My Summer Staples inc The BEST Natural Deo Ever!!!

Hey Lovelies! I know I say this every time I post lately, but I have to apologize for my MAJOR unintentional hiatus. As I had mentioned before, I started working part-time outside of the house a few months ago and I absolutely love it. I love getting out of the house and connecting with other adults (something I was seriously lacking as a sahm for 11 years) and I enjoy feeling like I have a purpose. It's been great for me! But my blog has obviously been a bit of an adjustment. Ok.... So I put it on the back burner. This definitely was not something I intended to do at all. The time just flew by and my time management skills haven't been so great. But I really do want to make an effort to revive my blog. I miss posting, I miss reading, and I miss connecting..... so much. So this week, it's my goal to really start working on some great posts for all of you. Even though I haven't been on here much, I've still been busy trying out some great products and putting some really great things together in my mind. And don't forget.... My Instagram is very active, and you can always find me on there! So without further ado, my latest summer staples....

Menthe Black Soap ~ Lip Spf ~ the BEST Natural Deo ~ Honest Spf ~ Facial Spf ~ Lavanila Rollerball

Like most people, a lot of my must-haves change during the warmer months! This summer has been no exception and it seems that I've needed to be more diligent than ever this year, since a lot of my previous mainstays don't seem to work as well for me anymore.This is by no means everything thing I use on a daily basis, these products are really the things I can't seem to live without at the moment (face/body for summer, perfume, sun protection, and bug protection). I'll start with my absolute FAVORITE of the bunch.

Let me preface this by saying that I have tried MANY natural deodorants. I've been Aluminum & Toxin-Free for years now. I haven't really met a natural deodorant that I didn't like, but just like with fragrance, they mix with your body chemistry and what works great for one person, might work terribly for another. I have a lot of fav's that I've mentioned in the past, but once summer arrives, it all goes out the window. Until now....

Introducing My Savior.... The most AMAZING natural deodorant I've ever tried... GreenBody Deodorant! So I ordered this Deodorant about a month or two ago. I originally thought that the Advanced Soda-Free formula would work best for me. In the past I've used a couple deodorants that I loved the smell of, but had some minor irritation and I had narrowed down the fact that baking soda might be the culprit. Luckily for me, Kristin from GreenBody was so generous and kind to have gifted me a Clarity stick (shown above) in my order as well. I immediately tried the products as soon as they arrived (super fast shipping I might add) and I started with the Soda-Free. Unfortunately this did not work for me. This doesn't mean this isn't a fantastic product. Something with my body chemistry and hormones just didn't mix with this. But it works great for my Husband! So my loss is his gain ; ) Now onto the Clarity version. I was hesitant to try this since it does contain baking soda. However, I was desperate since it had started getting really hot here and my other deodorants weren't working that well for me. I applied this and I'll be honest, it wasn't love at first sniff. As hippy dippy as I can be, I'm not a huge fan of patchouli. But I will say that it must really do something because I did not stink even at the end of the night. This lasted ALL DAY for me. And without getting into the gory details of my hormonal issues, that is a MAJOR thing! And after a couple uses, the scent did mellow out and I hardly notice it now. This deodorant will absolutely be a staple for me all year long and I'll definitely re-order again and again! I don't think I could live without it at this point. I can't recommend it enough!!! Thank you Kristin for making such an amazing product!

The next couple products are items I've been using for years now, but always seem to increase my use during the summer. This Menthe Black soap is great for body and face! I use it to keep breakouts at bay, especially after working out or spending time outside, and it leaves me feeling refreshed. I also use it in my daily facial routine (more on that later this week) and it's been working really well for any potential acne. It can be slightly drying on the face, but I don't really have an issue with this anymore since I've been using it for so long. I also really love Lavanila's rollerballs. As shown, the Vanilla Coconut is my favorite. It lasts pretty long on me and I love to mix it with the scents in my Melange Palette for extra staying power and when I want more of a smoky scent. But it also works great alone and the rollerball is so convenient and wallet-friendly. Don't let the small size fool you, it lasts for a long time! I'm actually due for a new one and want to try Vanilla Summer as well!

SUN PROTECTION: This is so very important. Skin cancer is more rampant than ever, and without sounding preachy, I don't think that it's just lack of sun protection, but also the use of products containing nasty chemicals that react in the sun! Natural sun protection, coupled with a healthy, antioxidant and omega-rich diet, are a necessity for myself and my family during the harsh summer months. I will be honest in the fact that I don't love every single ingredient in these products, with the exception of the 100% Pure item. But, I needed to find some form of protection asap while I was continuing the search for MY holy grail of sun protection that will pass my scrutiny. The Honest Sunscreen, while thick and hard to rub in, works ok for days on the beach or by the pool, and the ingredients are good as far as safety in the sun. The fact that it does take some work to apply is just the sacrifice I make for the fact that it is such a clean sunscreen for the most part. And though the Yes to Carrots Lip Spf contains soybean oil and limonene, two ingredients I'm generally not a fan of, I feel it's better to have a little protection on my lips on days I'm out in the sun all day, than no protection. Especially since the lips tend to be a really overlooked area. My mineral makeup does offer natural spf, but on days that I know I'll be out in direct sunlight, I use this pomegranate spf 20 under my makeup. It works well and doesn't break me out and is actually a decent primer! I actually really love a lot of the 100% Pure range! But as far as sun protection is concerned (body & lips), I'm still on the hunt for my perfect matches!

Last, but most definitely not least.... My choice for Bug Protection. This year has been so bad for Mosquitoes and ticks as well. Both myself and my son have both suffered from bad viral infections over the last month and there's a possibility that we got these infections via mosquito bites. Gross! I actually have a bad mosquito phobia at this point. They make my skin crawl. Even more so now than ever! So I look for the best protection I can find. Even better if it multi-tasks against more than one pest. I love DoTerra's Terrashield Blend for this purpose. It only contains a blend of effective essential oils and coconut oil. No nasty soy oil or other additives. You can simply apply directly to the skin (as it does contain coconut oil as a carrier) or mix with distilled water and spray. Just note that this blend does contain phototoxic oils and should not be applied when laying in direct sunlight for periods of time. With about 300 drops per bottle, it makes the cost per bottle so inexpensive! If interested, you can purchase through my Doterra site by clicking "Shop" and then look through the Oil Blends. If you have any additional questions on oils or this blend specifically, don't hesitate to contact me!

Make sure to stop back soon to check out the latest products on my radar!