The other day my friend and I were sitting on the beach and we started talking about our images of beauty. It all stemmed from her wearing a bikini and asking me if she should wear one. I asked, “What do you mean, should you wear one?” And she replied, “Well I have a belly and I see women who are much larger then me wearing them.” We basically got down to this: it doesn’t matter what size you are, wear what you want if YOU feel comfortable in it. And if you don’t feel comfortable, it will show and you won’t look good! But this led me to think: where have we gotten our images of beauty and what we “should” look like?

The Foundations of Beauty

Our image of beauty begins at an early age. We learn from the person who is closest to us….our mother. We see our mothers pruning and primping in front of the mirror, applying makeup, fixing their hair, putting on face creams and perfumes (by the way, this is also when we learn to use the same “toxic” products our moms use.) We learn from a very early age that we need to add all these things to make ourselves look “better” or seem more attractive. Since I was young, I have loved perfumes, lotions, lipstick, and makeup. And this ideal progresses with you to adulthood. Whatever happened to true natural beauty? Do you really need all that cream, powder, and eye shadow to feel beautiful? When we see a woman sans makeup, do we say, “Oh man, she looks plain!” What’s wrong with a bare face? I say, at least once a week (or once a month, for those who struggle) take a bare face day! I do…..it also gives your pores a chance to breathe and rest. Don’t get me wrong, I still LOVE makeup and how it can enhance your natural beauty, but you shouldn’t become completely dependent on it. It isn’t the makeup that makes you beautiful, it’s who you are as a person that projects that beauty outward.

Striving for an ideal

Can she make herself look like the model in the ad? Is this a realistic ideal for most women?

When you read magazines, the women in the beauty and fashion ads look near perfect. Is this normal? No! Do you realize that many women (even men) compare themselves to what they see in magazines, TV, and movies? Do you realize how unrealistic this is? Those ads are so airbrushed the model’s own mother probably couldn’t recognize her. In addition, celebrities and starlets have so many resources available to them that the average woman simply does not. Personal trainers, personal chefs, personal assistants, nannies, gurus….you name it! Stop comparing yourself to what you see projected out at you.  Why do we all want to be skinny? Because that is what society tells us is the ideal. You will never have Jessica Biehl’s body because you have different genetics and a different body type. It’s simply unrealistic. Let’s start being happy with the face and body we were given and make it the best body we can. So what if you have big legs….they’re beautiful in their own way!

LOVE YOU for YOU

I’m sorry if this post seems a bit preachy…but can you tell I feel very passionately about this subject? Let’s stop striving for what society views as perfect beauty or the perfect body and accept ourselves for who we are, while still knowing we can better ourselves. Let’s come to the realization that we should have our own and not anyone else’s standards of beauty. When we do this, we will feel joy inside and that joy will radiate outward with true beauty.

*** Don’t forget to enter to win a jar of Blended Naturals Organic Shea Butter Balm for smooth sexy skin! Read my review and find out the details here.

Stay natural…stay beautiful…go green!

Happy Valentines Day everyone! I hope your day is full of love and light.

In this month of love, I am feeling so grateful for the supportive readers of Toxic Beauty Blog and I want to share with you the special events that are upcoming.

Mark your calenders! I will be appearing on the Stretch Your Mind and Body radio show on Blog Talk Radio on February 23! On the show, I will be discussing many aspects of toxic beauty so be sure not to miss it. Check out the details here: blogtalkradio

Also look for reviews for really incredible products, including Real Purity, who you all know I am passionate about! In fact, you will be able to win your own set of Real Purity products, so stay tuned to Toxic Beauty Blog for all the details!

Have a great Valentine’s Day!

Stay natural…stay beautiful…go green!

Robin

Are you stressed? Millions of men and women all over the world are feeling the heat….whether it be from jobs, families, or just because of the current economic climate. Stress can affect your mental well being, your waistline, and your skin! I have a friend who develops acne every time she is “stressed out.” If your skin appears dull or lifeless, stress may be the cause. Stress is something that many times we cannot control…or can we? Maybe we can’t control it but we can find many ways to deal with it.

