It is short term (3 days) and gently eliminates the accumulated toxins in your body through eating simple foods and avoiding caffeine, meat, and added sugar. Say "adios" to the holiday treats until next year and welcome your healthy eating habits back into your life. Your body will thank you! 

If you are hungry for more, you can also join the 21 Day Yoga Challenge.

Phenomenal Face Mask

Since the last facial product I featured was a splurge, I thought I would share a serious deal this time.  A few months ago, I tried a face mask that was like a little piece of heaven for my skin.  It was a honey mask.  My skin was glowing, dewy, and smooth.  The bad news, it cost $28 and didn't last for very long.  I was in love with the product, but not with the price tag.  What to do?

Clearly, I went out and bought myself a large bottle of honey.  Twice a week, I bring it in the shower, smooth some on my face, and let the honey work its magic with the steam of the shower.  When my shower is done, I rinse the honey off my face and follow with a splash of cool water to close up the pores.  AMAZING!  My total cost was $4 at Trader Joe's and this bottle will be lasting me for quite a while.

Why is honey so amazing, you ask?  It is chock full of antioxidants which supports cell renewal and combats free radicals.  It is naturally antibacterial to combat breakouts.  It reduces inflammation and swelling.  It moisturizes and promotes healing.  Thank you, Mother Nature!  It is a good idea to try to buy honey that is collected as close to where you live as possible.  Raw, local honey is even better, but you can use whatever kind of honey suits your fancy.  Who needs expensive spa products when such a steal is waiting for you at your local market?  Enjoy!

More Info on Toxins

Here is a blog post from Keys Soap company that explains the effects 30 ingredients used in personal care products have on our bodies.  This blog discusses the negatives in more depth than I ever could.

The Dirty Thirty.

Delicious Snack!

Beauty starts on the inside.  Therefore, from time to time I may include tasty treats that I discover.  Up first is Yogi Granola Crisps - Mountain Blueberry Flax.  I picked these up on a whim. Ok, ok, I was hungry while I was shopping and what a delightful surprise!  I love Yogi Teas, so I figured their new line of snacks might be just as good.  They look like giant Special K flakes.  They are super crunchy and taste like real blueberries.  Lots of healthy stuff inside of them as well with no artificial flavors or sweeteners.  They are seriously addicting.  I can't wait to try the other flavors!  I bought mine at Stop N Shop, but I am sure you will be able to find them in your local stores.

Daily Sun Protection - Solar Rx

I realize that summer is ending & my timing may be off with this post, but let's be real.  We need to wear sunscreen every day of the year.  Being extremely fair-skinned, I am painfully aware of this fact.

In my opinion, a daily moisturizer must have SPF 30 or higher, it must be friendly to sensitive skin, it better not clog my pores and it should absorb fully so I can apply makeup smoothly.

Now that I've added non toxic to my already strict criteria, I figured I might be searching forever.  Not so.  Enter Solar Rx.

Solar Rx delivers everything I require from a daily moisturizer and it was the first one that I tried!  It was developed to be gentle, therapeutic, and protective without artificial preservatives or harmful man-made chemicals.  Not to mention that it has ranked as the #1 safe sunscreen for the past three years in the annual Sunscreen Report by the EWG.

This moisturizer is a splurge.  It costs $26.95.  However, it lasts for quite a while.  You won't be needing to refill every month.  I bought a bottle in May and have only used a quarter of the bottle when I layer that stuff on every day. (I don't mess around with the sun.)  The best part of all is you can order a travel size for about $3 to try it out.  I love that!

I believe this is totally worth the price.  If you aren't sure, order a travel size and test it out.  You won't be sorry!

You can purchase Solar Rx at the following web sites:
Keys Soap
Organic Diva

Carol's Daughter...

In January, I made a little resolution to completely switch my beauty regime over to strictly non toxic products by the end of the year AND to get this blog up and running. Both are a work in progress....

In the process, I discovered a fantastic web site run by the Environmental Working Group called Skin Deep. It's a database of cosmetic and personal care items that rates each item on its safety (use of toxins). The color coded scale of 0 - 10 is much like a traffic light. Green (0-2), of course, giving the "go ahead" on a product.  I started by searching the products I was using to see how they rated.  I didn't encounter too many green lights and sadly, all of the red lights were lip products!

I should confess, I am obsessed with lip products. Lip gloss, lipstick, lip balm - I love them all!  I never seem to have less than eight in my bag at any one time. (And I know I'm not alone.)  After my visit to the Skin Deep web site, I had to accept that my biggest challenge was going to be finding non toxic substitutes for my beloved lip products.  Yikes!

Imagine how happy I was when I discovered a kick ass lip balm almost immediately! Allow me to introduce you to Carol's Daughter. Fellow New Yorker, Lisa Price, began making beauty products by hand for her friends and family in her apartment in Brooklyn in 1993. Over time, word got around and her hobby has transformed into a company. Carol's Daughter has two store locations and can be found in many fine establishments throughout the country. The best part about this company in my opinion is that Ms. Price has not changed her values. Production may have moved from her kitchen to a warehouse, but her products are still made with the same natural, non toxic ingredients BY HAND.

