What I'm Loving Wednesday

Hey Babes! I haven't done one of these posts in a while and since there's so many products that I've been buying and trying, I thought it was time to do a new round up of my current fav's. So here we go.....

At the very top of my list is a product I've been dying to try! I actually just received it the other day, but it's already a favorite. The product is Eye+ by SkinOwl. Why do I love this product? Well where do I start?! Lucky enough, I don't have a ton of wrinkles around my eyes just yet. There's some thin skin, a bit of crepe skin going on, and some very fine feathery lines in my undereye. I did have dark circles, but a recent discovery is that this was due to a minor food allergy. A quick little tidbit of info for you.... If you have itching in the corner of your inner eyes, and/or a blue or purple tinge under your eyes (also known as allergic shiners), chances are you're consuming something causing you major inflammation. In my case, peanuts. Do I have a peanut allergy? Not that I'm aware of. But I definitely have some kind of issue with them. After eliminating them from my diet, the shiners disappeared. So on to why I love this product. It's cooling and so soothing to your eyes. It just feels so nice going on. Like a little mini spa treatment. And it depuffs/tightens almost immediately. My skin is already starting to look so much better, after just a few days of use. I did notice that I don't like the way my concealer sits on top of it, due to the tightening effect. But this is easily solved by applying the Eye+ first, and then using my daily daytime moisturizer a few minutes later! I'm absolutely dying to try Neck+. It's top on my Must-Try list!!!

Which brings me to my next find....

Andalou Naturals is one of my favorite green beauty brands. Not only are the ingredients really good, but it's one of the few lines that has a few products that my skin can tolerate. But it's priced really well! I've been using this Acai + White Tea Oil-Free Moisturizer

with no breakouts at all, for a couple months now. It works great as a primer and doesn't make my skin exceptionally oily throughout the day like most creams tend to do! It's also full of antioxidants like acai, white tea, and other fruit extracts, which help to fight free radical damage throughout the day. It doesn't do much for me as far as the hairline wrinkles across my forehead. You would need something a little stronger for that. But as far as keeping my skin hydrated, protected, and prepped for makeup - it fits the bill perfectly.

Another Andalou product that I've been using for a while and love, is the Purple Carrot + C Luminous night cream. This cream is amazing during the winter months. It is so nourishing, brightening, and doesn't break me out at all. Which is not easy to find, let me tell you! There was a period of time that my skin got so bad because every cream I tried either gave me dermatitis, or caused major acne and clogged pores. For a while I wasn't using anything, because nothing would work. I tried this in a discovery kit and lucky for me, it was a winner! It works great alone in the winter months, applied before I go to bed. And during the summer I like to add a bit of Shea Terra Organics Cape Aloe to lighten it up a little. Oh, and it smells really good too! Bonus!!

Next up are the new Shampoo & Conditioner I've been using. Acure Organics came out with a Straightening line fairly recently. I finally found it on Vitacost and I love it! Acure's hair products tend to dry my finicky hair a bit, so these are not everyday products for me. However, when I feel like my hair needs a change or I'm getting some build up, it works fantastic. Oh and they smell delicious. Like a coconutty, gourmand type scent. I'm currently using them every few days, alternating with my other fav's - Shea Moistures Manuka Shampoo and Kids Mango + Carrot Conditioner. This seems to keep my naturally curly to straight hair moisturized and clean feeling.

The last product on my list is something I purchased in the beginning of the summer, and have since repurchased! If you're a green beauty user, I'm sure you're no stranger to Schmidt's. I've been using natural deodorant for years and let me tell you.... This is one of the best that I've tried. It works really well and it smells really good. And just a couple months ago, they created a stick form! I use the Bergamot + Lime scent and love it. And I saw that a new scent was released - Rose + Vanilla. I would love to hear from someone that's tried this! I'm not a huge fan of florals, but this sounds like it would smell nice!

