LOVE this stuff!

I have found an AMAZING natural hair care line for kids (and adults) that I LOVE, so I thought I'd pass the info on.

The company is called Original Sprout.

So far we have tried the natural styling balm, which has kept Bennett's hair out of his eyes and looking very handsome. I LOVE this stuff!

Also, I got a free bottle of the deep conditioner and have been using it on Mallie and myself. It is naturally lice-repellent (don't worry, it smells great!) and it even did a incredible job conditioning my thick mass of hair!

After using these two products, I am sold. I have had a difficult time finding a shampoo and conditioner for the whole family that I love, so this place is a goldmine.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Love, Love, Love, Love: Crazy Love

Remember way back when in this post where I talked about all the different natural beauty/skincare products I was trying?

You do?!

Great!

Well, remember how I said I would report back with my reactions to said products after trying them for a while?

You do?!

Great!

So, as promised, I'm back to let you know that after testing a few duds, I have found the best natural skincare line. EVER.

I know I am prone to overboard-crazy love for everything. I know I often exaggerate. But trust me when I say this skincare is awesome.

It is called Be Natural Organics.
I purchased the 4-Step Anti-aging Collection and have noticed much improvement with my skin, with better skin tone and very few (if any) breakouts. I have noticed that I'm not wearing as much makeup because my skin is looking so much better.

I LOVE all the products I got, but my favorite is the "Daily Botanical Enzyme Peel."

The peel uses lactic acid to eat away all your yucky, blah dead skin and is also great for acne and anti-aging. I love it and totally notice a difference after using it about 5 times a week for the past 5 weeks.

Just make sure you use a good natural sunscreen every day on your face when you are using this because you are more prone to sun damage after you expose that fresh, new skin!

I've been using this sunscreen for face and love it. I use it every morning mixed with a bit of my moisturizer. Don't freak out about the price. A little goes a LONG way, and remember, you're only using it on your face. So it should last you several months.

If you, like myself have been on the search for an awesome, natural skincare line, search no further. This is the one, folks. Prepare for Greatness.

Au Natural: The Saga Continues

Hello Peeps,

After my last post (12 million light years ago) on my growing interest in au' natural living, I've had a few people ask me about which natural beauty/skincare products I'm using. So I thought I'd share of few of my new favorites.

My criteria when looking for beauty products are:

1. The product needs to be free of all the yucky items listed here. This really limits your choices, but it is so worth it!


2. The product needs to be reasonably priced. This limits things even further because in my experience, natural products can be REALLY expensive. Now I'm not necessarily looking for cheap products, because I'm a big believer that you get what you pay for with cosmetics, but I also can't afford to buy a $85 bottle of face cream. Capeesh?


3. Needs to smell good and have cute packaging. I know, I know... this seems ridiculous... at least the packaging part. But, hey... I'm an aesthetics girl. The way things are presented matters to me, and if I'm going to be looking at the same old shampoo bottle day after day, is it too much to ask that it look pretty?

A few disclaimers... because I'm weirdly obsessed with people-pleasing:

• It's important to note that I'm making these changes slowly, not wasting what I have and incorporating new natural items as I run out of the old stuff... except for my chemical-laden sunscreens, which I threw away and replaced immediately.


• For any ingredient-police who are reading, I just want to get it out there right now that not all of the products listed below are 100% all natural. While they are free of the major no-no ingredients, they may still have a teensy weensy amount of less-than-perfect ingredients, and I'm okay with this. I'm all about balance in what I eat, what I purchase and how I live. We can't live in a bubble... it can't be perfect all the time. I don't want these natural choices to become obsessive or isolating (read an awesome post on this here), and as long as I'm doing my best to eliminate as many chemicals as I can, I feel satisfied. :0)

So without further adieu... here are the new products I'm trying and enjoying:

Sunscreen: Dr. Mercola's

Like I said before, this seemed most urgent to me, as traditional sunscreens have so much junk in them, and we use so much sunscreen in the summer. There are a lot of good chemical-free ones out there, but I decided to go with Dr. Mercola's version since I'll be using this a lot on Bennett and wanted to get something that would be extra gentle on his eczema. We've used it a few times, and I really like the smell (coco-nutty and tropical)and the way it goes on. I'm thoroughly satisfied so far.

Shampoo/Conditioner: Yes to Carrots

I recently purchased this shampoo and conditioner from Target and I really like it! (please, for those of you who know my hairdresser -- don't tell him! He will disown me for getting rid of my 'salon' shampoos!!) For me, shampoo is a hard one, because the scent really matters to me, and I also have very thick hair, so a lot of the natural shampoos I've tried just don't cut it. This one smells great, does the job, has cute & happy packaging and is very reasonably priced!

