My Dream Skincare Routine for Winter

I've been sampling a ton of products these past few months and so far from what I can tell this would be my ultimate skincare routine:

Dr. Hauschka Cleansing Cream 
Yonka Lotion PG (toner)
Indie Lee Calendula Eye Balm 

Spot Treatments:
Indie Lee Blemish Lotion 
OR
Osmia Spot Treatment

Moisturizer:
Therapi Orange Blossom No.3 Honey Moisturizer 

Pukka Organic Skincare Review

This skincare line is based on Ayurveda principals. For those of you who aren't familiar with this, Ayurveda has been practiced in India as an natural healing system for over thousands of years. The principals of Ayurveda has intrigued me for a while which I why I felt the need to try this skincare line along with some of their teas. 

I purchased these items at Marshals and was lucky enough to get this sample pack for only $15. Unfortunately as I later found out, the skincare line is being discontinued (you can still purchase what is available at their online store). However, they still sell their herbal teas as well as other health food items.

The kit included:

Gentle Cleanser: Organic Rosewater & Green Tea Skin Purifying Formula
When I first used this cleanser I didn't think much of it until a week after using it. My skin appeared to be more radient and I had less clogged pores. Although it didn't smell or feel like anything special it sure did a good job for a cleanser.


Uplifting Toner: Organic Rose & Orange Flower Skin Firming Formula 
This was my favorite item out of the skincare kit. This toner was refreshing and hydrating. It left my skin feeling fantastic. The only thing is that I used it up way to fast, as I usually do with most toners.

Radiance Serum: Organic Aloe Vera & Manuka Honey Revitalizing Formula 
The ingredients in this serum are great. However, it just didn't work for me at all. The serum never completly absorbed into my skin. I had to stop using it.


Deep Moisture Day Cream: Organic Neroli & Shea Butter Deep Nuture Complex 
This day cream worked and completed its job. However, nothing about it stood out to me.


Nourishing Night Cream: Organic Frankincense & Avocado Total Repair Complex 
I have dry skin, and there was something about this night cream that just didn't work. If I ended up being to heavy handed with the cream it would not absorb into my skin, even after a couple hours. 


Pukka Lemon Green Tea (purchased separatly, not part of the kit)
There was nothing special about this particular tea. However, I have tried others from Pukka and they are great along with having some unique blends. I will be doing a review for the other teas that I have tried at a later date. 



I had higher hopes for this skincare line since it is based on Ayurveda principals. I do think that the cleanser and especially the toner are good products and it is a shame that they won't be making these anymore. All the other items in this kit I would not repurchase even if I had the chance.

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Amala Rejuvenate Treatment Oil Review

Photo credit: Spirit Beauty Lounge

This is one of my favorite oils that just so happens to cost $186.00 for 1oz (//facepalm). I decided to purchase a sample of this from Spirit Beauty Lounge  and I�m so happy that I did. I have a hard time with oils since my face is prone to breakouts and I�m always trying to find an oil that has anti-aging benefits but won�t break me out.

The key ingredients in this oil are:

�Cocoa Bean helps restore elasticity, reduce inflammation and stimulate microcirculation

Andiroba Seed helps rebuild skin�s natural moisture barrier with essential fatty acids.

Amarant Seed helps stimulate cell renewal for fresh, radiant skin.

Seeds are the source of new plant life. Amala seed oils capture this living energy and deliver it to skin.�
Together this works as a luxurious oil that absorbs fast and doesn�t leave your skin feeling greasy (I tried this oil in the middle of the summer). The best part is that you only need a very small amount of product, so even 1 oz will last a long time. This oil left my skin glowing, it honestly never looked better. If I had the money to spend $186.00 on a bottle of oil I would. Seriously, I better save up for it. It is THAT good.  