Ps - Here's a major tip for you. All of the items listed here (with the exception of the Acure Straightening products), as well as many items I've featured in the past, are purchased from Pharmaca! They offer 6% cashback through ebates, lots of promo codes almost regularly, and a low free shipping minimum. I buy a lot of green beauty products, personal care, and supplements through them monthly. They're awesome and have exceptional customer service as well! I'm not an affiliate, I've just been using them for so long, that I really love the sales, pricing, and selection =)

So that's my latest roundup of items. I would love to hear some of your current fav's!!! I'm always adding to my list!

Christy
xoxo

DISCLAIMER: All items featured above were purchased by me. None are samples and I received no compensation for this post. All opinions are my own and have not been influenced in any way.

Why I need a NuFace Trinity - A Review

Happy New Year! I can't believe it's been so long since my last post. The holidays flew by!!! I hope all of you had an amazing Holiday =)I'm so excited to share this post with you!!! I have been lusting after, actually coveting really, this one specific beauty device for quite some time. After a summer spent running outside with no added sunblock and furrowing from the sun, and a 35th birthday this past September, my skin has been left looking like a hot mess.

More specifically a vertical line starting to form above my left brow (the more active of the two) and a small indent starting to form above the center of my brows from constant furrowing. In 100% complete transparency, I considered Botox. It's like these little shits appeared almost overnight. Not even kidding!!! But after reading and reading about Botox, and also because of the Holistic-minded lifestyle I lead, I decided I'm not going that route without at least trying some alternatives first. And only when I'm just completely unhappy when I look in the mirror.

So one of the top items on my list was the Nuface Trinity. Now this little beauty's main function isn't really just wrinkles. It's more about fine lines, toning & tightening the skin and muscles on the face with something referred to as Microcurrent, or the "5 minute facial-lift". Retraining them in a way. I took this logic as possibly being able to soften my bulgy looking muscles in my forehead by "training them" to move in the opposite direction. My main issue was my forehead and just some very tiny little pucker lines starting to form on one side of my lips. Also, maybe a little lift of the brows as well.

I poured over the website, reviews, and youtube videos for months. I read as much as I could on this little gadget and all the benefits of microcurrent for the face. It seemed that the Trinity, more specifically the Ele attachment, was what I needed. However, even with my Christmas money from my parents, it just wasn't in my budget. So I hesitantly pulled the trigger on the limited edition rose gold NuFace mini. I had hopes that this would work on my issues, and even though I knew deep inside the Trinity was the better option, I hoped maybe this version would buy me some time until I could afford the big guns.

I ended up purchasing my mini from skinstore and they shipped it really quickly! I had to charge it the day I got it, so I didn't get to use it until the next day. That morning I woke up, gave my face a quick wash and immediately sat at my vanity and slathered the nuface primer gel all over my face. I was a little nervous, but turned it on the medium setting and glided it across my lower jaw per the instructions. I felt a tiny sensation, but nothing uncomfortable. I did all the quadrants of my face as suggested. The only adjustment I did do was move the nuface from those little bulges above my brows, outward, in hopes of relaxing them a bit. And let me tell you...... it worked! The indent that I hated so much was gone and I did notice a subtle difference in my face!!

I was extremely happy with the immediate results, and got the same results the next couple times I used the device. I did get a very tiny bit of muscle fatigue, but I'm assuming this would decrease in time. Ok, so this is where it appears that this review is taking a turn for the worst. But I assure you, this is not a negative review in the slightest.

I did return the NuFace mini. I know, I knooooow =( But I promise that I didn't return it because I was unhappy with it. Actually it was the opposite! So here is my immediate reasoning. The Trinity's price tag is a little on the high side, which is why I tried to cut corners by purchasing the mini. You can buy it from some approved retailers that offer coupons, making the price a little less steep, which I would suggest. But I so desperately wanted to try this little miracle, that I bought the version that wasn't really suited for me. So lets review my main skin issues:

~ very slight horizontal lines across the forehead

~ a vertical line forming off of my left brow

~ overactive muscles due to furrowing, creating an indent

~ slightly saggy brow muscles in need of some tightening

While the mini does address these concerns, I felt the large balls aka the face trainer (insert inappropriate humor here) were slightly difficult to maneuver on my face. I have a smaller face with delicate features and felt like some areas were getting double treatment. I felt like the biggest area of my face that would benefit from the mini, would be my cheek and jaw areas, which I feel are also the least of my concerns currently.

