I LOVE 100 Percent Pure!!!

When it comes to makeup I have 2 requirements:

1) It's good for me and the earth. Free of nasty chemicals, non-natural fragrances and harsh ingredients.

2) It does it's job without a ton of work on my part.

And it doesn't hurt if it has pretty packaging :)

Upon a lot of research and investigation I found a company called 100 Percent Pure, and fell in love.

100 Percent Pure is a business dedicated to protecting the earth and our health by using chemical free, natural and gentle makeup, skin care and hair care products. They pigment and scent their makeup with things like fruits and chocolate which leaves you with really gorgeous hues and extremely yummy scents.

I have tried many of their products, and am ordering more all of the time. I thought that since this blog encompasses so many lifestyle topics, beauty might as well be another one! :)

I am looking forward to reviewing specific items in detail. But right now I'll just leave you with a taste of my top 3!

*all images (below) via 100 Percent Pure*

1) Luminous Primer Vitamins + Antioxidants With Resveratrol -$26

This stuff is AH-MAY-ZING. Changed my life. And since I favor tinted moisturizer to foundations, it helps it last all day! :) I cannot completely describe my love for this item. I was over-the-moon about the cyber Monday surprise that made this primer just $10(!!!) with free shipping! HOORAY! Buy it here.

2) Fruit Pigmented Raspberry Lip Butter -$1

This little pot of tinted gloss is so convenient and pretty. I am not a gloss girl by nature, but this is something that I actually use quite a lot! My favorite way to wear it is to layer it over a sheer bright pink lipstick! Plus, I can just throw it in my bag and not worry about it losing it's lid or breaking.. it's very easy. (makeup requirement #2... ) Buy it here.

3) Fruit Pigmented Cocoa Plum Eye Shadow -$15

This is my go-to eye shadow. I wear it quite a bit more than I had expected! I find myself wanting to wearing it to work several (if not every!) day of the week! This color is so gorgeous, a smokey bronzey plum that's not too dark and not too purple... but also not too brown! It's the best of all worlds and I will probably be wearing it for the rest of my life! Buy it here.

So there you have it! My top 3 from 100 Percent Pure. Check out their site they have so many amazing products all of which I feel safe and comfortable using! 

I am excited to start a little bit of beauty blogging here for you guys!

What is your favorite natural beauty product? 

Let me know in the comments!

All for now,

Alexandra 

The Honest Life Book Review

A while back I had heard that Jessica Alba was launching an eco-friendly line of hygiene and baby products, I had forgotten about it until I saw her new book The Honest Life at the bookstore. 

I read the back and flipped through it, quickly finding that she is serious about going natural, and not just when it's glamorous! It was filled with gorgeous photos of her and her family, her daughters are absolutely adorable!

The book covered many topics ranging from cosmetics and hygiene to recipes and baby-care. As soon as I started reading it, I couldn't put it down.. and I have read quite a bit on eco-friendly living! I learned so much about topics currently relevant to me and even more about baby/kid stuff that I will be so happy I learned somewhere down the road.

I now have some great tips and resources for finding chemical free makeup, candles and home improvement materials. I also learned some scary things that I want to tell everyone I know, like how "tear-free" baby shampoo has a chemical in it that numbs your baby's eyes so it doesn't sting! (Can you believe that?!) And that baby diapers contain a chemical that has been outlawed in tampons! YIKES! 

But it's definitely not all scary facts. It contains a lot of brand recommendation for products that Alba herself has tried. She also includes some of her own healthy but delicious recipes as well as tips for entertaining. My favorite part is that she has done so much research that she knows where you can find the no VOC paint in CUTE colors, where the best organic lipsticks can be found and how to purchase healthy art supplies for your kiddos. She's not settling into being boring and beige to be green and healthy! I love that she is so boldly taking on this stereotype! 

I really admire Alba's dedication to making her home and her products safe for her family, her self an the world. She did such an amazing thing by writing this extremely accessible book. I think that readers will thoroughly enjoy what she has written and learn a lot from it.

