Are you ready for a trip deep into the heart of the rain forest? So many treasures exist in the rain forest, may it be cures for diseases or the next magical beauty treatment! I was able to partake in the latter when I discovered the Amazon Beauty collection. Amazon Beauty produces Rahua all natural hair products. The main ingredient in Rahua was discovered by  hairstylist and colorist Fabian Lliguin when he noted the beauty, luster, and strength of womens hair during a trip to the Amazon. He was able to extract the ingredient and bring it back to the U.S., enabling all women to have lovely locks.

Just what is this magical ingredient? Rahua products are made from oil extracted responsibly from the rahua nut (hence the name.) The molecules of rahua oil are small enough to penetrate the hair and repair the hair in its cuticle, unlike other treatments which simply coat the hair. Rahua products contain no synthetics, parabens, or sulfates.  In addition to rahua nut oil, many other nourishing and organic ingredients are included in the collection of products:

• wheat protein – for healing and moisture retention

• rice bran wax – a protective emollient that tames frizz

• green tea – protects hair from harmful UV rays

• raspberry leaf extract – infuses hair with antioxidants to nourish and repair hair

The product collection includes shampoo, conditioner, elixir, and finishing treatment.

Amazon Beauty: Beauty is power.

I used the shampoo, conditioner and finishing treatment. After two uses of the shampoo and conditioner, my hair was incredibly soft and extra manageable! The shampoo left my hair very clean without harsh detergents. I usually comb conditioner through my hair when in the shower and this helped the conditioner penetrate every strand. When I got out of the shower, I smelled the lovely scent the shampoo and conditioner had left in my hair. I wasn’t done yet though….I then used the Rahua Finishing Treatment and have been using it for a while now. What is the finishing treatment supposed to do? It repairs damaged strands, prevents hair from splitting during styling, and provided a glossy weightless finish. After using Rahua Finishing Treatment, blow drying, and flat ironing my hair, it felt like silk!

The Rahua Finishing Treatment is extremely thick and rich and when rubbed in your palms, becomes almost cream-like. Let me warn you right now: you only need a teeny bit! When I say teeny, I mean you need about 1/4 the size of a penny (you may use a bit more for drier hair types.) If you use too much, your hair WILL look oily, in fact I would not recommend this product for oily hair types. I found this out after I used it for the first time and used too much. The great thing about this is that your container will last you forever! And at $45 a pop, you probably won’t need to buy it but once or twice a year! If you have dried out, damaged, chemically treated or frizzy hair, Rahua Finishing Treatment may be your godsend. It’s loaded with organic and natural ingredients which will leave your hair the best it has ever looked. Check out the ingredients at amazonbeautysecret.com.

Overall, I really loved the results from using the products from the Amazon Beauty collection. It truly proves that natural and safe hair products are effective and can provide you with strong, lusterous, healthy hair. See my picture below for a look at my healthy, shiny locks!

Me and my lovely locks after using Rahua hair care products.

Stay natural…stay beautiful…go green!

Disclaimer: Although I was provided product samples, this review consists of my honest thoughts and experiences and I was not compensated for this review in any way.

This weekend I had a beauty epiphany! I have been in a sort of rut with my hair lately. I am growing it out from a short asymetrical bob and going through a transition phase. I’ve had the same style for a while and it’s getting boring! I am the type of person who likes to change her look from time to time to freshen things up. When you really don’t want to do anything drastic to your hair, what can you do to perk it up a bit?

Doing two things helped me out dramatically. One was simply changing the part of my hair. I was parting it on the left….this was getting old fast. Instead I parted it in the middle…I felt like I had a new hairstyle! All I did was comb it differently! Pretty quick and easy, huh?

What else did I do to refresh my style? Solution number two: the blowdryer! When you get stuck in a hair rut, you can get unstuck with a good blow dry! Having wavy hair, of course there is nothing I love more than a sleek straight hair. I don’t know about you, but when it comes to blow drying my hair, I am a dunce. No matter how much I practice, I have trouble managing the dryer and the brush at the same time. Recently, I was shopping at one of my favorite discount stores, Marshall’s and found this amazing hair dryer, the Infiniti Hair Designer by Conair.

I’d had my eye on it for a while and was excited to find it at Marshall’s for a great price! The Infiniti Hair Designer has an extraordinary design. It has a comb-like attachment that straightens your hair as it dries. When my hair was completely dry, it was sleek and straight in half the time! Also included is a regular attachment for normal drying. It even came with a cd with instructions for hair dummies like me!