The Best Most Inexpensive Deep Pore Cleansing Mask

The Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay is a deep pore cleansing mask that can be used as a facial or as a body wrap. It is seriously powerful! You can feel the mask pulling all the junk out of your skin and the mask will become so tight that you�ll have trouble moving your face. It is a unique experience! This is best mixed with equal parts of apple cider vinegar as it creates the best consistency (you can use water if you like). If I use this mask once or twice a week it help keeps my acne under control and tightens my pores. I couldn't ask for anything better! This mask only costs $4.99 on Vitacost for 1lb of product. Since I only have been using this on my face, I�ve barely made a dent in it. I highly recommend this! For deep pore cleansing this as worked better for me than $50 dollar masks and for $5 you can�t go wrong! This clay mask can easily clog up your drain so be careful that once you remove the product to throw it in the trash. 

Have you tried this mask? What are your thoughts? I'm interested in hearing at how this works as a body wrap!

Don�t forget to get your $10 off coupon for Vitacost here

DIY Lavender Salt Scrub

1/2 Cup Coarse Sea Salt 

1/3 Cup of Avocado Oil (or any oil that you prefer) 

Lavender Essential Oil (I didn�t have any of this on hand but I did use
lavender compound and it turned out good)

1 Tablespoon of Lavender Buds 

Non-Toxic Stocking Stuffers Under $15

1. Konjac Sponge Company French Pink Clay Sponge $9.00 - eco-friendly sponge for sensitive skin. Provides deep cleansing with gentle exfoliation. Red clay improves blood circulation while reducing the appearance of aging. 

2. Yarok Feed Your Ends Leave in Conditioner 2 oz. $12.00 - Leave in conditioner prevents damage from heat. 

3.My Chelle Creamy Pumpkin Cleanser 4.4 fl oz. $14.40 - Cleanser perfect for dehydrated skin. Vegan friendly, cruelty free, and gluten free. 

4. Shavasana Candle Travel Tin $3.95

5. Hurraw! Lip Balm $5.00 - All natural and vegan. Made from raw and organic ingredients. 

6. Adara Organic Virgin Coconut Oil - Green Tea $12.00 - Multipurpose coconut oil that hydrates skin and hair 

7. LuLu Organics Travel Size Lavender Clary Sage Hair Powder $10.00 - Non-toxic dry shampoo that is perfect for color treated hair! 

8. Soapwalla Kitchen Deodorant Cream $14.00 - All natural deodorant cream made with organic ingredients such as tea tree, lavender, peppermint, rosehip seed oil and more! 

9. Saje Coconut Kiss Exfoliating Body Scrub $5.95

10. Pukka Organic Herbal Teas $6.26

DIY Orange Cream Sugar Scrub

My very first all natural do it yourself project!
Please click here for the full recipe from thegunnysack.com

I used what I had in my house and followed the exact recipe. I found that I only needed just over 1/2 cup of white sugar but when you are making this you will be able to tell by its consistency. I also didn't have any orange essential oil in my house so I used orange natural flavor and that worked pretty good. It has a subtle hint of orange with the flavor but I'm sure if you use the essential oil the smell of orange will be stronger. This little gift idea is so cost effective. Each one only cost me around 5 dollars (maybe less), that includes the jars, spoons, and all the ingredients. Now that I know how to make these I will be coming up with my own recipes and share them with you guys!

Jessica Alba Speaks Up Against Synthetic Chemicals in Everyday Products

This is the first that I�ve heard about a celebrity speaking up about the toxins in the everyday products

that we use, even baby products. Click the image to see the video. 

Jessica Alba�s company is called The Honest Company and focuses on baby products, cleaning products, and bath and body products. 

Why Lush Cosmetics May Not Be As Good As It Seems

When I first decided that I wanted to use only non-toxic or natural products I posted a status on Facebook asking if people knew of any good natural cosmetic brands. Someone commented and told me to check out Lush. However, I already knew that this was not a true natural company as I used to frequent Lush in high school.

Lush may not use the terms �natural� or �organic� in store but the particular way they market themselves makes people THINK that they are using only natural ingredients. Also, their google ads use the word �natural�.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Now, Lush does use better ingredients than the average cosmetic brand and of course I applaud them for that. However, it is their marketing and the way they sell their products to people that really doesn�t sit well with me.  Lush uses parabens in some of their products. Here is what David Suzuki has to say about parabens, �suspected endocrine disrupters and may interfere with male reproductive functions.� Please click this linkto read more about parabens and why they are harmful. So not only does Lush use parabens in their some of their products but here�s what they have to say about it:

"Parabens are some of the oldest cosmetic perservatives and have been used since the 1920s.

