tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51437166542375493612024-03-20T06:58:16.805-07:00CORE beautyDedicated to discussion of natural and organic brandsEugeniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13292898277976484284noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143716654237549361.post-48973521372173934452014-02-16T11:41:00.000-08:002014-02-16T11:41:27.628-08:00How to: Decongesting & Purifying Face Mask<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L-R jojoba oil, green clay, manuka honey, raw cacao, cinnamon</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Face masks are the simplest products to make yourselves at home. I also believe that home-made face masks are the best because they are </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>freshly</b></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> made. If you have oily or combination skin, I have a great mask for you! This face mask uses </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>clay</b></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b> </b>to draw out impurities, as well as heating properties of </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">raw cacao </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">powder and cinnamon to really decongest and revive the skin. <b>Raw cacao</b> has more antioxidants flavonoids than blueberries and green tea. In addition, I like to add some nourishing and moisturising ingredients to balance the purifying action of the mask and make sure it is not drying, by mixing in some nourishing <b>oil</b> and manuka honey. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This mask is very easy to make and perfect for a Sunday evening ritual. The cacao makes it smell chocolaty, so its a real pleasure for the senses. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What you will need:</span><br />
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<li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Clay (I like to use green clay powder)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Raw cacao powder</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ground cinnamon</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Oil (such as olive, argan, coconut, jojoba... )</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Manuka honey </span></li>
<li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A little bit of water or green tea</span></li>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mixing the clay, cacao & cinnamon first</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">First I mix the powders together: I use about two tea spoons of clay powder, a 3/4 tea spoon of raw cacao powder and about a 1/3 tea spoon of cinnamon. If you want the mask to have stronger<b> heating</b> properties then use a bit more cacao and cinnamon. However, if you have sensitive skin don't use too much: this face mask really heats up and your skin is quite reddish at the end. I then add a little bit of water: to create a thick yogurt consistency of the mask. Be careful with the water, add it little by little not to make the mask too watery, start off with a tea spoon and add more as you go along if needed. I then stir in about a tea spoon of manuka honey and a few good drops of your chosen oil. What you get at the end is a <b>thick yogurt</b> consistency grey-brown face mask. It smells absolutely <b>delicious</b> thanks to the cacao and cinnamon. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ready mixture</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The mask on the skin</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Put a thick layer on your face and leave for <b>15-20 minutes</b>. If your skin is quite sensitive, leave only for 10 minutes. When I use more cacao and cinnamon, my face is quite red at the end, and feels quite hot. After the mask the skin feels really clean and refreshed. It's great at drawing out impurities and nourishing the skin at the same time. Raw cacao has lots of benefits and I am surprised how it is not used more often in skincare. </span></div>
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Eugeniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13292898277976484284noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143716654237549361.post-43052048623858609072013-11-09T09:29:00.002-08:002013-11-09T09:29:52.003-08:00Udo's Choice Ultimate Oil Blend<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I don't know about you, but I find the whole business about Omegas 3,6, 9's quite confusing. Which are better? What ratio? Just as I was looking for a good omega supplement, and was getting confused by all the ratios, I was contacted by Udo's Choice asking if I would be interested in trying out their <b>Ultimate Oil Blend</b>. I often see this brand in many health shops' fridges, so I jumped at the offer because I was very interested in trying a high-quality</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> oil. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The oil is a pure supplement, it comes in a dark, amber glass bottle. Udo's Choice gives quite strict directions about how the oil should be kept: it should be stored in the fridge and the oil should be consumed within 8 weeks of opening to ensure you are getting the benefits of the freshness of the oils. Perhaps needless to say, all the oils included in the blend are <b>cold-pressed and certified organic</b>. Now to the actual blend. Here is what is included:</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Flax Seed Oil*, Evening Primrose Oil*, Sunflower Seed Oil*, Soy Lecithin, Sesame Seed Oil*, </i></span><i style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Rice Bran and Rice Germ Oils, Coconut Oil*, Oat Bran and Oat Germ Oils*, Mixed Tocopherols </i><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(*Certified Organic)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Omegas</i></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Udo's Choice suggests that consumers currently realize that our diet can be deficient of Omega 3s, which we obtain through foods like fish, nuts and various vegetable oils. They also report that people are presented with an idea that we obtain enough Omega 6s, which are present in some nuts, oils like sunflower oil and some seeds. We also supposingly obtain it from spreads, peanut butter etc. However, what Udo's Choice suggests we don't realize is that most of the Omega 6 oils that we consume are often <b>damaged</b> in some way: in other words they are not in their best natural format to carry much health benefits. Therefore we might actually not be receiving a good enough amount of <b>good</b>, unrefined, unprocessed Omega 6s, and this should be incorporated in the Omega supplement. Therefore, the choice of oils included in the Ultimate Oil blend includes a <b>2:1:1</b> ratio of Omega 3: Omega 6: Omega 9. With this blend you are getting the super-healthy Omega 3 Essential Fatty acids, but not forgetting about the also essential Omega 6 and 9 which are extracted in a clean, unrefined way. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>Consumption</b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Due to the delicate structure of some of the oils present in the blend, Udo's Choice recommends the oil is <b>never</b> heated as the structures of the oils can be damaged. At first I thought it may be tricky to incorporate this oil in my food, but in reality it turned out to be very easy. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The oil is of a dark, rich yellowy-orange colour and has quite a distinctive taste, I would say it is pleasantly nutty. For example, I find that it is too strong for my taste to use only this oil as a salad dressing, but instead I put about a table spoon of this oil and just add some olive oil to 'dilute' the taste a little. So it has been very easy just adding it to salads. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You can add it to dips, salads, pasta when its cooked. One of my favourite things to do with the oil was to mash up some<b> avocado</b>, a desert spoon or two of Udo's Choice oil blend, some sea salt, black pepper and spread this lovely mix on a rye bread toast. Delicious! With bland tastes like avocado it actually adds a nice richness to the taste. The 500 ml bottle lasted me about 6-7 weeks even though I was adding it to my food on a daily basis. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Overall I think Udo's Choice is a great way to get your Omegas in the freshest and balanced form. This oil is also perfect for vegetarians and is gluten-free. When taking this oil, in combination with a balanced diet, I was feeling very good and had very good skin over the summer months. I then became very busy and let things slip a little bit, and it definitely was reflected in how I felt/my skin. It is a commitment to remember to incorporate this oil in your food especially if you have a busy lifestyle, but if you get it in your routine you get a great ratio of essential omegas in the <b>freshest</b>, unrefined way! Is anyone taking Udo's Choice Ultimate Oil blend?</span></div>
Eugeniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13292898277976484284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143716654237549361.post-17960962277896833642013-07-01T02:24:00.001-07:002013-07-01T02:24:34.146-07:00Lucy Annabella: Argan & Bergamot Organic Treatment Oil<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have recently been contacted by <b>Lucy Annabella Organics</b> asking if I would be interested in trying out their products for a potential review. To be honest, I did not know much about Lucy Annabella, but I did remember seeing their pretty bottles on a natural products website. After having a quick look at their brand and their ingredients I was very interested!</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Lucy Annabella is a brand from Northern Ireland, and its creator, Colleen Harte is a Complimentary Therapist and Clinical Aromatherapist. Being passionate about all things natural and organic, and combining this with her knowledge and interest in the power of aromatherapy, Colleen created Lucy Annabella Organics. The brand incorporates products for body and relaxation. They have a collection of body/massage oils, bath milk and candles The products are all beautifully scented to help people relax and unwind in their busy lifestyles while feeding their bodies with healthy and organic products.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The products of the brand are <b>certified</b> by the Soil Association. I always think that its very important for body care products to be organic because you use so much of them.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Soon after our conversation, a lovely box landed on my doorstep. Upon opening I was delighted to learn that it was a body oil, <b>Argan & Bergamot Organic Treatment Oil</b>. As if knowing my fondness for body oils, Martina from Lucy Annabella made me very happy to receive this. In addition, my previous body oil was running out, so the timing could not be better.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lucy Annabella Argan & Bergamot Organic Treatment oil</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCO_VX_FpqEIyNM3QKACRL1vhsx_jzgrdVwhxRp09Y45TVY2Pg5G5ojgquLPMB9pLcu9axMjSOLHnGNZJ_gDT0EMfNVoo2mhY_Pt8Gy3C4aHp8rLNgEh6zKSyLzb5qAtEUKNFMFarl3Gfd/s1600/IMG_0802.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I recently switched to using body oils instead of moisturisers and have been very happy with the results. When I looked at the ingredients list, I was excited to see that this oil contained <b>argan oil</b> high up in its ingredients list. I believe that everyone has 'their' oil, that works best for their skin, and I think argan oil is 'mine'. This body oil is a deep yellow colour and comes in a very pretty patterned glass bottle. It contains nine organic oils to revive and nourish the skin. A combination of soybean, argan, sesame, avocado and apricot oils feed the skin with <b>Vitamin E</b>, softening and protecting it. I believe this body oil contains a combination of the most beautiful, skin-nourishing oils out there. The body oil is very delicately scented by organic essential oils of lemon, bergamot, rosemary, lavender and cypresse. I am not a fan of strong, essential oil smells, but the scent of this product is very delicate, refreshing, and beautifully balanced. It is slightly citrusy, but with more depth to it.The scent does not linger for too long either, which is a bonus for me. It does give you a very uplifting feel when the product is applied.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I use the body oil straight after the shower. Upon the first use I was amazed by how quickly the oil sank in, leaving no residue <b>within a minute</b>. The skin felt incredibly smooth and silky to the touch, and I can honestly say I never had such a quick response to a product. Whenever I use a body oil I always rub the leftovers all over my hands, and I have noticed that after using this oil my hands look don't get dry as they usually do, there is even little need for hand cream. A little bit of the product definitely goes a long way, so this bottle should last ages. I have been using it every other day for over three weeks, and am probably not even a third through the bottle. One thing I would comment on however is that the bottle is not dark glass, therefore sunlight may damage the oils. Its not a problem if you store it in a bathroom cabinet, but I like to keep mine in its box just to be safe.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The body oil on skin</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My skin is not particularly sensitive to any ingredients, so I cannot comment on any allergies. But I think because the ingredients are very straight-forward, you will be able to notice anything that you can't tolerate. My skin has been very <b>soft and smooth</b> after using this oil. I would highly recommend it as a very fast-absorbing, nourishing and luxurious skin treatment. After-shower use of this oil uplifts the senses so you feel you are in a country field with a mix of lovely herbal scents on a fresh and sunny day!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Lucy Annabella Organics are available to purchase online at <span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><a href="http://www.lucyannabella.com/" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;" target="_blank">www.lucyannabella.com</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"> and on www.naturisimo.com </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The products will also be available at the Nutri Centre, The Hale Clinic, 7 Park Crescent, London W1B 1PF<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13px;"> </span></span></div>
Eugeniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13292898277976484284noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143716654237549361.post-10344335061101068062013-03-20T09:45:00.000-07:002013-03-20T09:45:02.834-07:00Ilia Beauty: beautiful reds<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have noticed that I am coming up with a bit of a collection of red/pink lip colours, mostly from RMS and Ilia beauty brands (RMS colours to follow soon). One of the difficult things about shopping for natural brands that are not so wide-spread is not quite being able to tell what colour it is exactly. The problem with taking photos and uploading them on the blog still remains: the flash and camera distortion still make it impossible to demonstrate the true colour of the lipsticks. Nevertheless, I wanted to do a post showing some of the lip colours that I own and perhaps through seeing them next to each other, some of you would find it useful. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ilia beauty colours are amazing. The lip tints are very moisturising and I love how they smell. The greatest thing about them is that you can really play with how much colour you want to get out of them, e.g. one layer gives a nice tint, while if you re-apply a few times you get a proper lipstick-rich colour. And, once you own a few of these pretty things, you can mix up the colours to get something new every time. Here are some of my favourites:</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ilia in Bang Bang</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ilia in Arabian Knights</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ilia in Shell Shock</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ilia Beauty L-to-R: Bang Bang, Arabian Knights, Shell Shock</td></tr>
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Eugeniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13292898277976484284noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143716654237549361.post-28840506747203971772013-03-17T09:13:00.001-07:002013-03-17T09:13:31.185-07:00S5 Skincare Balance Fluid Review<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I first came across S5 Skincare at <b>Content</b> shop in London (literally the best all natural skincare boutique!). I was shopping with my mum who was stocking up on some lovely skincare products, and not wanting to feel left out I thought I should look for something for myself too. My current moisturizer was close to running out, and I was also feeling like it was not providing enough moisture. It was formulated for problem skin prone to breakouts, but it felt like was sort of compromising on the moisture aspect. </span><div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So, in Content, when I explained my situation, I was recommended the <b>Balance Fluid</b> by S5 Skincare, and it sounded so good that I thought why not give it a try? </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Before I review the cream, here is a little background information on the company. S5 Skincare is a relatively new brand, created by Laura Rudoe (who is also behind the affordable natural company Evolve) and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Violaine Bargues. There is a beautifully written in-depth background review of the company in <a href="http://www.galinka.co.uk/blog/?p=6355"><b>Galina's blog</b></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b> </b>if you want to learn more. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The main ethos of the brand is to use <b>natural</b>, high-quality ingredients to protect the skin from adverse effects of stress and aging. The line is 100% natural and uses very interesting ingredients that come from plants that flourish in harsh and difficult climates (e.g. the arctic, sea depths, mountains, deserts). After considerable research the brand creators found that these ingredients are very beneficial in helping skin <b>fight stress </b>and look its best. The products contain proven bioactives from 5 most <b>extreme ecosystems</b>, especially formulated to target 5 skin problems/conditions: </span></div>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Arctic (sensitivity and reactive skin)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Alpine (skin pigmentation)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Desert (dry skin)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Marine (wrinkles and lines)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Rainforest (problem and blemish-prone skin)</span></li>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Today I will be focusing on the Balance fluid, which uses rainforest bioactives to help de-stress and balance the skin, preventing blemishes. <b>Rainforest</b> is an ecosystem that is capable of sustaining rich life throughout extreme weather conditions: torrential rain, extreme heat and humidity. The founders of the skincare found that extracts from the rainforest will help balance the skin, reduce inflammation and provide a '<b>climate control system'</b> for the skin, where oil production, moisture and nutrition can all be balanced. This is what attracted me to this product: its proposal to balance the skin without compromising on hydration and nutrition.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So far I have only used the Balance Fluid moisturiser. Some of the key actives used in this moisturizer include </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Epilobium fleisheri</b>, which is an Alpine bioactive found to help reduce inflammation, decrease sebum production and improve skin's appearance. It also contains <b>Arctic Rhodiola</b>, which is ecologically harvested in <b>Siberia</b>. This plant has been shown to improve oxygen consumption in the skin, de-stress the skin and protect it from temperature fluctuations. In addition, the moisturizer contains </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Low Molecular Weight <b>Hyaluronic Acid</b>, which is vital in locking in moisture in the skin, and also reduces skin hyper-reactivity. The product is EcoCert certified organic, with overall <b>67.99% organic</b> ingredients, and is overall 99.25% natural. Here is the full list of ingredients: </span></span></div>
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<i>Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice*, Coco-Caprylate , Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glycerin, Mica, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Aqua (Water), Isostearyl Isostearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Epolobium Fleischeri Extract*, Rhodiola Rosea Root Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Salicylic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Arachidyl Alcohol , Sodium Dehydroacetate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Behenyl Alcohol, Cellulose Gum, Tocopherol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Gluconolactone, Lauroyl Lysine, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Anisate, Parfum (Natural, Low Allergen Fragrance), Titanium Dioxide, Talc, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Benzyl Alcohol, Citric Acid.</i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I found this moisturizer extremely pleasant to use: it sinks into the skin immediately, and smells absolutely delicious, as if of Alpine herbs. The smell is very delicate and I think it must be my favourite moisturiser smell. It has a smooth creamy consistency. I must say that after one application, sometimes my skin did not feel quite moisturised enough, and I would go back and put another small amount on. I have been using the moisturizer for almost two months now, and my skin has been calm and I have not experienced any unpleasant blemishes, maybe a couple occasional ones, but much less than usual. What I also really liked is that the skin felt nourished and well-moisturized after using this product, and I am happy with the overall condition of the skin, not only the blemish aspect of it. This, I guess, is their 'climate control system' really working! The 50 ml pot comes at £39, so it is certainly isn't cheap. But, after using mine for two months, I find that I have used very little, so I think it will last for ages. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The line also contains specially formulated serums for various skin conditions, and I would now really like to try out their <b>Purity Serum</b>!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">S5 skincare line is available at<i> <a href="http://www.beingcontent.com/"><b>Content </b></a></i>instore and online. </span></div>
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Eugeniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13292898277976484284noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143716654237549361.post-32780084464856431192013-03-16T09:20:00.000-07:002013-03-16T09:20:38.602-07:00Seeds!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I thought I'd do a post on the benefits of seeds. These little things have amazing nutritional value, but can often be overlooked. It is very easy to incorportate seeds into your daily food routine, by adding them into smoothies, sprinkling them over toast, porridge or salads, or just eating them in their own right. Lets have a look at a couple of the healthiest seeds out there. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Pumpkin Seeds</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Pumpkin seeds are edible seeds of... um, pumpkins! These have amazing nutritional value. Pumpkin seeds are rich in calories, which mainly come from protein and fats in these seeds. The fats are the good type, they are rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids, which help to balance the cholesterol levels and may help with prevention of heart disease. Pumpkin seeds are also rich in amino acids, tryptophan and glutamate. These, especially glutamate, when converted help sleep, reducing anxiety and irritability. Furthermore, pumpkin seeds are rich in essential minerals, such as copper, magnesium, zinc and calcium among many others. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Sesame Seeds</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sesame seeds come from Sesame plant, which is a tall annual plant, most widely grown in Asia, especially China, Burma and India. The seeds come from the pods that are formed from the flowers on these tall plants. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sesame seeds are an amazing source of various essential minerals. Particularly, they are rich in calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, manganese and selenium.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">These seeds contain plenty of folic acid, which is essential for DNA synthesis. In addition, they are a great source of B-complex vitamins, which help reduce anxiety and neurosis. Sesame is super rich in different fatty acids, which help balance the cholesterol levels. As if all of that wasn't enough, sesame seeds are also rich in different antioxidants, such as sesamol and sesaminol, which help fight-off harmful free radicals within the body. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Chia Seeds</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Chia seeds come from Salvia hispanica plant, which grows abundantly in Southern Mexico, and is actually a member of the mint family. These tiny seeds were an important part of Mayan and Aztec diets back in the day. Chia seeds are super rich in everything it appears! They have a great source of Omega-3, and various anti-oxidants. In fact, it has been written that they are so rich in antioxidants that chia seeds can be stored for lengthy periods of time without deteriorating. Chia seeds are also very rich in fiber (25 grams of chia provide almost 7 grams of fiber), which means that these seeds will help you feel full in a healthy way. Like the other seeds, chia are also a great source of minerals like calcium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, magnesium, manganese and iron among others. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Sunflower Seeds</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Apparently sunflower seeds began to be used over 5,000 years ago by the Native Americans, and then the Spanish introduced them to Europe and surrounding countries. Some of the benefits of sunflower seeds include its rich content of Vitamin E, which has been linked to preventing cardiovascular disease. Vitamin E is also a great fat-soluble antioxidant, and is therefore anti-inflammatory as it neutralizes free radicals in the body. These seeds are also rich in magnesium, which helps to maintain healthy bones and also helps maintain healthy nerve cells!</span><br />
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Eugeniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13292898277976484284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143716654237549361.post-8817699478328792822012-07-09T14:02:00.001-07:002012-07-09T14:03:38.899-07:00How to: Papaya Face Mask<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e;">The papaya mask delicious ingredients</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Papaya is an amazing fruit for the skin. It is a great antioxidant due to the very high content of Vitamin A. In addition, papaya fruit contains </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">papain</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">, which breaks down inactive proteins, and therefore helps to remove dead skin cells. This gives this bright orange fruit great exfoliating properties. If that all was not enough, papaya has also been said to have good anti-aging properties due to the high content of alpha-hydroxy acids (the </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">AHAs</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">). In addition, papaya can help with blemishes, uneven skin tone and will bring a lovely glow to the skin. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have read about all these amazing papaya qualities, and when I saw a reduced price fruit in a supermarket, I thought 'Why not give it a try?'</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The mask is easy to do, but I must confess I did make a bit of a mess in the kitchen when preparing it. But I think it was mostly due to the fact I do not own a blender, and therefore a lot of mushing things up was involved. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What you need:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- Half a papaya, pips scooped out</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- 2 table spoons oats</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- A dash of olive/coconut oil</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- Juice of about 1/4 of a lemon</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQh4CvoBBnU3aSi8Dt3zbc6WIKlCDPH4_HZpUNix2TaAo9asDkP6EEb7Ze9dDFR4M0SRF-PLm7R2cQmqTHSxLLVnsYzw2pJHQhrpnOkjvdIh9TZSBv64maeKz23xboE2fmei1AYwsLznci/s1600/IMG_0291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQh4CvoBBnU3aSi8Dt3zbc6WIKlCDPH4_HZpUNix2TaAo9asDkP6EEb7Ze9dDFR4M0SRF-PLm7R2cQmqTHSxLLVnsYzw2pJHQhrpnOkjvdIh9TZSBv64maeKz23xboE2fmei1AYwsLznci/s320/IMG_0291.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In the process</span></td></tr>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Scoop out the seeds of the papaya and remove the skin. Cut the fruit into small pieces and mush it up either in a blender or with a fork</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Grind the oats </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mix the papaya and the oats together</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Add the oil and the lemon juice, and you're set to go!</span></li>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Apply the mask onto the whole face and neck, avoiding the eye area, leave for 10 mins or so and wash off</span></li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0F-GkrQkQjSNKvNbtjjo-IGI9CwJ1YwJMvPCk4K3MWSiu20dHxYVswatB9gKOsvlY543yj50GWm2H2DKR2sURnoLSmMj8vfDxqVKg2mTCWDAZvy49g9KlqjRBBt2rpGnze9ac-ue31PIG/s1600/IMG_0292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0F-GkrQkQjSNKvNbtjjo-IGI9CwJ1YwJMvPCk4K3MWSiu20dHxYVswatB9gKOsvlY543yj50GWm2H2DKR2sURnoLSmMj8vfDxqVKg2mTCWDAZvy49g9KlqjRBBt2rpGnze9ac-ue31PIG/s320/IMG_0292.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The end product...</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Using half a papaya was actually enough for two applications. The </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">oats</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> in the mask helps to sooth the skin and add more exfoliation upon rinsing. After the mask my skin was very soft and refreshed, and it felt lovely to apply fresh and completely natural ingredients to my face! Would definitely recommend! My ingredients are only a suggestion, you can alter the recipe to suit your skin, for example you can add honey for sensitive skin, or maybe yogurt... If you try it, let me know how you get on... </span></div>