What do you do when you want to give your hair a little pizazz without a drastic change?

Do you have any great beauty finds you’d like to share or simple things you do to get out of a beauty rut?

Let’s dish!

Stay natural…stay beautiful…go green!

Robin

Happy new year to all Toxic Beauty fans! Welcome to the first post of 2010!

I hope you get a chance to check out the new welcome video I posted to the right…had to tweak the previous one!

Did you read the post last week about “Good Hair?” It was about how toxic chemical relaxers are for women of color who try to straighten and smooth their hair. Well, good hair is something all women try to attain. Many women choose to get a the kind of perm which adds body, waves, and curls to their hair. In fact, I remember getting a bunch of perms when I was a teenager. At the time, I didn’t know the dangers I was exposing myself to.

The link below will lead you to an excellent article which details why you should think twice if you decide to get a perm. Click the link to read on…

What Are the Dangers of Getting a Perm?

Did you get perms as a teenager or even now as an adult? Did it damage your hair? I want to hear your stories. Please leave a comment and let the dialogue begin.

Stay natural…stay beautiful…go green!

Robin

I hope everyone had a fabulous green Christmas!

While on vacation I had the chance to see the Chris Rock documentary, “Good Hair.” Women of color take many risks to obtain an image of what society calls, “good hair.” One of the most dangerous things women do to their hair is relaxer. On the movie, it showed how even little girls are being subjected to this “hair torture.” A relaxer, or perm, smoothes out the hair with toxic chemicals, including sodium hydroxide. Sodium hydroxide penetrates and burns the hair. It can damage the scalp, even causing bald spots. The film showed how an aluminum can of soda disintegrates in sodium hydroxide. All this for smooth hair…..is it worth the risk? Women of color speak up: Would you let your daughter get this process done?  What do you think? Do you perm…or have you gone natural? Comment on the blog…and be sure to check out the movie clip below.

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

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

   I recently took the plunge and dyed my hair. I’ve come to realize that hair color is quite changeable and can give you a fresh look. This was the first time I had dyed my entire head because for years I was highlighting it. Until two years ago, I was using regular hair dye at the salon, not realizing what kinds of toxins and chemicals I was putting into my body. Yes, the body does absorb what it put into the hair and scalp. Normal hair dyes can be very damaging to the hair and scalp. I have heard stories of allergic reactions, hair breakage and even hair loss. Is it worth it to risk your health for your hair? I don’t think so.

   Most commercial hair dyes contain coal tar, a derivative of coal. Hair professionals and people who dye their hair often are the most at risk for the effects of coal tar. Studies show that people who are exposed to coal tar dyes on a regular basis (at least once a month) are more at risk for developing bladder cancer than others. Check your hair dye box and look for the following ingredients:

4-methoxy-m-phenylenediamin

2,4-diaminoanisole

4-chloro-m-phenylenediamine
2,4-toluenediamine
2-nitro-p-phenylenediamine
4-amino-2-nitrophenol

If you see any of these, better safe then sorry…toss that box! Alternatives include henna hair color, which is a natural plant derived colorant. Although henna is great for darker hair, it cannot lighten hair. I have gone to the salon to get highlights with organic hair color. Now that I have actually dyed my hair with all over color, I would be more likely to go to the health food store and buy a box of organic hair color too. As you can see, plenty of options exist. You do not have to put up with that grey! So say no to coal tar dyes…and yes to organic beauty and health!

Before

   Many women like to treat themselves to an occasional day at the salon. Even in today’s struggling economy, we deserve to treat ourselves every so often. My motto is, if you look good, you feel good. As a birthday gift to myself, I made an appointment with my hairstylist. I was ready for a change! After years of being blonde, I dyed my hair a rich dark brown with a few highlights.

   Now you might be wondering, I thought she was organic and she dyes her hair?? Well I am organic and that goes for my hair color too. Although rare, you can probably find a salon that uses organic hair color near you. I found my stylist 3 years ago and never looked back. When she was applying the dye to my hair, there was no smell! If you’ve ever used a box of dye before, then you have experienced the horrible odor. I used to dye my mother’s hair and cringe at the smell. What makes dye smell so “chemical?” I think you can probably guess… If the smell is this bad, what is it doing to your body? Stay tuned for more on the dangers of hair dye next time…And let me know what you think of my new do’! )

After