They are used globablly and are permitted by every world health authority (500 independent safety studies have been carried out over the decades). Scare-mongering 'studies' into their protentially negative effects have been now widely debunked.

Conventional cosmetic shelf life is around 30 months. Our products can have shelf lives as little as three weeks, but are usually are 14 months. We even ask that you store our Fresh Face Masks and The Hair Doctor in the fridge. "

                                                                                                                                                                                             

This is what really bothers me. To the unsuspecting consumer this sounds pretty reasonable and even makes sense as to why they are using parabens in their products. The first line �Parabens are some of the oldest cosmetic preservatives and have been used since the 1920s� is a big problem. This is actually one of the biggest problems with the cosmetic industry because the laws that regulate the safety in cosmetics is incredibly out dated. The FDA is the federal agency that is in charge of regulating the cosmetic industry and the law that governs the cosmetic industry is from 1938. Under this law the FDA can�t even do a recall of a product that is known to be unsafe and they don�t require that companies submit any data on the safety of their products.  This is not to say that all chemicals are dangerous. But the problem is that majority of them are untested and we don�t know the long term affects that these chemicals can have on the body. The way I look at, there is a reason why more and more people are getting sick and it�s not just because of the toxins in our food. Majority of the time our body can�t break down these chemicals so they are sitting inside our bodies. For Lush to also defend their use of parabens by saying their products usually last around 14 months is ridiculous. Many natural companies who don�t use chemicals, especially parabens use natural preservatives and their products are usually still good for 1 year. There is really no reason for a company to be using parabens because it �increases the shelf life� when there are other alternatives. The only reason why companies use ingredients like this is because it�s cheap.

In addition to Lush using parabens they also use fragrance in some of their products. Companies do not have to list what is used in �fragrance� because it is considered a trade secret. Lush does say that they only use natural fragrances but really there is no law forcing them to tell us the truth of what is actually in there. I do have a hard time believing that they only use natural fragrance because every time I walk by their store the smell is intrusive and there is a big difference between the smell of their store and a store that is 100% natural.

Lush also uses sulfates in some of their products. Sulfates are a foaming agent that is a skin irritant. Here�s what David Suzuki says about sulfates: http://www.davidsuzuki.org/what-you-can-do/queen-of-green/faqs/toxics/whats-the-difference-between-sodium-lauryl-sulfate-sls-and-sodium-laureth-sulfat/

The reason why I feel so strongly about Lush is because this brand is extremely popular and is known all over the world.  In my opinion, Lush is using harmful ingredients and are making excuses for it. How many people think that they are using something that is safe when they shop at Lush.  Here is a great video about Lush, this video is one of the reasons why I decided to pay attention to what ingredients I am using in my cosmetics. 

Sources: http://www.davidsuzuki.org/what-you-can-do/queen-of-green/faqs/toxics/whats-the-difference-between-sodium-lauryl-sulfate-sls-and-sodium-laureth-sulfat/

http://davidsuzuki.org/issues/health/science/toxics/chemicals-in-your-cosmetics---parabens/

http://www.lush.ca/on/demandware.store/Sites-LushCA-Site/en_CA/Lushopedia-Start?iid=9739

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXT-Vd9ygqk

http://sarahfrascamakeup.blogspot.ca/2011/04/good-bad-and-ugly-lush-cosmetics.html

Disclaimer: Although I have targeted this towards the United States by referring to the U.S FDA these ingredeints are still used in Canada. Here is some information on Canada's cosmetic regulations - http://www.davidsuzuki.org/issues/health/science/toxics/canadas-cosmetic-regulations-could-use-a-make-over/

Saje Natural Wellness First Impressions

Saje Natural Wellness is a Canadian company that has locations in British Columbia and Alberta. They also have an online store that ships worldwide! Their products are 100% natural and feature plant-derived essential oils. I was lucky enough to have a location open up close to me, so I stopped by this weekend to see what the store had to offer. Usually I like to wait a couple a weeks before writing a review just to make sure that I have a good understanding of the product.  However, I love this company so much that I couldn�t wait to do a review for them!