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</div>Eugeniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13292898277976484284noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143716654237549361.post-68754224310801533702012-06-03T13:41:00.002-07:002012-06-03T13:41:56.642-07:00Deep Cleansing Mask by Nude<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I wanted to do my new post about a product that has impressed me the most during the time of my blog-absence period. This product was, without a doubt, the <b>Deep Cleansing Mask</b> by <b><i>Nude</i></b>.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiphbDSEfTxg-HkAeR5GvIoa32lfd9CFrD_br636PQkE5vWFOkBdGLs32VOXZDCh0Co43OuBs6KwUwtfCq4UxKkr_FPl_yVX38a-wiFkPEaMv9xtXRtMvChI6orPY0PySxz7njAmPmsZLsz/s1600/Deep_cleansing_mask.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiphbDSEfTxg-HkAeR5GvIoa32lfd9CFrD_br636PQkE5vWFOkBdGLs32VOXZDCh0Co43OuBs6KwUwtfCq4UxKkr_FPl_yVX38a-wiFkPEaMv9xtXRtMvChI6orPY0PySxz7njAmPmsZLsz/s200/Deep_cleansing_mask.jpg" width="200" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">First of all, the brand. Nude was created by Bryan Meehan and Ali Hewson. Bryan was the creator of the Fresh&Wild natural health food stores around London. Together, Bryan and Ali wanted to create a skincare brand that is high-performance, luxury and of course, all-natural. I think the brand very nicely combines the two aspects that before were considered to be opposites: it is natural <i>and </i>luxury. I love the packaging of the brand: it is simple, clean, modern and feels so nice to the touch. The products are affordable but they look and feel like high-end stuff, and deliver the promised results too! The products consist of natural ingredients, with some interesting stuff. They are <b>free </b>from the nasties like parabens, Sulphates, PEGs, TEAs, DEAs, Propylene Glycol, Phthalates, GMOs, Mineral Oils and Silicones. It should be noted that the brand openly declares that they use a small amount of what they researched to be safe and non-irritating synthetic preservative ingredients. All of these ingredients are clearly stated on their labels. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Now, the product:</b> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This mask is formulated for normal to oily skin, and would suit anyone with congested skin or suffering from spots. The mask is dark grey colour, and has a beautiful mousse consistency. This was one of the things I was particularly impressed with: unlike other kaolin clay masks, the consistency of the mask felt soft and non-drying. It goes on like a dream: very smooth and almost glides onto your skin. The main ingredient of the face mask is kaolin clay which absorb excess oils and impurities and helps to gently exfoliate. The mask also contains propolis, which has fantastic purifying and healing properties. The other great thing about this face mask is that it works as an exfoliator too. The gentle beads exfoliate the skin when you wash the mask off, making it a brilliant 2 in 1 product (i.e. I skip buying an exfoliator now...). </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In all honesty, if used once or twice per week, <b>this</b> mask (unlike any other I have tried), really <b>de-congests</b> the skin, revealing more glowing and healthy-looking skin. I cannot promise you that it will solve all your skin problems, but I don't believe that any one external product really can (i.e. a lot of how your skin looks depends on what you are eating and how you are feeling). But what I have noticed is that it really <i><b>improves</b></i> the condition of the skin, gently purifying it as well as healing any spots etc. It is very easy to use and wash off, making it a pleasant part of a weekly beauty routine! </span></div>Eugeniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13292898277976484284noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143716654237549361.post-2519183612001462682012-02-23T13:42:00.000-08:002012-02-23T13:42:23.881-08:00Spiezia Organics Head and Hair Oil<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYKDTfaAE98VRP9qznsxzF4iYrm5lA4WYkhuAg5auqSxcIFCYcNvGg5arNVPweJAMQWGyYA-fMhS8VU0dSXMeQb08SCZr0IibFyAYJE5Uj-zDf_ejrjyv19scYlroJhM4srU8cE2z4i3TF/s1600/head-_-hair-oil-100ml-300dpi_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYKDTfaAE98VRP9qznsxzF4iYrm5lA4WYkhuAg5auqSxcIFCYcNvGg5arNVPweJAMQWGyYA-fMhS8VU0dSXMeQb08SCZr0IibFyAYJE5Uj-zDf_ejrjyv19scYlroJhM4srU8cE2z4i3TF/s320/head-_-hair-oil-100ml-300dpi_1.jpg" width="157" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">There are so many hair treatments out there, lots to choose from! I wanted to try something different and new, and found this great <b>Head and Hair oil</b> by <b>Spiezia Organics</b>. I knew that oils are great for nourishing hair and thought I could give this treatment a try. Another thing that attracted me was the company itself and the fact that their products are <b>100% organic</b> (that's right, 100%, certified by the Soil Association).</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Lets hear a little bit about the company first. Spiezia makes 100% organic and natural products on an Organic Gear Farm based in <b>Cornwall,</b> England. They have a range of 34 products for face, body and hair care, mothers and babies oils and balms and a range of men products. It has been possible for Spiezia to make truly 100% organic products because they don't use water in their stuff: and if there is no water, there is no need to use any type of preservatives or anything else that may exist only in non-organic form. This means that Spiezia moisturizers are balms, not creams.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Now the <b>treatment</b>. The Head and Hair oil was created to stimulate healthy scalp and nourish hair. It contains lots of great ingredients, such as jojoba, sweet almond, apricot seed oils, and other healthy things such as burdock root extract, nettle leaf extract, rosemary leaf, sage and lavender. It is advised to massage into the scalp and along the hair and leave it on either for 20 minutes or overnight for a more thorough treatment. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I have not had the courage to put it on my head... My hair tends to get oily quickly, and I do realize that the oil will not necessarily make it more oily, but balance it, but I just could not do it! The main thing I feel I personally need to get from a hair treatment is nourishing dry ends, so I happily just put it along my hair.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">The oil itself is like any oil: pale yellow colour, no particular strong smell. I rub a little oil between my hands and spread it on my hair, then repeat a couple of times until I feel there is enough oil on my hair. Don't overdo it: the first time I applied the oil I thought I needed to put on lots of it for the hair to get moist, but you really don't, I would say overall about a tablespoon or a bit more for medium length hair. I then wrapped my hair on my head and pinned it up. I didn't leave it on overnight, although its very possible - just pop a towel on your pillow. I left the oil for about 30 minutes every time I used the product. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">The oil washes out relatively easily, although (perhaps due<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', -webkit-fantasy;"> to paranoia) the first time I used it it did feel like there was something left on my hair. The second time, my hair felt completely fine and clean. The overall result without exaggerating is that after 2-3 uses my hair felt more nourished, silky, shiny and generally <b>healthier</b>. I was very impressed with the result. I have medium thickness hair, and this oil has definitely worked much better than any intense treatments that I have used on my hair for that extra nourishment. </span></span></span></div>Eugeniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13292898277976484284noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143716654237549361.post-32619991052364137122012-02-18T04:54:00.000-08:002012-02-18T04:54:36.516-08:00Live Native Exfoliating Cleanser<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Well, it has been a little while.... The reason for my lengthy absense was not at all my abandonment of pure and green beliefs, but the fact that I thought it was a good idea to do all the big things at once (you know, the moving house, starting a new job, and also, being with no internet for 3 weeks). But now I am settled in my new place, </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">so, lets see what new natural products there are in store!</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhennXQ2BAT4p1dCvSM9rsuUnB5uqr2qc5MZWFk6bc8i6OShCMSb1Em3N0YCAHnsddZrtwOcyiyv9LIxDTXgB3PZzVo8f6DSwMJAiul_gdci7ioFJqN0d56ciyDZgIWg4MpzZ-GxbtKuRHH/s1600/Essential-Earth-Exfoliating-Cleanser.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhennXQ2BAT4p1dCvSM9rsuUnB5uqr2qc5MZWFk6bc8i6OShCMSb1Em3N0YCAHnsddZrtwOcyiyv9LIxDTXgB3PZzVo8f6DSwMJAiul_gdci7ioFJqN0d56ciyDZgIWg4MpzZ-GxbtKuRHH/s1600/Essential-Earth-Exfoliating-Cleanser.jpg" /></a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have, now </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">not-so-recently</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, been kindly sent a sample of <b>Live Native Exfoliating Cleanser</b>, which lasted me a few weeks, using it every other day. My first impression was how natural and <b>'earthy</b>' the cleanser was. It kind of looks like mud - its quite dark brown, textured, it looks like there is nothing artificial in it whatsoever, which there<b> isn't. </b></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Live Native the company specialize in making natural, handmade skincare products. Their products are all handmade on the =Isle of Skye, where the beautiful unspoiled landscape must have been an inspiration for Live Native creator, <b>Vicky Ewbank</b>. Live Native products contain only natural ingredients and are vegan. Not only that, but the ingredients in the products are all cold-pressed and the company uses heat-free-blending of ingredients to save the active properties of enzymes, vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids. </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Exfoliating Cleanser is based on <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">Absorptive Moroccan Rhassoul Clay, which helps to deeply cleanse the skin as it attracts all the oil and dirt trapped in the skin. Organic oats in the cleanser help to gently but effectively exfoliate the skin. I loved the other ingredients in the product, such as argan, coconut and calendula oils, which all help to cleanse the skin, but also nourish and calm it at the same time. The full list of ingredients, all natural and lovely stuff, is below. The product is 90% organic.</span></span><br />
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<div class="desc" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 20px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><i><span style="color: #666666; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 1.6em;">Oat (Avena Sativa) Kernel Meal*, Rhassoul Clay (Montmorillonite)*/***, Chamomile Macerate in Sunflower oil*, Argan (Argania Spinosa) Kernal Oil*/***, Coconut (Cocos Nucifera) Oil*, MSM (Dimethyl Sulfone) from Pine Trees, Chamomile (Chamomilla Recutita Matricaria) Flower*, Liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) Root Powder*, Kelp (Ascophyllum Nodosum)**, Marigold (Calendula Officinalis) Flower Oil*, Vitamin E (natural d-alpha tocopherol), Glyceryl Caprilate, Grapefruit (Citrus Grandis) Seed Extract in vegetable glycerin</span></span></i><i style="line-height: 1.6em;"><span style="color: #666666; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 1.6em;">, Acerola cherry (Malpighia Glabra) Fruit Extract*.</span><span style="line-height: 1.6em;">* organic | ** wild harvested | *** Fairtrade</span></span></i></div><div class="desc" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 20px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">The cleanser is gentle enough to be used everyday. I really liked that, as its quite rare to find a cleanser that is a gentle exfoliator as well, and to be able to use daily. As I mentioned before, when I opened the pot, the cleanser looked like rough mud. But with contact with water it forms a brown-grey paste, that starts to feel much more gentle than the dry product. When washing my face with it, it felt like I was putting 'food for skin' on it and I would leave it on for a minute before washing it off. I guess that would allow the clay and oils to work their magic. After washing off, the skin would feel soft and clear, without any residue of the product. I really enjoyed this cleanser, and loved the gentle exfoliating properties of it, as well as its interesting and natural ingredients list! Highly recommended!</span></span></div><br />
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</span></span></div>Eugeniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13292898277976484284noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143716654237549361.post-61328855706419371642011-12-10T10:54:00.000-08:002011-12-10T10:54:51.379-08:00Winter Lip Saviours: Hurraw! Lip Balms<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-PkuEicGkha5MJSTAukQzGiU9YSK24IKD3Q4FFUyE-Umx08mzio4jTDMgPDJLlIBqWp8kIuXzkTKuFp8211T4PAcsgH778d8Ps9LaufPl2TRvUPX7o5tUsAesndpkAknDAeYyQPw5hkn/s1600/hurrawbalm_blackcherry_stand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-PkuEicGkha5MJSTAukQzGiU9YSK24IKD3Q4FFUyE-Umx08mzio4jTDMgPDJLlIBqWp8kIuXzkTKuFp8211T4PAcsgH778d8Ps9LaufPl2TRvUPX7o5tUsAesndpkAknDAeYyQPw5hkn/s320/hurrawbalm_blackcherry_stand.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It is that time of year again (if you live in the northern hemisphere): cracked and dry lips due to cold, wind and general weather nastiness!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have never been a fan of lipbalms: to me they taste strange, make my hair stick to my lips and their smells could be over-powering. Also, if you get a tube lip balm, they always roll off the table somewhere and take a journey of their own...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">That was all till I had particularly dry lips this winter. I saw my friend use this strange-looking, slightly squashed red tube of<b> Hurraw!</b> lip balm in <b>Black Cherry</b>. I borrowed it for a couple of sweeps, and was hooked! </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The lip balm made my lips soft and moisturized, completely got rid of dryness and cracked feeling. And importantly it improved the conditions of my lips in the long term, not just for a few minutes, which often happens with lip balms, and actually makes you crave them more. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In addition to being great at nourishing lips the Black Cherry balm is an amazing subtle red <b>tint</b>, adding a healthy colour and glow to your lips without being over-powering. The colour is achieved by adding the alkanet infusion to the balm. And of course, the balms are all-natural, vegan, raw and contain organic components! Here is the list of ingredients:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<i style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">***Alkanna tinctoria (alkanet root) infused *Prunus dulcis (sweet almond) oil; ***Euphorbia cerifera (candelilla) wax; **Cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, *Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) oil, **Theobroma cacao (cocoa) butter, *Ricinus communis (castor) oil, *Olea europaea (olive) oil, organic black cherry flavor; Tocopherols (vitamin e)</span></i><br />
