Help Support Pure Natural Diva!

The author of one of the most awesome eco-blogs, Tania Reuben of Pure Natural Diva, has a chance to win her very own health and wellness show on Oprah Winfrey’s TV network! As I truly admire what Tania does on a daily basis to help the world go green, I am proud to support her efforts and I urge you all to do so as well. Read on to find out how you can help Tania win!

Stay natural…stay beautiful…go green!

Oprah’s new network OWN has created a contest and the winner will get their own talk show. Tania Reuben was inspired by her blog – Pure Natural Diva – to enter the contest. Pure Natural Diva is an informational site dedicated to Whole Living with Style and Ease.

The show – Pure Natural Diva Live – will cover the same topic. Simple Solutions to help people live greener, healthier lives.

Vote for Tania!

This is a hardcore competition with high stakes. The current leader of the contest is Rener Gracie – he has the entire Ultimate Fighting Community voting for him – in two weeks he’s gotten over a million votes. As a blogger I am thrilled to support Tania and leverage the power of social media to make her a contender! She has a great mission, a wonderful site and a her show has the potential to create meaningful change in our country.

One voter had this to say on the Oprah site:

”We need Pure Natural Diva Live! America needs this show! I love that Tania is a mom who wants to make a difference in all our lives. She has passion and really dives into the issues, makes you feel passionate too about wanting to make changes in your own home and life. In addition to being a hilarious and genuine person she is incredibly smart. Tania has invested her heart & soul in Pure Natural Diva….out of not just her own family & personal needs but seeing a genuine need in all of our lives & in society today Please pick Pure Natural Diva Live to be an Oprah show!”

View Tania’s audition here and don’t forget to vote – Click here to vote for Tania.

Her website can be found here – www.purenaturaldiva.com

Hi everyone!

It’s my birthday today and I just wanted to put up a short post. I am also celebrating the last day of school too! (I am a teacher in my other life…lol.)

My birthday wish is to reach more and more women (and men too, for that matter) learn about the toxic ingredients in their daily personal care products. It’s my mission to help people make better beauty choices and learn how toxins and disease can be avoided. I appreciate your support in this and ask that you bookmark, share, and forward my blog posts so we can reach more and more people. I am enjoying this journey helping women go green with their beauty routine and I look forward to convincing everyone that it is “easy being green!”

Stay natural…stay beautiful…go green!

Mother’s Day is rapidly approaching! Do you already know what you’re getting for Mom? For that matter, for mom, grandma, auntie, and sisters? Here are some new ideas for you to help the special women in your life go green with their beauty routines!

Treat Mom with the best in organic beauty.

A great way to show them you care is to educate them about the toxicity of their beauty products. Our moms are probably still using the same products they used 30 years ago. Do they know about the diseases linked with many of the ingredients in personal care products? Help them out by pointing them to toxicbeautyblog.com and by getting them started in the right direction with greener and safer beauty products. Here are a few ideas.

Fragrance
Commercial perfume has dangerous hormone-mimicing phthalates in them. Mama doesn’t need any of that! Aubrey Organics has 4 delightful all natural fragrances for the special mom in your life. They are free of chemicals and designed especially for sensitive skin. Choose from Light Citrus Floral, Musk, Ocean Waters, or Spring Floral. At just $21.50 for a 2 oz spray atomizer, this is sure to please Mama’s senses!

Anti-aging Skin Solutions
Your mom will love you if you get her Aubrey Organics Lumessence Lift Firming Cream With CoQ10 Liposomes. It’s a fantastic moisturizer and face lift in a bottle! Give your mom the gift of firmer, smoother, and younger looking skin. And it’s made with all natural ingredients.

Mercola Healthy Skin
Treat mom with a USDA organic anti-aging skin care package from the nation’s leading natural health expert, Dr. Joseph Mercola. Packages are available for daily skin care, anti-aging, and anti-aging wrinkle control. Hydrating, safe, natural ingredients are coupled with essential oils to please the nose and spirit. Or choose organic body butters with essential oils in lavender, sweet orange, or unscented.

Watch this video for more information on Mercola Healthy Skin products and tips for anti-aging skin care.