In my other life I am a school teacher and I deal with stress on a daily basis (18 5 year-old’s calling my name at once…..help!!) I combat this in many ways. One terrific solution is deep breathing. Stress causes fast, shallow breathing which doesn’t allow you to get enough oxygen. Deep breathing really does relax you and has other benefits as well, such as increased metabolism and greater release of stale air and toxins. Yoga is a great way to focus on your breath while gently stretching the body in a variety of poses as well.

Meditation also can help you get away from life’s stresses. It doesn’t have to be for an hour a day….but for at least 15 minutes find a quiet place and let your mind relax. You can chant a calming phrase, such as “relax” out loud or mentally. With practice, you can achieve that “higher level.” After meditating, the side effects may be deeper sleep, a calmer mind, and feeling of well-being.

One thing I highly recommend is massage. I know that if I go more than a few months without one, my body is in knots! It’s pretty affordable lately with all these Massage Envy stores popping up everywhere. They even have packages available. I have found a fantastic masseur who gives discounts to people who are in public service positions. Massage gets the lymphatic fluid moving throughout your body, releasing toxins and tension.

A final solution I have for you to relieve stress might be one you have never heard of…so read carefully! Green tea contains a special amino acid called L-Theanine. This amino acid has been found to reduce anxiety, improve mood, and increase creativity. Incredible, right? If you don’t have time to drink 5 cups of green tea a day, I highly recommend taking L-Theanine in supplement form. It can be taken 3 times a day, 2 with breakfast, 2 with lunch, and 2 before bed (it lets you get great sleep!) As someone who has been taking this for over a year now, I absolutely love it and feel a difference when I don’t take it. I get mine from Lucky Vitamin. Check it out here.

When you make the effort to reduce stress in your life, you can see magical results such as glowing skin and healthy looking hair. Also, don’t forget to eat right and use safe natural beauty products. I hope this post has helped you in some way and if you put any of the suggestions into place, I would love to hear about it.

Stay natural…stay beautiful (and stress free)…go green!

Robin

Makeup is something most women use on a daily basis. Do we realize just how much harm we may be causing ourselves by doing this? Many people do not know about the chemicals they are putting into their bloodstream via the skin on a daily basis, year after year and believe that because it is on the shelf, it is safe. This is far from the truth. Many commercial makeup brands contain dangerous carcinogens such as lead, formaldehyde, mineral oil, and talc. You might call them the “beasts” of makeup. Watch this video to learn more about the toxins in makeup and what you can do to become a more educated beauty consumer! Take special note of how more advanced Europe is than the US in recognizing toxic substances. Also check out skindeep.org for further information.

Don’t forget to subscribe to the blog to enter the My Lip Stuff Giveaway!

Stay natural…stay beautiful…go green!

-Robin

Catch all the Fall fun at ToxicBeautyBlog.com

Hey Toxic Beauty cuties!

I just wanted to post something quick to let you know things are brewin’ on Toxic Beauty Blog! There are some very exciting things coming to the blog in the witching month of October. I will be adding personalized video to the blog so you can get to know your friendly Toxic Beauty Blogger a little better.

Also, I have been blessed to be able to try many new products and will be sharing the product reviews (and in some cases the actual products!) with you. Yes, that’s right!  I am announcing product giveaways for some of these great new products! And of course, they are safe and organic so you get the best of both worlds!

The only way you can be sure to not miss a thing on the blog is to subscribe to free e-mail or RSS updates. You can receive convenient e-mails whenever the blog is updated and not have to worry about missing that new promotion, giveaway, or video! So if you are not already subscribed, simply click on the subscribe button on the upper right sidebar.

Have you downloaded your free ebook yet? Just click on the “Beautify Naturally” ebook to the right to get instant access to the best in nontoxic beauty tips.

