A few years back I was strolling in one of the upscale malls in my area and came across a soap store. Yes, a soap store! In other words, heaven on earth for those obsessed with bath and beauty (ME!). The soaps were so beautiful, all different colors, shapes, and sizes. And the scents! Lavender, vanilla, and even more exotic ones like yellow cake, cotton candy, and melon slushie! I walked around the store, delighted at every turn, yet after a while walked out without making a purchase. Why? It turns out the soaps were not all natural. They were made with artificial colors and fragrances, which can be quite irritating to the skin. Needless to say, I was disappointed.

I always feel excitement when I get e-mails from readers! Last week an e-mail from Sara reminded me I wanted to give soap making a try. Making your own cosmetics isn’t as hard as you (and I used to) think it is! I’ve found an easy soap recipe you can use to make your own homemade soap. The great thing about it is you can vary the recipe to suit your needs. Don’t like strawberries? Try oatmeal. Like a more fragrant soap?  Add essential oils. The possibilities are endless!

Making your own natural soap can be fun!

Here’s what you will need:

A soap bar, shredded – I recommend glycerin bar soap or a castile soap bar (I like Kirk’s Castile-) 2 cups OR liquid glycerin 2 cups
1/2 cup almond milk
1 tbsp almond oil
1/4 tsp Vitamin E
2-3 strawberries
Glass bowl or measuring cup
Pot
Water
Spoon
Mold

1. Grate the soap bar into a glass bowl or measuring cup. It will resemble mozzarella cheese but please don’t put this on your pizza!
2. Add almond milk and oil, mix well.
3. Boil water and place the heat resistant glass bowl/cup inside the pot.
4. Stir the mixture as it melts.
5. Keep stirring over the next 45 minutes.
6. Puree the strawberries and mix with the Vitamin E.
7. Remove soap mixture from heat, add strawberries and Vit E.  Stir.
8. Pour into molds. After 3-4 weeks, they will be ready to use!

In total the process takes about 45 minutes and you are left with a beautiful natural soap! In this way, you’re sort of like the mad scientist….of soap! I was even thinking of making this my class science project for this year. If you attempt the process, I’d love to hear your results as well as the concoctions you come up with.

Watch the video at Youtube as it gives you complete directions, plus photos for each step. Thanks to Tangela (aka Lenise2Me on Youtube) for this great video tutorial. Please make sure to visit her website Classic Bath and Body Products and check out all her yummy looking soap creations!

Stay natural…stay beautiful…go green!

Growing up, I was never into fruit. Yup, I was one of those kids who chose junk food over fruit! When I got home from school, I went for the “Cheetos” and “Funyuns (that was a fave of mine.) Of course, due to my bad eating habits, I was overweight. I finally made the commitment to eating better and exercising when I reached adulthood. I started eating more fruit and vegetables and feeling better. What a concept! I even got creative with my fruit. I researched and found many smoothie and dessert recipes which were quite delicious and completely guilt-free! (Smoothie recipe and video coming soon!) One of my favorite fruits are strawberries. They make a great snack in the summer and all through the year. What versatility! Not only can you eat them, but you can use them on your face and for your teeth! Intrigued? Read on…

Mash ‘em on Your Face

We love our "skrawberries!"

When I was little, I liked to play with my food. I still do, I guess, because I love using food on my face. Strawberries contain healing antioxidants and phenols which protect your cells and prevent oxidation (a.k.a ANTI-AGING!) These little red gems are also chock full of phytonutrients. What the heck are phytonutrients? They help protect against cancer. They also help treat inflammation, sometimes better than aspirin and keep your peepers (eyes) healthy. Whew! So do you think strawberries should be your new best friend? I think so! Here’s an awesome strawberry face mask which brightens dull skin (from my favorite book, Babushka’s Beauty Secrets):

1/2 cup fresh strawberries
1 Tbsp. oatmeal
1/4 Tsp honey (you may want to increase, I found it to be too little)

Mix ingredients in a blender. It will look like a smoothie (yum.) Apply to face and leave for 15 minutes. You will feel it cooling and tightening as it dries. Wash off with warm water and apply moisturizer.

Your skin will show an immediate glow!