Exotic Crystal Fresh Deodorant $9.95:  This is the first time that I am using a spray deodorant and so far this is working better than any other natural deodorants that I�ve tried. It takes time to test out a natural deodorant so I will wait a bit before giving it my final verdict but so far it is working for me!

Eczema Ease Healing Treatment Lotion 30ml $6.95: I have suffered from eczema most of my life, it is usually on and off and is pretty manageable. I�ve had eczema on my neck since the summer and I�ve been using cream prescribed by the doctor. Although the cream helped control it, it never fully got rid of it. I decided to try this cream from Saje and within 24 hours my eczema was completely gone and hasn�t come back! I will be purchasing the full size bottle of this stuff as soon as I can!

Konjac Kare Cleansing Sponge enriched with yam extract$9.95: I�ve heard a bit about similar cleansing sponges online but have never used one until now. At first the sponge is as solid as a rock until you let it sit in warm water for a couple of minutes.  After letting the sponge sit in water I use it to remove my facial cleanser. This sponge is so smooth and gentle on the skin. It does a good job at taking off all the product. In only a couple of days I have noticed a decrease in redness and I notice that my overall skin tone is more even. I think this is great and is much more gentle than using a traditional face cloth. I will be getting more of these, I�m thinking about trying the one enriched with bamboo charcoal next!

Overall I think Saje Natural Wellness is a great store that has products that perform very well. I can�t wait until I can visit the store next and purchase other goodies! I am eyeing their nebulizers and yoga diffuser blends. I think these would be so wonderful for when I practice yoga at home!  

The Green Beauty Map

The Green Beauty Map - An interactive map that shows where natural beauty companies are located. This is awesome! You can also add your own favorite companies to this map. Please share, the map will become more helpful when more companies are added!

Juice Organics PomMist Environmental Toner

This is a great toner! I found this at Winners on clearance for $5.00. This regularly retails for $9.99. This product does it's job as a toner and smells exactly like pomegranate. It is also great to use as a refresher throughout the day. The best thing about this product is that it only rates a 2 on Cosmetic Database. I usually try to stay 4 and under. I think even at full retail ($10) this is a great price and I would be happy to buy this again!

Jeffrey James Organics - The Cake whipped raspberry mud mask review.

Photo Credit 


This mask smells just as good as it sounds. It smells exactly like cake, and it is heavenly. The smell helps this product feel more luxurious. This is a fairly good product as it is made with bentonite clay and natural bamboo and raspberry fibers. It also has tiny beads so to me it felt more like an exfoliator than a mask. In fact this really didn't feel like a mask at all to me. It didn't harden on my skin, and it didn't tingle either (which the website says may happen). I thought that it was strange that this didn't tingle since I have sensitive skin. I think for $42 USD and for only 2 oz it is to much. I know there are better masks that you can get for around the same price or even cheaper. If this product was less expensive and was marketed as an exfoliator I would be happy to buy it again. However, the price and its performance as a mask just didn't work for me. I don't think that this will stop me from trying other Jeffrey James products as there were some positives about this item. There's that, and I am always seeing this brand at Winners!

The Unregulated Wild West of Cosmetics Chemicals

http://www.linktv.org/video/9212/the-unregulated-wild-west-of-cosmetics-chemicals

Cosmetics are some of the lest regulated products on the market. �Of the 12,000 chemicals used in the cosmetics industry today, some 80 percent have never been assessed for safety�. Check out this short 6 minute video for more information on the toxins in cosmetics. This is a must watch for anyone who uses cosmetics!

UNSAFE: The Truth Behind Everyday Chemicals - 30 min. documentary

UNSAFE: The Truth Behind Everyday Chemicals

(Earth Focus: Episode 59) There are tens of thousands of chemicals in our air, water, and in the everyday products we use. They are largely unregulated and few are adequately tested for safety. They contribute to disease and are linked to conditions such as asthma, autism, ADHD, diabetes, cancers, infertility, cognitive disorders, obesity, reproductive disorders and birth defects. Earth Focus looks at endocrine disruptors, ubiquitous chemicals that affect development, metabolism, fertility and intelligence at extremely low doses and at what measures could be taken to better ensure public safety.