So stay with me to keep up with all the “spooktacular” October goings on on Toxic Beauty Blog!

Stay natural…stay beautiful…go green!

-Robin

Green tea is not only great for your heart, but for your skin and hair too.

Did the title catch your attention? I hope so…The benefits of drinking green tea are many: weight loss, increased metabolism, inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, and improving the immune system to name a few. Green tea contains EGCG, a powerful  antioxidant which kills cancer cells while leaving healthy cells alone. If green tea is not part of your daily diet, it should be.

Green tea is so healthy in our diet but what can it do in our beauty products?  There are times when your hair needs a break from regular shampoo and needs a clarifying shampoo to remove buildup of styling products. Enter Aubrey Organics Green Tea Clarifying Shampoo.

It deep cleans and rinses well leaving the hair healthy and manageable. It contains herbal extracts and nutrients which make the hair easy to style and cuts down on dry time (who doesn’t need more time in their beauty routine??) Green tea and nettle extract protect hair and tone the scalp. Aloe replenishes moisture while almond protein strengthens hair fiber, fullness, and manageability. You will be so pleased when you use this shampoo as it contains so sulfates, parabens, or chemicals. It’s also vegan and is not tested on animals. Here are the complete ingredients:

INGREDIENTS: Deionized Water, Coconut Oil-Corn Oil Soap, Organic Green Tea Extract (Organic Green Tea, Organic Nettle, Natural Grain Alcohol), Organic Aloe Vera, Carrageenan, Organic Lemon Peel Oil, Almond Protein, Organic Blue Camomile Oil, Aubrey’s Preservative (Citrus Seed Extract, Vitamins A, C and E).

You can explore the entire line of green tea products at Aubrey Organics.

Another company who have tapped into the power of green tea is Burt’s Bees. They make a collection of products utilizing this wonder ingredient. I was able to find a Green Tea set at Marshall’s (I am always looking for deals!) It contained a 12 oz. shampoo, 12 oz. conditioner, 8 oz. hand soap, and a soap bar. Burt’s Bees Color Keeper Shampoo and Conditioner uses green tea and fennel seed to help preserve color. This is a good shampoo, but when compared with Aubrey, I definitely like the results from the Aubrey collection better. My hair seems to stay cleaner longer than when I use the Burt’s Bees. If you decide to try both lines, it is up to you to decide which you like better. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the benefits of green tea or what is has done for you. Please leave me a comment.

Until next time, stay natural… stay beautiful… go green(tea!) -Robin

I was just getting out the shower when the thought occurred to me that we have  beauty routines or rituals we live by. What made me think this is that I thought, “Oh yay, tomorrow is Saturday…my body scrub day!” I usually only do body scrub once a week and I always do it on Saturdays. I see my significant other so I love to make my skin smooth as silk, which my 100% Pure body scrub does splendidly!

So it made me wonder…what is your beauty routine or ritual? Do you have beauty habits? I’d love to create an awesome dialogue on the blog with some great comments, so please join in!

Save money by purchasing a skin care set.

By now, you all know how much I ♥ Aubrey Organics products. I love how they create skin care systems and products designed for different skin and hair types too. I like to coordinate my products and use all the same items from one product line.  After 30, I decided it was time to be on the offensive and start anti-aging activities.  I found out about Rosa Mosqueta after researching which natural ingredients were best for anti-aging. Rosa mosqueta originates from rosa mosqueta oil and is a powerful anti-oxidant, providing Essential Fatty Acids and promoting youthful skin. It also has amazing skin regenerating properties and can reverse sun damage! I started using Aubrey’s Rosa Mosqueta Moisturizing Cream for the daytime. It absorbs easily, makes a great base for under make-up, and moisturizes and hydrates the skin all day. To make it even better, all the ingredients are identifiable and contains no chemicals. I was so pleased with the daytime moisturizing cream that I decided to expand to the night cream.