“Skrawberry” Delight

What else are strawberries good for besides eating and putting on your face? They’re fantastic natural teeth whiteners. Yes, I am not joking. The enzymes in strawberries whiten and cleanse teeth. Use once or twice a week for best results. You can do it in a few different ways:

1. Crush a strawberry and rub the pulp on your teeth (I’ve tried this and it’s quite messy and the pulp slides right off.) This method gets an “F.”
2. Just rub a cut strawberry all over your teeth (good method.)
3. Crush a strawberry or two and mix with a bit of baking soda for extra whitening and cleansing. In this manner you are almost making a “paste.” Dip your toothbrush in the mixture and brush away! You can make enough for a few weeks and store it in a little container in the fridge. (I love those teeny Rubbermaid containers for this.)

Attention visual learners: watch the You Tube video below. It really explains how to do this process quite simply and correctly. Actually the video is a MUST WATCH if you’re going to try this out. So break out the “skrawberries” (that’s what the kids in my kindergarten class call them.)  and beautify your smile!

Stay natural…stay beautiful…go green!

I’ve always had great hair….I’m sorry if that sounds conceited but I was blessed by the “hair fairy.” My best hair days was in my 20s. I had long, flowing sun kissed (well, highlighted) hair. It was shiny, healthy, and manageable. Whenever I went to my hair dresser for a touch up, she always complimented me on my lustrous hair. Flash forward to my 30s…when I started experiencing some hair difficulties. It was a bit more dry (and even oily at times) and more unruly. I have wavy hair and sometimes I get very lazy and don’t do a thing to it (and I was NOT blessed with hair styling ability.) Here’s my usual hair routine: Shampoo, condition, leave-in conditioner, comb. Done. On those special occasions, I blow-dry it straight and it looks good….but lately it hasn’t looked as good as it can and I was wondering why….

Bad hair day! Could this be you? I feel your pain.

A Switcheroo

I usually stick to the same brand of shampoo and conditioner, but I was out of my usual stuff and I usually buy it online so I was stuck! What to do?? I was shopping at Ross (love it) when I came across the “Yes to Tomatoes” line. You’ve probably heard it…it’s made by the same company as the “Yes to Carrots” variety. I took a look at the ingredients (which is always a MUST) and they seemed pretty good! At $2.99 a bottle, they were also priced just right! I began using the shampoo and conditioner (I wash my hair every other day so as not to strip the natural oils) and started to see a change…for the worse!

Back to Basics

I am not saying the Yes to Tomatoes line is horrible….what may not work for someone else may work for you. I noticed my hair becoming more unmanageable and just not looking good. It was more dry than normal and even frizzier! Help!!! I started thinking about it….and realized that when I use my regular brand, my hair was always fabulous. I put two and two together and realized I needed to go back! Guess what my normal brand is? Aubrey Organics! I used the Rosa Mosqueta line religiously as it was extra moisturizing and especially for color treated hair. As a blogger I am always getting to try new product lines and I love finding great products.  But it’s so reassuring to know I have my Aubrey Organics waiting in the wings, ready to rescue me and my hair! My hair loves Aubrey Organics and I am ready to admit it. If you’d like to read my review of Rosa Mosqueta Shampoo and Conditioner hop on over to my All About Aubrey Organics blog. You never know….you hair may love Aubrey Organics too!

Stay natural…stay beautiful…go green!

I get so excited when I discover a safe, organic skin care line. Yes, the thought of products with “no bad stuff” gets me going. I adore companies who put people over profits. I’ve found such a company in Bubble and Bee. The name alone is adorable as all get out and the products are pure and 100% USDA certified organic. Everything they put into their concoctions is simple and identifiable. Can you tell I am “buzzing” with excitement to tell you more about  Bubble and Bee?

They Put the Lime in the Coconut

Yes, they actually did it! They make great lotion sticks full of nourishing, skin loving ingredients. I tried the Coconut Lime scent. It’s perfect for travel. You can easily stow it in your carry on bag. No clear bottles needed as it is a solid lotion stick. It’s also great just to carry all over the place in your purse for those dry skin emergencies. It absorbs instantly and smells so refreshing you feel as if you are lying on a Key West beach. I used it all over my body, paying special attention to my feet, hands, and elbows. Like other lotions, this one doesn’t wash off. It stays on your skin doing it’s job moisturizing like crazy. It contains no water so no chance for bacteria growth. Want to see the 100% organic ingredients? Come on, I know you do.