Gift Certificates

Pure Complexions is one of my favorite online natural beauty stores. They carry only safe, non-synthetic, detergent free skin care, body care, cosmetics, fragrance, aromatherapy, home products, and pet care products. They cater to sensitive skin. This is a great gift idea if you’re really clueless about what to buy for Mom. You can purchase a gift certificate in $30, $50, $75, and $100 denominations.

If you were racking your brain for what to get mom on this special day, I hope I’ve made it a bit clearer for you. Moms have done so much for us….now it’s time to give back to Mom. Help all the mothers in your life be safer with their daily personal care routine. It may be the most precious gift of all.

Stay natural…stay beautiful…go green!
Robin

Hello Toxic Beauty readers! I hope you enjoy this video on why and how to choose organic beauty products. It makes some great points about why it is important to delete synthetic products from your routine.  The video mentions purchasing organic beauty products from the health food store but I want to remind you the Internet offers more affordable source for many beauty products, such as luckyvitamin.com.  Enjoy and don’t forget to share your thoughts.

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

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

What’s up Toxic Beauty readers? I was planning a post on nail polish remover, to go with my post earlier this week about toxic nail polish…but I just had to share this with you. By now, you all know my favorite deodorant is made by Real Purity. It is truly one of the most pure and safe deodorants you can buy. I recently ran out and was wondering what to do. I’ve always wanted to try to make my own homemade deodorant, but I still hadn’t taken the time to do the research. With barely anything left in my Real Purity bottle, I had a deodorant emergency!  I needed something quick and it’s tough to find an effective safe deodorant in most stores. I decided to give the homemade variety a try.  I found many recipes, but nothing clicked with me until I found one that was so simple I had to try it! It took me about 5 minutes to mix it all up. I applied it later that night and again in the morning. After almost 12 hours, it was still working. I did not sweat and I did not have any odor at all! You cannot get any more natural than when you concoct your own beauty recipe. It only has 3-4 ingredients, 2 of which you probably already have in your pantry. I have already shared the virtues of the third ingredient with you in previous posts. So without further adue, here is the simple deodorant recipe:

• 1/4 cup baking soda
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 6-8 tablespoons coconut oil
• 10 drops of lavender or fennel essential oil

Combine the baking soda and cornstarch in a small container. Little by little, add the coconut oil until you have a paste. Finally, add the essential oil of your choice. Apply to underarms with your fingertips.

Many essential oils have anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties, making them an ideal addition to your deodorant mixture. Baking soda has so many uses, especially odor absorbing while cornstarch has been used for years to absorb moisture. Coconut oil is especially beneficial for so many reasons (see this post for more on coconut oil!)

So after one day, this at home mix proved to be better than most commercial, aluminum filled toxic deodorants on the market today. Be safe with your deodorant and save money in the process. Do you have any simple homemade deodorant recipes you can share? And if you try this recipe, I’d love to hear your results. Thanks for reading and until next time, stay natural, stay beautiful…Robin.

Update: I had been using this deodorant for a week. It was the best deodorant I have ever used…no odor, no sweat…simply amazing! Until after the first week…I started getting bumps on my underarms! So I decided that maybe I got the formulations wrong or put too much baking soda in it. I now see that making your own beauty products is a trial and error, learning proccess.

I decided to turn to a fellow natural beauty blogger, Michelle Singh. She has a great blog: greengirlorganics. She recommended using cosmetic grade cornstarch (I bought mine from the grocery store) and using less essential oil. She also recommended a few natural deodorants by  Miessence and Weleda. Thanks, Michelle!

Going organic in your diet and in your personal care products does not have to be an all at once process. When I first went organic, I started with baby steps. I still had a lot of products I had already purchased and I wasn’t about to throw out that expensive eye shadow…I have been holding onto them for a while now…it’s time to let them go!  But for some of your products, you may want to sweep them all into the garbage immediately because you’re simply horrifed at what the ingredients can do. For others, you may say, “Well I’ll just use it up, then I will buy a better alternative,” (and I am here to tell you about those alternatives!)

Figure out what you’re able to do and do it! Going organic is a big change and it can be an expensive one. That is why you need to prioritize. Most of us are struggling with the economy right now and you’re probably thinking, “What is she talking about? How can I possibly do this?” The task might seem daunting. But if you truly want to make a change for yourself and your family and you are committed to this, go for it. If the only thing you can do right now is buy one thing, that is a great start. But what to start with?

