Archive for organic skin care
A Gift From the Bees
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A very busy bee!
Most of the time when I am outdoors and I see a bee, I run! Many people are allergic to the sting of bees (I think I am, so therefore I run!) but have you ever thought about just how useful bees are to us? Not only do we get honey from bees, but we can also use the other magical substances bees produce to have healthier bodies and skin.
A Miracle for Skin
Have you ever heard of Sweet Blessed Bee Magic? Probably not….I hadn’t either. The name alone makes you think of a beautiful flowered meadow full of fuzzy black and yellow bees pollinating flowers. It’s a fantastic organic skin cream with immense therapeutic properties. It’s a golden colored, creamy substance that is just heaven to rub into skin. Not only does it moisturize even the dryest skin, it heals as well. It can be used for burns, cuts, rashes and skin irritations. The ingredients are like nature’s medicine for your skin. From their website: “Bee Magic is packed with naturally occurring bactericides, germicides and anti-inflammatory properties that actively begin cleaning, healing, protecting and soothing the affected area.” I couldn’t have said it any better myself. Sometimes I find I get a little redness or bumps on my skin…not sure from what, be it a heat rash or irritation from the elements. I rubbed some of the Bee Magic cream directly on my leg where I had the bumps. Within a few days, they were gone! I even used a few times when I had overindulged in the sun and had a bit of a sunburn. It soothed my skin so well! I can attest to the healing powers of this amazing product.
Bees give us many gifts.
Use it on everything!
Not only is it a healing balm, but it’s also a wonderful daily moisturizer for all skin types, even babies! I used it on my face as well as my body and the feel is just so luxurious. Your skin is reaping the benefits of so many beneficial compounds! What’s in Bee Magic? Not that much but what it does contain packs a healing punch: organic extra virgin olive oil, organic beeswax, organic honey, propolis, organic bee pollen and royal jelly. These are live, active, ingredients. They are not processed but are their purest form so you can get all the health benefits. Just what does each ingredient provide? Here’s just a sampling of what each ingredient can do:
Simple, pure ingredients make Bee Magic so effective.
Organic extra virgin olive oil- contains the antioxidant Vitamin E, promotes soft and supple skin
Organic beeswax- full of nutrients, locks in moisture, fosters cells and protects skin from damaging environmental factors
Organic honey- I’ve posted about the many rich benefits of honey. See the post here.
Propolis – cures burns, skin infections, and lesions effectively because of it’s anti-bacterial properties (scientific studies backs this up)
Organic bee pollen- reduces inflammation, soothes itching and moisturize dry skin
Royal jelly- contains B-complex vitamins, minerals, vitamins A, D, E, enzymes, 18 amino acids, and antibacterial and antibiotic compounds. Promotes youthful skin.
Are you convinced?
If you weren’t thinking Bee Magic was a miracle product before, are you now? The ingredients are so extremely therapeutic and in the making of this product, bees are not harmed at all. I believe they were put on the earth to do what they are doing and why shouldn’t we benefit from their gifts? However, if you’re vegan and only use vegan products, I wouldn’t recommend this one for you. But just to reassure you, the great folks behind Bee Magic lovingly handcraft their product giving thanks to the blessed bees for their “heavenly golden healing nectar.” Check out the The Medicine Mama for great insight into how Bee Magic is made.
So bottom line, how much is it?? Well, a 2 ounce jar is $16.99 (sold in stores) and a 4 ounce jar is offered online for $29.95 with free shipping. I took to keeping a small container near my bed and whenever I felt a little dry skin or irritation, I’d spread some on. I literally loved this cream and I really think you would too. Give it a try. By the way, I am not even an affiliate of Bee Magic and will not receive any commission by promoting it. This is just a product I truly believe in, adore and feel as though anyone who used it will benefit in tremendous ways. See my video below!
Stay natural…stay beautiful…go green!
Product Review: Made From Earth
Posted by: | CommentsWhat do you envision when you hear the word, “earth?” I see beautiful trees, flowers, herbs, and natural elements. We absorb the earth’s healing energy when we connect with the earth and this is something missing in many people’s life. What is a way you can reconnect with “Mother Earth?” Through your beauty routine!