Ingredients: organic beeswax, organic cocoa butter, organic extra virgin coconut oil, organic sweet almond oil, organic lime essential oil, certified organic coconut scent.  That’s it!  No bad stuff.

If you aren’t in a coco-lime mood, the lotion stick is also available in these yummy scents: Rude Raspberry, Chai Guy, Lavender Orange, and Sunflower. It’s super affordable at $7.95 a stick!

Sometimes It’s Good to Be Rude

Bubble and Bee Rude Raspberry Organic Lip Balm- it's not as rude as it looks.

I was told I had sweet lips…but that wasn’t until I used Rude Raspberry Certified Organic Lip Balm! So this proves you can be rude and sweet at the same time…heehee. This lip balm is fabulous…my favorite I have ever tried! It tastes and smells great (like real raspberries) and leaves my lips super moisturized and shiny. I can even usually skip lip gloss when I have this beauty on. If you resist the urge for rudeness, you can go for Bubble and Bee’s other flavors: Peppermint Cocoa, Karma Apple, Orange, Coconut and Lime, Root Beer, Unscented, or even a 6 variety sample pack (you get to choose the flavors.) Treat your lips to soothing organic lip balm and keep some money in your wallet too….they’re only $3.99 each.

The Bottom Line

Bubble and Bee is a wonderful company who truly care about your health and provides products to enhance your beauty. This (and their products) is so refreshing. Not only are their products organic and safe, they are fun too! Their logo and packaging is adorable and brings a smile to your face. I love the design on the Rude Raspberry…..it has a picture of a raspberry giving a “raspberry!” I enjoyed my experience using Bubble and Bee and highly recommend you check them out too. Look for a future review of Bubble and Bee organic deodorant….that’s a story in the making!

Stay natural…stay beautiful…go green!

My latest guilty pleasure is a little television show called True Blood. I’m sure you’ve heard of it…it’s a sinful HBO series about the relationships between humans, vampires, and other fanciful creatures. I didn’t even get into it until last year (I was one of the late comers) but I had always heard people talking about it! One day I decided to get the first season on dvd….I was hooked! Talk about a juicy soap opera! And when I say juicy, I mean it literally….this show is bloody! Are you a “Trubie” (this is what they call fans of the show) too? Be sure to check out the video clip below!

A Dark Brew

Countess Bathory preferred a different sort of bath....

Speaking of blood, did you know ages ago, blood was used as a beauty tool? Yes, as gross as that may sound, for one particular person of history, Elizabeth Báthory, blood was a key component of her anti-aging routine! Seems crazy, right? Well, not to her. She was a countess who lived in the late 1500s and early 1600s and was one of history’s first serial killers! She is accused to have killed over 600 young women and girls. Why would she (or anyone, for that matter) do such heinous things? Rumor has it she bathed in the [virgin] blood of her victims, believing it provided magical healing qualities and eternal youth. As you can see, the obsession with staying young started early in history. It’s still debated whether or not this story is actually true. This leads to the question….at what cost, beauty?

What sort of lengths would you go to for eternal youth?  Do you have lines you simply would not cross? Want to hear even more about the vampiric countess? Click here to go to Trutv for more!

Stay natural…stay beautiful…go green!

“Wanna Fanta? Don’t you wanna? Wanna Fanta?

Remember those colorful old Fanta soda commercials? You know the ones I am talking about….they had four girls who corresponded to each flavor of the soda: strawberry, orange, grape, and pineapple…back then they only had these four flavors, now they have many more! I remember seeing fun commercials like this when I was a kid and when I was thirsty, I usually reached for the soda pop. I drank way too much soda growing up! I hated drinking water as I thought it was boring and tasteless. Little did I know that water was a magical, healing elixir!

Water, Water, Everywhere…

We always hear so much about how important it is to drink water…maybe there’s a reason for that. It’s the most important beverage we can ever drink, yet so many of us walk around dehydrated. Why do we take water for granted? Water is always there, it’s cheap, and many people don’t like the taste. When we’re thirsty, we reach for juice, gatorade, or soda just like I used to so many year ago. But do you realize when you do this, you are literally drying yourself out (and your skin too!?)