The Rosa Mosqueta Night Cream is a bit thicker and when applied, makes the skin shiny and glowing. That  is not really a problem though as you apply before bedtime and the cream works it’s magic as you sleep. It’s ultra-moisturizing and restores softness to dry skin. Like the day cream it contains powerful antioxidants, liposomes, and alpha lipoic acid, which in combination helps smooth fine lines, wrinkles, and leaves the skin looking radiant. After using this cream for some time, I am so satisfied with the results and you will be too!

I was delighted to find out that Aubrey uses this fantastic ingredient in it’s hair care products as well. Rosa Mosqueta Nourishing Shampoo is especially for color treated hair but can be used on all hair types. It boasts that it can remove harsh chlorine, which your hair absorbs through the water if you are not using a shower filter (click here for more on shower filters.) It also leaves your hair soft and manageable and the scent is quite pleasant (rosy!) as you shower.  Rosa Mosqueta Nourishing Conditioner contains many healthy essential oils designed to condition, untangle, and fortify for healthy hair. This line starts at $7.98 and up for an individual product and ranges in price. You can get the skin care at a discounted rate if you purchase a set.

When used in tandem, all these products do exactly what they claim to do in a safe way. Aubrey does not use any harsh chemicals. They preserve their products with citrus seed extract and vitamins. Using Aubrey products gives you peace of mind in that you know your body will not be harmed. Aubrey products are organic, safe, and effective. Visit Aubrey Organics to discover them for yourself and find the product lines that match your needs. I know you will be satisfied! If you have any questions about the Aubrey line (or anything at all) please drop me a line through the comments or contact page.

Do you use any Aubrey products? If so, which line and product works best for you? If not, which product would you like to try? I would love to know.

Until next time, stay natural… stay beautiful…Go green! -Robin

Hello Toxic Beauty readers! And now on a personal note…

For years, I stayed with the same look…afraid to change or go for something new in the fear that I wouldn’t like it. As a result, year after year, I had the same hair color, the same cut, and pretty much the same style. As I got older, I realized that beauty could be fun, flexible, and changable…and if you didn’t like the result, it is easily changed back. On my 33rd birthday, I decided to make a big change. I had been blonde since I was 18 and I decided to go brunette….even as I told the hair dresser what I wanted, I had doubts. Even as she applied the dye to the very first strand, I wanted to scream at her to stop! For those faithful readers of mine, you already know I went through with it. When I drastically changed my hair color, I posted before and after pics (see it here!) I loved my new hair, although it did come out a bit too dark for my taste. Nature helped me along throughout my summer in the sun and my hair lightened to a gorgeous shade of brown with golden highlights.

When I got the color change, I wasn’t quite satisfied with the cut….so I changed stylists….many people are afraid to change stylists…using such arguments as: “I have been going to her/him for years…how can  I change now?” Well if you don’t change at some point or another, you can never discover how beautiful you can be. A new stylist can give you a fresh look you never thought of before. I had my hair cut into an asymmetrical bob and loved it so much….I recently went back and had it reshaped with more of an angle. Now I am thinking of going even shorter (think J Lo in “Enough.”) Yes, I just watched that on TNT What do you think? Should I go short?

One thing I made sure to do before I drastically changed my style is research. I researched different cuts online and found an awesome website where you can upload a picture or yourself and try on any hairstyle, even celebrities! Go to thehairstyler.com to see what you can look like with a totally different style.

Being daring has it’s place…one area in which you should not be daring is in the beauty and personal care products you use. If you see an ingredient that is not safe, but you still really want to try that product, ditch it anyway. Beauty is not worth sacrificing your health and I’m sure you can find a similiar product that will not harm you or your body.

So when you have that niggling doubt and are thinking about changing up your look….go for it! Get that hair color you have always been curious about…cut your hair and go for a funky style! And if you totally hate it….don’t blame me…it’ll grow back! LOL Until next time, stay natural, stay beautiful…Robin