December Wishlist

One Love Organics Vitamin E Moisture Eye Balm $48
LuLu Organics Jasmine Hair Powder $30
Osmia Spot Treatment $20
Ilia Lipstick - Wild Child - $24
Ilia Gold Box - $52
Scotch Naturals Non-Toxic Nail Polish Smugglers Gold $15
Soapwalla Kitchen Deodorant Cream - $14

How to Turn Any Eye Shadow Color Into a Matte Shade

Majority of the time mineral eye shadows are highly pigmented with beautiful color. However, as beautiful as these colors are, I sometimes find them to be too bold for an everyday look. A quick tip to mute down the color of your eye shadow is just too lightly dab concealer over top of it. This tip will also turn any shimmery or glittery shades into a MATTE color. So you don�t HAVE to specifically search for matte eye shadows if that�s what you�re after. Just simply dab some concealer overtop of the eye shadow!

The above picture shows the mineral eye shadow with and without concealer (note: the original colors do have shimmer in them but it didn�t show up on my camera).

1. Blend Mineral Cosmetics � Shimmer Powder 68
2. Blend Mineral Cosmetics � Shimmer Powder 68 WITH concealer
3. Blend Mineral Cosmetics � Shimmer Powder 67
4. Blend Mineral Cosmetics � Shimmer Powder 67 WITH concealer 

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The Just Beautiful Personal Care Products Pocket Shopping Guide

Click here to download this guide for the top 10 ingredients to avoid when you are shopping. Always great to have around!

Blend Mineral Cosmetics Review - Eyeshadow

I had never heard of this brand of mineral cosmetics before I saw their sale on Hautelook. I bought these on whim for only $15.50 excluding shipping and I am very happy with the quality of this product. These are highly pigmented and the product stays very well on makeup brushes and doesn�t have a lot of fall out. If you�re like me and don�t like a lot of sparkle and like to tone down the color just lightly dab a bit of concealer on top of the eye shadow. It creates softer more neutral colors hat can sometimes be hard to find with mineral eye shadow. I might post pictures soon to show you how this works! 

Colors shown:

Shimmer Powder - 67
Shimmer Powder - 68
Shimmer Powder - 69
Shimmer Powder - 72
Shimmer Powder - 63

Original review posted here on November 14, 2013 

The Story of Cosmetics (2010)

The Story of Cosmetics - Short 8 minute video that looks at the toxic chemicals used in our everyday personal care products (yes even products made for babies).

Dr. Hauschka Skincare

I finally got around to trying Dr.Hauschka skincare and overall I do like the products despite the high price tag. With this brand you really do get what you pay for, these products work wonderfully. My favorite item in this kit is the cleansing cream.  It is made with sweet almond meal so it looks like an exfoliator at first but the grain is so fine and gentle that it can be used twice a day. I�ve actually never used a cleanser quite like it before.  This cleanser is great for all skin types as it is not drying or too harsh of a cleanser. My second favorite product from this kit was the quince day cream. It seemed to be a perfect moisturizer for my skin, not too oily but easily absorbed.  If I ever really wanted to splurge on skincare I would repurchase the Cleansing Cream, Quince Day Cream, and the Yonka Lotion for normal to oily skin. 

Original review posted here on November 26,2013

Yon-Ka Skincare

Yonka is a non-comedogenic French skincare brand developed in 1954. This a high end, very luxurious skincare line and I was lucky enough to receive a bag of samples from a local spa. Yonka uses essential oils, fruit and plant extracts and marine active ingredients in their products. Over 130 plants from around the world are used in Yonka products. My favorite product out of this sample pack is the lotion for normal to oily skin (it�s called lotion, but it�s actually a toner). The best thing about this toner is that you could smell the essential oils from the plant, it was soothing, luxurious, and worked wonderfully as a toner. I have dry skin, especially in the winter but this toner was perfect for me. It also has very little ingredients, that is another thing that I really like:

Water, Lavender Oil, Geranium Flower Oil, Rosemary Leaf Oil, Cypress Oil, Thyme Oil, PEG-33 Castor Oil, Chlorhexidine Digluconate.