So why did I ultimately return it even though it was working for me?

Because I need the Trinity. Period. There's no cutting corners here ladies.

And I unfortunately just don't have the funds to keep the mini until I can afford the Trinity. I think if your main concern is loss of elasticity and feeling like your cheek and jaw area is saggy, the mini is great! I'm not saying it's not an amazing little device. It truly is, and if you're someone that just needs this little powerhouse (maybe someone that has already had Botox? Then you need it. I'll get into that later next week) and don't have the budget for the Trinity, then by all means.... pull that trigger. But I need that Ele attachment, which the mini doesn't have. Why do I need the Ele? It will be so much easier to use on those problem areas and to really get under my tiny little brows. And also, I feel like I need that more advanced, 15 minute facial-lift. This really and truly was too difficult to see without actually trying the mini.

So after reading this long novel of a post, I hope you see that this is a positive review and I hope that if you've been considering purchasing either the mini or the trinity, this has helped you! Even though I'm currently mourning the loss of my little rose gold beauty, I'm really really looking forward to getting my hands on that Trinity, hopefully in the very near future! I highly recommend this device and hope it works as well for you as it did for me!!!

Ps - I've been doing all kinds of research for natural alternatives to Botox & facelifts, and am planning a series to launch hopefully next week! I'm looking at devices, treatments, skin products, and more. If you know of a product or device that you would recommend for someone that only uses safe, non-toxic ingredients, please feel free to contact me!

Christy
xoxo

DISCLAIMER: This review is based on a product I personally purchased. I was not provided with a sample or financial compensation for this post. All opinions are my own. 

Wednesday Wants - My Summer Lust List

Hi Loves! I can't believe how quickly the summer is flying by! And to be honest, I'm not complaining. I do love the activities and having my kiddo home, but the heat is just not for me. I will say that this summer has been relatively mild. We've had a few great days here and there. Like today for instance, only 81 and no humidity. Perfection!

So this summer I've been coming across a ton of great products and companies and my lust list just grows and grows. I love to share my finds with all of you! Especially since some are relatively new brands you may not have heard of. So here's my top fav's on my current list....

My hair just does not like me in the summer. While I have issues in the winter, which I thought were pretty bad, it's a slew of whole other issues when the heat and humidity get here. My ends are dry and my naturally curly hair (which I blow out almost daily) gets so frizzy with the tiniest bit of moisture in the air. While I do like my current hair routine, I've had Rahua on my list for quite a while. I've heard so many great things and they just replaced the wheat in their line with Quinoa protein! Yay for me!!! It's pricey, but a little supposedly goes a long way. And for me, since I don't get my hair cut really often, it's not too much different in maintenance cost than the average female. It's actually probably less! I think this jetsetter kit is a great way to give it a try!

As I've mentioned on here many times before, I'm a HUGE Pacifica fan. I've been wearing the perfume solids for years. Mediterranean Fig is a fav of mine in the fall/winter. Well they just came out with some amazing beauty products! I've read rave reviews on the mascara, I already use and love most of the lip products, and the eye shadows look divine. But what has really caught my interest is the new facial makeup. More specifically the new concealer and lotus powder. I've been thinking of grabbing this set because it's a fantastic deal, but I'm gun-shy since I can't seem to figure out which color I need.