It also inspired me to check out her company's line of products. Most of the items are geared toward babies, children and mothers, but there are some that anyone could use. I think that I will order the hand soap, lip balm, sunscreen and naturally fragranced  soy candles next time I need one of those things! Check out her website here.

Have you read The Honest Life? What did you think?

All for now,

Alexandra

For my eco-friendly posts check my #green tab above!

ACURE Organics: The Perfect Skincare Line

*Welcome! I know that this post is still really popular, even though it was written in 2012! I'm delighted about it, and I wanted to let you know that I still use these products today, 5 years later, and I'm still not being paid by ACURE to recommend them! Thank you for stopping by!*

The beginning of this is dense, but stick with me! Its VERY important and you get to the good stuff when you scroll down I promise! :)

If you are like me your skin is not perfect. {this already sounds like a Proactiv commercial... don't worry its not..} I had acne from the time I was 11 or so until the present. I have always struggled to find something that works for my skin. I've now found it, and I couldn't be happier.

...a little bit of the story...

Before our engagement party in June 2011 I was offered a free facial from a popular skin care brand. The consultant was extremely nice and the products looked great. I got swept up in wanting to be a part of a group and a company that had so many good values. However along the way I realized that what was IN the products reflects a big part of that company's values. My face started to feel sticky after I used the products, some even hurt a little. So I decided to look up the ingredients and was truly disappointed with what I found. Full of parabens and chemicals that can't be easily translated into something recognizable. I was really torn on what to do. I had made this great connection with the consultant as well as another person and I didn't want to ruin it. I really believed in some of the things that the company implemented, but the ingredients were too important to overlook. I just couldn't get my skin accustomed to something so bad for me and bad for the environment.

So I sent it all back, cleared my head {heh, heh}and went to the Merc, our local health food store. There I was in a daze, I had no idea what to look for in natural skin care products, but I needed to just dive in. It was then that I stumbled across ACURE organics.

and now I am in love.

ACURE organics is made in Florida by a family owned company with some great morals. ACURE products are all made from natural ingredients {no parabens, synthetic fragrances, sulfates, thalates or artificial colors} and contain some fair trade and organic ingredients as well. They do NOT test on animals. Their packaging is made from Post consumer recycled content. They donate much of their proceeds to charities that focus on cancer research, including Bright Pink.

I was really blown away by the wonderful values of this company!

Here is what I bought & Why I like it: 

Facial Cleansing Gel superfruit + chlorella growth factor

Great Cleanser!! Its light and foamy! Removes makeup and dirt really really well! Lasts a really long time, you only need a small amount to effectively clean your face. Its a bit pricey for the size but again, it lasts a LONG time because you don't need to use a lot each time. 

{this picture was taken after 5 months of use!}

Cost: ~$15

facial toner rose + red tea

This toner really really helps my skin. I am really fair so I tend to get pink and red splotches, this toner is fantastic!! Plus I like the smell. This is going the fastest for me.. but I think I use more than I need to... ;)

Cost: ~$16

seriously firming facial serum

This is a product that I bought separately after I had started the entire line, but its quite possibly my favorite part! Its a really nice oil {you only need a tiny tiny bit!} that firms your skin. I'm only 21 so I really don't have very many "fine lines" but I do have some acne scars etc. This serum is full of antioxidants and antinflammatories that really firm my skin in these trouble areas and I can actually see a BIG difference in the appearance of my scars! This stuff is magic! {but not full of hormones or plastic-y chemicals!}

Cost: ~$23

 Oil Control Day Cream

This is a really great moisturizer for day! Its light and keeps oily skin under control {great for summer}. You only need one little pump from this tiny bottle to cover your entire face, so like the cleanser it lasts a while. This doesn't leave your face sticky! The one downside is that if you use this after the firming serum it takes away some of the oil in it. So I would avoid the area you added the serum to, or just use the serum after.