Healthy Skin From the Inside Out

Sip for your health...sip for your skin!

There are many benefits to drinking water. Not only will you feel better internally, but your skin will glow on the outside. Water improves all bodily functions by flushing toxins out of our system. If toxins have no way of getting out, they collect in the body. Bad news! Water is like the messengers of the body, carrying nutrients to cells, circulating blood and fluids. By drinking enough water each day (keep reading, I will let you know how much water you should be drinking later) you are keeping your skin hydrated, preventing wrinkles, and maintaining the elasticity and suppleness of your skin. Water moisturizes skin from the inside out! And by the way, it also helps you lose weight! (Make sure to check out the video below.)

Don’t Get “Water Logged”

It’s sometimes confusing as to how much “agua” to drink each day. You can do this simple calculation to figure it out: Take your body weight, divide by two. That number equals the minimum ounces of water you should be gulping a day. And that is a minimum! I’ve heard people who drink at least a gallon of the stuff a day. Of course, don’t go overboard with this. There is such a thing as too much water (water toxicity.) When you start thinking, “Dang, how am I going to drink that much??” Don’t worry….you can accomplish this by eating plenty of water-rich, juicy fruits too. Watermelon, anyone?

I hope I’ve cleared up some misconceptions you’ve had about water and hope I’ve inspired you to drink, drink, drink. I, too, have the problem of not drinking enough and am striving to increase my water intake so my body can be more healthy and my skin can look even more fabulous! Here’s a tip: As soon as you wake up, pour a glass of water (I always squirt a little organic lemon in it for flavor) and drink up! We wake up dehydrated so it’s a great way to wake our bodies up. When you start drinking early in the day, it makes it a lot easier to make a habit throughout the day.

Stay natural…stay beautiful…go green!

Have you asked for a stronger national chemicals policy? You should.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve got more important things to do with my time than research product safety. And I bet you do, too!!

Of course I spend the time necessary to make sure I buy only the safest products for my family. I’m just not happy about it. I mean, products that are on the shelves should be safe, right? Yet, headlines tell me more often than I’d like that they’re not.

Take a few seconds to sign the petition… today.

We need a stronger law!

Which is precisely why I’m joining forces with Pure Natural Diva and Bottles to Britches to support the nationwide effort to reform the Toxic Substances Control Act in Congress. This law was passed back in 1976 (remember The BeeGees?!) and hasn’t adequately protected public health since. It’s high time to strengthen our country’s toxic chemicals law – and right now there’s an opportunity to do exactly that. See, this Spring Senator Frank Lautenberg (NJ) introduced The Safe Chemicals Act.

I hope you’ll join me in asking our representatives in Congress to pass this bill. It’s incredibly important, and the time is now. The more of us who ask, the more likely they are to listen. So go ahead,

Tell Congress to put toxics on its “to do” list NOW

The plan is to make it crystal clear that we want an effective national chemicals policy that protects human health, especially our children who are most affected by toxic chemicals.

The way I see it, if we’re frustrated by the current system (check), we should work hard to change it!

QUICK & EASY – SIGN THIS PETITION TO CONGRESS

Numbers talk: 150,000 signatures is the goal. 
EWG will deliver this petition to key lawmakers on Capitol Hill to show them how BIG and PASSIONATE this Safe Chemicals movement has become. Can you help us reach our goal today? It’s easy to sign and share – and extremely important to our success.

The time is right now. 
There is a political window of opportunity to move the Safe Chemicals Act forward in 2010, but in the current political climate, windows close quickly and unpredictably. If we don’t give it our absolute all NOW, when the political momentum is there, we may lose this chance.

Sign it, share it
. This issue is far too important to let Congress do nothing. We need your help – by signing and sharing the petition – to get the Safe Chemicals Act on the Congressional “to-do” list. Preferably at the top.

Bonus Points? This only takes a minute!

Use this link to send a letter to your Senator quickly and easily.

Thank you for taking time to be heard!

Stay natural…stay beautiful…go green!

Did you know there is a brand new (and fabulous) natural beauty handbook? I always wished I had one resource  to tell me everything about natural skin care from nutrition to homemade beauty recipes for glowing skin. It’s finally here and I had an opportunity to review this great new ebook.

