2014 Natural Body Care Favorites

Published January 21, 2015 by Barbara Sandell

2014 Natural Body Care Favorites

I got really serious about eliminating nontoxic products the middle of last year. I experimented with a lot of products and would like to share my favorite body care product with you. Check out my 2014 Natural Skin Care Favorites here and 2014 Natural Makeup Favorites here.

John Masters Organics Orange & Ginseng Exfoliating Body Bar This soap is creamy, smells great and can be rubbed directly onto the skin for gentle exfoliation. Find it here. $8

Jason Sea Fresh Strengthening Toothpaste I tried about 6 natural toothpastes in 2014 and this one landed on top. It works great and the flip top is super convenient. Find it here. $6.39

Benecos Shampoo for Silky Hair It’s been difficult to find non toxic shampoos I love but this was my favorite from last year. Find it here. $10

Acure Organics Lemongrass & Argan Stem Cell Conditioner I tried many hair conditioners and this one is way above the rest; a super detangler! Find it here $9.99

Skin and Bones Luxurious Moisturizer This versatile product can be used to moisturize the face, body or hair. It’s extremely lightweight and non-greasy and was my favorite product for body moisturizing last year. Find it here. $76

Lafes Natural Deodorant Twist-Stick Lavender Nice scent and not over powering. I probably tried 6 natural deodorants in 2014. Am I obsessed with finding what’s simply perfect for me? Absolutely! Find it here. $5 – 6

Acure Organics Line Erase: Argan Oil + Starflower This is my favorite salve for severely chapped skin & lips and it totally rocks for scare care. Find it here. $19.99

Have you tried any of these products? What were your natural body care favorites from last year?

-Barbara

2014 Natural Skin Care Favorites

Published January 20, 2015February 9, 2015 by Barbara Sandell

Do you like reading about the products people loved last year as much as I do! If you do, I hope you like this post. Here are my natural skin care favorites from 2014. I purchased all these products myself and the prices are in US dollars. Check out my other posts: 2014 Body Care Favorites and 2014 Makeup Favorites.

One Love Organics Vitamin B Active Moisture Cleansing Oil & Makeup Remover So many have raved about this product, I had to try it for myself. This cleanser is totally worth the type – super effective, smells good and so affordable! Find it here. $38

Dahliana Naturals Refreshing Citrus Cleanser This cleanser foams up well, cleanses like a dream, has a lovely fresh citrus scent and doesn’t strip your skin of precious moisture. Find it here. $36

Josh Rosebrook Hydrating Accelerator This product is a super multi-tasker. It’s perfect for toning your skin and the best setting spray you’ll ever try. Oh, it smells great too! Find it here. $32

Juice Beauty Stem Cellular CC Cream in Natural Glow Despite being a little light for me (I’ll get Desert Glow next time), this CC cream rocks. I add a few dabs of CC/BB cream or foundation in a darker hue to get a great everyday tinted moisturizer with great sun protection. Find it here. $39

Dahliana Naturals Seabuckthorn Berry Creme This silky, emollient cream is my go-to for nighttime moisturizing. This is a beautiful product! Find it here. $105

Josh Rosebrook Nutrient Day Cream With SPF 30 Non-Nano Zinc Oxide I love a facial moisturizer with built-in sunscreen in a pump for the morning – such a time saver! Find it here. $85

Josh Rosebrook Deep Hydrating Serum I tried many serums in 2014 and this one came out on top because of its texture and to die for fragrance (which is all natural of course). Find it here. $70

Josh Rosebrook Active Enzyme Exfoliator This combination scrub and mask leaves skin softer than you ever imagined – I just love it! Find it here. $60

Clarisonic Satin Precision Brush Head I have a newfound appreciation for my Clarisonic facial cleansing device since trying the is new brush head. This brush is gentle yet effective and my Clarisonic doesn’t tickle my nose like it used to! Find it here. $30

Have you tried any of these products? What were your skincare favorites from last year?

-Barbara

Beauty Favorites from May 2014

Published June 8, 2014November 9, 2014 by Barbara Sandell

May 2014 Beauty Favorites

As I discover the world of green beauty, I am using up the products already in my stash. I’m trending green on new purchases but need to use up what’s already in my stash.Deodorant is the first product I went “green” with. I’ve tried many natural deodorants over the years. I was almost settled on Tom’s when I read a review about Zion Health Clay Dry Deodorant.There isn’t a natural deodorant will will keep your underarms bone dry but what’s most important to me is to smell fresh throughout the day. This product is reasonably priced, easy to roll on and isn’t wet so you don’t have to wait to get dressed. I’ve been using this same container of deodorant for about 6 months and I swear I still have 50% of the product left. I’m close to declaring this my Holy Grail deodorant.

I dusted off my The Balm’s Frat Boy Shadow/Blush to give it another go for summer. This is an easy blush to wear – it provides natural looking color and goes on easily. The packaging is lightweight which is good for traveling. I brought my Laura Mercier Cheek Contour Brush back into rotation recently and it’s been working great with the Frat Boy Blush. This brush is just the right size for my face and deposits just enough color right on my cheekbone. I think I’ll experiment using this brush for contoure our in June.

Speaking of brushes, I wanted to give a shout out for the Real Techniques Dual Fiber Face Brush. I’ve been using this brush to lightly apply powder to set my foundation. The bristles are super feathery so it doesn’t cake on the powder for more of a a natural finish. The Real Techniques brushes are fantastic for the money.

The one product I won’t leave home without is corrector. The Graftobian Corrector in Soft Orange is marketed as a Blue Neutralizer and it pretty much cancels out my under eye darkness. This product works so well, I can even get by without layering a concealer on top.

I had never heard of Malloy makeup until I saw Emily from The Beauty Broadcast rave about it in one of her favorites. The Malloy Volumizing Mascara beefs up my lashes in one coat with its fluffy brush. It’s a thick consistency and I don’t notice any smearing throughout the day.

So many You Tube makeup gurus are gushing about Makeup Geek Eye Shadows. They are only $5.99 each so I couldn’t resist picking up a few to try them for myself. These eye shadows are FANTASTIC for the money; creamy and very pigmented. I ordered 4 colors and keep them in a Mac quad palate. Purely Naked is matte with a slight sheen and is great all over the lid and into the crease for an easy one shadow look. Vanilla Bean has a slight sheen for a subtle brow or inner eye highlight. Crème Brûlée is a great matte crease color and an alternate to Mac’s Soft Brown. Cocoa Bear is a rich matte reddish brown that works great for eyeliner and the outer “V”.

I found out about Mac’s Lustre Lipstick in See Sheer from one of Essie Button’s Monthly Favorites videos. Orange is THE go-to shade for summer and it just so happens that I’ve been obsessed with this lipstick for months. I like lipsticks that aren’t in your face bright or dark and can be applied without looking in a mirror. This lipstick is has a soft orange hue, has a slightly shiny finish and is totally wearable for my corporate job.

I’ve been using argan oil for about 6 months now and it’s superb. I stumbled across the Josie Maran Argan Love Your Skin Cleanse and Nourish To Go set waiting in line at Sephora. The set includes a trial size of Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil and Argan Cleansing Oil. This argan oil is silky on the face without feeling too greasy and the dropper makes it easy to control the amount of product dispensed. I’ve seen reviews that state that Josie Maran’s argan oil is more expensive than others but I love its consistency, it’s working well for me and the small size is perfect for traveling.