Moisturizer: derma-e

This is the newest addition to my natural collection, so I will report back after I have been using it longer. But so far, I am hopeful. It meets all my criteria with flying colors... Free of the major no-no's? Check. Reasonably priced? Check. Cute packaging and Smells good? Check. So far I'm excited about this product, and the girl at Henry's (where I purchased it) highly recommend this line at this price point (If you have more money at your disposal, then buy Dr. Hauschka... it is the best!!!) Anyway back to reality and derma-e... I got this serum and this moisturizer. And no, I'm not obsessed about wrinkles... the Henry's gal (yep... just said gal) said this was the best anti-aging cream for the price (only $11 at Henry's!).

Face Wash: Still shopping

Right now I'm using this face wash from Mother's Market (Henry's sells it too). I bought it during a time when my skin was breaking out a lot, and it works great if you break out or if your skin is oily. But now that my skin is pretty much back to normal, I'm looking for another cleanser, as this one is drying me out a little. If I'm happy with my derma-e stuff, I will probably get this toner and cleanser next.

Acne Treatment: EradiKate by Kate Somerville

Okay, I must confess I bought this before my interest in natural products began, but I did check the ingredients and though it might not be %100 natural, it doesn't seem to me to have any of the super dangerous ingredients. And seriously this stuff is MIRACULOUS! It works better than any acne treatment I've ever used, and trust me, I've tried a lot. Seriously, if you EVER get breakouts, just buy this stuff. It is amazing!

Sunless Tanner: Lavera

This is the natural sunless tanner recommended by Sophie at Gorgeously Green. I love Sophie. I have her book Do it Gorgeously, (thanks, Gina!) which was one of the first things to get me interested in living more naturally. I highly recommend the book, especially the make-your-own house cleaners and cosmetics recipes! Now back to the sunless tanner at hand...er body... er face. I started with the "Faces Summer Glow" so I can get my face nice and sun-kissed for summer without all that sun damage. So far no orange streaks. I'm liking it a lot. :0)

Face Scrub: DIY!

I make this myself with white sugar, lemon juice, honey and coconut or olive oil. Or you could use oats, cornmeal or baking soda. Play around with it until you find the right combination for your skin!

Body Scrub: DIY!

Did you know that your used coffee grounds make an awesome (though kinda messy) body scrub that detoxes and fights cellulite? Don't believe me? Well just take a look at this! 25 bucks for sugar and coffee grounds? No thanks, I'll just make it myself!

Here's how. But these are just ideas... there really is no formula. Just combine Coffee grounds, sugar and oil (I like olive, coconut or sweet almond best). Mix it together, and that's it. Simple!

Face Mask (once a week): DIY!

I make it myself using a combo of any/all of these ingredients. I just use whatever I have on hand at the time, throw it in the blender and slap it on my face for 10 - 15 minutes.

Canned Pumpkin (my favorite)

Pineapple or Papaya

Plain Yogurt

Avocado

Apple Cider Vinegar

Oats

Cucumbers

I also like this mask from Henry's/Mothers for deep cleansing.

Well, that's all I can think of right now. If you know of any great, natural, cutely-packaged and reasonable beauty products, please... do tell!

10-Minute Makeup for Busy Mamas

I often hear Mamas say that it takes too long to put on makeup, that they just don't have time to mess with makeup since they've become a Mama.

So, being a busy Mama myself and a lover of ALL things makeup, I thought I'd share my favorite 10-Minute Makeup routine.

Now, don't get me wrong. I have many a day where I stay in my PJ's all day without a lick of makeup.

But I do find that getting ready and putting on makeup, even if it's just a little, does make me feel more put-together, productive and ready for the day. As nice as those "pajama days," are, they often leave me feeling "blah."

At the same time, I personally don't think you need a full face of beauty-pageant-ready makeup when you're wearing your track suit and chasing your kids through the park.

So I reserve my "20 minute makeup" for special occasions and evenings out and do "10 minute makeup" on a daily basis.

Also: Dont expect rocket science, here. I'm no makeup expert... just a Mama searching for the balance between playtime and beauty time.

Here's the Breakdown:

Step One: Moisturize (1 Minute)

I recommend: Trader Joe's Regenerating Antioxidant Face Lotion -- You could spend upwards of 75 bucks at Sephora for a similar face cream. I can't believe TJ's is able to offer something so high quality for so few dollars. Wait a minute... yes I can believe it! I love the cleanser too!