Her Lip Butter is phenomenal! It softens using cocoa butter, sweet almond oil, beeswax, shea butter and a few other delicious additions. It smells like almond cookies and is very emollient. I use it before I go to sleep at night or whenever my lips need a super dose of moisture especially in the winter. It also has a nice shine too if you want to use it all day long. All this fabulous rates a ZERO on the EWG scale, a very good thing indeed! Spend some time checking out this very cool company. I adore it!

Carol's Daughter products can be found here:
www.carolsdaughter.com
www.sephora.com
www.macys.com

If you would like to see how your products rate on the scale:
www.cosmeticsdatabase.com

Ick, Toxic Ingredients!

I feel that before I can continue sharing great products with you, I should explain what I mean when I say "non toxic." Last fall, I read a book that opened my eyes. The book was called Gorgeously Green by Sophie Uliano. It inspired me to do more research. I learned that many common personal care products contain ingredients that are not very healthy for us. As we use the products, the toxins soak in through our skin and build up in our bodies over time. These toxic ingredients have been linked to adverse side effects such as neurotoxicity, hormone disruption, fertility problems, and even cancer!

I don't know about you, but I do not have ANY desire to continue to put these ingredients on my body. So, without further adieu, here is a list of the heavy hitters of toxic ingredients to avoid in your personal products. This isn't a fully comprehensive list of every toxin that you may encounter, but they are some of the most offensive.

1. Parabens
This category covers all ingredients that end with the word "paraben." Nasty stuff.

2. Sodium laurel (or laureth) sulfate
Some of you might avoid sulfates in their shampoo to preserve your hair color, but they could be carcinogenic. Yikes! It is a foaming agent, so you will find it in any soap product that foams (i.e. shampoo, body wash, hand soap).

3. Phthalates
These are tricky because they are not listed by name on ingredient lists. They are synthetic chemicals that are found in Fragrance. If fragrance is listed in the ingredient list, put it back on the shelf! I will be honest, this has been the hardest ingredient for me to avoid. I find I easily miss it on the ingredient lists because "fragrance" doesn't necessarily jump out at me.

4. Petrochemicals
Petroleum based ingredients such as petrolatum, paraffin, mineral oil and butyl alcohol.

5. Talc
It can cause skin irritation. No thank you!

6. Polyethylene Glycol (PEG)
Also look out for propylene glycol, isopropryl alcohol, and butylene glycol.

7. Tocopherol Acetate
Synthetic vitamin E, better to go with the real thing.

8. Formaldehyde-Producing Preservatives
Formaldehyde can be produced by hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, and diazolidinyl urea

9. Toluene
This is often found in nail products and we shouldn't be breathing it in.

10. Nitrosamines
Doesn't it just sound wrong? Safest to avoid any ingredient that is listed as only capital letters (i.e. TEA, DEA).

So now it's time to get out there and start reading the labels on your beauty and personal care products. Happy greening! Your body will thank you for avoiding all the toxins.

If you would like to read more, I found the following web sites very helpful and informative:
Gorgeously Green
The Environmental Working Group
Keys Soap Company

Mama Bee Nourishing Body Oil

The first product that I just HAVE to tell you about is Burt's Bees Mama Bee Nourishing Body Oil. Do not be fooled by its name, I believe Mama Bees will be happy to share. This oil absorbs right into your skin and leaves you smelling slightly like lemon drop candy. That fragrance actually comes from lemon oil. Delightful!

I have very sensitive skin that gets very dry and irritated in the wintertime. I am happy to report that the dry, itchy skin of winter has not reared its ugly head yet because it is no match for this oil. Our skin is more naturally inclined to absorb an oil than a lotion, so a little goes a long way.

The ingredient list reads like a recipe: lemon oil, almond oil, wheat germ oil, rosemary leaf extract, vitamin E...no scary stuff to be found. The price is right at roughly $8. I am no fortune teller, but you may be bidding "adios" to your favorite lotion after you try this amazing oil. I certainly did.

Burt's Bees Mama Bee Nourishing Body Oil can be purchased wherever you find other Burt's Bees products: Target, CVS, drugstore.com, and Burtsbees.com (just to name a few).

Welcome!

Welcome to my new blog! As mentioned in my profile, I have always "had a thing" for beauty products. Recently, I have learned that many of my favorite items contain ingredients that are pretty scary and harmful to our bodies! It was with dismay that I learned I needed healthy replacements for my tried and true favorites, but I knew it was time to "green up my act." I did not want to continue to use products that could be harming me.

So, I have simply made it my personal project to find products that are non-toxic AND fabulous. I have a great reason to try new items and discover new companies. (And if you know me, you know how much I love that!)

My goal with this blog is to share the treasures that I find along the way. If you, too, are trying to "green" up your act and want recommendations for great products, you have come to the right place!