<i style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*cold pressed / organic **raw & organic ***wildcrafted</span></i><br />
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<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hurraw lip balms are available in a great many flavours and colours. The Black Cherry and Cinnamon balms are tinted, while most of the others are not, so you can choose what suits you. </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">Conclusion</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">: highly recommended for winter... and it won't roll of your desk!</span></div><br />
</div>Eugeniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13292898277976484284noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143716654237549361.post-30952180207467680912011-11-29T12:01:00.000-08:002011-11-29T12:01:32.858-08:00Interview with Steffany Boldrini from Ecobold<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 11px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2sbkbljs-JmGopPYdoPod7z5TLVG3-gN5aYlU_85CmMhb60v-tI1qJoPv7nT3bLV_wiZlrDDntNJkjnb9TjgmKLoAuCYf31s01ctvw8f7AR0cRxkusMeBFsxO0Xbghxqyk9vlN5WEzJhf/s1600/EcoBold+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2sbkbljs-JmGopPYdoPod7z5TLVG3-gN5aYlU_85CmMhb60v-tI1qJoPv7nT3bLV_wiZlrDDntNJkjnb9TjgmKLoAuCYf31s01ctvw8f7AR0cRxkusMeBFsxO0Xbghxqyk9vlN5WEzJhf/s1600/EcoBold+%25282%2529.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 11px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><i>This is the first</i></span></span></span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (hopefully) in a</i><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"> series of interviews of lovely people who dedicate their lives to creating or distributing natural and safe products. <b>Steffany Boldrini, </b>the CEO of <b>Ecobold </b>has kindly spent time to answer my questions!</i></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 11px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span></span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 11px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 11px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><b> </b></i></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 11px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 11px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><b>Ecobold</b></i></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 11px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We may know that we want green and natural products, but the question is <b>where</b> does one find them, and if you are making such products, where does one sell them? </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">That is where <b>Ecobold </b>comes in: it is a US-based market place for people to buy and sell natural, green and non-toxic products. Ecobold currently has over 3,000 products from over 130 sellers and is growing fast! You can find anything green on it: products in categories like skincare, cleaning products, books, gardening, food and much much more! It is a great way to shop for everything green under <b>one</b> online roof. At the same time it is great for manufacturers to have such a website where they can present their products. If someone wants to sell their product on Ecobold, it undergoes thorough checks to ensure that it meets all the health and environmental requirements. Ecobold team consists of experts on green and non-toxic products, who do research, investigate the ingredients and also provide the very handy video reviews of different products to educate the customer. Ecobold was founded by <b>Steffany Boldrini</b>, who I have the pleasure of asking a few questions about her experience with her business as well as green products. </span></span></span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span><br />
<div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjClm833ZWpVgC7ZPSuEfGevwlLlfWwbFkpGMjE59L_7T-g6ciVqDDESwTp6Lq_wJERaPQ7q5D63WlBO11WpN_Nv3SzgjG9AqPJd-Zy_EyNQ2m0lwx6vu1LpzgJMjtNF2DWFKJpx2Gy3O17/s1600/Steffany-Boldrini.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjClm833ZWpVgC7ZPSuEfGevwlLlfWwbFkpGMjE59L_7T-g6ciVqDDESwTp6Lq_wJERaPQ7q5D63WlBO11WpN_Nv3SzgjG9AqPJd-Zy_EyNQ2m0lwx6vu1LpzgJMjtNF2DWFKJpx2Gy3O17/s200/Steffany-Boldrini.jpg" width="163" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steffany Boldrini</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Hi Steffany, thank you for taking time to do an interview for Core Beauty. How did you come about in being interested in green and non-toxic products and wanted to make this your job?</i> </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The person who influenced me the most has been my mom, she always made sure that we read the ingredients of the food we buy and she keeps feeding me information on why our products are much safer for our health than convenient products out there. The most amazing part of all this is that even if you pay 10% more for a non-toxic product, it ends up being much cheaper than the pain you might go through when they get all kinds of diseases that ingredients in “bad” products can cause. Plus the vast majority of the products on our site have a price that’s the same, if not cheaper, than conventional products! </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i> </i></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>How was the idea for Ecobold born?</i> </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ecobold was born out of my personal mission to teach people how to shop better, I initially wanted to be a consultant and go to people’s houses, wipe out all nasty products, go to the grocery store with them and teach how to shop better. Later I decided that the one-on-one basis of consulting wouldn’t make such a big impact as having something where everyone could access online. Helping manufacturers of these awesome products sell online was also another driver to make the switch. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i> </i></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>What was the process of setting up your own business like?</i> </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Setting it up wasn’t the hardest part, the hard part is getting the word out to the people who care and have them come back for more, a.k.a. marketing! </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i> </i></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>What would you say was the biggest challenge you faced in developing Ecobold?</i> </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Everyday there is a different challenge! In the beginning it was finding the right co-founder, then it was launching, and now we are in the process of looking for investment - the hardest part at this time. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i> </i></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>What was the most difficult thing about switching to non-toxic products? Were there some products that you found most difficult to find a natural substitute for? </i></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">It’s actually not hard at all. If you look you’ll find that there’s a safe alternative for almost everything you use: lipstick, makeup, shampoo, soap, toothpaste, cleanser, body lotion, perfume, anti-aging lotions, and the list goes on and on. There are a few products that I still sin with because I haven’t found an alternative that works yet: nail polish, nail polish remover, deodorant and the things that my hairdresser users for my highlights – that’s it! </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><i> </i></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><i>Can tell us about your favourite natural skincare and cosmetics brands? </i></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There are so many good ones out there, it’s hard to choose! I’ve used these serums before, gave to friends and family and we all love them: http://www.ecobold.com/shops/anthoorganic I also can’t wait to try this makeup and lipsticks: http://www.ecobold.com/shops/FreshFace For soaps, I love these: http://www.ecobold.com/shops/blueridgegypsy and http:// www.ecobold.com/shops/Beecology </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i> </i></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>What is the morning skincare routine of the Ecobold’s CEO?</i> </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Wash my face with water, spray a fruit mist that my mom gave me the other day, put on my mineral makeup and I’m out the door! I also sometimes I use olive oil around my eyes which I heard works really well for a beautiful skin.</span></span></div></div></div></div>Eugeniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13292898277976484284noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143716654237549361.post-62556847779798478492011-11-27T11:06:00.000-08:002011-11-27T11:06:33.446-08:00John Masters Organics Bare Unscented Shampoo<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdLrk01kxtG7NOOP5MZHdjCo4CD1Ic8f-F8hKrD_Tt-7hAW825uU9BVkhRbc3_bZKjuXm01i3ICNH1lX5MfkLTsFVZGWXXp57DfQPWTyjdPiqF6TR7JHyXov8EcmNvPxO5eVzpx-HGONyF/s1600/bus1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdLrk01kxtG7NOOP5MZHdjCo4CD1Ic8f-F8hKrD_Tt-7hAW825uU9BVkhRbc3_bZKjuXm01i3ICNH1lX5MfkLTsFVZGWXXp57DfQPWTyjdPiqF6TR7JHyXov8EcmNvPxO5eVzpx-HGONyF/s320/bus1a.jpg" width="89" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Well, as some of you may have noticed I have not done a post in a little while... The reasons are the same as always: work, general business etc. etc... But now <b>I am back</b>! I have not been completely out of the natural and organic loop, as during this time I have tried and used various interesting natural products which I will now be reviewing.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I thought I'd start with a review of a natural shapoo. It seems to be quite a basic part of the personal care regime, and some may be surprised that I have not done review of a natural shampoo already. The reason for that is that until now I have not used a natural shampoo that I was satisfied with. That changed after I tried the <b>John Masters Organics Bare Unscented shampoo.</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I have gone on about John Masters as a brand, and my other favourite of their products (and perhaps of all products in the world!) the Blood Orange and Vanilla body wash <b><a href="http://corebeautyblog.blogspot.com/2011/09/john-masters-organics-body-wash.html">here</a></b>. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">As the name of the shampoo suggests, it was created for someone who is not so keen or is allergic to overly-fragranced (even if natural) products. I am not such a person, I just wanted to try it as all the other shampoos did not really fit my hair description. The biggest difficulty with natural shampoos that many of you may have experienced is that it is hard to find one that actually cleans hair thoroughly, without leaving that slightly oily residue at the back of your head. The JM shampoo came the closest at giving me a fresh and clean feeling after washing my hair. I won't lie, it is not exactly the same as if I washed my hair with a 'dirty' shampoo, but the difference is really negligible. I am prepared for this in order to avoid the nasty chemicals in other shampoos. But that said, JM shampoo was significantly better at giving me a clean hair feeling compared to some other naturals that I have tried. After blow drying, my hair was soft and full of volume, which I really like, it was not weighted down at all. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">The shampoo contains organic extracts of <b>chamomile, white tea </b>and<b> jojoba</b> in order to gently cleanse the hair. In addition it contains <b>wheat amino acids</b> that add shine and smoothness, and <b>evening primrose</b> to nourish and moisturize hair. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">It is suitable for <b>all</b> hair types, which I liked a lot. I have relatively normal, quite fine brown hair with a tendency to become greasy in a couple of days, and this shampoo has been great at cleaning and nourishing hair and scalp, without over-stripping. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">In all honesty, you have to give a natural shampoo a <b>few</b> tries, before you make a decision about whether or not it is suitable for you. If you judge it from the first wash, you will be putting lots of bottles in the bin. Give it a few washes and see your hair and scalp adapt to a more gentle, less harsh shampoo, and if you are looking for one, I would highly recommend the JM Bare Unscented shampoo! </span></span></div>Eugeniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13292898277976484284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143716654237549361.post-39630543517574356482011-10-30T06:47:00.000-07:002011-10-30T06:47:41.261-07:00Skincare Chemicals to Avoid: 1,4-Dioxane<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVhUouYjRaNVqF54VUqQWRR17n1SQX7FS_eeql7d1SXRxTeRXpi6snFqIkoQsAUqYhRUaz27NuEEzRR8AvSJfzM1WRK9GDBaFL8fHL_q59GuImAAyoTteYr7ygs6ZHPebv7LXnC56IFL90/s1600/Varley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVhUouYjRaNVqF54VUqQWRR17n1SQX7FS_eeql7d1SXRxTeRXpi6snFqIkoQsAUqYhRUaz27NuEEzRR8AvSJfzM1WRK9GDBaFL8fHL_q59GuImAAyoTteYr7ygs6ZHPebv7LXnC56IFL90/s1600/Varley.jpg" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I dont know if anyone has noticed, but it has been a little while since my last post on the nasty chemicals we should try to avoid in </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">skincare. So lets try to take a peek into what is really going on in our products behind the branded facade.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Today's victim is <b>1,4-Dioxane</b>, a clear liquid that dissolves in water. It is usually used as a solvent in chemical processing. For example, it is used in things like adhesives, cleaning and detergent preparations, varnishes, polishing compositions, and after all this it is also used (wait for it!...) in cosmetics and deodorant fumigants. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">People can be exposed to this chemical through inhalation, oral (food/water consumption) and dermal contact through the use of contaminated products such as cosmetics or shampoo. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1,4-Dioxane is considered to be a probable human cancerogen. It has been shown to easily penetrate skin. In addition, 1,4-Dioxane is listed as an animal cancerogen by the National Toxicology Program. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics highlights that perhaps using one contaminated product once in a while may not cause serious harm, but considering how many products we use each day and every day, it all <b>adds up</b>... </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You may think: well that does not sound very pleasant, I shall <b>avoid it</b>! The problem is that 1,4 Dioxane is actually a by-product, it is formed as an impurity in the manufacture process of alkyl ether sulfates or other ethoxylated substances used in products like cosmetics, detergents and shampoos. The process of <b>ethoxylation</b> involves adding ethylene oxide (a known canerogen!) to other chemicals in the product to make them less harsh. The funny thing is that because it is a contaminant by-product, 1,4-Dioxane does not have to be listed on the ingredients list, so it is quite hard to know whether it is present or not. In terms of personal care products, it is reported that it is likely to be present in products that create suds, like shampoo, bubble bath and some soaps. It is reported that high percentages of all products from these categories contain 1,4-Dioxane. Horrifyingly, an independent test in 2007 revealed that many popular brands of <i>children's</i> bubble bath and body wash contained the chemical. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It is possible for companies not to produce 1,4-Dioxane. For example, they can vacuum-strip it from the ethoxylated product or just not do the ethoxylation process by using non-harsh ingredients from the start. It is not allowed to ethoxylate under organic standards. So if you purchase a <b>certified organic</b> product, it should be safe to know that it does not contain 1,4-Dioxane. It is also possible to search for products that contain no known impurities on the Environmental Working Group's <b>Skin Deep database</b>. </span></div>Eugeniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13292898277976484284noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143716654237549361.post-26771986686817679232011-10-29T15:49:00.000-07:002011-10-29T15:59:25.486-07:00Lip Colour Variations: RMS and Ilia Beauty<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS6Zasabad197G-6a0AlGKU1I3iWdv_Hb8nqWoFcmCIU74mSOmAM1_HoYKg2lrBhk1dEBTLnKvTSDROzPe7L8zG7Q44CmreSGtuQlfZMvr5qp8_QtEFGOeuh5Y0Y2TqGjF7IAvPfT0VgCs/s1600/monica-vitti.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS6Zasabad197G-6a0AlGKU1I3iWdv_Hb8nqWoFcmCIU74mSOmAM1_HoYKg2lrBhk1dEBTLnKvTSDROzPe7L8zG7Q44CmreSGtuQlfZMvr5qp8_QtEFGOeuh5Y0Y2TqGjF7IAvPfT0VgCs/s320/monica-vitti.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I found that the most difficult thing about getting new natural and organic products instead of the 'dirty' ones is that many of the brands are only available online. So, that makes it <b>a bit</b> difficult in deciding on the right consistency of a cream, but even more difficult in deciding on the suitable colour when buying make-up. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So I decided to do a little post on the colours of my favourite brands, <b>RMS beauty</b> and<b> Ilia</b>. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><b>RMS beauty Lip2Cheek:</b></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I was in love with RMS Lip2Cheek in <i><b>Modest</b></i> for a while now. I was not too afraid of buying it online, as it seemed a soft dark pink colour that would suit pretty much everyone. I was however quite intrigued by their <b><i>Rapture</i></b> colour, it seemed to be an intense, dark, almost brick-red colour. But how can you be sure, and how will it look on you? I got a sample of Rapture, and it is truly a very deep dark red colour. Initially I thought I would not be able to wear it. What is good about RMS products however, is that you can play around with how much you put on. With Rapture, you can dab a tiny amount on your lips and it will give life and warmth to your lips, apply another sweep and you will get deep, dark red evening look. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Then I thought, well I really like Modest, but sometimes it would be nice to add more depth to it.<b> Easy</b>! Just add/mix up Modest with Rapture (depending on what effect you would like to create). Here I have a photo of Rapture on its own at the top, followed by Modest, and then about 50/50 mix of the two:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_uhWYM_HycKNH3f4f8K-3CG6Go055qLfQa6aiStkZAFgDhBWy-UR6AoLIcHWF3T78RV7tekXbeX_vQ-zZIaW6o58DaCDodRagf2Asj6FrQCLZpVpfUIKigBFNJMqVA6CdULF9p1hs_5wI/s1600/IMG_0494.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_uhWYM_HycKNH3f4f8K-3CG6Go055qLfQa6aiStkZAFgDhBWy-UR6AoLIcHWF3T78RV7tekXbeX_vQ-zZIaW6o58DaCDodRagf2Asj6FrQCLZpVpfUIKigBFNJMqVA6CdULF9p1hs_5wI/s320/IMG_0494.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">RMS Lip2Cheek in Rapture, Modest and mix of the two</span></td></tr>
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</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">No matter how hard I try to get an accurate picture of the real colours it never looks quite right. This is as close as I could get it. It does look similar, maybe Rapture is a little more brick-red and Modest is a little bit more 'dark pink'. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If you are more interested in a lighter, more pinky and less intense lip colour, check out the lovely RMS lip shine in<b> Bloom</b>: gives your lips a little bit of a sheer pinky glow:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw1DOJWx0VgQZ06XymPK677H_8rTCEGaOJb0OKMowXdK-fpsTNgbTQ59RuX-FCkety5VhbbAGWIOb0DjO_sMTXFZsFDEPU6zYiQtV4_KqKIrMbVtcKaMHbiSWI8iZXjK8SxvnaxCkqXv7f/s1600/IMG_0500.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw1DOJWx0VgQZ06XymPK677H_8rTCEGaOJb0OKMowXdK-fpsTNgbTQ59RuX-FCkety5VhbbAGWIOb0DjO_sMTXFZsFDEPU6zYiQtV4_KqKIrMbVtcKaMHbiSWI8iZXjK8SxvnaxCkqXv7f/s320/IMG_0500.JPG" width="262" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">RMS Lip Shine in Bloom</span></td></tr>
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</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><b>Ilia Lipsticks</b></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Finally, if you are looking for a real wonder-product, check out Ilia lipsticks. One sweep gives you a little bit of colour, while moisturizing and nourishing your lips. And a few more sweeps provide an intense and beautiful stain. I have Ilia in Bang Bang, and when you open it it is bright red. I put one layer on in the day just to moisturize my lips, and then if I want more colour, just sweep some more on! So, it is a moisturizing lip tint and a proper red lipstick all in <b>one</b>!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRhSihtRjn3s_hfN3UdC351IQagdXZxhbYy0vLHhmmfO44pN5aWWXfuGGN0bMzBQkwkGvl_SgdOrez8Q2vkL5TMxYwi3SuSxaU0JYqBnCvkvi08CGjxpwLoikvBYLAi_u44kTswXE8SQYh/s1600/IMG_0511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRhSihtRjn3s_hfN3UdC351IQagdXZxhbYy0vLHhmmfO44pN5aWWXfuGGN0bMzBQkwkGvl_SgdOrez8Q2vkL5TMxYwi3SuSxaU0JYqBnCvkvi08CGjxpwLoikvBYLAi_u44kTswXE8SQYh/s320/IMG_0511.JPG" width="254" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ilia in Bang Bang</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The above colours show the difference between just one sweep (above) and a few. The real colour is a little bit more scarlet red than what it came out on the picture. I hope it was useful anyhow, despite all the <i>'but the <b>real</b> colour looks more...</i>'.</span></div>Eugeniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13292898277976484284noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143716654237549361.post-74162677007343183872011-10-28T14:33:00.000-07:002011-10-28T14:33:25.879-07:00Apodea Body Emulsion for overall skin softness<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Apodea Organics</b> is an Italian brand of natural high-quality products that combine many active ingredients: honey and propolis are important components of the line. The company was founded by the Rossi family, who started the line with the now best-selling <b>propolis balm</b>. They then extended their line and developed more products that contained their key ingredients: honey, propolis and beeswax mixed up with a selection of other lovely natural ingredients. Propolis and honey have well-known moisturizing, anticeptic and healing properties. Most of the bee-produced ingredients of the products are made on Apodea farm in Umbria, Italy. The bees are truly looked after: they fly freely around the wild plants, no harmful pesticides are used on the farm, bees wings are not clipped and they are never fed with sugar solution. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">All Apodea products are free from GMOs, synthetic fragrances and colouring, propellants and are never tested on animals. The whole range is approved by <b>Detemer International certification</b>, which have a separate certification for bee-based products. They provide stringent guidelines about how the bees must be kept and how the products must be made. For example, it prohibits wing clipping of bees, the wax cannot come in contact with any thinners or solvents etc, honey extraction must not exceed 35 C, any pollen substitutes are forbidden... and these are just a few examples of the strict rules that apply!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIPnIf2ITUlK2rxRFjdhBRaVi3-BWF58sWMsR-QeB2qZQRHe1QIVK1LIwo4INqoqS9gxD4_Og02siwFIXnNeEthN0t2xbl9i9Ficp-yBFuWE-iMvDZzevW-sgjBWmfioT5ZMBc3Tf4Xy5R/s1600/IMG_0478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIPnIf2ITUlK2rxRFjdhBRaVi3-BWF58sWMsR-QeB2qZQRHe1QIVK1LIwo4INqoqS9gxD4_Og02siwFIXnNeEthN0t2xbl9i9Ficp-yBFuWE-iMvDZzevW-sgjBWmfioT5ZMBc3Tf4Xy5R/s400/IMG_0478.JPG" width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Apodea was kind enough to send me a full-sized bottle (125 ml) of their <b>Body Emulsion</b>. Upon opening the package I found the lovely matte glass bottle with a pump. It came at a really good time, as I was out of body moisturizer. As advised, I have been using the emulsion on slightly damp skin after a shower, and I must admit the result has been fantastic. The cream is dark creamy-yellowy colour and is quite light, not super rich. You need to rub it around for a bit for it to get fully absorbed, but it does not take long at all. I usually have normal skin, but perhaps due to approaching winter, central heating etc, my skin was on the dry side the last few weeks. In all honesty I was very impressed by how it performed: my skin was s<b>ilky smooth and soft</b>. I especially liked applying it to my hands, they became deliciously soft! I would not say that the emulsion has a strong aroma: it has a subtle smell of healthy propolis/honey balanced by other ingredients with an addition Sicilian lemon oil. It does leave a pleasant scent on your skin, not over-powering at all, and I really liked it: smelt very natural. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Overall, I cannot stress enough how<b> impressed</b> I was with this delicious body emulsion. It is suitable for <b>all </b>skin types: not too rich for oilier skin, but fantastically moisturizing, enough for dry skin. I am now very keen to try out their other products, I think their best-selling propolis balm will be my first purchase! Apodea Organics can be ordered from </span><a href="http://www.apodea-online.co.uk/userimages/SHOP-ONLINE(2352725).htm">http://www.apodea-online.co.uk/userimages/SHOP-ONLINE(2352725).htm</a></div>Eugeniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13292898277976484284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143716654237549361.post-2495472132490551892011-10-16T14:45:00.000-07:002011-10-16T14:45:03.042-07:00Antipodes Organic Avocado oil & Rosehip<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"></span></span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', fantasy;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisY38PckI_ri2dfynmSvk4hSXJ0eb15D4cAmh-BXZp7gcBLwqAQYx2p7GhX-4J_hCD5LRCVrtFSYQxiW6gDA2zh4KJATAEBdU8Ylv-A4Dw4-NsU3ps3xM8E-92yptmCSjOnmzdkXCadkR9/s1600/antipodes3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisY38PckI_ri2dfynmSvk4hSXJ0eb15D4cAmh-BXZp7gcBLwqAQYx2p7GhX-4J_hCD5LRCVrtFSYQxiW6gDA2zh4KJATAEBdU8Ylv-A4Dw4-NsU3ps3xM8E-92yptmCSjOnmzdkXCadkR9/s320/antipodes3.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', fantasy;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">As you may know, I think <b>avocados</b> are absolutely amazing for overall health and skin. I included them in my post about</span></span><a href="http://corebeautyblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/food-for-skin.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><b><i> food for skin</i></b></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">, and my favourite moisturizer is Pai's Avocado and Jojoba cream for normal skin. However, even though avocados contain healthy Omegas, great antioxidant properties and Vitamins A, D and E, it is not that easy to find a skin product based on avocado.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">So, I was thrilled to see a lovely natural brand <b>Antipodes </b>have a few avocado-based products. There were very kind to send me a full-sized <b>Avocado oil and Rosehip</b> to try out and review. I was delighted to see a company use the full potential of avocado oil in its pure and unchanged form and have now been using it for over two weeks. Before I go into the details of this product, let's hear a little bit about the company itself. </span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', fantasy;">Antipodes is a company from <b>New Zealand</b>. They carefully select and use the bioactive native plant extracts for their skincare. Their products are certified organic with <b>AsureQuality Ltd</b>, which is the leading provider of food safety and bio-security in the southern hemisphere. As we know, it is important to know the standards of each certifying body. For a product to be certified organic by AssureQuality, it has to contain 100% natural ingredients, and 70-95% of them have to be organic, with strict criteria on all the remaining ingredients. The thing I was most impressed with in Antipodes products is their ingredients lists. Yes, it is important that they are organic and natural. But what sets it apart from others further is the interesting, <b>exotic </b>and exciting ingredients combinations that the company formulates. For example, the use of avocado oil is present in great many of their products. It is anti-aging, rich in nutrients and antioxidants, and mega-hydrating. They further use interesting and unusual ingredients in their skincare, such as vinanza grape (improves skin elasticity), kiwi seed (tissue repair & hydration), manuka honey (anti-wrinkle), totara (great anti-bacterial activity), kowhai flower (moisturizing), chamomile, carrot seed among many impressive others!