This is a great skincare line that I would be happy to repurchase full sized bottles of. These non-comedogenic products remind me of Estee Lauder products but with much better ingredients!

My Love Hate Relationship with the Body Shop

When I first found out about all the nasty ingredients in cosmetics I owned a few items from the Body Shop. I thought that these items would probably be safe and to my shock they were actually some of the worst items that I owned. My camomile makeup remover had 8 different parabens. Back then I wanted to use up the products I had until they were finished but the ingredients were so bad in the makeup remover that I threw out the bottle with over half of the product still left.  After this I was ready to swear off The Body Shop and never shop there again.

After seeing a google ad for The Body Shop that advertised itself as �natural� I decided to go on their site and look at some ingredients in their products. Their ad looked similar to this (I just typed in The Body Shop in google):

Although their marketing is untruthful, it turns out they have reformulated a lot of their products from 2012. The chamomile make-up remover had different ingredients listed on their website:

I actually couldn�t believe this and thought that maybe the website wasn�t listing all of the ingredients, so I went to the store and checked it out for myself. Yep, those are for sure the ingredients. No parabens! Although it�s still not the best ingredient list most of the ingredients listed rate 0-1 on the cosmetic database. The most harmful ingredients being:

SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE (Rating 3 on Cosmetic Database. Foaming agent)
PHENOXYETHANOL (Rating 4 on Cosmetic Database. Fragrance Ingredient/Preservative).
SODIUM HYDROXIDE (Rating of 3 on Cosmetic Database. Denaturant; pH Adjuster).
POLYSORBATE-20 (Rating 3 on Cosmetic Database. Fragrance Ingredient.)

In my opinion none of these are as bad as parabens. The only one that I really don�t approve of is the Sodium Laureth Sulfate (keep in mind everyone has different standards of what ingredients they will and will not use).

I checked out some other products at The Body Shop. Some items seem to have a good list of ingredients while most don�t.  I couldn�t find any makeup that had safe ingredients or hair products (except for the Rainforest Coconut Hair Oil).

It seems as if the Body Shop is making an effort to make their products safer. I don�t really know how much of that I can trust because the Body Shop is owned by L�Oreal. I also highly disagree with how The Body Shop markets themselves. They market their products based on ingredients from nature when sometimes you can�t even find that ingredient in the actual product. And although I have never seen a poster using the word �natural� I have seen it all around the internet. The Body Shop also preaches about ethics. How ethical can they be while putting harmful ingredients in their products?

I have a love hate relationship with them because some of their products have good ingredients but only some. It seems as if they are making efforts to change and I do think that have great potential to make great safe products. 

Why I switched to Natural Hair Products (Even Though I Didn�t Want to at First)

When I first decided to switch my skincare and makeup to natural/safe products I didn�t think that I was ever going to switch my hair products.  The reason being is that I heard many times that this was the hardest thing to switch and at the time. I also felt like skincare and makeup toxins were a bigger problem.

After I learned about what shampoo does and how we�ve all become dependent on it, I decided to switch out all my hair care items and hope for the best. Shampoo is extremely drying on your hair. Before switching out my products I used to wash my hair every single day with salon bought shampoo. For those of you not looking to switch your hair products to natural ones, I would still recommend buying shampoo from a salon rather than a drugstore. The reason being is that drugstore hair care products use a lot of silicone�s and co polymers which are basically plastic. These products will temporarily make your hair look healthy and smooth. But really what they are doing is sealing off your hair so it isn�t able to get any more moisture, further drying it out. When you go to higher end hair products they contain a lot less silicone�s and co polymers and will usually have better ingredients. I�m not saying that salon products aren�t toxic, they are just better than drugstore ones.

When you use shampoo, especially those with harsh chemicals, you are stripping away oils that your body produces and that your hair needs. Shampoos strip away so much of these oils that our bodies will over produce oil in order to compensate. That is why you feel like you need to wash your hair every day. It�s a never ending cycle.