Learn easy natural skin care recipes.

The Natural Skin Care Handbook was written by Victoria Lewy of myhomemadebeauty.com…you know the site, the blog you visit to get the latest scoop on the best and most beneficial natural ingredients and super fabulous skin care recipes!  Click here to visit Victoria Lewy.

Now Victoria has compiled all her best tips and even more in this easy to read ebook. I sat down to read it and finished it in under an hour. This is a great guide for anyone seeking to “naturalize” their skin care routine, from beginners to seasoned skin care specialists. I even learned a few things!

Change Your Skin Care, Change Your Life

For some, reading this book can make a huge difference in their skin care routines. Many people don’t realize the toxic ingredients they are putting onto their skin (and which absorb into their bodies, affecting organs and causing disease!) when they use commercial cosmetics. Victoria touches on this, but her emphasis lies more on sharing which natural ingredients you can use to promote healthy, beautiful skin. An integral section of the book section discusses foods which allow for beautiful skin from the inside out. She also points out which foods to avoid….you may be quite surprised!

Good Enough to Eat

Without a doubt, my favorite part of the book are the natural beauty recipes (24 pages of them!) I used to think making your own cosmetics was a time consuming, messy process. Boy, was I wrong! The recipes are so easy, using ingredients you probably already have in your fridge and you feel so good knowing that you are the creator. You know exactly what is in your special concoction and it ends up transforming your skin into glowing beauty. Victoria gives complete directions for preparing your own recipes, as well as the tools (not many) you need. There are recipes for all skin types, whether you have oily, dry, or combination (me!) skin. The recipes encompass all of your beauty needs from homemade cleanser, toner, and moisturizer to homemade mask, scrub, eye oil and lip balm (and more!)  Here are a few of my favorite recipes: Ginger Cream for Aging Skin, Body Coffee Scrub, Body Cream with Honey (yum!) and Nourishing Natural Eye Oil. There’s also a Relaxing Massage Oil recipe…ooh la la!

The Natural Beauty Handbook was a fun, easy read. I definitely recommend it for those of you who want to change your beauty routine to something more natural. The best part is you are the creator of your own cosmetics and you know each and every ingredient in your mixture. Order your copy of The Natural Beauty Handbook today….you can buy it now without even having to get out of your pj’s and it will be delivered to your inbox immediately! Click on the link below. Enjoy!

Click here to view more details

**** On a related note, today is the LAST day to enter the Babushka’s Beauty Secrets 3 book giveaway! There are low entries so you have a real chance of winning! Enter until tonight at 11:59 pm. Click below for the easy entry requirements.

Babushka’s Beauty Secrets Giveaway

Stay natural…stay beautiful…go green!

What’s more American than apple pie? Nothing really, but I’ve recently found out England does quite well too with pie….well not exactly pie, but “Pai.”

Pai is an organic skin care line designed especially for sensitive skin. You know the kind…the kind of skin which reacts to the slightest ingredient. I have this kind of skin sometimes…I know I am sensitive to a product or ingredient when I get red bumps! I was excited to try Pai skin care for a few reasons.

They May Be On to Something…

Europe has much stricter regulation for cosmetics than we do here. They have banned tons more toxic ingredients in cosmetics than the US. In fact, many of those ingredients are still used in America skin care lines. When are we going to catch up to the European high standard of cosmetic ingredients?

I recently reviewed a French skin and hair care line and when I had the opportunity to try Pai, an English based line, I gladly offered up my face as a guinea pig. What I really liked about Pai was that their products are specifically made for people with skin sensitivities…and I know a lot of you experience this. Their skin care products are 100% chemical free, with no irritants such as artificial fragrances, phenoxyethanol, propylene glycol and parabens. Sometimes even when you read ingredient labels for natural or organic products, it may still be hard to understand what you’re reading. Pai was the first skin care company to list and explain all their contents on the label. This is even more important for those of us who have reactions to ingredients. Pai uses organic ingredients and is certified by the Soil Association so you know their products definitely stand up to scrutiny.