I've also been majorly in love with simple and ethereal jewelry lately. Maybe it's the fact that in the summer you don't really need to make as much of a statement with jewelry since you're showing more skin. But one brand that I've been obsessed with for a long time is Dogeared. I'm so in love with this tiny little Hamsa necklace. I also love the Karma necklace and all the little stone necklaces as well The rings are also gorgeous, but I have really small fingers unfortunately, so they don't work for me. =(

And I saved the very best for last. The item that's at the very tippy top of my Lust List and probably will be for a long time, considering the slightly higher price. I've doing a little research and came across the beauty that is Riiviva! This little gadget is crazy amazing!!! It offers a professional quality microdermabrasion that actually rivals what you might pay anywhere from $55-$80 a pop in a salon for, depending where you live of course. It also has attachments for cellulite as well! SOLD! I'm planning on putting some money aside and will hopefully get one by the Fall, maybe I'll put it on my birthday list. ; ) Hopefully a full review is in the very near future!

So that's my latest lust list! Make sure to stop back for what I've been loving and reordering as well as a feature on an amazing, fair trade jewelry/accessory company!

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!

Brand Spotlight: Shea Terra Organics - Winter Skin Favorites

As I sit here typing this, another storm is rolling in! We're supposed to get anywhere from 6 inches to a foot of snow here in New Jersey. It's been quite a season so far, and my skin is definitely noticing! I actually really enjoy the winter and don't mind the cold/snow at all, as long as I don't have to drive in it! But for the first time in a while, I'm dealing with flaky skin, dry hair, and itchiness. Not a fan!!!

This is where one of my favorite Organic Beauty brands comes in. I've been using Shea Terra Organics for over 5 years now (I've mentioned them here and here) and the products are amazing! They are really my top "go-to" organic brand as far as versatility, and pretty much being able to use the whole range. I especially love the products for the colder months, though they are spring/summer friendly as well!

Recently I had the opportunity to try out a couple of the more recent releases and I was not disappointed!

Shea Terra so generously sent me samples of both the Coffee Bean-illa Lip Butter and the Dark Chocolate Shea/Malawi Sugar Scrub to try out. I really enjoyed both, especially the scents! I won't use any products that contain any synthetic fragrance at all, so I really appreciate when a product I use has a truly amazing (and natural!) smell. The lip butter is not necessarily something I would use as my everyday lip balm because of it's slightly thicker texture, like under gloss or a stick, but it's an AMAZING lip treatment! I've been slathering it on several times a day and love layering it on at night before I go to sleep. I also really love it as a cuticle butter, and because it's a bigger size than your average balm, I could see using it as a frizz tamer on my hair as well. It smells slightly minty to me for some reason, though there's no mint present, but in a really good way. I love the scent and who doesn't want their lips to smell yummy?! This also comes in several other scents as well. I've heard great things about Bananas & Baobabs!!

I generally stay away from scrubs because they typically contain a lot of oil and that's not really my preference, but this Shea Sugar Scrub is absolutely lovely!!! I was super excited to try it, as I knew that it has a solid texture. It did not disappoint! I love that it doesn't drip all over the place in the shower. Anytime I have used the more oily scrubs in the past, my shower floor ends up using more of it than me! So I was already a fan of the texture. This scrub was unlike anything I've used before. Kind of like a body butter mixed with a sugar scrub. And my skin felt so so soft after using it, which is a huge benefit of the shea base vs the oil. My most fav way to multi-task with this scrub, is on my hands. It gets rid of those scraggly cuticles and makes my hands look younger! Great for my reg home manicures. And the smell...... Well this one smells like you're slathering yourself with chocolate brownie batter. So so SO good!!!! So I was very much a fan of both products and would highly recommend them!

Some of my other favorites that I've personally purchased over the years include:

1. Moroccan Lava Clay : this clay comes in chip form, so I love that I can take the amount I need. I do find that grinding with my mortar & pestle works best, so you might want to take that into account if you purchase. I also love that I can mix this powder with different things according to my skins needs!

2. Pink Guava Body Nectar Shea Spray Oil: this smells fruity and is amazing for stretch marks

3. Menthe African Black Soap Body Wash: I used this on both my face & body. I have a thing for mint shower products. They just make me feel fresh. It can be a bit drying for the face, but it's great for anyone that struggles with clogged pores and/or acne prone skin

4. Desert Date Oil: this did not work for my face at all, but I ADORE it for my hair and use it as both a smoothing serum and hair treatment 

5. Pink Guava Pomegranate Double Shea Butter Smooth-EE: this smells so fruity! It's a bit solid, so it would work great for hands, elbows, and any other chapped areas.