I have switched to natural shampoo and conditioner from my local health food store. The hardest thing for me to get used to is that the natural shampoo doesn�t foam, or it doesn�t foam nearly as much as your typical shampoo. At first I felt like it wasn�t cleaning my hair because you can�t get that nice lather. I eventually got used to it and even use less shampoo now because I am afraid of over using it.

Now I am currently in the process of training my scalp to not be so dependent on shampoo. I can go 2-3 days so far and my hair doesn�t look or feel disgusting. People who really commit to this can go up to a week. 

Along with switching my shampoo + conditioner, I have also switched my styling products to natural alternatives. My hair now is overall less frizzy and my hair is the softest it�s ever been. I also get the same look that I did when using your average chemical hair products. I am currently using Yarok products to style my hair. 

Although I don�t follow this method (yet), this is the video that helped me decide to switch my hair products (video will open up in a new window):

Original entry posted here on October 20, 2013

The All Natural Face Liquid and Cream Foundation Review

It took me a while before I decided to try products from The All Natural Face. The only reason being that their website, branding, etc. is done terribly. It looks like the work of an elementary kid playing around with all the fonts on Microsoft Word. I finally decided to get past that because of all the good reviews of their products on youtube and around the internet. The best thing is that everything on their site is so expensive and you can find samples for almost anything. They have a total of 51 shades of foundation available in liquid, cream, and powder. It is a bit excessive but at least you can find that perfect match.

Liquid Foundation: 

This was the first foundation that I purchased from the TANF and it actually works pretty well for its price range - $13.80 for 1 oz. I usually go through foundation faster than most people and this one has lasted me over two months. This foundation is a light-medium coverage. For best results and better coverage you should apply it with a flat headed kabuki brush (I use the COVER FX Liquid Foundation Brush). It�s best to apply this in circular motions in order for it to blend well and to stay on your skin. For areas that need more coverage just lightly dab on the product with your flat headed foundation brush. I�ve found that other methods leave the foundation feeling �greasy� to the point where you can almost just whip it off. I�ve also tried applying this with a beauty blending sponge and it was terrible. It didn�t blend properly and it didn�t build properly. So if you�re going to be purchasing this foundation make sure you have a flat head brush and apply in circular motions. Also I don�t think this foundation will be suitable for those with oily skin. I have dry/combination skin and it works well except for on the creases on my nose (it gets really greasy/shiny when using this foundation but I combat it with powder).

Rating: 3.5/5

Cream Foundation Pot:

I just purchased this only a few weeks ago after reading better reviews on this foundation. I purchased the 10 gram jar for $6.50 and I used it for 2 weeks straight (not even � of the product was used). This works a lot better than the liquid foundation. It�s more of a medium-full coverage and I think will work well with almost all skin types. It�s not oily or greasy. This product is best applied with a beauty blending sponge. I find that the product spreads easier when I wet the sponge before applying the product. It�s very easy to build up the product for areas that need more coverage. It�s a very good affordable price for foundation. I love it because I hate spending 30, 40 dollars on products that I need to purchase often.

Rating: 5/5 (I don�t really have anything negative to say about this product!)

Parabens. What are they and why this is the #1 ingredient that you should avoid.

When I first heard about parabens, I was scared. I never put any thought onto what I was putting on my body. I had the common notion that since it�s sold in stores it must be relatively safe. That isn�t true at all. The truth is that about 60% of what we put on our skin is absorbed into our blood stream in only 23 seconds. Thus making it as important as what we eat. Learning about parabens is what made me pay attention to every single ingredient that I was putting on my body.

The 4 most common forms of parabens are ethylparaben butylparaben, methylparaben and propylparaben. They can usually be found at the end of an ingredient list. On EWG�s Skin Deep Cosmetic Database parabens have a score of 7 which is in their high hazard range for toxicity. What most people don�t know is that parabens can be hidden in an ingredient listed under �fragrance/parfum�. Because fragrances are considered �trade secrets� manufacturers can hide many ingredients under the name fragrance or parfum. Parabens are found in almost all personal care products (before knowing about them, I had them in every single product I owned. I had them in soap, shampoo, makeup, makeup remover, skincare, ect.). They are dangerous and considered harmful because they mimic estrogen act as potential hormone (endocrine) system disruptors. According to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, �A 2004 UK study detected traces of five parabens in the breast cancer tumors of 19 out of 20 women studied�.  Although this is a small study it shows that parabens are not metabolised by our body.