Cost: ~$19

chlorella growth factor + pomegranate night cream

This night time moisturizer is really great. Its thicker than the day cream and helps firm your skin as you sleep with their chlorella growth factor. Again, one little pump from this small bottle covers your entire face. Bonus: your face isn't left sticky!

Cost: ~$20

superfruit + chlorella eye cream

This is the product that I have bought most recently. I bought it because I had been wearing more eye makeup and it was starting to irritate the skin around my eyes when I removed it. This cream is really nice. It really reduces puffiness and redness under the eyes. It also reduces fine lines which is a bonus. You only need a TINY bit each time, which means that this will last a long time like the cleanser. 

~$19 

So overall I spent $112 on 6 products, that are lasting a LONG time! So far MORE than worth it!

The new products are good for me, good for the earth and my skin looks and feels great! 

I have been using them for almost a year and I could not be more pleased! I am still using the original bottle of almost everything!

If you are interested in ACURE organics, check your local health food store or click here to buy online.

For a list of things to avoid in your skin care products click here.

If you have any questions feel free to ask! The health of your skin, body and of the earth are very important! So don't take your products lightly!

A great way to start is to switch your products as your run out of them, {rather than buying a whole new line} your skin and the earth will thank you!

I have since bought a few more of their products that I will be blogging about soon! Stay tuned! :)

All for now,

Alexandra

Earth Friendly Product Swaps and Reviews

I have made it a goal for the past two years to use some of my spending power to support the environment (and my own health) by purchasing environmentally friendly versions of the products and items I purchase. 

Obviously this can often be more expensive. Organic food is extremely expensive and the other eco-friendly products are sometimes more expensive as well. I can't afford to be a Merc member or buy all organic food/clothes etc. But I can slowly switch over many of my products as I finish them to make more earth friendly choices. In my experience its usually worth the extra money, especially if its something that you don't use up as quickly. 

Since I don't have my own home/apartment I am mostly talking about hygeine and beauty products right now. So here are a few of my favorites and why! I will tell you what they are, why I like them, why they are good for the environment, approximate price range and give you a link to a website where you can purchase each item. However many if not all of these items can be purchased at Target, Health food stores and the like. :) 

Here we Go!

Toms of Maine Natural 24 Hour Odor Protection Deodorant in Fresh Apricot

This deodorant is great. And I was skeptical about natural deodorants thinking that they wouldn't work but this one works for me and smells great. Plus it uses so many great ingredients that are much better for me and the earth and best of all it doesn't have aluminum in it which has been linked to many health problems including breast cancer in women! It also comes in several other wonderful scents and unscented varieties.

Price: ~ $5-7

Purchase Online, here.

Toms of Maine Whitening Toothpaste

This toothpaste is easier on the environment(maybe not the very very easiest but much better than normal toothpaste). It has a nice minty flavor and doesn't leave your mouth full of slimy residue. Seriously I used some of Kyle's normal toothpaste when I forgot mine one day over the break and I had really really rine a lot to get all of the residue out. 

Price: ~$5-6 

Purchase Online, here.

Preserve Toothbrushes

Preserve toothbrushes are amazing things. Basically its a normal toothbrush made out of recycled yogurt cups and new nylon bristles. They cost about the same as a regular toothbrush. The bristles are good for your teeth and dentist approved (I asked mine). The best part about these toothbrushes is that when you are done and buy a new one you can mail back the used one (in the wrapper from the new one) to the company and they will recycle the plastic once again! Postage is paid and everything!! I really really love these toothbrushes! And they come in multiple cute colors :) You can find them in the Lawrence Target and I'm sure other common stores.

Price: ~$3-4 

Purchase Online, here.