There's also a slew of products I really really want to try right now, that based on the ingredients, are not only fantastic in general, but would be AMAZING during these colder months ahead! The Moroccan Lava & Camel's Milk Softening Nomad's Secret Facial Masque sounds fantastic. I think it would do wonders for my dry and slightly acne-prone skin. I've also been looking for a great facial spray that I could use year-round. I think the Cape Chamomile Hydrating Facial Spritz would be calming and cooling and great when I want my moisturizer to soak in. And last, but not least.... The Shea Butter Intensive lotion just sounds delicious in pretty much any scent! I'm thinking the Coffee Bean-illa would even offer some possible firming effects due to the caffeine in the coffee extract. And I've heard that Bananas & Baobabs smells like banana pudding! Yum!!! I think I'll be placing another order soon for sure!

I honestly can't say enough about Shea Terra. They are my longest reigning organic beauty crush and a staple in my regimen. I love that the line is fair-trade and Tammie is always coming out with new products! In addition, if you sign up for the newsletter, she regularly sends out very generous discounts. In fact, there's currently a code that can save you a HUGE discount of 30% off, good until 1/31. I def suggest you take advantage if you want to try Shea Terra! This is a great deal! Just use code JAN2014 at checkout (I'm not compensated for this in any way, I'm just passing along my own newsletter savings code)

If you end up trying Shea Terra, make sure to stop back and tell me what you think! I truly hope you love the line as much as I do!!!

Christy
xoxo



DISCLAIMER: Lip Butter & Scrub samples were generously provided to me for review. All other products mentioned are from personal purchases. All opinions are my own. No compensation was given for this post.

Gift Guides - Stocking Stuffers

Hi there! I can't believe how quickly the time is going by before the holiday! It always seems like the days just fly by on warp speed this time of year!!! Between Holiday planning, making time to spend with family & friends, job hunting, and keeping up with my kiddo with school, it's crazy! I've obviously been a little behind on blog posting, and I had originally planned to have a few gift guides up already, but I wanted to make sure to post the first couple! Here are my top picks for natural beauty stocking stuffers. I absolutely love all of these products and think they would make amazing gifts for any beauty maven!

Nude colored lip gloss ~ creamy lip butter ~ gorgeous 4-Free nail set ~ natural perfume palette

Though not always squeaky-clean in terms of ingredients, I love Pacifica's range of products. Most recently they expanded their line of cosmetics beyond just the tinted balms and I love them! This pinky nude gloss and/or lip butter are both very flattering and if you don't love these shades, you can choose from a few others! And if you purchase through my referral link (in the right column), you get a discount! Ps - Target carries quite a few Pacifica products and have little holiday gift sets out right now. Julep has a great selection of stocking stuffers available! The set above was my fav, but there are many to choose from. And as a bonus, all nail colors are 4-Free! Which means they contain none of the icky ingredients most polishes do. Juleps pretty little gifts are known to sell out fast, so make sure you snap up your picks soon! ; ) And last, but certainly not least....  If you're familiar with my blog, you might have seen me mention these perfume palettes by Melange. They are my absolute fav!!! I tend to like things that are a little more unique, and I don't want to smell like everyone! I also don't wear synthetic fragrance at all, so this can definitely be a challenge. But I absolutely adore these palettes. You get 4 scents in one, they last forever and you can wear them as singles or blend two, three or all 4! Increase your possibilities with each palette you buy! My ultimate love is the Amber 2 palette, but the Amber 1 palette is on my Holiday wishlist!