I recently discovered Made From Earth. Made From Earth products are organic, holistic, and healthy. Their products use pure ingredients from the earth to help renew the skin and slow down the effects of aging. Their products are also USDA organic. What you will NOT find in the Made From Earth line: petrochemicals, phthalates, parabens, sulfates, and fragrance. The Made From Earth line includes organic body lotions, organic face creams, and organic lip balms. It’s wonderful to find another eco-conscious beauty brand providing safer alternatives to consumers.
Now on to my review….I sampled 6 products from the Made From Earth line.
Vitamin Enhanced Moisturizer
Vitamins are so healthy for the skin and Made From Earth has integrated some of the most beneficial vitamins into this fabulous moisturizer. Antioxidants and bioflavanoids help fight free radical damage (the major enemy of the skin!) I used it every morning and my face was soft and moisturized. I found that just a little dab was enough to moisturize my entire face. It is a bit pricey at $74.99 for 2 oz., but remember you only have to use a little bit so it should last you a while. The ingredients are incredibly therapeutic:
Ingredients:
Organic Aloe Vera Juice, Avocado Oil, Organic Rooibos Tea Extract, Organic Jojoba, Emulsifying Wax NF, Kosher Vegetable Glycerin, Vitamin E, Vitamin C Ester, Pro-Vitamin B5, Xanthan Gum, Vitamin A, Willowbark Extract, Rosemary.
Vitamin Enhanced Face Firming Serum
This rich serum has anti-aging properties most beneficial for aging and extra dry skin. The main ingredient is DMAE, which has been shown in clinical tests to actually firm and tighten skin! I didn’t use this as much as I did the moisturizer but the few times I did, I felt it working. It’s more reasonable priced at $39.99 so if face firming is your need, I’d go for this product before the moisturizer. Check out the contents:
Ingredients:
Rose Distillate, Aloe Vera Juice, Dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE), Meadowfoam Seed Oil, Organic Bilberry Extract, Organic Sugar Cane Extract, Organic Sugar Maple Extract, Organic Orange Fruit Extract, Organic Lemon Extract, Organic Cranberry Extract, Vitamin E, Vitamin C Ester, CoQ10 (Coenzyme Q10), Beta Carotene (Pro Vitamin A), Retinol Palmitate (Vitamin A), Alpha Lipoic Acid DL- Thioctic Acid, d-Calcium Pantothenate (Panthenol Vitamin B5), Niacinamide (Vitamin B3), Carrot Oil, Milk, Polysaccharide gum.
Olive is so nourishing for the skin.
Olive Night Cream
This rich moisturizer is designed for dry and mature skin. Even though my skin doesn’t really meet either criteria, I still enjoyed this night cream. I love the fact that Made From Earth makes different moisturizers for day and night. The skin has different needs at different times of day. Olives are so beneficial for the skin, imparting antioxidants and vitamins which renew and repair skin from daily environmental pollutants. Olive products stimulate cells and return skin to a firmer, healthier state as you sleep. This night cream contains both olive oil and olive butter. I used this before going to bed and it hydrated my skin perfectly. It’s now on sale for $27.00 (normally sells for $39.99) for 2oz.
Ingredients:
Aloe barbadensis (Organic Aloe) Juice, Olea europaea (Organic Olive) Oil, Emulsifying Wax NF, Olea europaea (Olive) Butter, Palm Stearic Acid, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Azadirachta indica (Neem) Oil, Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) Oleoresin, Tetrasodium EDTA, Citric Acid.
Pure Aloe Face Treatment
I adore aloe as a skin treatment and Made From Earth has tapped into the healing powers of aloe with this product. This is a potent and pure treatment and should only be used 2-3 times per week. It combats the daily effects of sun damage and moisturizes the skin intensely. It also provides enzymes and vitamins to further heal the skin. It’s affordably priced at $22.99 for 2 oz.