Kiss My Face Shampoos and Conditioners

Personally so far I have only tried the "Whenever, Frequent Use" kind, but I'm sure the others are just as amazing. This particular shampoo/conditioner set has the most lovely lime-green tea scent. Its super fresh. It leaves my hair soft and clean (no soapy residue in my scalp). And my bottles lasted me quite a while! So it was worth the cost! The best part is that it is made of all certified organic ingredients, with no animal ingredients and is not tested on animals!!  

Price: ~$5-6 per bottle

Purchase Online, here. 

Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip balm in Peppermint

This lip balm is a classic. I tried it once and never went back, nothing works on my lips besides this lip balm. It smells great, moisturizes well and isn't too shiny. There really is not downside unless you are concerned about the use of beeswax. Burt's Bees while not organic still uses many "natural" ingredients (almost all) and makes even these tubes recyclable!100% natural.

Price: ~$3-4

Purchase Online, here. 

*note

I have tried they honey, pomegranate and SPF versions as well but don't like them nearly as much. But that could just be me. :) 

Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream

This stuff is so awesome. Waxy, yummy smell and moisturizes my often dry and flaking cuticles. It last forever as well. And because this is in a waxy form you can put it on and do things immediately you don't have to wait for a lotion to dry or anything. 100% natural.

Price: ~$5-6 

Purchase Online, here. 

Burt's Bees Coconut Foot Cream

I could talk about the wonders of coconut all day. I'm obsessed. But this foot cream is ridiculously awesome. It super thick and moisturizing. The best time to use it (I think) is before you go to bed, apply it liberally and then put on thick socks and go to sleep! In the morning you will feel moisturized! :) Lasts forever.98.6% natural.

Price: ~ $9

Purchase Online, here. 

Final Word: Most all of these product containers can be easily recycled. All can be found at local supermarkets and health food stores. None of the companies test on animals. All are priced reasonably and last for a long time. And they are all companies that strive to put as many organic and natural ingredients in their products as possible keeping the chemicals and aluminum out!

I think that is all for now! The rest of my makeup/hygiene supply is pretty well stocked (since forever) basically a lot of Christmas gifts etc that I don't want to waste so until some more of them are gone this is it for my earth friendly product list. However I think razors will be next because as I was searching the preserve website I noticed that they make razors in addition to toothbrushes!!! ( I hope that they are also carried at Target!) Another goal I have is to try making some products, skin masks, scrubs etc. (but I will write about that later!) :)

If you would like to search for companies that do/or do not test on animals here is the website to use! Its good to know and it has shaped the way I buy my products!

What are your earth friendly product goals? And what are your favorite products?

Alex

11 Goals for 2011

1. Hello blog world. Its been way too long. Lets just say the end of 2010 was rough for me. But now its 2011 and I'm starting all over. I don't know if you know this but I am extremely goal oriented. I love lists. I make a list for every break, year, school year etc. However this year my list is not super solid yet.. but I am pleased with what I have so far. 

So here it is.

1) Treat the week as if it starts on Sunday. 

I don't know about you but I have begun to dread and not enjoy my Sundays just because they are followed by Mondays. How awful is that? Hating Sundays and Mondays leaves me with 2/7 of my life that I don't like. That's miserable. So I've decided that my weeks now start on Sunday. I think this will help me feel like I end my week with a break (Friday/Saturday) and begin my week with a break (Sunday). Then I get to begin my week with a day of rest, fun, break whatever so that when Monday comes around I am not so unhappy. 

2) Get into Fitness Routine 

I blogged about this back in the fall and it worked out pretty well until my shimmy class ended, I got very busy with classes and then broke my foot. A broken foot and a walking boot on your leg not only makes everything more difficult but makes exercise nearly impossible. (boo) 

so

This year I am starting fresh on a well recovering foot :) 

Specific Fitness Goals:

a) Take a fit class at the rec center 3-4 times per week.

(Shimmy, Yoga, Zumba)

b) Do Yoga DVDs (or the like) 2-3 times per week.