Let’s Skip Right to the Pai

I used two products from the Pai line, the Chamomile and Rosehip Sensitive Skin Cream and the Camelia and Rose Organic Cleanser. I also received the Organic Muslin Face Cloth..more about that later! I can honestly say that I adored the Chamomile and Rosehip Skin Cream. Very rarely do I ever use a cream to the last drop and this is exactly what I did with this. It was so light and moisturizing, with a really lovely delicate scent. I used it after the shower and when I applied it to my skin, it felt as though my skin instantly drank it up, saying, “Gulp, gulp!” My skin felt so nourished with these pure ingredients. Here are a few and their benefits:

Chamomile: A member of the daisy family which contains azulene, a soothing anti-inflammatory substance

Rose Hip: skin healing fruit of the rose plant, rich in omega 3 and 6, vitamin C, works together to regenerate skin

Here are the rest of the easy to understand ingredients:

purified water, chamomile water*, apricot kernel oil*, corn-based emulsifier, jojoba oil*, rosehip oil*, thistle oil*, shea butter*, vegetable glycerine*, natural vitamin e, chamomile extract*, rosehip seed extract, corn extract, manuka oil*, rosemary antioxidant*, lavender oil*, rose geranium oil*, basil extract, natural lactic acid (from sugar beet)

I also liked the Camelia and Rose Organic Cleanser. The directions on the bottle said to wet face, massage the cleanser into skin, and remove with a warm wool face cloth, so I used the Pai Organic Muslin Face Cloth…the cloth was a bit rough for me and I ended up getting eye makeup on it. So I washed it in the washing machine. Big mistake. It shrank and was about as small as a slice of cheese. So thereafter, I just used a wet, warm washcloth to remove the cleanser. My face was left so moist and smooth unlike many cleansers which can dry out your skin after washing. It’s good for everyday cleansing and is a great makeup remover too. The ingredients rock! Here’s what the main two ingredients can do for your skin: 

camelia:  oil with omega 3, vitamins A, B, C, and E, used in Japan for centuries (have you ever seen a Japanese woman’s skin? Gorgeous!)

rose: retains moisture, tones, and hydrates

rose water*, water, camellia oil*, castor oil*, sweet almond oil*, coconut and corn-derived emulsifier, shea butter*, vegetable glycerine*, natural vitamin e, corn extract, basil extract, lavender oil*, geranium oil*, may chang oil*, rose oil*, natural lactic acid (from sugar beet)

Overall, my piece of Pai was extremely enjoyable. I loved what these products did for my skin and the fact that their ingredients are in plain English and safe for my body both inside and outside. They are ok for vegans and somewhat affordable too. The 4.2 oz cleanser is $35 (also available as a sample size for $8, love that option!) and the 1oz. cream is $38 (you can also get a trial of this too.) I used the entire bottle of cream (using it twice a day) and it lasted me 3 months! So you can see a little goes a long way….don’t overdo it when applying moisturizer!.So have you decided to indulge in a little Pai yourself? Head on over to usa.paiskincare.com to have yourself a piece.

Stay natural…stay beautiful…go green!

Disclaimer: This review consists of my honest reflections and experience while using Pai Skincare. I was not paid for this review, however I did receive products free for review.

If you have not already seen this eye-opening video, now is the time! It was created by The Story of Stuff in affiliation with the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics as a way to help people open their eyes about how cosmetics are made in this country. It proves that most cosmetic companies are not in it for the good of the consumer. They are in it for profit. When companies value profits over people, health suffers.

It’s Time for Accountability

Another event is ongoing right now in our nation’s capital. The Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010 is the first bill proposed in years to revise our nation’s cosmetic’s laws. Reform regarding cosmetics is greatly needed as cosmetics companies have shown us that they are unable to regulate themselves. Many unsafe toxins and chemicals are allowed to be put into products. Some of these are even linked to serious diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, and hormone disruption. Just what would this new legislation do? From the Huffington Post: “Among other things, the bill would require full disclosure of cosmetic ingredients and bar or restrict chemicals linked to cancer or birth defects or toxic to the reproductive system or other systems during development.” It’s going to be a long hard journey to get this bill passed. To read more from the article written by the EWG’s Ken Cook, click here: Let’s Move the Safe Cosmetics Bill and be sure to watch The Story of Cosmetics below.

What are your feelings on this bill? I’ve heard from some small companies that it would hurt their business due to stricter ingredient reporting and many are against the passage of this legislation. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Stay natural…stay beautiful…go green!