Ingredients:
Organic Aloe Vera Juice, Organic Rooibos Tea Extract, Emulsifying Wax NF, Kosher Vegetable Glycerin, Organic Olive Oil, Palm Stearic Acid, Organic Jojoba Oil, Avocado, Witch Hazel, Vitamin E, Black Willowbark Extract, Rosemary Oleoresin, Neem Oil.
Get your free lip balm!
Lip Balm
This is the product which I used the most. I am always applying lip balm, especially before I put lipstick or lip gloss on. It just provides a nice base. The lip balms I used were the Blueberry and the Spearmint. My fave was the Spearmint! The lip balm really glides on smoothly and leaves your lips very soft and moisturized. Sometimes, I didn’t even need to use anything else but the balm. Other lip balm flavors include Citrus, Mocha, and Vanilla. Yum! The best part about these organic lip balms is that if you lick your lips, you’re not ingesting anything toxic. They are only $4.99 each. The ingredients are sourced from….yes, you guessed it, the earth! Peep the nourishing ingredients:
Ingredients:
Organic Sun flower Oil, Organic Beeswax, Organic Jojoba Oil, Organic Spearmint Essential Oil, Vitamin E, Rosemary Extract, Organic Calendula.
A Special Discount for Toxic Beauty Blog Readers
Even though it was my birthday recently, I want to give you, my valued readers, a gift. I have arranged a special discount code for Made From Earth available to Toxic Beauty Blog readers only. You can receive a FREE Citrus Fresh lip balm with any order (no minimum!) Simply enter the code “toxicbeauty” (all one word) to receive the lip balm absolutely free! You don’t even need to add it to your cart. It will be added to your order automatically. If you take advantage of this great deal, leave me a comment to let me know which products you decided to try. I am sure you will love the products from Made From Earth. I surely did!
Stay natural…stay beautiful…go green!
Disclaimer: This product review consists of my honest reflections after using the Made From Earth products. Even though I received product samples for free, I was not paid for this review and I am not an affiliate of Made From Earth.
Real Purity Organic Skin Care: “Face Food for Thought”
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The beauty of nature with Real Purity
My absolute favorite skin care company is Real Purity, a family owned company who truly believe in putting YOU first. Many people have never heard of them, yet they’ve been around for many years. It is the best kept secret in organic skin care….and now I am about to share that secret!
For those of you who don’t know, even though it is not on their labels, Real Purity is organic. They have also signed the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. They are working on the labeling and entering all their products into the Cosmetic Safety Database…a daunting task indeed. In addition, they have just launched their new website: http://www.realpurity.com! There are many exciting things in store for Real Purity and I am very grateful to be a part of them.
I’ve previously posted reviews of some of my favorite Real Purity products including mascara and holistic deodorant. Not until now have I gotten a chance to try out the skin care line. After using the products for about 8 weeks, I am extremely satisfied with the results and the performance of the products. Safe ingredients combine with performance to make some very unique skin care products. Once you start using Real Purity, you may not want to ever use anything else. Real Purity cosmetics are formulated with you in mind. Their motto is always, “People before profit.” They’ve consulted with Naturopathic Doctors, Biochemists, Clinical Nutritionists, Enzyme Therapists, Natural Estheticians, and Master Clinical Herbalists to bring you safe, healthy products. Real Purity never tests on animals. This is not necessary when you know the ingredients are from nature.
And now on to the good stuff!
The products I used from their skin care line included:
Cleansing Lotion
Cleaning Milk
Honey Almond Scrub
Facial Masque Dehydrated
Creme Supreme
For some of the products, I was sent a sample…for the rest they were full sized products I continue to enjoy now.
Cleansing Lotion/Cleansing Milk
I liked both of the cleansers….probably leaning more toward the milk cleanser, as milk is incredibly soothing and exfoliating for the skin. Both of the cleansers cleaned my face completely, rinsing clean and leaving my face feeling soft and moisturized. My face did not feel dried out like it sometimes feels after washing my face. the Cleansing Milk also contains aloe and other natural ingredients. The Cleansing Milk is priced at $17.99. The Cleaning Lotion is $15.99.