(my favorites are anything Gaiam, especially with Rodney Yee or Coleen Saidman) 

c) Get Outside

(I want to make an effort to find beautiful Kansas scenery to walk, jog, run, bike, hike, camp... anything!) 

3) Open a Nest Egg Savings Account

Have a certain $ amount or % pulled from my pay checks and deposited into an account for only savings. I will also put all of my coins from various banks (both piggy and moose-y) in that account and a certain % of my jewelry earnings.

4) Read at least 12 books

During school it is extremely hard to find time to read anything but non-fiction and magazines. But I find if I make a goal to read and crowd my little space in my room with tons of books I am much more likely to do it. In 2010 I resolved to read 20 and read 12 which I thought was pretty good, so this year I will resolve to meet or exceed last year's record.

5)Continue to swap my regular products for Eco-friendly / organic versions once the original is used up (but do a better job) 

 This has been a goal of mine for a while and I am not going to lie, I have strayed. To be honest sometimes I just want to be "normal" and sometimes I am extremely short on money. But I've realized that neither of these reasons are very valid. I feel much better about my purchases when I make them with the environment and my own health in mind. Of the products I have switched I am very pleased with most all of them. (I might blog about this later for more specific info) So goodbye chemicals! :)

6) Stock a Healthier Kitchen (or fridge and cabinet space :))and then utilize it to its fullest extent.

I have been reading a lot of health magazines and books and getting really interested in nutrition. Learning about balancing different nutrients and which foods do what for you. Women's Health issued a "Eat This! Not That!" special issue that had some really helpful information in it. It tells you which tortillas, cereals etc are healthiest compared to their counterparts. A little of this seems to "Diet-y" to me. But honestly much less so than I expected. (I will probably blog about this later too with more specifics) I also want to use my new stock of nourishing food and fun new kitchen tools (thanks for the Chrismas Gifts) to actually make more real food for myself for lunches and meals that my kitchen won't be cooking. Instead of Ramen.. or picking something up at the snack bar. 

7)Reflect, Relax and De-Stress!

This goal has a few different points to it. 

a) Get 7-9 hours of sleep every night.

b) Do yoga to relax/De-Stress

c) Exercise in general to sleep better

d) Write down thoughts in my journal (or here!) to get it out of my mind and for later reflection.

e) Try Meditation (guided at first) just to see how I like it.

f) get outside

8) Pamper (somewhat related to #7)

I am one of those people who is very busy most of the time. I spend most of my weekends and evenings worried about fitting everyone and everything in. Which usually exhausts me, stresses me out and keeps me living out of a "suitcase". This year I would love to lose a leats a few of those feelings by making more time for myself.

a) Making Miller feel more like home

b) adventure with aroma therapy

c) get regular hair cuts/brow waxes

d) get a massage/have Kyle learn :)

e) do nails/foot soaks/facials/hot tub soaks

f) use my makeup in the mornings (when I feel like it)

 9) Travel (and dream about traveling)

self explainatory

a) Get out of the state at least 3 times. 

b) Go at least 1 new place.

c) make updated lists of places I want to go someday

d) take any opportunity

e) utilize breaks and opportunities through school

f) enjoy the great outdoors (camp, hike, bike, canoe...) anywhere

10) Be a More Responsible Consumer

This basically means to pay attention to what I am buying and why I am buying it. I want to buy healthier purchases for myself (food), the earth (everything), used products (books, movies, clothes, buying fairly traded products, and donating to charity). I know some really cool organizations and websites for this one so I will also post separately about this later. Also to make sure it something I really want or need. Make sure its something that I don't already have. By shopping this way I will also be able to get much better prices, saving me money. High-Five mother earth! :)

11) (as always) Try New Things, Accept Challenges and Do What I'm Afraid of.

 I love a good challenge, a new experience, something that scares me. That is how I have had some of the most rewarding expereiences of my life so far. So I'm not stopping now. :)

Hello 2011! You are certainly welcome here!!

What are your goals for 2011?

-Alex