</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', fantasy;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-NE0olLI22YM90tsZJ1szZgutXw6r4sN5qO5v8-5ogucmzqUjgnDuhcb9wqRBJVx2_oZ3jEb76o5eDFLWusxAz2SLxYaRKfDgF5L4QK4WkOc1yiR2t_3tiXSbZzBMgulCiT_32mT8Ebue/s1600/5671894.59204dcb2e46113636.97834751.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-NE0olLI22YM90tsZJ1szZgutXw6r4sN5qO5v8-5ogucmzqUjgnDuhcb9wqRBJVx2_oZ3jEb76o5eDFLWusxAz2SLxYaRKfDgF5L4QK4WkOc1yiR2t_3tiXSbZzBMgulCiT_32mT8Ebue/s1600/5671894.59204dcb2e46113636.97834751.jpeg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', -webkit-fantasy;">I used the Divine Avocado Oil & Rosehip for about 2 weeks, mostly in the evenings after cleaning my face and before moisturizing, you just need a couple of drops for the whole face. It has been amazing for my normal skin. The oil is light yellow colour, does not have a strong scent. It consists of a combination of pure avocado, macadamia, jojoba, rosehip, jasmine, and orange oils. The combination of these oils is said to be collagen-boosting, helping to reduce appearance of lines, and scars. It is also recommended for blemishes and sun-damage. Since using the oil my skin appears more fresh and glowing, even when tired. It feels like you are feeding your skin when using this oil. I have noticed that even if blemishes broke out, using the oil made them heal and disapear much quicker. Even though this oil is suitable for <b>all</b> skin types, I think it would also be especially great for dry skin, as it is very moisturizing and nourishing. Overall, I found this a great oil to use in addition to a moisturizer to give the skin that extra nourishment, particularly great for the coming winter! </span></span></span></div></div>Eugeniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13292898277976484284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143716654237549361.post-55152264107969870822011-10-15T01:06:00.000-07:002011-10-15T01:06:29.311-07:00Multitask! RMS raw coconut cream<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5LutmHyQMhq0VRjJfo-YqOYvj26dVLjD4N4zt648G4RQ8Xkx-_Tey0D56b21K3hPXQZlvwK6MLUP7ZMH3ldJwLVUuWncmzVmq2ANl93HePwkzy0DHcywXooxQamDcK4p9IdPd_ZuxmEva/s1600/AAAADKEommAAAAAAAUbNZA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5LutmHyQMhq0VRjJfo-YqOYvj26dVLjD4N4zt648G4RQ8Xkx-_Tey0D56b21K3hPXQZlvwK6MLUP7ZMH3ldJwLVUuWncmzVmq2ANl93HePwkzy0DHcywXooxQamDcK4p9IdPd_ZuxmEva/s1600/AAAADKEommAAAAAAAUbNZA.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Did you ever wish that you would not need so many products in your barthroom cabinet? No separate bottle for a moisturizer, one for body cream, one for make-up remover, one for eye make-up remover and so on... it could just go on forever.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Well, not sure if it can substitute absolutely <b><i>everything</i></b>, but RMS raw coconut cream can definitely free up quite a bit of space! As you may know already, Rose-Marie Swift, creator of RMS beauty, developed her make up range to create non-toxic, natural, organic, raw products. Keeping ingredients raw is very important, it means that the precious ingredients such as plant oils are cold-pressed and never heat- or chemical-treated. I went on about the magic Un-cover up (concealer/foundation in a little pot that lasts months and months) and the amazingly natural Lip2Cheek colours <a href="http://corebeautyblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/rms-for-your-core-beauty.html">here</a>.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The raw coconut oil comes in a lovely matte white jar, in the style of all other RMS products: <b>simple</b>, no loud and bright labels. The consistency of the oil <b>changes</b> with temperature. It is in quite hard form at cool room temperature and below. When it is like that you kind of have to scrape it out with your fingers, and it will melt between your fingers. As it is cold in my house <b>all</b> the time, whatever the weather outside, I usually have the oil in this shape. However, in the summer I went to a warmer climate (which incidentally was in a more northern place) and the coconut cream did become liquid. It is advised that if it melts you can pop it in the fridge, but I actually found it easier using it in a more liquid form. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So, what is so great about coconut oil? Well, as I mentioned in my <a href="http://corebeautyblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/healthy-oils-for-beautiful-skin.html"><i>healthy oils post</i></a>, coconut oil is very moisturizing, and very easily absorbed through skin, therefore not leaving a oily residue. It is anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-viral, which makes it great for acne-prone skin. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now the uses of coconut oil: there are so many! My favourite use of the oil is for make up removal. The great thing is that you can use in on eyes as well, it is gentle but effective enough to remove all make up and dirt. I just melt a bit on my fingers, and rub it around my face and them remove it with a cotton pad. Coconut oil is a great moisturizer, especially for dry patches, like elbows, heels and legs. It can be used as a hair treatment: put some oil on the ends, leave for 30 mins or overnight and wash out; result: beautiful moisturized hair. Some report coconut oil being used as a deodorant too. In addition it can be used as a eye cream, massage oil, lip balm, hair gel/style, to relieve skin problems such as psoriasis, dermatitis and eczema, acne treatment, for healing of scars, treatment of bug bites... And unlike some other oils it smells absolutely delicious! Not bad for <b>one </b>little pot?!</span></div>Eugeniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13292898277976484284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143716654237549361.post-85165073314566957132011-10-01T15:29:00.000-07:002011-10-01T15:29:58.772-07:00The Tata Glow<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPWRICLVpJs16VUg-J4XSl5HoT1qsCJGnicaK0HeltqV5JSAz0ikj7phYD9Iw_VgnTdUVJk7i1sP965_1ZU_Dh_Y0rwIxAFu3FuvsN235krOBjsHVYTL4n95D0oqPRWLE31Ahyphenhyphenf6u11ajA/s1600/product_img_122_250x250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPWRICLVpJs16VUg-J4XSl5HoT1qsCJGnicaK0HeltqV5JSAz0ikj7phYD9Iw_VgnTdUVJk7i1sP965_1ZU_Dh_Y0rwIxAFu3FuvsN235krOBjsHVYTL4n95D0oqPRWLE31Ahyphenhyphenf6u11ajA/s1600/product_img_122_250x250.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have recently been sent a sample of Tata Harper Rebuilding Mosturizer with my previous purchases at<b> Being Content </b>in London. It was a little pot, although somewhat bigger than other samples I've had. I wanted to give this cream a try as the lovely and small yellow-green tubes caught my eye. I did not have high expectations, as I thought, what could be <b>new</b>?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Well, I have to admit, hands down I have not been so impressed with a beauty product in a long long time! I have been using the small pot for about 5 days now, and still have some left! </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In all seriousness, after a day of using the moisturizer, my skin, which had a rough patch last week, was looking <b>glowing</b>! I don't think I ever had that before. The moisturizer is dark creamy colour, not too think, just glides on your skin, and literally <b>soaks in</b>, without leaving a residue or leaving your skin wanting more. The fact that I needed the tiniest amount of cream for my whole face shows just how <b>concentrated</b> the product is. That took my worry about the small size of their product bottles far far away. I've read some reviews on the internet saying that the aroma of the product (made from natural oils and extracts) was over-powering, but I did not find this to be so at all. It has a light refreshing natural scent. The product is <b>70.23</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>%</b> EcoCert certified organic, <b>100%</b> natural. It includes some delicious ingredients such as mango butter, aloe leaf juice, calendula flower, rose water, willow bark extract, alfalfa flower, borage flower, witch hazel among many others. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBLIfUJJnFZ5n5ImNl1Z_RjnQzfUM90I5puYY0sXInWcsniN8pml-isU6Y3LyyPNVgD9D5FvLafyRg4JJbLSc6TWamC57C4JIxsx3RoYGYDcOaiCKEWqWOURix3tOTZf4UufqEIGBVrRFK/s1600/tataharper2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBLIfUJJnFZ5n5ImNl1Z_RjnQzfUM90I5puYY0sXInWcsniN8pml-isU6Y3LyyPNVgD9D5FvLafyRg4JJbLSc6TWamC57C4JIxsx3RoYGYDcOaiCKEWqWOURix3tOTZf4UufqEIGBVrRFK/s320/tataharper2.jpg" width="254" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tata Harper realized the potential harm of nasty chemicals in our everyday skincare after her stepfather was diagnosed with cancer, and his doctor gave him instructions not to use most of his existing products due to their chemical content. So, that was how the idea for creating a natural luxury line was born. Tata grows many of her ingredients right on her 1,200 acre farm in<b> Vermont</b>, where everything is handpicked and the products are made on site in small batches to keep things fresh and natural. All of the work on the products, including formulation, packaging, marketing and distribution are carried out in-house, which is so rare these days, even for a natural brand. The aim of the line was to make a luxury skincare brand which is also 100% natural and <b>non-toxic</b>, so that women do not have to sacrifice their health to have beautiful youthful skin. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tata carried out research on the ingredients for <b>5 years</b> before launching the line. She traveled around the world meeting world's best botanists, chemists and different experts. Through her quest she collected some of the most exquisite and beneficial ingredients the earth has to offer to develop the brand's own formulations from scratch. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The line consists of Regenerating cleanser, Replenishing cleanser, Refreshing cleanser Hydrating Floral Essence, Rebuilding moisturizer, Repairative moisturizer, Rejuvenating serum, Resurfacing mask, Restorative Eye cream, Revitalizing Body oil, Strengthening body lotion and some aromatic treatments. I would really love to try out the face mask and one of the cleansers.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In some ways unfortunately, these lovely products come with a rather high price tag. For example, the moisturizer that I tried out costs £80. Of course it is really expensive, but no one would think of accusing La Prairie for making their products expensive, because they are a well-known luxury brand. But Tata Harper is also a <b>luxury brand</b>, as to use handpicked, home grown exquisite ingredients costs money, there is no other way around it. So if you are looking for an amazing natural product that delivers, and can afford it, I think these products can definitely deliver the promised<b> Tata Glow</b>. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKAn8mGFDJF9r4sCmV3ldtDfxAPTVbx9ifm2cAWVGYSZwP8llQxygYTV3I6KjDeg7YvSqUIMa7R_FqiEMUGHX-DA_6kzs4HEOVwfm26BJnINvC3dBN1ztz43R1dTlp816dqQDjErn1P1rk/s1600/IMG_0448.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKAn8mGFDJF9r4sCmV3ldtDfxAPTVbx9ifm2cAWVGYSZwP8llQxygYTV3I6KjDeg7YvSqUIMa7R_FqiEMUGHX-DA_6kzs4HEOVwfm26BJnINvC3dBN1ztz43R1dTlp816dqQDjErn1P1rk/s200/IMG_0448.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My little sample</td></tr>
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</div>Eugeniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13292898277976484284noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143716654237549361.post-48290333015578478072011-09-24T16:09:00.000-07:002011-09-24T16:09:39.263-07:00Male Grooming... Naturally!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpv2GKyRpBstUpCxRiJCfkDeD7n4taRpa8_StJ-aWTJvlyWC92vBZaR63ZGdWEOKvZi0IwXlMafDH8qwVK_PKefyyUAPfLGmKcr9hx9SHdEerFYlNJsOkxNir8NIPtbux4xeouHuhRD9J4/s1600/beatles-shaving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpv2GKyRpBstUpCxRiJCfkDeD7n4taRpa8_StJ-aWTJvlyWC92vBZaR63ZGdWEOKvZi0IwXlMafDH8qwVK_PKefyyUAPfLGmKcr9hx9SHdEerFYlNJsOkxNir8NIPtbux4xeouHuhRD9J4/s320/beatles-shaving.jpg" width="285" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">At times it can feel like beauty blogs and articles often neglect the male population. I believe that green and organic products should be present in everyone's bathroom cabinets, gentlemen included. It may sometimes not appear so, but men use quite a few skincare/grooming products, most of which can include some nasty chemicals that can be substituted with just as effective and lovely-(masculine)-smelling natural products. If you are one of the people who think that you do not use any grooming stuff, lets count: shower gel, shampoo, shaving cream and deodorant are usually a must? Then we have more optional aftershave, hair gel, and maybe moisturizer? They all add up, and as we know, what we put on our skin soaks in, and therefore it's better to step towards natural and organic products. In this post I wanted to put together a few options for a typical male grooming routine, to give gentlemen some ideas for swapping their dirty products for clean and natural ones! Let's start:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i>Shower Gel</i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This one is quite easy. There are numerous clean body washes that are formulated for men. For example, if you want to avoid strong flowery smells or smells altogether, a great option would be the <a href="http://www.johnmasters.co.uk/skinproducts/itemnew3.html">Bare Unscented Body Wash</a> by <b>John Masters Organics</b>. With different natural hydrating and cleansing ingredients, this body wash will be great to clean up without over-powering aromas. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If you like a stronger, more masculine smell, there is special range by </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Organic Homme</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, with its <a href="http://www.greenpeople.co.uk/5-cool-style-shower-wash-125ml.aspx">Cool Style Body Wash</a>. It contains mild foaming agents from coconut and corn, and is very revitalizing and refreshing, making it a great body wash to wake up in the morning or revitalize after sport. At the same time it is moisturizing and suitable for people with eczema, psoriasis and skin blemishes. It is certified organic with EcoCert. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i>Shampoo</i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Similarly, John Masters has a few great shampoos that are fairly gender-neutral. The brand uses certified organic ingredients wherever possible, and avoids using parabens, or any other harsh synthetic chemicals. You would need to choose a shampoo for your own hair type. There is the <a href="http://www.johnmasters.co.uk/hairproducts/itemnew2.html">Unscented Shampoo</a> suitable for every hair type, <a href="http://www.johnmasters.co.uk/hairproducts/item3.html">Zinc and Sage Shampoo with Conditioner</a>, <a href="http://www.johnmasters.co.uk/hairproducts/item1.html">Lavender and Rosemary</a> for normal hair and <a href="http://www.johnmasters.co.uk/hairproducts/item2.html">Evening Primrose</a> for dry hair. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Organic Homme also do shampoos, and have a certified organic <a href="http://www.greenpeople.co.uk/10-itch-away-shampoo-125ml.aspx">Itch Away Shampoo</a> formulated for itchy, flaky and irritated scalps. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Lavera, another great natural brand, includes a <a href="http://www.pravera.co.uk/shop/lavera-cosmetics/bath-care/shower-gel/men-care-organic-shower-shampoo-for-hair-and-body-all-skin-types">Men Care Shower Shampoo</a> with mild coconut and sugar based washing ingredients. It has a gentle revitalizing natural citrus fruit and tea tree fragrance. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i>Deodorant</i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This bit can be quite tricky. This product may be the hardest to find a good natural substitute for. My male guinea pig of the house has been asked to try out the <a href="http://www.greenpeople.co.uk/8-stay-fresh-deodorant-75ml.aspx">Stay Fresh Deodorant</a> by Organic Homme, and he admits he loves it. He has used up one bottle completely and now starting on the second one. For a person who works and moves around a lot, I can testify that there have been no unpleasant odours whatsoever. The deodorant has a lovely natural woody scent. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In addition, my favourite natural deodorant by Soapwalla Kitchen has a light fresh scent, so it can easily be used by both men and women. Read full review<a href="http://corebeautyblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/soapwalla-magic-deodorant.html"> here. </a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', -webkit-fantasy;"><b><i>Shaving Cream</i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', -webkit-fantasy;">Shaving may be an everyday routine for many men, but it is nevertheless a stressful process for the skin, often causing dryness and irritation. That's why it is important to ensure the shaving product is as moisturizing and nourishing as possible. A New Zealand brand <b>Living Nature</b> have a <a href="http://livingnature.com/catalog/main.cfm?t=p&r=vw&pid=530&cid=1881&ptid=1898">Soothing Shaving Cream</a>, which is suitable for the most sensitive skin, ensuring a gentle yet still effective shave. The difference with the natural products is that they foam much less (if at all), but it is simply something to get used to after a couple of uses.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', -webkit-fantasy;"><a href="http://www.lavera.com/products/Men_Care_Shaving_Cream-160-7.html">Lavera</a> do a moisturizing and nourishing shaving cream for men. It is full of natural herbal ingredients such as witch hazel and calendula to calm the skin. It also has a gentle refreshing citruicy aroma. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', -webkit-fantasy;"><b>Spiezia Organics</b>, a 100% certified organic company, have a <a href="http://www.spieziaorganics.com/Organic-Men's-Shaving-Oil--10-33.html#">shaving oil</a>. This multi-tasking product can be used during, or after shaving. It contains moisturizing jojoba oil as well as cypress and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', fantasy;">frankincense</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', -webkit-fantasy;"> essential oils, which all help to protect against shaving rashes. Using the oil pre-shave softens bristles. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', -webkit-fantasy;"><b><i>Moisturizer</i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', -webkit-fantasy;">Men's skin suffers from occasional or everyday shaving, and so it is good to moisturize to re-hydrate and revitalize the skin. There are great many moisturizers that are especially formulated for men on the natural market. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', fantasy;">If you are looking for something very nourishing and anti-aging, <a href="http://shop.absolution-cosmetics.com/categories/beaute-bio-homme/creme-homme">La Creme de l'Homme</a> by <b>Absolution</b> is a wonder. It contains bamboo and baobab seeds, which contain numerous fatty acids, as well as toning ginseng, nourishing jojoba and olive oils. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', fantasy;"><b>Live Native</b> have a great balm called<a href="http://livenative.co.uk/shop/article_07HMM100/Head-to-Toe-for-Men-100ml.html?sessid=EWaUL8jacg80Ns1w7gh0FZm3fNtw4I6YsUBSjLjKoiGMHYLgQt6YGZ50FRewThu2&shop_param=cid%3D1%26aid%3D07HMM100%26"> Head to Toe for Men</a>, which is great for after-shave moisturizing as it is nutrient-rich. It is a great multi-tasking product, as it can also be applied as a hair gel/hold. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', fantasy;">Both Lavera and Organic Homme have great moisturizers too, and at a cheaper price than the two mentioned above.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', fantasy;">But a great moisturizer does not have to have 'men' written on it. My favourite moisturizers by <a href="http://www.paiskincare.com/">Pai</a> are very nourishing, and can easily be used by men too: avocado for normal skin, rosehip for super-sensitive (and great for after shaving) and macambia & rose for dry/mature skin. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', fantasy;"><b><i>Hair products</i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', fantasy;">There are various hair gels/holds that are just as effective as a natural, chemical-free product that you have been used to. And overall better for your hair and scalp health as well. John Masters Organics has a wide range of various hair holds. Intelligent nutrients is another brand specializing in different hair products. Have a look and pick one that suits your needs, there is plenty to choose from! </span></div>Eugeniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13292898277976484284noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143716654237549361.post-69041405242294591692011-09-19T10:56:00.000-07:002011-09-19T10:56:36.181-07:00John Masters Organics Body Wash<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjVSQ99yHvgyxZKFJqGGAUjk16eekkeOqStthhER8IMCIkHLLKu4-wtYgtXxMxvUzLkozH92Ucx40Q2MvysG97-yiGEizcMRpOwVfgKKPr6ba4y-Y-GhKo9z7S6LPvxqABFFkVilhkDgxy/s1600/john-masters-organics-blood-orange-vanilla-body-wash-3000078-400-1277131859000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjVSQ99yHvgyxZKFJqGGAUjk16eekkeOqStthhER8IMCIkHLLKu4-wtYgtXxMxvUzLkozH92Ucx40Q2MvysG97-yiGEizcMRpOwVfgKKPr6ba4y-Y-GhKo9z7S6LPvxqABFFkVilhkDgxy/s1600/john-masters-organics-blood-orange-vanilla-body-wash-3000078-400-1277131859000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjVSQ99yHvgyxZKFJqGGAUjk16eekkeOqStthhER8IMCIkHLLKu4-wtYgtXxMxvUzLkozH92Ucx40Q2MvysG97-yiGEizcMRpOwVfgKKPr6ba4y-Y-GhKo9z7S6LPvxqABFFkVilhkDgxy/s320/john-masters-organics-blood-orange-vanilla-body-wash-3000078-400-1277131859000.jpg" width="94" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', fantasy;">In all seriousness I have to say that the Blood Orange and Vanilla (how great does this sound?) Body wash by John Masters Organics is the most delicious skincare product I have smelt in ages! The bitter/sweet/sour scent of orange is balanced beautifully with the gentle and sweet scent of vanilla. The two blend together, so the overall aroma of the body wash is neither too citruicy nor overly sweet.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The brand was started by its creator, <b>John Masters</b>, a successful hairdresser, over 20 years ago. Through his work in prestigious US hair salons, John started to realize the potential harm of all the chemicals used in hairdressing on an everyday basis. His aim was to create a brand that used natural and organic ingredients, avoiding harsh chemicals, but without compromising on the quality of product. In fact, it was considered that using natural ingredients will only improve the function of the products, as cheap and low quality synthetic ingredients will be replaced with natural high quality ones. And that was how John Masters Organics was born. The brand's organic ingredients are certified by <b>EcoCert</b>, and it has the following guidelines for what is included in the products:</span></span><br />
<div class="brown12" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1. No sodium laurel sulfate, parabens, DEAs, MEAs, or TEAs<br />
2. No GMOs (Genetically Modified Organism)<br />
3. No petro-chemicals<br />
4. No animal testing<br />
5. No artificial colors, fragrances or fillers<br />
6. Ingredients must be as organic as possible<br />
7. All plant extracts and essential oils must be certified organic whenever possible<br />
8. All essential oils used must be steam-distilled and not extracted with propylene glycol - which kills the effect of the oils<br />
9. All plant oils must be cold pressed, not heat distilled - which kills the therapeutic properties of plant oils<br />
10. All ingredients must be proven to be beneficial to the hair or skin<br />
11. All ingredients must be harvested in an environmentally-friendly manner (wild-crafted)<br />
12. All ingredients must be bio-degradable as possible<br />
13. Fair-Trade ingredients must be used when possible</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', -webkit-fantasy;">The body wash lathers up into a luxurious foam (John Masters only use mild <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">surfactants from corn and coconut). It washes out the dirt without over-stripping the skin. Although it smells delicious, the aroma does not linger on the skin, so it will not interfere with your perfume. However, if you love it, and want to smell of it all day long, you can use the body wash in combination with the <b>Blood Orange & Vanilla body cream</b>, which will leave your skin soft, smooth and smelling delicious... naturally!</span></span></div></div></div>Eugeniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13292898277976484284noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143716654237549361.post-19237701272983292422011-09-18T15:51:00.000-07:002011-09-18T15:51:56.708-07:00Skincare Chemicals to Avoid: Fragrance<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnUsEmCrHu9zi636pZHcYyJts_mwYT1BPzYKEp-t9ZiSeKv_BvumRbQjvuK68r6hRHgmdF4jQQK7Mb3IqjjEI_A_A9ZL9NECXRu1ssev5Mqmpjeg2QC2lgCfk4FGr0ojNTKMNK-hhaOCPr/s1600/UCHEMISTRY_P1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnUsEmCrHu9zi636pZHcYyJts_mwYT1BPzYKEp-t9ZiSeKv_BvumRbQjvuK68r6hRHgmdF4jQQK7Mb3IqjjEI_A_A9ZL9NECXRu1ssev5Mqmpjeg2QC2lgCfk4FGr0ojNTKMNK-hhaOCPr/s320/UCHEMISTRY_P1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">It has been a while since I did my last post on Skincare Chemicals to Avoid <a href="http://corebeautyblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/skincare-chemicals-to-avoid.html"><i>here</i></a>, and thought it was time to expose another nasty chemical hiding in our everyday skincare routines. Today I will be discussing something (seemingly) without a scary chemical name, something that sounds so everyday and even lovely: <b>Fragrance</b>. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Fragrance in our skincare is also referred to as parfum or perfume, again not sounding so scary. What is <b>scary</b> however, is that because of trade secret laws, the manufacturers are not required to disclose what exactly hides behind this 'fragrance' term. Fragrance is added to a product to give it a unique and pleasant aroma. However, it could be anything from essential oils (relatively harmless, but nevertheless can be skin irritants, and a person needs to know if a specific oil is present if they are allergic to it) to much nastier things that may have nothing to do with scent, such as preservatives and <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">phthalates. In fact, manufacturers are allowed to cover over 200 chemicals behind 'fragrance'. It can be seen as a special dark box where manufacturers can hide potentially harmful and controversial ingredients, without having to disclose them.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;">The advice I myself follow is to avoid any product that simply states 'fragrance' or 'parfum' without disclosing what it consists of. This may be especially important for people with sensitive skin, there is a higher risk of something hiding behind the term that may be a skin irritant. Overall it seems that as consumers, we should be entitled to know <b>exactly</b> what goes in the product that we put on our skin that will get soaked into our system. So, no mystery fragrances for me please, no matter how lovely they may smell. </span></span></div>Eugeniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13292898277976484284noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143716654237549361.post-31951762238825405192011-09-17T10:22:00.000-07:002011-09-17T10:22:37.162-07:00Tea for Skin<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis1oeOSe6oWxRXogXc2O9Ndc1FfDLi3xXm3pAXEKcoBpTE0exo5JREXWQqbZGARzX_Njm50gWbBJMmZ_B4FlJUuTl_qyBnbsOZaQRw_gEmx9wbsKt9OU6eO_bTjWe3PUyrmnAwvo0KK7Fk/s1600/Brigitte+Bardot+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis1oeOSe6oWxRXogXc2O9Ndc1FfDLi3xXm3pAXEKcoBpTE0exo5JREXWQqbZGARzX_Njm50gWbBJMmZ_B4FlJUuTl_qyBnbsOZaQRw_gEmx9wbsKt9OU6eO_bTjWe3PUyrmnAwvo0KK7Fk/s320/Brigitte+Bardot+%25283%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Since some food for skin has already been covered<i> <a href="http://corebeautyblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/food-for-skin.html">here</a>,</i> I thought the natural progression would be to write about drink for skin. Herbal teas and blends have been used for centuries to improve people's health and subsequently skin conditions. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i>Green Tea</i></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Green tea is made from<b> Chinese Camellia sinensis</b> plant leaves. Main benefits of green tea boil down to its <b>antioxidant</b> properties. This helps getting rid of free radicals </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">in our bodies that can lead to premature aging of the skin. Green tea is particularly rich in an antioxidant called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). This powerful antioxidant has been shown to help lower cholesterol, and even to inhibit the growth of cancerous cells. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif;">The processing of green tea leaves sets it apart from other teas that come from the same </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">camellia sinensis plant (black tea, oolong tea). The fact is, the leaves that make up green tea are <b>steam-treated</b>, which preserves the EGCG antioxidant's properties, unlike black tea, where the leaves are fermented. Fermentation results in EGCG being broken down into other compounds, which are not as effective as EGCG in its original form. </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Green tea is great for clear and healthy skin not only because of antioxidants, but also due to its antibacterial properties. Green tea helps fight bacteria, which was found be great in decreasing inflammation of acne, and even fighting gum disease. </span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Green tea has lovely gentle taste, which most people can enjoy. There are many varieties of green tea, it is possible to enjoy it with various flavours such as lemon, jasmine and elderflower to name a few. </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i>Rosehip Tea</i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', fantasy;">Rosehip tea is made from the pods that form at the base of rose flower. One of the most well-known health properties of rosehip tea is its high content of <b>Vitamin C</b>. There is about 1.7 grams of Vitamin C in 100 grams of rosehips, which is far greater that in an orange. The high content of of Vitamin C makes it a great warm drink to fight off colds and flu. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', -webkit-fantasy;">Apart from Vitamin C, rosehip tea also contains many other vitamins, such as A, B, E and K. Rosehip tea is known to combat many internal infections, and help flushing out the kidneys and the urinary tract. In addition, rosehip tea contains minerals, tannins, pectin and beta-carotene. All of these lovely ingredients make rosehip tea so effective in preventing and fighting off infections and inflammations. For example, pectine is known to bind waste such as various fats and cholesterol in the intestines, before they are absorbed in the blood, aiding their removal from the body. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', -webkit-fantasy;">Rosehip tea is of beautiful ruby-red colour and has a tingly sour taste, which nevertheless is very enjoyable and can always be sweetened with some honey. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i>Dandelion Tea</i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', fantasy;">Yes, dandelions are those annoying plants that everyone tries to get rid of in their garden. However, the great benefits of dandelion tea are slowly but surely becoming known. The leaves and roots of the plants are known to contain vitamins A, C, D and B complex, iron, magnesium, zinc, potassium and calcium. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', fantasy;"> Dandelion tea helps to reduce inflammation and to reduce high cholesterol. It is great for detoxing your system, cleansing the liver, which in turn produces better blood circulation. Because of all of these benefits, dandelion tea helps cleanse the complexion, improving skin clarity. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i>Nettle Tea</i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">This tea comes from that annoying plant all of us probably had the misfortune of brushing against in the country or a park. However, the nettle herb has numerous health benefits beneath its stinging surface. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Nettle tea can be made from the whole of nettle plants: roots, stems and leaves, meaning <b>nothing</b> goes to waste! Nettle tea leaves are super rich in Vitamins A, B1, B5, C, D, and K as well as iron, potassium, calcium, zinc and magenesium. All of these minerals and vitamins make nettle tea great drink for <b>clear</b> skin, it has also been found to relieve eczema. Nettle tea has great cleansing and antiseptic properties, making it useful for facial steams and rinses. It has been known to improve blood circulation and lower blood pressure because of high iron in the tea. It is a great help to an organism suffering from mental and physical exhaustion. So when you come home after a tiring day, instead of reaching for a coffee, try a cup of nettle tea instead to truly regain your<b> strength</b>!</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', -webkit-fantasy;"><b><i>Chamomile Tea</i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Camomile is a daisy-like flower plant, native to Egypt. It has a delicious and soothing taste, which corresponds to its main function: to <b>sooth and calm</b>. One of the main active elements in chamomile essential oil is bisabolol, which has many anti-irritant, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. This makes chamomile tea a great drink to help sooth a stomachache. Chamomile tea can also help with insomnia if taken before bed. Another great use of chamomile is to place cooled organic chamomile tea bags on your eyes to help soothe tired eyes and reduce under-eye bags. </span></span></div>Eugeniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13292898277976484284noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143716654237549361.post-36170059919835586182011-09-07T14:40:00.000-07:002011-09-18T06:34:20.483-07:00Organic Certification<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I thought I'd do a post about what it means to have an organic product certified and go through different organic certification organizations. I found this bit rather confusing when I switched to clean products: why is it important for a product to be </span><b>certified</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> organic and what do different certification organizations mean and stand for? Do they all have the same criteria? Are they the same across the world? Turns out, things are far from simple! I shall try to provide an overview:</span></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><b><i>Why Organic?</i></b></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Organic produce is grown without use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, or genetically modified organisms. Organic produce is not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents or chemical food additives. Pesticides may be connected to acute and delayed health issues. Artificial pesticides may cause short-lived effects such as skin irritation to more severe and long-lasting effects, such as affecting the nervous system, hormone functioning, and even cancer. Pesticides and artificial fertilizers enter our system not only through food, but also through the skincare that we use. </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> Organic certification bodies monitor what is included in a product, and how the ingredients are produced (i.e. whether they are truly organically grown). This system aims to provide an impartial and independent assessment of the origin and quality of ingredients of different products. However, things are far from simple with many existing certifying bodies that all seem to have different standards for issuing their organic certification.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> </span><b>UK: Soil Association</b></span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXtZkjYm_QAYqQAMULqG_hrrWdewHyLPm0a-UzrUGioH_AySY9KM_bCQ9FBhHMHmewQ9_Pyq4I-PbS68vvIDcw5ln6duNxPeywqCeVkw4lWVeHSx-cElLzCIm-sHmgDKYFw1I1fdHcA0yr/s1600/SA+certification.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXtZkjYm_QAYqQAMULqG_hrrWdewHyLPm0a-UzrUGioH_AySY9KM_bCQ9FBhHMHmewQ9_Pyq4I-PbS68vvIDcw5ln6duNxPeywqCeVkw4lWVeHSx-cElLzCIm-sHmgDKYFw1I1fdHcA0yr/s200/SA+certification.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Soil Association (SA) is a UK certifying body. SA is one of the strictest organizations with high standards for a product to be certified organic. SA demands that a product must contain at least 95% organically grown ingredients in order to be labelled truly organic. A product can still be labelled organic if it contains at least 70% organic ingredients, but the exact percentage must be clearly stated on the packaging. The products must not be tested on animals, not include any radioactive radiation or genetically modified produce. </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> </span><b>Europe (France): Ecocert</b></span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZHSJLOcSLKrlzk08rvjuiOmNnxPWPEG4EZ4LcOBUCzK4AnAFjlmn6r37xS_9dFhW24r0CmTBlcjTtBM3wf2s6jtX9vbMe6YcyDk1mZ2x0-ZRwb_yeZycnrwVCDSD3mk7ZYVwFzEvl2XnT/s1600/Ecocert-logo-.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZHSJLOcSLKrlzk08rvjuiOmNnxPWPEG4EZ4LcOBUCzK4AnAFjlmn6r37xS_9dFhW24r0CmTBlcjTtBM3wf2s6jtX9vbMe6YcyDk1mZ2x0-ZRwb_yeZycnrwVCDSD3mk7ZYVwFzEvl2XnT/s1600/Ecocert-logo-.gif" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Ecocert is a European certifying body, with very different standards to SA. To be certified organic by Ecocert, a product must contain at least 95% ingredients derived from </span><b>natural origin<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">(i.e. not necessarily organic). A product can be certified organic if it contains at least </span><b>10%</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> ingredients from organic farming. Ecocert furthermore checks for the </span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">absence of GMO, parabens, phenoxyethanol, nanoparticles, silicon, PEG, synthetic perfumes and dyes, animal-derived ingredients (unless naturally produced by them: milk, honey, etc.).</span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> </span><b>USA: USDA</b></span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY2kU10sAQUmH9Jp3CFW7kYOIuXEQDA3o79-2u8BDKjNJBHS4pi-lvwIk_pz-JY291eb5iMylUGedVnQSpiQhKTy9DhEVqmTRu4gTgwUcA-A3wMa1Lj-xi4rcf_n0fsVc0bY-5_eOzsvtI/s1600/102302-USDA-organic-logo_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY2kU10sAQUmH9Jp3CFW7kYOIuXEQDA3o79-2u8BDKjNJBHS4pi-lvwIk_pz-JY291eb5iMylUGedVnQSpiQhKTy9DhEVqmTRu4gTgwUcA-A3wMa1Lj-xi4rcf_n0fsVc0bY-5_eOzsvtI/s1600/102302-USDA-organic-logo_sm.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">USDA is an American certification organization, with strict guidelines for the percentage of organic ingredients. In order to display the USDA seal, a product must contain between</span><b> 95-100%</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> certified organic ingredients. If a product contains 74-94% organic ingredients, it can be labelled as ‘Made with organic ingredients’. These products will not bear the USDA organic seal. Therefore, if you see the USDA label, you can be sure that the product contains at least 95% organic ingredients. </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> </span><b>Italy: ICEA</b></span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJt1PXKr3U7z5WDGiHBx4_mC5Kr7mV7X50B_zMaRirsXte7rXbhpmVNjfZt0tvTbx1zFf10mTDR_YNjCwuAX930lf3sByPH7c2jan82Vo-4YpPYW9Hf4u7ezkxl3BuKIdM4Yr9aYzvLZ4j/s1600/bollino+ICEA+bioCosmesi+ENG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJt1PXKr3U7z5WDGiHBx4_mC5Kr7mV7X50B_zMaRirsXte7rXbhpmVNjfZt0tvTbx1zFf10mTDR_YNjCwuAX930lf3sByPH7c2jan82Vo-4YpPYW9Hf4u7ezkxl3BuKIdM4Yr9aYzvLZ4j/s200/bollino+ICEA+bioCosmesi+ENG.jpg" width="166" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">ICEA is an Italian cetification organization, based in Bologna. Judging from their website, ICEA provides organic certification for farming of food, however, for cosmetics it provides only Eco Bio Cosmetics Certification. To gain this certification a product must</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="color: #444444;"> </span><b>not</b><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">contain any GMOs, various prohibited substances, animal</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="color: #444444;"> </span><i style="color: #444444;">final product</i><span class="apple-converted-space" style="color: #444444;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">testing, ionizing radiation. It must contain certified organic vegetable and animal materials</span><b style="color: #444444;"><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>whenever available</i>.</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> </span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></div>Eugeniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13292898277976484284noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143716654237549361.post-83915796180077874292011-08-30T13:27:00.000-07:002011-10-31T17:04:22.213-07:00Soapwalla Magic Deodorant<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKsSPum23kKspJ_o8aRA3XdwSeEg11GI0NV7tr68qF43UYxkwYVeVP8b_oJiUGy50sANfz8r6ZWXZPI7vj_Rq1GBUHNh3U-Zt7tLVVGBXgUVed99pd6YGAzFSoxBtMDUHY5-ICuCq6VFSz/s1600/soapwalla-deodorant-d2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKsSPum23kKspJ_o8aRA3XdwSeEg11GI0NV7tr68qF43UYxkwYVeVP8b_oJiUGy50sANfz8r6ZWXZPI7vj_Rq1GBUHNh3U-Zt7tLVVGBXgUVed99pd6YGAzFSoxBtMDUHY5-ICuCq6VFSz/s1600/soapwalla-deodorant-d2.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Probably everyone who writes about clean beauty products has written about</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Soapwalla Kitchen deodorant</span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, giving it the highest of praise. Nevertheless, soon after receiving and using this little deodorant pot, I knew I also </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">had</span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> to write a post about it, in order to spread the word on this amazing natural deodorant. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> There is not too much to say except that Soapwalla deodorant </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">works</span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. As simple as that. It works just as good as my old dirty deodorant that was full up of aluminium and parabens. Aluminium blocks cell glands, blocking sweat from getting to skin's surface. It is suggested to be able to penetrate the skin and accumulate in the body. There is some research suggesting a link between aluminium and Alzheimer disease. Aluminium is said to influence changes in estrogen receptor cells. Read my post on parabens <a href="http://corebeautyblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/skincare-chemicals-to-avoid-parabens.html">here</a>. Those deodorants kept me dry and smell-free during the day and after sports sessions, so I would not have thought that an absolutely natural deodorant could do the job. That was until I tried Soapwalla deodorant. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Just have a look at this wonderful list of ingredients:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;"><i>Organic jojoba, sunflower, and rosehip seed oils; shea butter; a combination of all-natural and gluten-free vegetable clays and powders; aluminum-free sodium bicarbonate; organic vegan kosher glycerin; a combination of organic lavender, peppermint, sweet orange, </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;"><i>bergamot and tea tree essential oils</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">The deodorant comes in a small jar, is a creamy-yellow colour and has frosting-like consistency. I put a little on my finger and apply to under my arms like it was cream. I usually wait a little before dressing fully so that the deodorant can dry a bit and therefore work better. But not long at all. It smells quite fresh, but the smell is not over-powering and does not linger, which I particularly liked. I have been using it for almost a week, and I did not have any irritation to any of the ingredients. But most importantly, it works just as wonderfully as a non-clean counterpart. I have been to work, rushed to meetings, ran somewhere, did exersize and the deo kept me fresh, dry and absolutely smell free! So here we have it. An </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">absolutely</span> </b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">clean and natural deodorant that actually undoubtedly works!</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"> This deodorant can be purchased from </span><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/soapwallakitchen?ref=seller_info" style="line-height: 16px;">Soapwalla Kitchen Etsy shop</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"> and costs very reasonable $10 </span><i style="line-height: 16px;">USD</i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">. All Soapwalla Kitchen products are freshly made in small batches by Rachel in the kitchen of her Brooklyn apartment! Do you have a favourite natural deodorant? </span></span></span></span><br />
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