Check out the ingredients in the Cleansing Milk:
Purified water, proprietary blend of organic fruit & nut oils, organic vegetable glycerin, organic milk, organic hamamelis virginiana (witch hazel), organic aloe vera, organic botse™ (organic plant preservative system)
Honey Almond Face Scrub by Real Purity
After cleansing, it’s always a good idea to exfoliate with a good facial scrub, at least once a week. Many scrubs on the market today are extremely rough on the skin. When you use face scrub, it should gently exfoliate, not strip the skin completely. Enter Real Purity Honey Almond Scrub. When I first opened the jar, I didn’t know whether to put it on my face or eat it! It smells wonderful and when I used it, a bit did get in my mouth and it was sweet! The main ingredients are honey (there’s the sweetness!) almonds, and oatmeal. Now you can see why I wanted to eat it! This scrub is creamy and feels lovely on the skin. After using this organic scrub priced at $14.99, my skin felt like it had been pampered.
Here are the Honey Almond Scrub Ingredients:
Oatmeal, Raw Honey, Natural Vegetable Glycerin, Kaolin, Purified Water, Almond Meal, Almond Oil, Corn Meal, Apricot Kernel Oil
Delicious! Now you know why I wanted to eat it….no harmful chemicals, preservatives, or additives.
Me wearing my Real Purity "blue" face masque
The third step in my Real Purity facial was the Facial Masque Dehydrated ($17.50.) It’s designed specifically for dry, dehydrated skin. It is a lovely light blue color and smells very fresh. You rub it into your skin evenly, wait 20 minutes, then rinse. Unlike other facial masques, it does not dry on the skin, which to me is a good thing as I do not like that tight mask feeling at all! Again, the ingredients are organic and safe:
Purified Water, Vegetable Glycerin, Glycogen, Mucopolysaccharides, Phyto Elastin, Phyto Collagen, Natural Clay, Evening Primrose Oil
Most of those ingredients are identifiable….except Mucopolysaccharides. Those are simply long chains of sugar molecules naturally found throughout the body. Phyto Elastin and Phyto Collagen are incredible anti-aging ingredients which moisturize and protect the skin. Evening primrose oil is high in fatty acids, great for firming skin and moisturizing dry skin. Real Purity’s scientists know exactly which ingredients to combine to help our skin look younger and more beautiful!
Super moisturizing Creme Supreme
By now, my skin was incredibly clean and glowing! There was one more step, however. After cleaning, exfoliating, clarifying…what’s next? Adding moisture, of course. My absolute favorite product I tried is Creme Supreme. This is like the “Bentley” of skin creams. It’s delicately scented with raspberry and nourished my skin unbelievably. After using it for 8 weeks, the patchy dry spots I tended to get around my mouth (in the smile lines) disappeared! Every morning after I cleanse, I use Creme Supreme and I can honestly say I look forward to putting it on. Again, phyto collagen protects with it’s anti-aging properties and sea kelp detoxifies the skin and is loaded with vitamins and minerals. Peep the rest of the ingredients:
Purified Water, Safflower Oil, Wheat Germ Oil, Glycerine, Sea Kelp, Phyto Collagen, Raspberry Nectar, Comfrey, Hops, Limetree, Rutin
This is a fabulous moisturizer I can see myself using for forever! It sells for $45 for a 1 oz jar. Don’t let the price scare you, a little goes a long way. I’ve had it for 2 months and it is barely even 3/4 of the way done yet!
My glowing skin...after using Real Purity organic skin products.