Unfortunately in Canada there are no restrictions on parabens, although it is recommended. This however doesn�t account to how many products we are putting on our bodies every single day. Suddenly a little bit can become a lot. A lot of us have been exposed to chemicals like parabens from the time we are babies because there are no restrictions for even products for babies.

Sources:

http://safecosmetics.org/article.php?id=291

http://www.davidsuzuki.org/issues/health/science/toxics/chemicals-in-your-cosmetics�-parabens/

http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/search.php?query=paraben&h=Searc

Juice Beauty Stem Cellular CC Cream

I love using this as a primer / moisturizer before I wear foundation. I have acne and acne scarring so I can�t get away with just wearing this. That being said, this is the best cc cream that I have ever used. Made with certified organic ingredients, it decreases redness and improves the overall texture of my skin. This also covers up minor flaws and is a great base before using foundation. This is a bit pricey as it retails at $39.00 but I�ve had this tube for 5 months (almost 6) and I can easily see it lasting me into next year. A highly recommend this for anyone who has dry and/or uneven skin! 

Chemercial Documentary

This is the very first documentary that I watched that exposed me to all of the harmful ingredients in the everyday products that we use. Click the here to watch the video!

The Body Deli Skincare � Fresh, Raw, & Organic Skincare

Finally! I have found the most perfect skincare items (for me)! After months of searching for the right product�I have finally found it. Something that performs well, has great ingredients and is worth my money.

The reason why I am so happy with the Body Deli is because I can actually smell and see the natural ingredients that they are using in the products.  For example, the Cucumber Juice Elixir actually smells like cucumbers, and is the actual color of a cucumber. I have come across a wide variety of natural products that claim to use all these great ingredients but I can�t actually tell that those ingredients are in it. This leads me to believe that they are only using very small amounts of the ingredient that they are marketing.  To me that isn�t worth my money. The Body Deli�s products are so fresh that some of their items need to be refrigerated, but can still last up to a year once opened.  I love knowing that I am putting superfoods right on my skin and getting all the benefits from them!

Almond Milk Cleanser:
This cleanser is creamy and has just the right amount of consistency for my dry/combination skin. It isn�t heavy but it isn�t too light either. I like that this cleanser is very soothing and non-irritating to my skin. It also balances out my skin as I tend to get oily in the t-zone area (only during the summer months). For days that I want to give my skin something extra I mix the Face Food from The All Natural Face (I will do a separate review for the face food). Those two products go perfectly together. This item does not need to be refrigerated but I keep it in there anyways along with my other products from The Body Deli. It lasts 1 year once opened.

Cost: $28.00 USD for 4 oz.
Rating: 5/5 (To me there are no negatives for this product. It performs well, smells great, feels great, and is about an average price for a good cleanser.)

Cucumber Juice Elixir:
I love this toner. This is one of the items that needs to be refrigerated, and lasts 6 months from when it is opened. This product really feels like a treat for the skin. It refreshes the skin and leaves you feeling rejuvenated. This is probably one of the best toners that I have ever used.

Cost: $26.00 USD for 4 oz.
Rating: 4.5/5 (Even though I love this toner, I can�t� give it 5/5 because I seem to use it up very quickly!)

Sea Cucumber Gelee: 
Even though I have dry/combination skin, a lot of face creams are way too heavy and leave my skin feeling greasy, they don�t balance my skin out at all. This however, does. My skin literally drinks this up as soon as I put it on. The best is that a little bit of this goes a long way. I can easily see this lasting me 4-5 months. I haven�t used anything like this before and I think this is the best face moisturizer that I have ever owned. This is the best facial moisturizer for my skin during the summer months!

Cost: $45.00 USD for 2 oz.
Rating: 5/5 (even though this may seem like a high price tag for only 2 oz. worth of product, it goes a very long way so the price is worth it in my opinion.) 

Original review posted here on October 12, 2013