How To: Gently massage your moisturizer into your skin, using upward motions. Don't skip this important step! It will make your makeup go on SO much better! I like to do this step right after getting out of the shower and then get dressed, do my hair, etc. before applying my makeup. That way your moisturizer has time to soak in before you put your face on, so to speak.

Step 2:Foundation and Concealer: (2 minutes)

I recommend: Bare Minerals. It provides perfect coverage for a Mama on the go... you won't have that foundation-y look. As a bonus, it has a built-in SPF!

How to: Lightly sweep foundation on your whole face in circular motions. Then use a concealer brush to cover up any blemishes using the same foundation. (Often makeup experts will say to conceal first, then put on your foundation, but I personally think it works better this way.)

Step 3: BLUSH! (1 minute)

I cannot tell you what a big difference I think blush makes in the overall healthy look of your skin!!! If I only have time to put on two things, it is without a doubt always foundation and blush! It will take you from drab to fab in not time!

I recommend: Benetint. Buy it! Seriously. You won't be sorry. I absolutely LOVE this stuff and can't live without it. It is so quick and gives you the perfect, natural rosy glow!

How to: Apply three dots of Benetint to the apple of your cheeks and pat to blend in. Add more if necessary.

Step 4: Extra Eye Help (1 minute)

Let's face it, we Mama's need a little extra help around our eyes... so that all the sleepless nights, crying in the pantry and plain old stress don't show.

I recommend: Ooh La Lift by Benefit. This little miracle is just what you need to perk up your eye area and make you look like a more well-rested and vibrant version of you.

How To: Apply three dots to the under eye area and outer corners of eyes (the crows-feet area) and lightly blend in. Do this after under-eye concealer to help combat that "reverse raccoon-eye" effect that concealer can sometimes give you.

Step 5: Eyes (3 minutes)

How To: I'm giving you the how-to first this time so the products I'm recommending will make sense. First you want to apply eyeshadow. For sake of time and not looking too made-up, I usually just do one light shimmery color all over my eyelids. Next curl your eyelashes to open up your whole eye area and make you look more awake. Finally apply a coat of black mascara. Super quick and simple.

I recommend:

• Mac eyeshadow in "Gleam"

• Sephora Eyelash Curler
  


• Maybelline Great Lash Mascara

"But wait!" you say. "That's only 8 minutes!"

Right you are, old chap! I came in with two minutes to spare! Boo-ya!

So go ahead, take your time! Relish those extra two minutes! Or rush and be done in 8 minutes.

Either way, you will look positively radiant, I do declare.

Use Up That Leftover Pumpkin: My Favorite Homemade Face Mask

Friends, Romans, Countrymen! Lend me your ears... er... faces!

I have a wonderful, easy recipe to share with you for a fantabulous face mask. If you are anything like me, you have accumulated a dozen cans of pumpkin that are now taking up space in your pantry. The solution?

Pumpkin Pineapple Face Mask!

Did you know that pumpkin is FABULOUS for your skin? Pumpkin and pineapple both are full of enzymes and alpha hydroxy acids. When applied to the skin, they literally eat away all the dead skin cells on your face, leaving you with more radiant, smooth, youthful-looking skin!

There are a LOT of expensive masks out there that claim to be full of alpha hydroxy acid, but most of those products are diluted and ineffective after all the processing they've been though. This mask is full of pure, effective ingredients that cost a fraction of the price of one of those store-bought masks and have better results!!!

Here's how you make it:

You'll need:

• oats


• honey


• 1/4 c. canned pumpkin


• 1/4 c. chopped pineapple (I use the frozen from Trader Joe's)


• heavy whipping cream, milk or water

In a blender or food processor (I used my magic bullet!) combine a handful of oats, a big spoonful of honey, pumpkin, pineapple and a small bit of your liquid. I use heavy cream or milk because they are full of anti-oxidants that are so great for your skin. But you can also use a little filtered water. You don't want much, just enough liquid so the mixture is blend-able.

That's it. Blend it all together and you're ready to use it.

To use, generously apply the mixture to your clean face. Leave the mask on for at least 20 minutes, so those little Alpha Hydroxies have time to work! You may feel some tingling, and this is good... it's a sign that the mask is working.

Refrigerate the unused portion of your mask and use within 10 days. I use this mask 2 times a week.

Enjoy!