After using Real Purity skin care, I can honestly say my skin looks and feels better than it ever has. I use the scrub and mask at least once a week and the Creme Supreme every day. I feel good about using their products because I know each and every ingredient is from nature and will benefit not only my skin but my health too. My motto is, “If i can’t eat it, I won’t put it on my skin,” and Real Purity products meet this requirement. I came close to eating the face scrub! They prove that effective products are possible, without the use of toxins. As they say on their website…
Purity you can see-
Purity you can feel-
Purity that is real-
Simply…Real Purity®
Now that you know all there is to know about Real Purity skin care….do you want to try them out? Well, you can because I have partnered up with RP to offer you an incredible giveaway. You can win each and every product I reviewed today. Stay tuned to Toxic Beauty Blog on Wednesday for more details on how you can win a complete Real Purity skin care set, including the Milk Cleanser, Face Scrub, Masque, and, Creme Supreme! You do not want to miss this!!
Stay natural…stay beautiful…go green!
Robin
The “Key” To Safe Skin Care
Posted by: | CommentsToday I will be sharing some product reviews of an incredibly pure, safe line of skin care products. Keys products are the best kept secrets in organic skin care!
Keys was created by Wendy Steele after her survival of melanoma. Many skin care products are too harsh for delicate skin, especially after cancer recovery. I applaud Wendy for her creation of “Clean Green Therapy.” Keys promotes “Beauty and Healing Naturally Chemical Free.” The products are free of man-made chemicals and are derived from fruit, vegetable, botanical and herbal ingredients that contain no sythetics, fragrances, or compounds.
All the ingredients in each product are listed by amount and function on their labels, like how the USDA lists nutrition facts on food. I totally agree with this practice, as skin care products are absorbed into the body the same way food is. Keys products are not just for cleansing, moisturizing or conditioning. They actually can heal and cure certain skin ailments, according to Keys customers. Keys products are vegan with absolutely no animal testing. If the ingredients come from nature, animal testing is just not needed.
I used the complete line of Keys skin care products including:
Galleyon Naturally Antibacterial Spearmint Foaming Castile Soap
Island Rx Therapuetic Foaming Facial Cleanser
Luminous Hydrating Moisturizer
Eye Butter
Solar Rx Broad Spectrum Sunblock
My absolute favorite Keys product is the Galleyon Naturally Antibacterial Spearmint Foaming Castile Soap. It comes in a foaming pump and lathers up amazingly in the shower. The scent of spearmint is wonderfully refreshing and all natural. It cleanses without harsh sulfates or detergents.If you like Dr. Bronner’s castile soap, you’ll love Keys. It left my skin soft and very refreshed. This soap is quite versatile as well. You can use it on yourself, your kids, your pets, and even in the kitchen to wash utensils! It also has therapeutic properties to remove sap from poisonous plants, such as poison ivy. I give this product a 10!
I am also in love with the skin care line. Most of the products have a slight citrus scent. The Island Rx Therapeutic Foaming Facial Cleanser is castile soap with clary sage and blood orange oil. These natural oils left my skin moisturized and toned. It is also great for treating acne prone skin! After cleansing, I used the Luminous Hydrating Moisturizer. It’s a light cream which left my skin soft and made an excellent base for applying makeup afterward. It leaves a “soft focus” effect which makes your skin look beautiful and improves your skin with every use.
Many of us need to use eye cream to soften and moisturize the delicate area around the eyes. Introducing Keys Eye Butter. It contains shea butter and organic cucumber and contains no water, thereby eliminating the need for harsh preservatives. With 100% safe ingredients, it reduces fine lines and increase skin tone.
A refreshing change from poisonous chemicals sunscreens, Solar Rx Broad Spectrum Sunblock protects your skin from the sun naturally with zinc. It received the lowest (meaning safest) score on EWG’s Skin Deep report! Since I live in a climate where it is 80 degrees or above about 350 days of the year, I am always looking for safer sunscreen and Keys delivered. It’s perfect for under makeup, although it is not waterproof or for strenuous activity.
Do you have sensitive skin, dermatitis, eczema, rosacea or acne? They also offer a Topical Healing Therapies line containing natural oils to soothe, nourish, and regenerate the skin. Try Keys products and your skin will thank you for it.
Stay natural…stay beautiful…go green!
Robin
Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review however, I received full sized Keys products for my use and review. My reviews are based on my experiences. I am an affiliate of Pure Body Solutions which proudly carry Keys Soap Products.