A shower filter is essential. I first learned of this through Kevin Trudeau’s book. Although a small, step, it can make a huge difference. You may notice your skin is dry or irritated after showers. This could actually be from a combination of reasons. First, the soap you use probably contains sodium laurel sulfate (mixed with other toxins and synthetic preservatives.) Second, most municipal waters are highly treated with chemicals to make it “safe” (ha!) With a shower filter, you will see softer more healthy looking skin. When I first had a shower with my filter, I was amazed at my skin (didn‘t even need lotion!)

Shower filters are reasonably priced and are available at hardware stores or check out Mercola.com for great info and options. Why is a shower filter so important? When you shower, your pores are open, absorbing the chemicals in the water. It’s a bit like a gas chamber. The filter takes the chlorine, fluoride and other toxins out, making the shower what it should be, a truly pure cleansing experience. To maintain the filter, you simply need to replace the filter (about $10) every 6 months to a year, depending on how toxic your water is. You will see how black and icky the filter is when you replace it! So if you take one little step at a time, eventually, you will be living a 100% pure organic lifestyle. If you need any more tips on transitioning into the organic way, send me your questions and stay tuned to the blog. Subscribe for automatic e-mail updates so you don’t miss a post! Until next time, stay natural, stay beautiful…Robin

When I tell people I live an organic lifestyle, I usually get the same response, “Oh, I can’t afford it.” But when you think about the question, “Can you afford to go organic?” it leads you to the question, “Can you afford not to?” Believe me, I feel your pain. I’m a teacher trying to live organically. I had to make a choice and it was made for me when I read Kevin Trudeau’s Natural Cures “They” Don’t Want You to Know About. This book changed my life. I had already started going organic slowly (that’s the way to go.) But when I read this important book, I went the rest of the way.

Going organic with my diet was a bit easier for me than going organic with my beauty products. I had used some of the products for years, trusted them, and some were pretty affordable too. Now I know why they were so affordable. Companies use the cheapest ingredients they can find to maximize profit, not caring about the toxins and poisons we ingest into our bloodstream, causing disease. That is why you can find a way now to pay a little more for organics. Why pay even more later in doctor’s bills and health problems?

There have been many studies done over the years testing the long term use of commercial beauty products. Artificial ingredients like parabens, lead, talc, and aluminum are being found in diseased organs and tissue. How scary is this? So….pay now….or pay later? Of course, the choice is yours. But how do you decide what to do first on your sojourn into the organic living? I am here to help because I have been through it too. Stay tuned for my next post where I will delve more deeply into going organic and the steps you can take to make it gradual (and not bank-breaking.) Until then, stay natural, stay beautiful…Robin.

Hey Toxic Beauty readers! You may have noticed my blog has undergone a bit of a make-over. Hey, if women can do it, why can’t a blog? I am really excited about the new banner and I would love to hear your comments! Now on to today’s new post….

Some people categorize their skin as “sensitive”  or think they have skin allergies. They use special formulas because otherwise their skin will break out or become irritated. Did you ever think that maybe your skin isn’t really sensitive? It might be that man-made chemical ingredient in your product that made you break out. I’ve heard many instances of this. You don’t necessarily have sensitive skin or allergies, it’s the toxic ingredient or combination of ingredients that cause problems for anyone who uses them. Such ingredients shouldn’t be in beauty products. Not only can they disrupt the surface of the skin, but they are absorbed into the bloodstream disrupting bodily functions and organs.

I recently heard from Jenna and she had this to say:

“Love your Toxic Beauty blog. I used to think I had allergies because my eyes were puffy and itchy more often then not- I recently switched to all natural and organic beauty products and my skin has never looked or felt better- I was polluting myself without even knowing it! Go Green!”

So if you experience similar problems, be it puffy eyes, bumps, or itchy skin, give your regular beauty products a break and give natural products a try. You may be very surprised (and pleased!) at the results. If you’ve experienced any of these side effects from using commercial beauty products, drop me a line. Stay natural…stay beautiful. -Robin