 

dark choc sugar scrub ~ coffee bean-illa body wash ~ white chocolate whipped body butter

I've always been a HUGE fan of Shea Terra Organics. I own many products, have been using them for years and have mentioned them in quite a few posts. I recently had the pleasure of trying the 2-in-1 cream body scrub in dark chocolate (*sample generously provided) and I love it. I'm not one for the oily scrubs, so I don't tend to use them on my body. This scrub has a bit more of a solid texture, so you have to scoop it out. But I find this is a huge plus since there's no waste that you tend to get with an oily scrub! My favorite way to use it is on my hands & feet for a mani/pedi. It leaves your skin smooth like silk and moisturized, not greasy at all. Oh and best of all..... It smells like chocolate cake batter!!! Pair it with the coffee bean-illa body wash and the white chocolate whipped shea for an organic gourmet themed bath & body box!  Who wouldn't love that?!? Shea Terra also has so many other amazing products, between the scents and the generous sizes for the price, you can really put together some nice holiday gifts. Don't forget to sign up for their * VIP Specials* newsletter! Tammie is known to send out amazing discounts on a pretty regular basis!!! 

Stop back very soon for more gift guides!!!

Christy
xoxo

Natural Beauty Roundup - Summer Fav's!

I've come across so many great natural beauty finds over the last few months! I've been a clean beauty user for a couple years now and will not use any "dirty" products at all. The last to go was my shampoo & conditioner. My naturally curly hair that I blow straight every other day is super finicky when it comes to product, so it's been really difficult to find something that really works for me! The products below have been my go-to's for a few months, with the exception of a couple new finds.

1 & 2 - I absolutely love Acure Organics line of products! I've been using the shampoo for probably close to a year now. I was using the matching Argan stem cell conditioner for a long time, but recently switched to the root repair. My hair isn't as moisturized as I would like, but as I said, my hair is very finicky and hard to please. Acure offers an exceptional line of products at a very reasonable price! I pick mine up from Whole Foods or order from Lucky Vitamin.

3 & 4 - I cannot say enough about the Shea Moisture line from Target! I've been using the coconut hibiscus body lotion for a couple years and it smells like Ambrosia. This detangler spray works really well for my hair and smells of coconuts, which I love. The Mango & carrot conditioner is a bit too heavy for everyday, even for my curly hair. But I love it as a deep conditioner a few times a week. The ingredients on these products are very impressive and they are a great price!

5 - Another great Whole Foods find! This is my second bottle of Alaffia's black soap. This bottle is pretty big and my husband, son & I use this as a body wash. I've tried the tangerine, but this peppermint is my fav. It smells & feels so refreshing!

6 & 8 - I love Shea Terra Organics. I've been using their products for over 5 years now and it's such a great range!! I originally purchased this Desert Date Oil for my face. It got great reviews and I was so eager to try it. But like my hair, my face can be really finicky and often doesn't like oils. This unfortunately was no exception. It just did not work for my face at all. But I did try it on my hair (I've used Shea Terra Argan Oil in the past) and it works amazing!!! Just 1-2 pumps rubbed between my palms and lightly coated throughout my hair makes a great frizz-tamer, pre-styling treatment or deep conditioner at night. The Ghassool Moroccan Lava Clay chips are also amazing! I'm a huge fan of masks and love these! First of all, it's a jar of chips. This jar is going to last FOREVER! I only use about 3-4 chips on my entire face. I mash them up in with my mortar/pestle and add either filtered water or organic apple cider vinegar. Sometimes I even like to add a bit of Manuka Honey. This mask is healing & lovely!

7 - I picked up this Burts Bees tinted lip balm and I love it! The color is subtle, but you can tell it's just a bit prettier than a natural lip color. The balm is really moisturizing and not sticky at all. It really lasts too! The price is a little high for such a small stick, but it would definitely be something worth stocking up on if you came across a sale! I got mine at Whole Foods but you can also pick them up at Target, Drugstore.com and lots of other retailers!

Check back soon for more natural beauty rec's!!!

Christy
xoxo

 ***DISCLAIMER***
 I was not paid for the above reviews. I purchased all of the above products myself and was not compensated in any way. I do not receive compensation for any reader purchases.